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Determination of total mercury in fillets of sport fishes collected from Folsom and New Melones Reservoirs, California, 2004

Open-File Report 2007-1077
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20071077

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Abstract

This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, done in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, to determine mercury concentrations in selected sport fishes from Folsom and New Melones Reservoirs in California. Fillets were collected from each fish sample, and after homogenization and lyophilization of fish fillets, mercury concentrations were determined with a direct mercury analyzer utilizing the process of thermal combustion-gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectroscopy. Mercury concentrations in fish fillets from Folsom Reservoir ranged from 0.09 to 1.16 micrograms per gram wet weight, and from New Melones Reservoir ranged from 0.03 to 0.94 microgram per gram wet weight. Most of the fish fillets from Folsom Reservoir (87 percent) and 27 percent of the fillets from New Melones Reservoir exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's fish consumption advisory of 0.30 microgram per gram wet weight.

Suggested Citation

May, T.W., and Brumbaugh, W.G., 2007, Determination of total mercury in fillets of sport fishes collected from Folsom and New Melones Reservoirs, California, 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1077, 16 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20071077.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Determination of total mercury in fillets of sport fishes collected from Folsom and New Melones Reservoirs, California, 2004
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2007-1077
DOI 10.3133/ofr20071077
Year Published 2007
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Columbia Environmental Research Center
Description 16 p.
Additional publication details