Blue swimming crab, <i>Portunus pelagicus</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) as monitors of mercury<span style="mso-bidi-font-family:TimesTen-Bold;mso-bidi-language:FA" lang="EN-US"> contamination from Persian Gulf, South Iran </span>

Abstract

Levels of mercury in tissues of blue swimming crab, <i>Portunus pelagicus</i> in the Persian Gulf coasts, south Iran were investigated. Hg analysis was performed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Distribution pattern of Hg in the tissues of <i>P. palagicus</i> was as follows: hepatopancreasn > muscle > exoskeleton. Total mercury levels in the tissues of <i>P. palagicus</i> from the other six sampling stations ranged between (4.70 ± 0.80 μg/g) and (0.10 ± 0.07 μg/g). In present study recorded that there was negligible differences in Hg levels between<i> P. pelagicus</i> sexes. Maximum concentration of the total Hg in all tissues of <i>P. pelagicus</i> observes in Bahrekan station (<i>P</i><0.05) during different seasons. There was significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05) between the level of Hg in the tissues of the crab <i>P. pelagicus</i>. Differences in Hg levels could have resulted from diverse pollution source, ecological particularity, industries and human activities.