Total mercury bioaccumulation tracking in a fresh water food chain, (Sanandaj Gheshlagh Dam Reservoir, Iran)

Due to the importance of Sanandaj Gheshlagh Reservoir (SGR) in the region and proven mercury pollution in SGR water, a research project was carried out to determine the amount of mercury concentration and bioaccumulation and its behavior through a food route in SGR food chain (i.e., water, sediments, fish, and human).This was done, because it has been reported that mercury concentration and its toxicity could increase during mercury exchange between trophic levels. During April to December 2012, 24 water, sediment, and fish samples (Capoetta trutta) (4 samples per month) from SGR and 24 human hair samples from Sarab Ghamish village settlers (the major Capoetta trutta consumers in the region) were collected. Total mercury mean concentration in water, sediment, Capoeta trutta, and human hair were 0.0028±0.000128, 0.110±0.0057, 0.296±0.0119, 2.059±0.1704 ppm respectively. Calculated bioconcentration factors were 4 × 10 and 1 × 102 in SGR sediment and fish, and related biomagnifications factors were 40 and 5 respectively. Due to the high bioaccumulation, biomagnifications factors and mercury concentration recorded in edible parts of SGR fish, local consumers should not eat more than 1182 gram of this fish weekly without accounting for other potential sources of total mercury in their food basket.