Table 3.
Total Hg concentrations in blood of pinniped species
| Species | Location, year | Condition | Reference | Concentration | |
| μg.L-1 | μg.g-1 fw | ||||
| Phoca vitulina | North Sea. (1997–2004) |
Free-ranging seals | this work | 172 ± 143 (43–611) n = 22 |
0.16 ± 0.13 (0.04 – 0.56) n = 22 |
| Phoca groenlandica | NW Atlantic | Captive seal (before MeHg exposure) |
[61] | 80 ± 40 (n = 6) |
nd |
| Phoca groenlandica | Gulf of St Lawrence (1976 – 1978) |
Free-ranging adult seals | [62] | nd | Males: 0.15 ± 0.02 n = 2 Females: 0.07 ± 0.04 n = 48 |
| Phoca groenlandica | Front ice off Newfoundland – Labrador (1976–1978) |
Free-ranging adult seals | [62] | nd | Males: 0.04 ± 0.02 n = 3 Females: 0.02 n = 1 |
| Leptonychotes weddellii | Antarctic 1980 |
Free-ranging seals | [63] | nd | 0.02 n = 2 |
| Callorhinus ursinus | Alaska, 1972 | Wild nursing cows | [85] | nd | 0.099 n = 2 |
mean ± standard deviation, n = number of samples analysed, nd = not determined