The research of which this master's thesis is a part examined the transfer of methylmercury (MeHg) along the benthic trophic chain of the Sava River. We compared the content of mercury (THg) in water, sediment and organisms using Cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Bioaccumulation (BAF) and biomagnification factors (BMF) were then calculated from the measured MeHg and THg values. We confirmed that data on water content, sediments and organisms are crucial for understanding the circulation of MeHg and THg in a water body. Statistical analysis did not show significant differences in concentrations between organisms other than snails and leeches. The calculated BAF and BMF values indicate bioaccumulation and biomagnification, but more precise classification of organisms into food groups would be required. Among leeches, we generally measured the most MeHg, up to 130 ng / g dry weight. Compared to the Soča River (Žižek et al., 2011), the MeHg content in the Sava is much lower.
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