Trace element content of fish feed and bluegill sunfish muscles (Lepomis macrochirus) from aquaculture and natural pond in Missouri were determined using the inductively coupled-plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and the direct mercury analyzer (DMA). Dietary intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Dogfish muscle (DORM-2) and lobster hepatopancreas (TORT-2) reference standards were used in trace element recovery and method validations. The average elemental concentrations (mg/kg diet, dry wt.) of fish feed were: As 1.81, Cd 2.37, Co 0.10, Cr 1.42, Cu 8.0, Fe 404, Mn 35.9, Ni 0.51, Pb 9.16, Se 1.71, Sri 20.7, V 0.09, Zn 118 and Hg 0.07. The mean elemental concentrations (mu g/kg wet wt.) in bluegill muscles from both aquaculture and wild (in parenthesis) sources were: As 0.36 (0.06), Cd 0.28 (0.01), Co 0.0 (0.0), Cr 0.52 (0.05), Cu 0.38 (0.18), Fe 17.5 (2.43), Mn 0.18 (0.24), Ni 0.18 (0.04), Pb 1.03 (0.04), Se 0.34 (0.30), Sri 0.66 (0.42), V 0.02 (0.01), Zn 6.97 (9.13) and Hg 0.06 (0.24). Kruskal-Wallis chi square indicated significant differences in As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sri, V, Zn and Hg (P < 0.001), Se (P < 0.01) and Mn (P < 0.05) across the sampling locations. Dietary intake rates, estimated from weekly consumption of 228 g of aquaculture and wild bluegills, posed no health risks for approximately 85% of all samples. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.