Monitoring of mercury in fish from Gunneklevfjorden and two freshwater lakes nearby

Summary

Fish is an important source of human exposure to mercury (Hg), a pollutant having both natural and anthropogenic sources of emissions to the environment. In this survey, levels of Hg in the food webs of various water bodies from nearby catchments were examined to assess the relative impact from a local source of Hg and long-range transported atmospheric Hg. Concentrations of Hg in fish, zooplankton, sediment and water were determined in samples from a brackish fjord affected by local Hg pollution(Gunneklevfjorden) and two freshwaters in nearby catchment areas (Flåte and Svanstulvatnet). The work is intended to form a basis for documentation of the effect of planned clean-up measures for the contaminated seabed in Gunneklevfjorden.