Dynamics of mercury content in adult sichel (Pelecus cultratus L.) tissues from the Baltic Sea before and during spawning.

ABSTRACT

This study compares the content of mercury in the muscles, liver, kidneys, gonads and gills of male and female individuals of sichel (Pelecus cultratus). Moreover, the trend of changes of mercury concentration before (March) and during (May) the spawning season was examined. Sichel brooders were caught in the Vistula Lagoon during commercial fishing. The mercury content in tissues was determined by atomic absorption using a Milestone DMA-80. The tests revealed a statistically higher mercury concentration in muscles, liver and gonads in male vs. female fish. Moreover, significantly higher mercury concentration was found in male and female fish caught during the spawning season (May) than in those caught before this season (March). Moreover, testes (0.011 ±â€¯0.007 mg kg-1 w/w) were found to contain 12 times, and ovaries (0.004 ±â€¯0.001 mg kg-1 w/w) - approx. 19 times less mercury than the muscular tissue of those same fish. This may suggest the existence of a protective barrier, defending future offspring against the transfer of toxic mercury from the parent body to gonads and gametes.