Fróðskaparrit - 01.07.2004, Qupperneq 108

106
MERCURY IN THE FAROE ISLANDS — A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE DATA
Species, location and time. Number of animals Size (cm) (min-max) Hg
Blue mussel, Svínáir 96a 210 3,9 (3,1-4,4) 0,02
Blue mussel, Svínáir, 01 /02d 150 4,3-5,4 0,01
Blue mussel, Kaldbak nov 97b 57 2,3 (1,9-2,7) 0,03
Blue mussel, Kaldbak, 01 /02d 130 4,0-6,3 0,02
Blue mussel, Hvannasund 0l/02d 59 4,3-6,4 0,03
Blue mussel, Trongisvágur, 01/02d 151 4,2-5,2 0,05
Horse mussel, Kirkjubøur, 01/02d 68 7,1-9,6 0,02
Limpets, Kirkjubøur, 96c 361 4-4,8 nd at 0,02
Limpets, Velbastaður, Aug'96c 43 4,5-5 nd at 0,02
Limpets, Velbastaður, 01 /02d 159 4,0-5,0 0,02
Limpets, Svínáir, 01/02d 139 4,2-5,0 0,02
Limpets, Hvannasund, 01 /02d 178 4,4-4,9 0,03
Limpets, Trongisvágur, 01 /02d 141 4,0-4,9 0,02
Dog whelk, Gamlarætt 97c 38 na 0,02
Dog whelk, Svínáir, 01/02d 65 2,9-3,8 0,04
Dog whelk, Hvannasund, 01/02d 266 2,5-2,9 0,07
Periwinkles, Svínáir, 0I/02d 100 (1,2-1,8) 0,01
Periwinkles, Hvannasund, 01/02d 300 (1,2-1,8) 0,02
Queen scallop (Pecten opercularis) Húsagrynna 97b 106 6,3 (5,5-7,5) <0,02
Starfish (Asteria rubens), Svínáir 96a 66 13,3 (5,4-21,0) 0,04
Sea-urchin (Echinus esculentus), Svínáir dec 96c 28 7,6 (6,4-8,9) <0,02
na. = not analysed. Table 10 Average concentrations ofmercury in various littoral and/or bentic fauna from the Faroes. Values are in mg/kg wet weight. (a. Dam, I998c, b Larsen and Dam, 1999,c. Dam, 2000, d. Hoydal, 2004)
done on various species of molluscs and
other benthos from the littoral; blue mus-
sels (Mytilus edulis), grey top shells (Gib-
bula sp.), banded chinc shells (Lacuna
vincta), dog whelks (Nucella lapillus),
starfish (Asteria rubens), sea urchins (Ech-
inus esculentus) and queen scallops (Pecten
opercularis) and the results of these are
given in Table 10.
In 2001-2003, a study on heavy metals
(Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) often re-
lated to oil pollution and PAH (SFT, 1999)
was undertaken. The study (Hoydal, 2004)
involved analyses of blue mussels, horse
mussels (Modiolus modiolus), limpets,
periwinkles (Littorina obtusata) and dog
whelks from the littoral sampled during
four seasons at 6 selected study locations,
and the mercury results as means for the en-
tire study period, are given in Table 10.
Overall, a weak and not consistent tenden-
cy of elevated mercury concentrations in
blue mussels during winters or early spring
was found (Dam, 2000; Hoydal, 2004). The
mercury level in blue mussels in the Faroe
Islands, which have been found to be are in