Behavioural and biochemical responses to dietary mercury exposure in two commercially important marine species

Mercury is a toxic metal with a global distribution. Studies on waterborne exposure to inorganic mercury in aquatic organisms showed changes in biochemical markers and behaviour. Few studies have focused on the effects of inorganic mercury ingestion. This thesis investigated dietary exposure of mercuric chloride to post-larvae and juveniles of Penaeus monodon and juvenile Acanthopagrus australis and showed that biochemical marker response depends on the organism, age (post-larvae or juvenile), tissue analysed (e.g. muscle and neurologic tissue) and exposure period (up to 16 days). Additionally, swimming behaviour was a sensitive parameter for post-larvae prawn studies, but not for juvenile organisms.