Tissue Distribution of Mercury in the Bodies of Wild American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from a Coastal Marsh in Louisiana (USA)

Moore, Liberty A.; Finger, Jr., John W.; Haskins, David L.; Elsey, Ruth M.; Castleberry, Steven B.; Glenn, Travis C.; Jagoe, Charles H.; Brisbin, Jr., I. Lehr

doi:10.1007/s00244-022-00938-3

Title: Tissue Distribution of Mercury in the Bodies of Wild American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from a Coastal Marsh in Louisiana (USA)

Journal Article · 14 June 2022 · Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-022-00938-3 · OSTI ID:1913832

Moore, Liberty A. ^[1];

^[2]; Haskins, David L. ^[3]; Elsey, Ruth M. ^[4]; Castleberry, Steven B. ^[5]; Glenn, Travis C. ^[6]; Jagoe, Charles H. ^[7]; Brisbin, Jr., I. Lehr ^[8]

Univ. of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States); Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); University of Georgia- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Auburn Univ., AL (United States)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, Grand Chenier, LA (United States)
Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
Univ. of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States); Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
Univ. of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States); Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States)
Univ. of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States)

Total mercury (THg) concentrations were measured in wild alligators inhabiting a coastal marsh in southern Louisiana, to determine the tissue distribution of THg among various body organs and tissue compartments. Concentrations of THg in claws and dermal tail scutes were compared to those in blood, brain, gonad, heart, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscle to determine if the former tissues, commonly available by non-lethal sampling, could be used as measures of body burdens in various internal organs. Mercury was found in all body organs and tissue compartments. However, overall, THg concentrations measured in alligators were below the FDA action level for fish consumption and were comparable to previous data reported from southwestern Louisiana. Here, our results suggest consumption of meat from alligators found in this region may be of little public health concern. However, the extended period of time between sampling (in this study) and the present-day highlight the need for continuous, additional, and more recent sampling to ensure consumer safety. Total mercury concentrations were highest in the kidney (3.18 ± 0.69 mg/kg dw) and liver (3.12 ± 0.76 mg/kg dw). THg levels in non-lethal samples (blood, claws, and dermal tail scutes) were positively correlated with all tissue THg concentrations (blood: R² = 0.513 – 0.988; claw: R² = 0.347 – 0.637, scutes: R² = 0.333 – 0.649). Because THg concentrations from blood, claws, and scutes were correlated with those of the internal organs, non-lethal sampling methods may be a viable method of estimating levels of THg in other body tissues.

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Research Organization:: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: FC09-07SR22506; EM0005228

OSTI ID:: 1913832

Journal Information:: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Journal Name: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 83; ISSN 0090-4341

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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