Water quality and habitat as indicators of mercury concentrations in fish from Arkansas lakes

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:242377

Price, A ^[1]

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1. Arkansas Dept. of Pollution Control and Ecology, Little Rock, AR (United States)

Mercury is the major contributor to fish consumption advisories in Arkansas. The causes of the mercury contamination are still not clear. Studies done in other states have indicated some correlation between water quality parameters and concentrations of mercury in fish. Composite samples of largemouth bass fillets, 305--406 cm in length, were analyzed for mercury from all major water bodies over the past two years. Twenty-three water quality parameters were measured in 65 lakes with associated fish muscle tissue data. Parameters were measured in the epilimnion, at the metalimnion and in the hypolimnion. Fish tissue mercury concentrations showed statistically significant correlations (p < 0.05) with sulfates, alkalinity and pH in the epilimnion and hypolimnion. Correlations with total organic carbon were observed at the metalimnion and in the hypolimnion. Manganese in the hypolimnion appeared to serve as a good indicator of the redox potential. Correlations with other water quality parameters were seen in at least one of the three layers. Habitat parameters did not show significant correlations in any of 16 lakes at which they were measured.

• OSTI ID: 242377
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ARKANSAS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
LAKES
MERCURY
SENSITIVITY
WATER POLLUTION