PMID- 17486284 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20071113 LR - 20131121 IS - 0090-4341 (Print) IS - 0090-4341 (Linking) VI - 53 IP - 1 DP - 2007 Jul TI - Evaluation of potentially nonlethal sampling methods for monitoring mercury concentrations in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). PG - 84-95 AB - We evaluated three potentially nonlethal alternatives to fillet sampling for the determination of mercury (Hg) concentrations in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Fish (n = 62, 226-464 mm total length) from six sites in southern Missouri were captured by electrofishing. Blood samples (1 mL) from each fish were obtained by caudal veinipuncture with a heparinized needle and syringe. Biopsy needle (10 mm x 14 gauge; three cuts per fish; 10-20 mg total dry weight) and biopsy punch (7 mm x 5 mm in diameter, one plug per fish, 30-50 mg dry weight) samples were obtained from the area beneath the dorsal fin. Fillet samples were obtained from the opposite side of the fish. All samples were freeze-dried and analyzed for total Hg by combustion amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean relative standard deviations (RSDs) of triplicate samples were similar for all four methods (2.2-2.4%), but the range of RSDs was greater for blood (0.4-5.5%) than for the muscle methods (1.8-4.0%). Total Hg concentrations in muscle were 0.0200-0.8809 microg/g wet weight; concentrations in plug, needle, and fillet samples from each fish were nearly identical. Blood Hg concentrations were 0.0006-0.0812 microg/mL and were highly correlated with muscle concentrations; linear regressions between log-transformed blood and fillet Hg concentrations were linear and statistically significant (p < 0.01), and explained 91-93% of the total variation. Correlations between fillet Hg concentrations and fish size and age were weak; together they explained