Tuesday, May 27, 2008
248

(TALK WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR) development and implementation of a program to evaluate the mercury health risks of Utah's fish

B.R. Brown, Environmental Quality, State of Utah DWQ, 288 N 1460 W, DWQ, Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Over the past five years mercury contamination in Utah’s waters has become an issue of concern among public and resource managers. Of particular concern is the potential toxic effect to humans consuming fish and duck tissue with high levels of methyl mercury.   Initially, mercury tissue contamination data were available for few sites in Utah, but recent monitoring efforts have resulted in nearly 1400 samples collected from nearly 250 sites throughout the State.  Tissue mercury concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 1.86 mg/g.  A joint effort between DWQ and DOH evaluated the data and generated a step-wise framework to issue health advisories that balance the magnitude, variability, and sample size. As of 2007, Utah has issued nine fish mercury advisories and one waterfowl advisory.  Mercury concentrations within a waterbody are often highly variable, even within a species of a given size class.  While some spatial patterns are apparent, DWQ found frequent occurrence of both high and low mercury concentrations within a single airshed.  These observations suggest that while the most likely source of mercury contamination is from atmospheric deposition, other local factors contribute to mercury bioaccumulation.  The challenge is to identify potential solutions to reduce mercury deposition, methyl-lation, or subsequent bioaccumulation in Utah’s waters.


Notes…
# of samples; from a handful of sites to extensive monitoring program
Range of values
Health advisory protocols



Web Page: mercury, Utah, fish

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