3.3. Inorganic and organic mercury in plants
As shown in Fig. 2C and D, IHg concentration in roots ranged from
0.010 to 84 mg kg−1 d.w. (with a mean of 9.4 mg kg−1 and a median
of 0.85 mg kg−1; n = 40)whereas in shoots, IHg concentrations varied
between 0.020 and 6.9 mg kg−1 d.w. (with a mean of 1.3 mg kg−1 and
a median of 0.25 mg kg−1; n = 40). The percentage of IHg in relation
to THg was from 85 to 100% (in roots) and from 92 to 100% (in shoots).
Relatively higher IHg concentrationswere obtained in roots when compared
with shoots (Fig. 2C and D). The IHg in plants (both roots and
shoot) increased from site 1 to site 9, showing that high concentrations
of IHg in plantswere generally associatedwith high levels of IHg in soils.