308
A. Gnamus and M. Horvat
Log of ave .. ge mercury eoncenlracioll' (Ilg/gl
0,00111
0,001
0,01
0,1
I
10
100
0
'/0 1 ... lIc
•
M ... lIg
0 Inorg. lIg
•
T . lle Dilly
N=t1umbt.r of samplt"l aUlilIlyud.
Tht fAOf\YIIO T-II& lil11ie \'aluf: ro,- foods.uffs!
Fig. 5 a The average mercury concentrations in various samples of terrestrial food webs collected in
the active mining area of Idrij a during 1990-1996.
animals suggest the paramount role of Hg intake through the diet in the polluted
environment.
Unfortunately, no toxicological or pharmacological data are available for roe
deer. Despite the well-known long-term Hg retention in brain and pituitary, the
mercury concentrations in these tissues obtained from roe deer living in the
polluted area were low compared to most other tissues examined. The Hg levels