Concentrations of mercury, cadmium and lead in all fish composites gathered from around Maine are found in this table. A preliminary examination of the mercury data revealed that high concentrations in fish were found to be widespread throughout the state. The Maine Department of Human Services has established the human consumption level of concern for mercury at 0.43 parts per million.
One or more fish composites from approximately 65 percent of the lakes sampled were equal to or exceeded this concentration. Approximately 49 percent of the predator fillet composites, 48 percent of the whole predator composites and 11 percent of the omnivore composites exceeded the state level of concern. Mercury levels in fish composites from 9 percent of the study lakes exceeded the Federal Food and Drug Administration action level of 1.0 parts per million.
Many of the predator fillets were also analyzed individually for mercury as part of a Master of Science research project at the University of Maine, Orono supported by this project (Craig P. Stafford, MS Thesis, December, 1994. "Mercury Contamination in Maine Predatory Fishes"). Maximum concentrations in individual fillets measured well over 3.0 ppm. Maximum levels of mercury in the composites were 1.2 ppm, 1.8 ppm and 2.5 ppm respectively for whole omnivores, whole predators and predator fillets.
- Text and chart experpted from the Fish Tissue Contamination in Maine Lakes data report.
Key to the chart: SPEC = species, CODE = composite type (PF = predator fillets, PW = predator whole fish, OW = omnivore whole fish), N = number of fish in the composite, YR = year sampled, ND = not detected, K = trace detected at detection level. NA indicates the sample was not analyzed for the given parameter. All values are reported on a wet weight basis.
HG = mercury, CD= cadmium, and PB = lead.
