The variability of mercury (Hg) levels in Swedish freshwater fish during almost 50 years was assessed based on a compilation of 44 927 observations from 2881 waters. To obtain comparable values, individual Hg concentrations of fish from any species and of any size were normalized to correspond to a standard 1-kg pike [median: 0.69 mg kg−1 wet weight (ww), mean ± SD: 0.84 ± 0.67 mg kg−1 ww]. The EU Environmental Quality Standard of 0.02 mg kg−1 was exceeded in all waters, while the guideline set by FAO/WHO for Hg levels in fish used for human consumption (0.5–1.0 mg kg−1) was exceeded in 52.5 % of Swedish waters after 2000. Different trend analysis approaches indicated an overall long-term decline of at least 20 % during 1965–2012 but trends did not follow any consistent regional pattern. During the latest decade (2003–2012), however, a spatial gradient has emerged with decreasing trends predominating in southwestern Sweden.
CITATION STYLE
Åkerblom, S., Bignert, A., Meili, M., Sonesten, L., & Sundbom, M. (2014). Half a century of changing mercury levels in Swedish freshwater fish. Ambio, 43(1), 91–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-014-0564-1
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