Contaminant Screening

• In both 1994 &1998 surveys , muscles of big fishes contained high concentrations of total Hg(T. Hg) and Me-Hg similar to these reported in previous surveys in the Region (in mid-1980 and 1993-4)
• Highest measure levels of Hg found in fishes from Kuwait in both surveys (in Bubiyan,1994 and in S. Kuwait,1998)
• Usually, Methyl Mercury (Me-Hg) comprised the bulk of T. Hg in fish muscles from the Region
• Generally, Hg levels in fish muscles not exceeded 0.5 mg/kg -wet wt (permissible consumption limit)
• Bivalves usually characterized by Hg and Me-Hg levels less than found in fishes and higher that those in sediments with much lesser amount of Me-Hg in T. Hg
  
  Examples of Obtained Results:
  
  

  
  

  

  Levels of Methyl Mercury (ng/g-dw) in Near-shore sediments in RSA