Abstract

• The Impact of mercury pollution has been a critical issue worldwide. The present study focused on assessment of mercury contamination status in Ayeyarwady River using adult Wallago catfish as bio-indicator during June 2017 to December 2019. Mercury concentration in the muscle of fish was analysed by mercury analyser (MA-3 Solo NIC). Mean mercury concentration in fish muscle was recorded as 0.62±0.23 ppm (dry weight basis), and 0.14±0.05 ppm (wet weight basis). Average mercury concentration in the fish muscle in wet weight basis showed lower than the WHO (1990) standard (<0.5µg/g), while higher than this standard in dry weight basis. Mercury concentration in fish muscle of the present study was about five times lower than last five years record in Ayeyarwady River. Illegal gold mining is the major source of mercury contamination to the aquatic ecosystem of the Ayeyarwady River, so as education program to local people and regular monitoring about the hazard of mercury are effective tools for the conservation of vulnerable aquatic organisms and health safety of the people. This finding would be provided the information for assessing the impact of the mercury pollution on biodiversity, especially Irrawaddy Dolphin in the Ayeyarwady River of Myanmar.