Effects of dietary methylmercury on growth performance and tissue burden in juvenile green (Acipenser medirostris) and white sturgeon (A. transmontanus)

Triplicate groups of juvenile green and white sturgeon (30 ± 2 g) were exposed to one of the four nominal concentrations of dietary methylmercury (MeHg, 0 (control), 25, 50, and 100 mg MeHg/kg diet) for 8 weeks to determine and compare the effects on growth performance and mercury (Hg) tissue burden in the two sturgeon species. Mortality, growth performance as measured by percent body weight increase per day, hepatosomatic index, proximate composition of whole body, and Hg burden in the whole body, gill, heart, liver, kidney, and white muscle were determined to assess the adverse growth effects and bioaccumulation of dietary MeHg in sturgeon. Significantly higher mortality and lower growth rate (p < 0.05) were noted in green and white sturgeon fed the MeHg diets compared to the controls. Green sturgeon fed the MeHg diets exhibited earlier and more severe adverse effects compared to white sturgeon. Mercury accumulated in all tissues in a dose-dependent manner regardless of species, and the highest Hg concentrations were found in the kidneys of both species. Dietary MeHg had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the whole body proximate compositions of either sturgeon species. In conclusion, green sturgeon was more susceptible to dietary MeHg toxicity than white sturgeon in our 8-week growth experiment based on the higher mortality and lower growth rate and body energy contents.