Abstract: Total mercury content in aquatic vegetables cultivated in Suzhou and aquatic products in Taihu Lake was determined by microwave digestion and cold atomic fluorescent spectrometry (AFS). The highest total mercury content was found in crab among six species of aquatic production from Taihu Lake, which was as high as 0.470 mg/kg in male crab paste. Total mercury content was relatively lower in other aquatic products such as white fish, white shrimp, Margarya, and so on. Except Zizania caduciflora, all other aquatic vegetables from Suzhou under investigation were polluted by mercury to different extent with a content exceeding the national standard limit. Total mercury content was higher in floating leaf vegetable than emerged vegetable, in naked vegetable than wrapped vegetable.

Key words: mercury, aquatic products, aquatic vegetables, microwave digestion, atomic fluorescent spectrometry