Mercury and selenium in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in norwegian waters

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Abstract
Concentrations of mercury and selenium have been determined in liver and kidney of 92 harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) caught along the Norwegian coast. The hepatic and renal mercury concentrations ranged from 0.26 to 9.9 and 0.15 to 3.5 μg g−1, respectively, whereas the corresponding selenium concentrations ranged from 0.74 to 14.2 and 0.60 to 8.6 μg g−1, respectively. No significant differences in mean concentrations of mercury and selenium were found between females and males within the same age classes. However, the concentrations were positively correlated with age. The present results revealed a decreasing mercury concentration gradient from south to north along the Norwegian coast. In all age classes, a significant, positive correlation between the concentrations of mercury and selenium was found in both liver and kidney, the molar mercury‐to‐selenium ratio being 0.9660 and 0.2151, respectively. Implications of these findings for the biochemical and toxicological behavior of mercury and selenium in the harbor porpoise are considered.