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Bank MS, Ho QT, Kutti T, Kögel T, Rodushkin I, van der Meeren T, Wiech M, Rastrick S. Multi-isotopic composition of brown crab (Cancer pagurus) and seafloor sediment from a mine tailing sea disposal impacted fjord ecosystem. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134406. [PMID: 38688218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Sea disposal of mine tailings in fjord ecosystems is an important coastal management issue in Norway and occurs at the land-sea interface. Here we studied accumulation of heavy metals in brown crab (Cancer pagurus) and seafloor sediment from Jøssingfjord, Norway during 2018 to evaluate long-term, legacy pollution effects of coastal mine tailing sea disposal activities. Nickel and copper sediment pollution in the mine tailing sea disposal area was classified as moderate and severe, respectively, under Norwegian environmental quality standards, and highlights the persistent hazard and legacy impacts of heavy metals in these impacted fjord ecosystems. Mercury, zinc, and arsenic had stronger affinities to brown crab muscle likely due to the presence of thiols, and availability of metal binding sites. Our multi-isotopic composition data showed that lead isotopes were the most useful source apportionment tool for this fjord. Overall, our study highlights the importance and value of measuring several different heavy metals and multiple isotopic signatures in different crab organs and seafloor sediment to comprehensively evaluate fjord pollution and kinetic uptake dynamics. Brown crabs were suitable eco-indicators of benthic ecosystem heavy metal pollution in a fjord ecosystem still experiencing short- and long-term physical and chemical impacts from coastal mining sea disposal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bank
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | | | - Tina Kutti
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tanja Kögel
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ilia Rodushkin
- Division of Geosciences, Luleå University of Technology, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden; ALS Scandinavia AB, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden
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Cardona GI, Escobar MC, Acosta-González A, Díaz-Ruíz N, Niño-García JP, Vasquez Y, Marrugo-Negrete J, Marqués S. Microbial diversity and abundance of Hg related genes from water, sediment and soil the Colombian amazon ecosystems impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141348. [PMID: 38340998 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The Amazon region abounds in precious mineral resources including gold, copper, iron, and coltan. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) poses a severe risk in this area due to considerable mercury release into the surrounding ecosystems. Nonetheless, the impact of mercury on both the overall microbiota and the microbial populations involved in mercury transformation is not well understood. In this study we evaluated microbial diversity in samples of soil, sediment and water potentially associated with mercury contamination in two localities (Taraira and Tarapacá) in the Colombian Amazon Forest. To this end, we characterized the bacterial community structure and mercury-related functions in samples from sites with a chronic history of mercury contamination which today have different levels of total mercury content. We also determined mercury bioavailability and mobility in the samples with the highest THg and MeHg levels (up to 43.34 and 0.049 mg kg-1, respectively, in Taraira). Our analysis of mercury speciation showed that the immobile form of mercury predominated in soils and sediments, probably rendering it unavailable to microorganisms. Despite its long-term presence, mercury did not appear to alter the microbial community structure or composition, which was primarily shaped by environmental and physicochemical factors. However, an increase in the relative abundance of merA genes was detected in polluted sediments from Taraira. Several Hg-responsive taxa in soil and sediments were detected in sites with high levels of THg, including members of the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Chloroflexi phyla. The results suggest that mercury contamination at the two locations sampled may select mercury-adapted bacteria carrying the merA gene that could be used in bioremediation processes for the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Inés Cardona
- Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI. Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Recursos Genéticos, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Maria Camila Escobar
- Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI. Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Recursos Genéticos, Bogotá, Colombia; Escuela de Microbiología. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Natalie Díaz-Ruíz
- Escuela de Microbiología. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Yaneth Vasquez
- Chemistry Department, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia
| | - José Marrugo-Negrete
- Convergence Science and Technology Cluster, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Silvia Marqués
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection. Estación Experimental Del Zaidín. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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Wang B, Yang S, Li P, Qin C, Wang C, Ali MU, Yin R, Maurice L, Point D, Sonke JE, Zhang L, Feng X. Trace mercury migration and human exposure in typical mercury-emission areas by compound-specific stable isotope analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 174:107891. [PMID: 36963155 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emissions have increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution, resulting in severe health impacts to humans. The consumptions of fish and rice were primary human methylmercury (MeHg) exposure pathways in Asia. However, the lifecycle from anthropogenic Hg emissions to human MeHg exposure is not fully understood. In this study, a recently developed approach, termed MeHg Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA), was employed to track lifecycle of Hg in four typical Hg-emission areas. Distinct Δ199Hg of MeHg and inorganic Hg (IHg) were observed among rice, fish and hair. The Δ199Hg of MeHg averaged at 0.07 ± 0.15 ‰, 0.80 ± 0.55 ‰ and 0.43 ± 0.29 ‰ in rice, fish and hair, respectively, while those of IHg averaged at - 0.08 ± 0.24 ‰, 0.85 ± 0.43 ‰ and - 0.28 ± 0.68 ‰. In paddy ecosystem, Δ199Hg of MeHg in rice showed slightly positive shifts (∼0.2 ‰) from those of IHg, and comparable Δ199Hg of IHg between rice grain and raw/processed materials (coal, Hg ore, gold ore and sphalerite) were observed. Simultaneously, it was proved that IHg in fish muscle was partially derived from in vivo demethylation of MeHg. By a binary model, we estimated the relative contributions of rice consumption to human MeHg exposure to be 84 ± 14 %, 58 ± 26 %, 52 ± 20 % and 34 ± 15 % on average in Hg mining area, gold mining area, zinc smelting area and coal-fired power plant area, respectively, and positive shifts of δ202HgMeHg from fish/rice to human hair occurred during human metabolic processes. Therefore, the CSIA approach can be an effective tool for tracking Hg biogeochemical cycle and human exposure, from which new scientific knowledge can be generated to support Hg pollution control policies and to protect human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; Health Management Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550009, China
| | - Shaochen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
| | - Chongyang Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Chuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Muhammad Ubaid Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Runsheng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Laurence Maurice
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - David Point
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Leiming Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
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