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. 2021 Aug 10:781:146691.
doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146691. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Risks from mercury in anadromous fish collected from Penobscot River, Maine

Lisa Jo Melnyk  1 , John Lin  1 , Daniel H Kusnierz  2 , Katherine Pugh  3 , James T Durant  4 , Rene J Suarez-Soto  4 , Raghuraman Venkatapathy  5 , Devi Sundaravadivelu  5 , Anthony Morris  5 , James M Lazorchak  1 , Gary Perlman  6 , Michael A Stover  7
Affiliations

Risks from mercury in anadromous fish collected from Penobscot River, Maine

Lisa Jo Melnyk et al. Sci Total Environ. .

Abstract

Levels of total mercury were measured in tissue of six species of migratory fish (alewife, American shad, blueback herring, rainbow smelt, striped bass, and sea lamprey), and in roe of American shad for two consecutive years collected from the Penobscot River or its estuary. The resultant mercury levels were compared to reference doses as established in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System and wildlife values. Mercury concentrations ranged from 4 μg/kg ww in roe to 1040 μg/kg ww in sea lamprey. Sea lamprey contained the highest amounts of mercury for both seasons of sampling. Current health advisories are set at sufficient levels to protect fishers from harmful consumption of the fish for mercury alone, except for sea lamprey. Based upon published wildlife values for mink, otter, and eagle, consumption of rainbow smelt, striped bass, or sea lamprey poses a risk to mink; striped bass and sea lamprey to otter; and sea lamprey to eagle. For future consideration, the resultant data may serve as a reference point for both human health and wildlife risk assessments for the consumption of anadromous fish. U.S. EPA works with federally recognized Tribes across the nation greatly impacted by restrictions on sustenance fishing, to develop culturally sensitive risk assessments.

Keywords: Anadromous fish; Consumption; Dose; Mercury; One Health approach.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Map of sampling locations along Penobscot River.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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