Samples of fish from freshwater sources of rivers, lakes and ponds all over the state of South Carolina were collected during the Summer of 1974 and 1975. The fish collected were Bass, Bluegill, Redbreast, Catfish, Shad, Carp, Crappie, Mudfish and Pike. Samples were analyzed using the flameless atomic absorption procedure outlined by Hatch and Ott, and Uthe et al as modified for use with Perkin-Elmer, Coleman MAS-50 mercury analyzer. Triplicate samples of fish tissue were analyzed by wet digestion method. The mean mercury levels in ppb were determined for baseline mercury levels. A significant finding of this report is that those species for which fish of widely differing weights were analyzed, larger fish had higher mercury levels. Mercury levels exceeding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration guideline of 500 ppb for fish tissues have been found in the Mudfish from Edisto River and Pike fish from Lake Murray. Higher levels of mercury occurred in the highly vascularized blood tissues of liver and kidney than in muscle. Carnivorous and bottom-feeding fishes are the most reliable indicators of mercury pollution.

Many of the world’s great gastronomic materpieces are based on fish from both freshwater and saltwater. The danger for human health, due to fish consumption, has been very well recognized. A survey of mercury residues in freshwater fish was undertaken to see if the problem of the magnitude of mercury contamination was evident in the South Carolina Fishery. These investigations were initiated to determine mercury levels in fish from a variety of South Carolina Waters. Samples of fish from freshwater sources all over the state of South Carolina were collected during 1974 and 1975. The species composition of the collections generally reflects the fish populations of the water sampled. Mercury determinations were made on 100 samples of fish taken from 22 locations covering 46 South Carolina counties. Triplicate samples of fish tissues were analyzed using flameless atomic absorption procedures. Findings of this report are that magnitude of mercury levels of fish from Lake Jocassee and Edisto River have been found to be higher than other waterways surveyed. Mercury levels exceeding the U. S. Food and Drug Administration guideline of 0.5 ppm have been found in Brown Trout, Pike and Mudfish. Different patterns of mercury concentration occurred between different tissues. Larger fish contain higher concentration of mercury than do smaller fish of the same species.