Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: The present study was designed to determine total mercury concentrations in sediment and the soft tissues of two bivalve species, Saccostrea cucullata and Callista umbonella, in coastline of Bandar Abbas in 2011. Materials and Methods: Generally, 67 bivalves and 10 sediment samples were collected from two stations (terminal of Bandar Abbas and tourism park of Soro). We measured total mercury concentrations in each sample using Mercury Analyzer (Leco AMA 254). Results: Means of mercury concentration were 145.58 and 151.13 (ng/g dw) in soft tissues of oyster S. cucullata and 34.5 and 63.95 in the soft tissues of Clam C. umbonella in two stations, terminal of Bandar Abbas and tourism park of Soro respectively. Total mercury concentrations were 30.27 and 20.55 (ng /g dw) in the sediment samples in two stations, terminal of Bandar Abbas and tourism park of Soro respectively. A significant difference was found in mercury concentrations between soft tissue of the two species (p <0.01). Conclusion: Considering higher concentration of mercury in the soft tissues of oyster S. cucullata than clam C. umbonella, lower coefficient of variation in soft tissue of oyster relative to clam C. umbonella, and also significant correlations between mercury levels in the soft tissue of oyster and sediments, it can be concluded that the soft tissues of oyster S. cucullata can be used as biomonitoring agent for mercury in intertidal zone of Bandar Abbas. In comparison with food safety standards (FDA, EU Commission and NHMRC), mercury concentrations in oysters were well within the permissible limits for human consumption.