Tissue mercury concentrations in alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from the Florida Everglades and the Savannah River Site, South Carolina.

摘要: Mercury pollution is a serious problem in some areas of the southeastern United States. Due to biomagnification, long-lived predators should have high Hg concentrations affected areas. American alligators(Alligator mississippiensis) are important many southwestern wetlands, but little information available on this species. We collected tissues from alligators inhabiting two sites Everglades, Florida (n = 18) and manmade reservoir South Carolina (Par Pond; n 44), all with documented histories contamination, analyzed them for total Hg. Mean kidney, liver, muscle, dermal scutes Everglades (expressed as mg Hg/kg dry mass +/- S.E.M.) were 36.42 5.23, 41.09 5.90, 5.57 0.47, 5.83 1.04, respectively. Concentrations Par Pond 17.73 2.56, 4.08 0.46, 4.58 0.63,respectively. Blood contained 2.20 0.38 wet mass. did not differ among sexes at any location. Tissue levels significantly between locations,but lower Pond. In alligators, positively correlated, tissue length. Only length scute correlated alligators. Regression revealed significant relationship muscle Alligators living polluted can accumulate substantial Hg, relationships specific may vary location or age size animals sampled.