THE CONTENT OF MERCURY IN SOME PARTS ECOSYSTEM OF DRINKING WATER RESERVOIR RIMOV AND FISHPOND BEZDREV IN SOUTH BOHEMIA

Mercury contents in the ecosystem components of impounding reservoir Římov and Bezdrev Lake. Total mercury content was determined by a cold-vapour AAS technique in samples from two sites – reservoir Římov and Bezdrev Lake near České Budějovice, South Bohemia. The highest mercury levels in both carnivorous and non-predatory fish from the both sites were obserwed in muscle tissues, followed by hepatopancreas, kidneys, gonads and gills. Mercury contents were about 0,01 mg.kg ^–1 carp (Cyprinus carpio) tissues and from 0,09 to 0,15 mg.kg ^–1 in water and sediments in Bezdrev Lake. Surprisingly, higher mercury levels were found in all sample types from the reservoir – up to 0,36 mg.kg ^–1 in sediment and up to 0,54 mg.kg ^–1 fresh muscle tissue of bream (Abramis brama).