The relative contributions of proximity to mercury sources and trophic ecology to realized axial muscle mercury concentrations were explored for three deep-water chondrichthyans (Etmopterus princeps, Centroscymnus coelolepis, and Hydrolagus affinis), two species of which are harvested for human consumption. Samples were taken at three North Atlantic Ocean locations: the Azores, the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone, and the Bear Seamount. Despite the long distances between anthropogenic sources and the sampling locations, all species from all locations had muscle mercury concentrations exceeding the United States human health screening value of 0.3 mg/kg wet weight. Proximity to anthropogenic sources was not an obvious determinant of these elevated concentrations. Generally, mercury concentrations appeared to increase with increased dependence on benthic versus pelagic food sources (as indicated by interspecies differences in δ(13)C), and with higher position in the trophic web (as indicated by differences in δ(15)N).

Mercury trophic transfer in the South River (VA, USA) was modeled to guide river remediation decision making. Sixteen different biota types were collected at six sites within 23 river miles. Mercury biomagnification was modeled using a general biomagnification model based on delta(15)N and distance from the historic mercury release. Methylmercury trophic transfer was clearer than that for total Hg and, therefore, was used to build the predictive model (r(2) (prediction) = 0.76). The methylmercury biomagnification factors were similar among sites, but model intercept did increase with distance down river. Minimum Akaike's Information Criterion Estimation (MAICE) justified the incorporation of distance in the model. A model with a very similar biomagnification factor to the South River (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.38-0.52) was produced for a second contaminated Virginia river, the North Fork Holston River (95% CI = 0.41-0.55). Percent of total Hg that was methylmercury increased monotonically with trophic position. Trophic models based on delta(15)N were adequate for predicting changes in mercury concentrations in edible fish under different remediation scenarios.