Mercury bioaccumulation in the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon): Geographical, tissue, gender and age differences

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), a terrestrial predator species with an essential role in the Iberian ecosystems food chain. Differences between males and females and the effect of age in mercury body burdens were studied, as well as the geographical distribution of mercury in tissues ofthe studied species.Totalmercury (T-Hg)was determined in muscle, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, blood, brain, fat and pelage of the Egyptian mongoose from 14 locations, encompassing the distribution range of the element in the species. In order to study differences between ages, males and females, 20 individualsfromonesamplinglocationwereanalysed.Total mercury concentrations ranged between 0.01 and 13 μgg −1 (dry weight (dw)) and followed the order from the least to the most contaminated: fat