Accumulation of mercury in muscle of orange-spotted spinefoot(Siganus guttatus Bloch, 1787) by age and season in the coastal Quang Binh

Orange-spotted spinefoot (Siganus guttatus) is not only a fish with high economic value, rich in nutrients, but also popular with people for consumption. This research was carried out from November 2021 to May 2022, in the coastal and estuaries of Quang Binh province. A total of 60 samples of orange-spotted spinefoot were collected by age group, wet season, and dry season to analyse the accumulation of mercury (Hg) in their muscles. The Hg concentration was analysed by cold vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy. Research results showed a strong correlation between the length and weight of fish both in the wet and dry seasons. The age group has a strong influence on the accumulation of Hg in their muscles, the older fish group has a higher aggregation of Hg than the younger fish group. Although the average value of Hg concentration in the muscle of orange-spotted spinefoot in the dry season is higher than in the wet season, analysis results of “Tukey’s HSD test” showed that there was no significant difference.