Mercury, polybrominated diphenyl ether, organochlorine pesticide, and polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in fish from lakes along an elevation transect in the French Pyrénées.

Concentrations of mercury and persistent organic pollutants in fish were examined in 11 lakes of the French Pyrénées spanning an elevation range of 2 km. All lakes were confined to a relatively small area within a 50-km diameter. Most of the lakes were within the Pyrénées National Park, which is restricted to recreational hiking, angling, and seasonal grazing of livestock, and are not subject to any known point sources of contaminants.