Biomagnification of mercury and selenium in Blue Shark Prionace glauca from the Pacific Ocean off Mexico

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the biomagnification of mercury through the principal prey of the blue shark, Prionace glauca, off the western coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, as well as the relationship between mercury and selenium in blue sharks. High levels of mercury were found in shark muscle tissues (1.39±1.58 μg/g wet weight); these values are above the allowed 1.0 μg/g for human consumption. The Mercury to selenium molar ratio was 1:0.2. We found a low correlation between Mercury bioaccumulation and shark size. Juveniles have lower concentrations of mercury than adults. Regarding the analyzed prey, the main prey of the blue shark, pelagic red crab, Pleuroncodes planipes, bioaccumulated 0.04±0.01 μg/g Hg wet weight, but the prey with higher bioaccumulation was the bullet fish Auxis spp. (0.20±0.02 μg/g wet weight). In terms of volume, the red crab P. planipes can be the prey that provides high levels of mercury to the blue shark.