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¹ Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa. Paseo Claussen s/n, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, 82000 Mexico
² Programa de Posgrado en Recursos Acuáticos, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa. Mazatlán Sinaloa, 82000 Mexico
³ Instituto Tecnológico de Mazatlán. Mazatlán, Sinaloa, 82000 Mexico
⁴ Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit. Boulevard Tepic-Xalisco S/N, C.P. 63000. Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
⁵ Laboratorio de Estudios Ambientales UAS-CIBNOR, P.O. Box 1132, Mazatlán Sinaloa, 82000 Mexico DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v18_7_03 Viewed : 3403 - Downloaded : 3463 Oysters of Urías lagoon (NW Mexico) were collected every second month from November 2012 to September 2013, to determine the variations of their mercury (Hg2+) content and assess their suitability for human consumption. Concentrations were significantly higher in November than in March and May, which indicates that variability does not depend on the alternation of dry and rainy seasons, and is probably related to the reproductive cycle of this species. In view of the low apparent seafood consumption in Mexico and given the low mean Hg2+ concentrations (0.07-0.26 µg g-1, dw), consumption of this oyster does not seem to pose risks to the largest part of the population, but the local fishing communities are the ones most likely to be at risk, because of their higher seafood consumption. Keywords : Mercury, oyster, risk assessment