Changes in fish mercury concentrations over 20 years in an acidified lake subject to experimental liming

Abstract Lake Iso Valkjarvi (southern Finland, Europe) was divided in two with a plastic curtain in 1991. One half was neutralized with CaCO 3 , and the other acted as a control. Mercury concentrations of perch ( Perca fluviatilis ) and northern pike ( Esox lucius ) in the limed and control side of the lake were studied both before and after the treatment. Average Hg concentrations of perch and pike were 0.40 and 1.2 μg g −1 (ww) in the early 1980s and 0.25 and 0.72 μg g −1 (ww) a decade later at the time of liming. Ten years after the liming the Hg concentrations of perch in the limed and control sides of the lake were 0.21 and 0.28 μg g −1 (ww) and those of pike were 0.69 and 0.43 μg g −1…