Abstract
Mercury is a known neurotoxin and contaminant of concern worldwide. Mercury may occur at elevated concentrations adjacent to industrial sources, such as coal-fired power plants, or in remote environments and newly filled water bodies. Mercury tissue concentrations were determined for a sample of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) from Crystal Reservoir, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada. This investigation was triggered by (1) the presence of several conditions in soil and water that facilitate mercury bioaccumulation, (2) previous investigations that detected mercury in source springs, and (3) the presence of game fish and endangered pupfish within the reservoir. Mercury concentrations were significantly correlated with both fish mass and condition, but were lower than national human health and safety standards. It is possible that high pH and salinity inhibited methylation and subsequent bioaccumulation; however, additional studies are needed to determine causation of the low concentration in fish tissue compared with ambient conditions.
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Notes
Conditions such as high hardness and pH are also prevalent, which limit methylation.
The siphon consists of 30.5 and 15.25-cm steel pipes with variable v-valve gates. The 15.25-cm pipe is constant, and the larger pipe is inoperable but is intended to be used in emergency situations. The maximum flow in this pipe is 19.7 cfs at full pool level. The secondary spillway was designed to carry up to 242 cfs.; however, typical export is approximately 0.75 cfs.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Nevada Department of Wildlife for their assistance in collecting and processing samples. Darrick Weissenfluh assisted necropsies, and Erik Orsak of the Fish and Wildlife Service provided valuable comments on the manuscript.
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Goodchild, S., Gerstenberger, S. Mercury Concentrations in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Collected from Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 60, 496–500 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-010-9565-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-010-9565-7