Abstract

Muscle tissues of 102 yellownose skate (Zearaja chilensis) and 51 plownose chimaera (Callorhinchus callorhynchus) caught as bycatch in the artisanal fisheries of common hake were analyzed to determine the concentrations of mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) measured by cold vapour and acetylene flame methods, respectively. Mercury concentration showed no differences in the studied species (p=0.1413) with 0.088 ± 0.05 μg·g-1 w.w. for Z. chilensis and 0.044 ± 0.18 μg·g-1 for C. callorhynchus. The same situation occurred in lead concentration (p=0.986) for the skate and chimaera. However, the two studied species showed higher values of Pb, with 2.48 ± 2.50 μg·g-1 and 2.47 ± 3.11 μg·g-1. Based by WHO values, mercury concentrations reported in this study will not constitute a risk for human health, in contrast to the high contributions of lead that were found in the different tissues of the yellownose skate and the plownose chimaera, in which there will be a risk for human consumption.