Mercury Concentrations in Tissues of Colombian Slider Turtles, Trachemys callirostris, from Northern Colombia

This study determined the total mercury (THg) concentrations in pectoral muscle, blood and carapace tissue in turtles collected from Magangu, and Lorica, Colombia. THg concentrations in mu g/g (wet weight) were 0.39 +/- A 0.16 in muscle, 0.15 +/- A 0.08 in carapace and 0.07 +/- A 0.03 in blood for turtles from the Magdalena River and 0.25 +/- A 0.18 in muscle, 0.14 +/- A 0.09 in carapace and 0.06 +/- A 0.04 in blood for turtles from the SinA(0) River. Twenty-nine and ten percent of turtle muscle samples from Magangu, and Lorica, respectively, exceeded the consumption advisory limit of 0.5 mu g Hg/g for fish. There was a significant correlation between carapace length and THg levels for this specie, depending on the sample site. In addition, a significant correlation was observed in THg concentrations in carapace and muscle. However, significant differences were observed in the THg levels between the two study locations, with turtles caught in the Magdalena River having higher levels of THg.