Table 1.
Average Cd, THg, and MeHg concentrations in tissues by species and sampling location. Metal concentrations are presented as average dry weight concentrations ± one standard deviation (SD). Hyphen (-) indicates no value available. Sample sizes are provided in parentheses
| Species | Location | Tissue | Cd ± SD (n) (µg/g DW) | THg ± SD (n) (µg/g DW) | MeHg ± SD (n) (µg/g DW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic cod | Inukjuak | Liver | 1.70 ± 2.24 (27) | 0.087 ± 0.084 (27) | 0.073 ± 0.064 (11) |
| Inukjuak | Muscle | 0.009 ± 0.006 (6)a | 0.336 ± 0.300 (27) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Liver | 0.258 ± 0.121 (15) | 0.032 ± 0.022 (15) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Muscle | 0.006 ± 0.000 (5)a | 0.360 ± 0.224 (15) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Liver | 0.301 ± 0.202 (15) | 0.042 ± 0.038 (15) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Muscle | 0.006 ± 0.000 (5)a | 0.355 ± 0.302 (15) | - | |
| Blue mussel | Inukjuak | Whole body | 5.64 ± 2.77 (16) | 0.200 ± 0.066 (16) | 0.035 ± 0.010 (11) |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Whole body | 2.98 ± 0.756 (10) | 0.170 ± 0.033 (10) | 0.048 ± 0.005 (5) | |
| Sanikiluaq | Whole body | 6.67 ± 2.86 (20) | 0.138 ± 0.047 (20) | 0.030 ± 0.015 (15) | |
| Umiujaq | Whole body | 6.20 ± 2.53 (6) | 0.159 ± 0.033 (6) | 0.031 ± 0.009 (6) | |
| Common eider | Inukjuak | Liver | 16.5 ± 11.9 (4) | 1.17 ± 0.278 (4) | - |
| Inukjuak | Muscle | 0.849 ± 0.714 (4) | 0.258 ± 0.075 (4) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Liver | 7.01 ± 8.55 (24) | 1.23 ± 1.26 (24) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Muscle | 0.433 ± 1.029 (11) | 0.292 ± 0.199 (24) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Liver | 17.3 ± 10.2 (16) | 1.14 ± 0.572 (16) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Muscle | 0.463 ± 0.343 (6) | 0.238 ± 0.148 (16) | - | |
| Umiujaq | Liver | 18.0 ± 29.3 (16) | 1.08 ± 0.710 (16) | - | |
| Umiujaq | Muscle | 0.774 ± 0.671 (6) | 0.275 ± 0.214 (16) | - | |
| Ringed seal | Kuujjuaraapik | Liver | 18.7 ± 13.1 (23) | 20.3 ± 22.0 (23) | - |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Muscle | 0.191 ± 0.217 (22) | 0.705 ± 0.354 (23) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Liver | 24.0 ± 18.6 (16) | 17.8 ± 36.7 (16) | 1.13 ± 1.56 (14) | |
| Sanikiluaq | Muscle | 0.156 ± 0.100 (7) | 0.645 ± 0.778 (7) | - | |
| Sculpin | Inukjuak | Liver | 1.38 ± 1.37 (11) | 0.142 ± 0.071 (11) | - |
| Inukjuak | Muscle | 0.007 ± 0.002 (5)a | 0.557 ± 0.311 (11) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Liver | 4.27 ± 3.60 (10) | 0.182 ± 0.075 (10) | - | |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Muscle | 0.015 ± 0.009 (5)a | 0.514 ± 0.211 (10) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Liver | 1.21 ± 1.55 (10) | 0.183 ± 0.142 (10) | - | |
| Sanikiluaq | Muscle | 0.006 ± 0.000 (5)a | 0.486 ± 0.398 (10) | - | |
| Sea urchin | Inukjuak | Gonad | 1.26 ± 0.204 (4) | 0.085 ± 0.010 (4) | 0.013 ± 0.004 (4) |
| Kuujjuaraapik | Gonad | 1.06 ± 0.353 (5) | 0.069 ± 0.022 (5) | 0.014 ± 0.005 (5) | |
| Sanikiluaq | Gonad | 1.21 ± 0.544 (10) | 0.067 ± 0.027 (10) | 0.012 ± 0.012 (10) |
aAverages calculated with non-detects = ½ the detection limit