Mercury in freshwater fish and clams from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field of Baja California, Mexico

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01705431· OSTI ID:6877971

Gutierrez-Galindo, E A; Munoz, G F; Flores, A A

Several reports have expressed concern about the potential toxicity hazards and environmental contamination of mercury emissions from geothermal fields in Hawaii, New Zealand, Iceland, California and Mexico. Inorganic mercury discharged from the sources may accumulate in the sediments of rivers or lakes and, after microbiological methylation may become concentrated in the edible tissue of fish. This study involves assessment of geothermal mercury pollution arising from Cerro Prieto. For this purpose the fish Tilapia mossambica and the clam Corbicula fluminea were collected from the freshwater courses of the Mexicali Valley. Reports indicated that in 1982, 13 t of T. mossambica were destinated for human consumption. A further aim was to provide base line data and information relevant to the level of mercury contamination for the Mexicali Valley.

• Research Organization: Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (Mexico)
• OSTI ID: 6877971
• Journal Information: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Vol. 41:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CERRO PRIETO GEOTHERMAL FIELD
HEALTH HAZARDS
CLAMS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
FISHES
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE
HUMAN POPULATIONS
WATER POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
HAZARDS
INVERTEBRATES
MOLLUSCS
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology