comparison of total mercury accumulation in muscle tissues of common carp (cyprinus carpio) and silver carp (hypophthalmichtys molitrix) from sanandaj gheshlagh dam

a research project was designed to compare the level of accumulated mercury in common and silver carp muscle tissues from sanandaj gheshlagh dam. these fish were the most consumed fish in the region. during july to december 2009, forty eight samples of these species were randomly caught (24 samples each). total mercury in muscle tissues was measured by advanced mercury analyzer (model, leco 254 ama) on the dry weight basis. mean total mercury concentration in common and silver carp muscle tissues were 233 (se. ± 20.67) and 367 (se ± 26.43) ppb or ngg-1 respectively. the monthly means of total mercury concentration in common and silver carp muscle tissues did not show any significant difference (f 5, 36 = 2.29 , p = 0.1926), while the total mean of accumulated mercury in silver carp muscle tissues was considerably higher than the level of accumulated mercury in the muscle tissues of common carp (f 1, 36 = 19.70, p = 0.0068). our results showed that the level of accumulated mercury in all samples weighted more than 500 grams, was higher than epa standard, and in all samples weighted over 850 grams level of mercury was higher than who and fao standards as well.