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Lemesle P, Carravieri A, Poiriez G, Batard R, Blanck A, Deniau A, Faggio G, Fort J, Gallien F, Jouanneau W, le Guillou G, Leray C, McCoy KD, Provost P, Santoni MC, Sebastiano M, Scher O, Ward A, Chastel O, Bustamante P. Mercury contamination and potential health risk to French seabirds: A multi-species and multi-site study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 952:175857. [PMID: 39209169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175857] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a naturally occurring highly toxic element which circulation in ecosystems has been intensified by human activities. Hg is widely distributed, and marine environments act as its main final sink. Seabirds are relevant bioindicators of marine pollution and chicks are particularly suitable for biomonitoring pollutants as they reflect contamination at short spatiotemporal scales. This study aims to quantify blood Hg contamination and identify its drivers (trophic ecology inferred from stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), geographical location, chick age and species) in chicks of eight seabird species from 32 French sites representing four marine subregions: the English Channel and the North Sea, the Celtic Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Western Mediterranean. Hg concentrations in blood ranged from 0.04 μg g-1 dry weight (dw) in herring gulls to 6.15 μg g-1 dw in great black-backed gulls. Trophic position (δ15N values) was the main driver of interspecific differences, with species at higher trophic positions showing higher Hg concentrations. Feeding habitat (δ13C values) also contributed to variation in Hg contamination, with higher concentrations in generalist species relying on pelagic habitats. Conversely, colony location was a weak contributor, suggesting a relatively uniform Hg contamination along the French coastline. Most seabirds exhibited low Hg concentrations, with 74% of individuals categorized as no risk, and < 0.5% at moderate risk, according to toxicity thresholds. However, recent work has shown physiological and fitness impairments in seabirds bearing Hg burdens considered to be safe, calling for precautional use of toxicity thresholds, and for studies that evaluate the impact of Hg on chick development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prescillia Lemesle
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Alice Carravieri
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Gauthier Poiriez
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Romain Batard
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), 17300 Rochefort, France
| | - Aurélie Blanck
- Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), 94300 Vincennes, France
| | - Armel Deniau
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), 17300 Rochefort, France
| | - Gilles Faggio
- Office de l'Environnement de la Corse (OEC), 20250 Corte, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - William Jouanneau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | | | - Carole Leray
- Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, 13200 Arles, France
| | - Karen D McCoy
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Université de Montpellier - CNRS - IRD, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Pascal Provost
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), 17300 Rochefort, France
| | | | - Manrico Sebastiano
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Olivier Scher
- Conservatoire d'espaces naturels d'Occitanie (CEN Occitanie), 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Alain Ward
- Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste (GON, agrément régional Hauts-de-France), 59000 Lille, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
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2
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Filimonenko E, Vatutin G, Zherebyatyeva N, Uporova M, Milyaev I, Chausоva E, Gershelis E, Alharbi SA, Samokhina N, Matus F, Soromotin A, Kuzyakov Y. Wildfire effects on mercury fate in soils of North-Western Siberia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175572. [PMID: 39153628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175572] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Arctic soils store 49 Gg mercury (Hg) - an extremely toxic heavy metal, whereas soil Hg can be released to the atmosphere by wildfires. For the first time we investigated the effects of wildfires on the fate of soil Hg in North-Western (NW) Siberia based on GIS maps of areas burned during the last 38 years and a field paired comparison of unburned and burned areas in tundra (mosses, lichens, some grasses, and shrubs) and forest-tundra (multi-layered canopy of larch trees, shrubs, mosses, and lichens). These field surveys were deepened by soil controlled burning to assess the Hg losses from organic horizon and mineral soil. The soil Hg stocks in the organic horizon and in the top 10 cm of the mineral soil were 3.3 ± 0.6 and 16 ± 3 mg Hg m-2 for unburned tundra and forest-tundra, respectively. After the burning by wildfires, the soil Hg stocks decreased to 2.4 ± 0.1 and 6.6 ± 0.2 mg Hg m-2 for tundra and forest-tundra, respectively. By the averages annual burned areas in NW Siberia 527 km2, wildfires in tundra and forest-tundra released 0.19 and 2.9 Mg soil Hg per year, respectively, corresponding to 28 % and 59 % of the initial soil Hg stocks. These direct effects of wildfires on Hg volatilization are raised by indirect post-pyrogenic consequences on Hg fate triggered by the vegetation succession and adsorption of atmospheric Hg on the surface of charred biomass. Charred lichens and trees accumulated 4-16 times more Hg compared to the living biomass. Blackened burned vegetation and soil reduced surface albedo and slowly increased soil temperatures in Arctic after wildfires. This created favorable conditions for seeding grasses and shrubs after wildfire and transformed burned high-latitude ecosystems into greener areas, increasing their capacity to trap atmospheric Hg by vegetation, which partly compensate the burning losses of soil Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Filimonenko
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia; Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Area, Olympiysky pr., 1, Russia.
| | - Georgy Vatutin
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | | | - Maria Uporova
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Ivan Milyaev
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | | | - Elena Gershelis
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Area, Olympiysky pr., 1, Russia
| | - Sulaiman Almwarai Alharbi
- Department of Botany & Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Natalia Samokhina
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia; Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Area, Olympiysky pr., 1, Russia
| | - Francisco Matus
- Laboratory of Conservation and Dynamic of Volcanic Soils, Department of Chemical Sciences and Natural Resources, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Network for Extreme Environmental Research, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Andrey Soromotin
- University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo str., 6, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Yakov Kuzyakov
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Department of Agricultural Soil Science, University of Gottingen, 37077, Gottingen, Germany; Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia.
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3
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Todd AC, Chumchal MM, Drenner RW, Allender CW, Barst BD, Capone MT, Degges AP, Hannappel MP, Perry CR, Peterson RA, Martinez TL, Schmeder IE, Williams TT, Willingham MG. Effects of Taxon and Body Size on Mercury Concentrations in Spiders from Two Rivers with Different Levels of Mercury Contamination: Implications for the Use of Riparian Spiders as Sentinels. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:2169-2175. [PMID: 39177425 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Due to widespread atmospheric deposition of mercury (Hg), all aquatic food webs are contaminated with toxic methyl mercury (MeHg). At high concentrations, MeHg poses a health hazard to wildlife and humans. Spiders feeding in riparian habitats (hereafter referred to as riparian spiders) have been proposed as sentinels of MeHg contamination of aquatic systems. Riparian spiders are exposed to MeHg through their diets, and the concentration of MeHg in spiders is positively related to the proportion of MeHg-contaminated emergent aquatic insects in their diets. The use of spiders as sentinels is complex because their MeHg concentrations can vary, not only among ecosystems but also between different spider taxa and as a function of spider body size. The objective of the present study was to examine how the level of ecosystem contamination, spider taxon, and spider body size interact to influence MeHg concentrations in four genera of riparian spiders from two rivers with different levels of Hg contamination. We collected four genera of riparian spiders (Tetragnatha sp., Larinioides sp., Pardosa sp., and Rabidosa sp.) from two sites along both the Clear Fork of the Trinity River and the West Fork of the Trinity River (Fort Worth, TX, USA). We analyzed concentrations of MeHg in different body sizes of spiders from each genus. We found that MeHg contamination of the river ecosystem, spider taxon, and spider body size were important determinants of MeHg concentration in riparian spiders. The results suggest that any of the four taxa of riparian spiders from the present study could be used as sentinels of aquatic MeHg contamination, but they should not be used interchangeably because of the interdependence between the effects of ecosystem contamination level, spider taxon, and body size. Future studies utilizing riparian spiders as sentinels of biomagnifying aquatic contaminants (e.g., MeHg, polychlorinated biphenyls) should consider the potentially complex interaction effects between ecosystem contamination level, spider taxon, and spider body size. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:2169-2175. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Todd
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | - Ray W Drenner
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Chris W Allender
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Morgan T Capone
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew P Degges
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Madeline P Hannappel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Cale R Perry
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Robert A Peterson
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Tori L Martinez
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Iris E Schmeder
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Tyler T Williams
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Liang X, Hu ZC, Liu YR, Gao C, Zhang Y, Hao YY, Zhang L, Zhao J, Zhu L. Precipitation patterns strongly affect vertical migration and methylation of mercury in legacy contaminated sites. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 267:122511. [PMID: 39340865 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Legacy-contaminated sites act as significant sources of mercury (Hg) to their surrounding surface and underground environments. Intensified extreme precipitation is posing great threats to the environment and human health by changing the fate of pollutants, yet little is known about its effect on the vertical migration and methylation of Hg in contaminated sites. Here, we applied a range of simulated extreme precipitation patterns (frequency and intensity) to column leaching assays with soils collected near a contaminated site. We observed that precipitation with high frequency but low intensity resulted in more vertical migration of Hg through the soil profile than that with low frequency but high intensity. The majority (> 90%) of leached Hg was prone to migrate vertically within the top 10 cm of the soil profile. Furthermore, rainfall stimulated microbial Hg methylation, as demonstrated by enhanced production of methylmercury (MeHg) in both simulated and field-contaminated soils. We identified specific microbial taxa including Geobacteraceae, Desulfuromonadaceae, Syntrophaceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Methanomicrobiaceae as key predictors of MeHg production, which differed from those typically observed in overlying water of croplands. Particularly, the relative abundance of these dominant Hg methylators significantly increased during rainfall-induced leaching compared to that of the control, suggesting the crucial yet previously overlooked impacts of increased precipitation events on the process of microbial Hg methylation in industry-contaminated sites. Given the rising incidences of extreme precipitation events worldwide due to climate change, this study highlights the significance of assessing Hg mobility and microbial transformation in legacy contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xujun Liang
- College of Environmental & Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; School of Resources and Environment Science, Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Zhi-Cheng Hu
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yu-Rong Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Cunbin Gao
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yun-Yun Hao
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Lijie Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Jiating Zhao
- College of Environmental & Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; School of Resources and Environment Science, Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou, 362000, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China.
| | - Lizhong Zhu
- College of Environmental & Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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5
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Gillies EJ, Li ML, Christensen V, Hoover C, Sora KJ, Loseto LL, Cheung WWL, Angot H, Giang A. Exploring Drivers of Historic Mercury Trends in Beluga Whales Using an Ecosystem Modeling Approach. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2024; 4:219-235. [PMID: 39309976 PMCID: PMC11413906 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.3c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
While mercury occurs naturally in the environment, human activity has significantly disturbed its biogeochemical cycle. Inorganic mercury entering aquatic systems can be transformed into methylmercury, a strong neurotoxicant that builds up in organisms and affects ecosystem and public health. In the Arctic, top predators such as beluga whales, an ecologically and culturally significant species for many Inuit communities, can contain high concentrations of methylmercury. Historical mercury concentrations in beluga in the western Canadian Arctic's Beaufort Sea cannot be explained by mercury emission trends alone; in addition, they could potentially be driven by climate change impacts, such as rising temperatures and sea ice melt. These changes can affect mercury bioaccumulation through different pathways, including ecological and mercury transport processes. In this study, we explore key drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea beluga population using Ecopath with Ecosim, an ecosystem modeling approach, and scenarios of environmental change informed by Western Science and Inuvialuit Knowledge. Comparing the effect of historical sea ice cover, sea surface temperature, and freshwater discharge time series, modeling suggests that the timing of historical increases and decreases in beluga methylmercury concentrations can be better explained by the resulting changes to ecosystem productivity rather than by those to mercury inputs and that all three environmental drivers could partially explain the decrease in mercury concentrations in beluga after the mid-1990s. This work highlights the value of multiple knowledge systems and exploratory modeling methods in understanding environmental change and contaminant cycling. Future work building on this research could inform climate change adaptation efforts and inform management decisions in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J. Gillies
- Institute
for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mi-Ling Li
- School
of Marine Science and Policy, University
of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Villy Christensen
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Carie Hoover
- Marine
Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Freshwater
Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N6, Canada
| | - Kristen J. Sora
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Lisa L. Loseto
- Freshwater
Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N6, Canada
- Centre
for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N2, Canada
| | - William W. L. Cheung
- Institute
for the Oceans and Fisheries, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hélène Angot
- Univ. Grenoble
Alpes, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble 38400, France
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute
for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Cao Q, Hu H, Yuan W, Huang JH, Fu X, Feng X. Isotope-Based Characterization of Soil Elemental Mercury Emissions from Historical Mercury Mining Areas: Driving Pathways and Relative Contributions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39255242 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Photo-, microbial, and abiotic dark reduction of soil mercury (Hg) may all lead to elemental mercury (Hg(0)) emissions. Utilizing lab incubations, isotope signatures of Hg(0) emitted from mining soils were characterized to quantify the interplay and contributions of various Hg reduction pathways, which have been scarcely studied. At 15 °C, microbial reduced Hg(0) showed a negative mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) (δ202Hg = -0.30 ± 0.08‰, 1SD) and near-zero mass-independent fractionation (MIF) (Δ199Hg = 0.01 ± 0.04‰, 1SD), closely resembling dark reduced Hg(0) (δ202Hg = -0.18 ± 0.05‰, Δ199Hg = -0.01 ± 0.03‰, 1SD). In comparison, photoreduced Hg(0) exhibited significant MDF and MIF (δ202Hg = -0.55 ± 0.05‰, Δ199Hg = -0.20 ± 0.07‰, 1SD). In the dark, Hg isotopic signatures remained constant over the temperature range of 15-35 °C. Nonetheless, light exposure and temperature changes together altered Hg(0) MIF signatures significantly. Isotope mixing models along with Hg(0) emission flux data highlighted photo- and microbial reduction contributing 79-88 and 12-21%, respectively, of the total Hg(0) emissions from mining soils, with negligible abiotic dark reduction. Microorganisms are the key driver of soil Hg(0) emissions by first dissolving HgS and then promoting ionic Hg formation, followed by facilitating the photo- and microbial reduction of organically bound Hg. These insights deepen our understanding of the biogeochemical processes that influence Hg(0) releases from surface soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Haiyan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Jen-How Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
| | - Xuewu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Feng X, Fu X, Zhang H, Wang X, Jia L, Zhang L, Lin CJ, Huang JH, Liu K, Wang S. Combating air pollution significantly reduced air mercury concentrations in China. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae264. [PMID: 39220549 PMCID: PMC11362986 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, China has motivated proactive emission control measures that have successfully reduced emissions of many air pollutants. For atmospheric mercury, which is a globally transported neurotoxin, much less is known about the long-term changes in its concentrations and anthropogenic emissions in China. In this study, over a decade of continuous observations at four Chinese sites show that gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) concentrations continuously increased until the early 2010s, followed by significant declines at rates of 1.8%-6.1% yr-1 until 2022. The GEM decline from 2013 to 2022 (by 38.6% ± 12.7%) coincided with the decreasing concentrations of criteria air pollutants in China and were larger than those observed elsewhere in the northern hemisphere (5.7%-14.2%). The co-benefits of emission control measures contributed to the reduced anthropogenic Hg emissions and led to the GEM decline in China. We estimated that anthropogenic GEM emissions in China were reduced by 38%-50% (116-151 tons) from 2013 to 2022 using the machine-learning and relationship models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuewu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Longyu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Leiming Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Che-Jen Lin
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA
| | - Jen-How Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Kaiyun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Shuxiao Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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8
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Skalny AV, Korobeinikova TV, Kirichuk AA, Aschner M, Paoliello MMB, Barbosa F, Farina M, Tinkov AA. Trends of hair Hg accumulation in reproductive-age women living in Central Russia and the calculated costs of Hg-induced IQ loss in the period between 2005 and 2021. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2024; 85:127493. [PMID: 38986393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2024.127493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate hair mercury (Hg) content in reproductive-age women living in Central Russia (Moscow and Moscow region), and to calculate the potential costs of the potential Hg-induced IQ loss in a hypothetical national birth cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 36,263 occupationally non-exposed women aged between 20 and 40 years living in Moscow (n = 30,626) or Moscow region (n = 5637) in the period between 2005 and 2021 participated in this study. Hair Hg content was evaluated with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hair Hg levels in reproductive-age women were used for assessment of the potential IQ loss and its costs. RESULTS The results demonstrate that hair Hg content in the periods between 2010 and 2015, and 2016-2021 was significantly lower than that in 2005-2009 by 26 % and 51 %, respectively. The highest hair Hg level was observed in women in 2005 (0.855 µg/g), being more than 2.5-fold higher than the lowest value observed in 2020 (0.328 µg/g). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between the year of analysis and hair Hg content (β = -0.288; p < 0.001). The calculations demonstrate that in 2005 the costs of IQ loss in children exceeded 1.0 (1.6) billion USD, whereas in 2020 the costs of IQ loss accounted to approximately 0.15 (0.28) billion USD. CONCLUSION Taken together, our data demonstrate that Hg accumulation in reproductive-age women reduced significantly in Russia from 2005 to 2021 resulting in predicted economic benefits by decreasing the costs of Hg-induced IQ loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatoly V Skalny
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya Str. 14, Yaroslavl 150000, Russia; Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Bolshaya Pirogovskaya St., 2-4, Moscow 119146, Russia; Department of Human Ecology and Bioelementology, and Department of Medical Elementology, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow 117198, Russia
| | - Tatiana V Korobeinikova
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya Str. 14, Yaroslavl 150000, Russia
| | - Anatoly A Kirichuk
- Department of Human Ecology and Bioelementology, and Department of Medical Elementology, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow 117198, Russia
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Monica M B Paoliello
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Farina
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Sovetskaya Str. 14, Yaroslavl 150000, Russia; Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Bolshaya Pirogovskaya St., 2-4, Moscow 119146, Russia.
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9
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Janssen SE, Kotalik CJ, Willacker JJ, Tate MT, Pritz CMF, Nelson SJ, Krabbenhoft DP, Walters DM, Eagles-Smith CA. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Food Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58. [PMID: 39012137 PMCID: PMC11295128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric mercury (Hg) emissions and subsequent transport and deposition are major concerns within protected lands, including national parks, where Hg can bioaccumulate to levels detrimental to human and wildlife health. Despite this risk to biological resources, there is limited understanding of the relative importance of different Hg sources and delivery pathways within the protected regions. Here, we used Hg stable isotope measurements within a single aquatic bioindicator, dragonfly larvae, to determine if these tracers can resolve spatial patterns in Hg sources, delivery mechanisms, and aquatic cycling at a national scale. Mercury isotope values in dragonfly tissues varied among habitat types (e.g., lentic, lotic, and wetland) and geographic location. Photochemical-derived isotope fractionation was habitat-dependent and influenced by factors that impact light penetration directly or indirectly, including dissolved organic matter, canopy cover, and total phosphorus. Strong patterns for Δ200Hg emerged in the western United States, highlighting the relative importance of wet deposition sources in arid regions in contrast to dry deposition delivery in forested regions. This work demonstrates the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as biosentinels for Hg isotope studies due to their ubiquity across freshwater ecosystems and ability to track variation in Hg sources and processing attributed to small-scale habitat and large-scale regional patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Janssen
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - Christopher J. Kotalik
- US
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - James J. Willacker
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Michael T. Tate
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - Colleen M. Flanagan Pritz
- National
Park Service, Air Resources Division,
P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Sarah J. Nelson
- Appalachian
Mountain Club, 361 Route
16, Gorham, New Hampshire 03581, United States
| | - David P. Krabbenhoft
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - David M. Walters
- US
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
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10
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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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11
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Yuan T, Huang S, Zhang P, Song Z, Ge J, Miao X, Wang Y, Pang Q, Peng D, Wu P, Shao J, Zhang P, Wang Y, Guo H, Guo W, Zhang Y. Potential decoupling of CO 2 and Hg uptake process by global vegetation in the 21st century. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4490. [PMID: 38802424 PMCID: PMC11130250 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48849-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a potent neurotoxin posing risks to human health, is cycled through vegetation uptake, which is susceptible to climate change impacts. However, the extent and pattern of these impacts are largely unknown, obstructing predictions of Hg's fate in terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we evaluate the effects of climate change on vegetation elemental Hg [Hg(0)] uptake using a state-of-the-art global terrestrial Hg model (CLM5-Hg) that incorporates plant physiology. In a business-as-usual scenario, the terrestrial Hg(0) sink is predicted to decrease by 1870 Mg yr-1 in 2100, that is ~60% lower than the present-day condition. We find a potential decoupling between the trends of CO2 assimilation and Hg(0) uptake process by vegetation in the 21st century, caused by the decreased stomatal conductance with increasing CO2. This implies a substantial influx of Hg into aquatic ecosystems, posing an elevated threat that warrants consideration during the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Yuan
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shaojian Huang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhengcheng Song
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jun Ge
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Miao
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yujuan Wang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiaotong Pang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dong Peng
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peipei Wu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Junjiong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peipei Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yabo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weidong Guo
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
- Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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12
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Jung S, Besnard L, Li ML, R Reinfelder J, Kim E, Kwon SY, Kim JH. Interspecific Variations in the Internal Mercury Isotope Dynamics of Antarctic Penguins: Implications for Biomonitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6349-6358. [PMID: 38531013 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring requires a precise understanding of the internal processes contributing to disparities between the Hg sources in the environment and the Hg measured in the biota. In this study, we investigated the use of Hg stable isotopes to trace Hg accumulation in Adélie and emperor penguin chicks from four breeding colonies in Antarctica. Interspecific variation of Δ199Hg in penguin chicks reflects the distinct foraging habitats and Hg exposures in adults. Chicks at breeding sites where adult penguins predominantly consumed mesopelagic prey showed relatively lower Δ199Hg values than chicks that were primarily fed epipelagic krill. Substantial δ202Hg variations in chick tissues were observed in both species (Adélie: -0.11 to 1.13‰, emperor: -0.27 to 1.15‰), whereas only emperor penguins exhibited the lowest δ202Hg in the liver and the highest in the feathers. Our results indicate that tissue-specific δ202Hg variations and their positive correlations with % MeHg resulted from MeHg demethylation in the liver and kidneys of emperor penguin chicks, whereas Adélie penguin chicks showed different internal responses depending on their exposure to dietary MeHg. This study highlights the importance of considering intra- and interspecific variations in adult foraging ecology and MeHg demethylation when selecting penguin chicks for Hg biomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saebom Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Lucien Besnard
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Mi-Ling Li
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - John R Reinfelder
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Eunhee Kim
- Citizens' Institute for Environmental Studies (CIES), Seoul 03039, South Korea
| | - Sae Yun Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
- Institute for Convergence Research and Education in Advanced Technology, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Incheon 21983, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Kim
- Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), 26 Songdomirae-ro, Incheon 21990, South Korea
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13
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Gao J, He B, Chen B, Yin Y, Shi J, Zheng M, Hu L, Jiang G. Can Mercury Influence Carbon Dioxide Levels? Implications for the Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6077-6082. [PMID: 38556743 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The Paris Agreement and the Minamata Convention on Mercury are two of the most important environmental conventions being implemented concurrently, with a focus on reducing carbon and mercury emissions, respectively. The relation between mercury and carbon influences the interactions and outcomes of these two conventions. This perspective investigates the link between mercury and CO2, assessing the consequences and exploring the policy implications of this link. We present scientific evidence showing that mercury and CO2 levels are negatively correlated under natural conditions. As a result of this negative correlation, the CO2 level under the current mercury reduction scenario is predicted to be 2.4-10.1 ppm higher than the no action scenario by 2050, equivalent to 1.0-4.8 years of CO2 increase due to human activity. The underlying causations of this negative correlation are complex and need further research. Economic analysis indicates that there is a trade-off between the benefits and costs of mercury reduction actions. As reducing mercury emission may inadvertently undermine efforts to achieve climate goals, we advocate for devising a coordinated implementation strategy for carbon and mercury conventions to maximize synergies and reduce trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Baowei Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Minghui Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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14
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Edwards BA, Pfeffer MA, Ilyinskaya E, Kleine-Marshall BI, Mandon CL, Cotterill A, Aiuppa A, Outridge PM, Wang F. Exceptionally low mercury concentrations and fluxes from the 2021 and 2022 eruptions of Fagradalsfjall volcano, Iceland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170457. [PMID: 38307278 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is naturally released by volcanoes and geothermal systems, but the global flux from these natural sources is highly uncertain due to a lack of direct measurements and uncertainties with upscaling Hg/SO2 mass ratios to estimate Hg fluxes. The 2021 and 2022 eruptions of Fagradalsfjall volcano, southwest Iceland, provided an opportunity to measure Hg concentrations and fluxes from a hotspot/rift system using modern analytical techniques. We measured gaseous Hg and SO2 concentrations in the volcanic plume by near-source drone-based sampling and simultaneous downwind ground-based sampling. Mean Hg/SO2 was an order of magnitude higher at the downwind locations relative to near-source data. This was attributed to the elevated local background Hg at ground level (4.0 ng m-3) likely due to emissions from outgassing lava fields. The background-corrected plume Hg/SO2 mass ratio (5.6 × 10-8) therefore appeared conservative from the near-source to several hundred meters distant, which has important implications for the upscaling of volcanic Hg fluxes based on SO2 measurements. Using this ratio and the total SO2 flux from both eruptions, we estimate the total mass of gaseous Hg released from the 2021 and 2022 Fagradalsfjall eruptions was 46 ± 33 kg, equivalent to a flux of 0.23 ± 0.17 kg d-1. This is the lowest Hg flux estimate in the literature for active open-conduit volcanoes, which range from 0.6 to 12 kg d-1 for other hotspot/rift volcanoes, and 0.5-110 kg d-1 for arc volcanoes. Our results suggest that Icelandic volcanic systems are fed from an especially Hg-poor mantle. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the aerial near-source plume Hg measurement is feasible with a drone-based active sampling configuration that captures all gaseous and particulate Hg species, and recommend this as the preferred method for quantifying volcanic Hg emissions going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brock A Edwards
- Centre for Earth Observation Science and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8, Canada
| | | | - Evgenia Ilyinskaya
- COMET, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Céline L Mandon
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Adam Cotterill
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BS, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandro Aiuppa
- Università di Palermo, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM), 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Peter M Outridge
- Centre for Earth Observation Science and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8, Canada
| | - Feiyue Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Science and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada.
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15
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Yuan W, Wang X, Lin CJ, Zhang G, Wu F, Liu N, Jia L, Zhang H, Lu H, Dong J, Feng X. Fate and Transport of Mercury through Waterflows in a Tropical Rainforest. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4968-4978. [PMID: 38452105 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Knowledge gaps of mercury (Hg) biogeochemical processes in the tropical rainforest limit our understanding of the global Hg mass budget. In this study, we applied Hg stable isotope tracing techniques to quantitatively understand the Hg fate and transport during the waterflows in a tropical rainforest including open-field precipitation, throughfall, and runoff. Hg concentrations in throughfall are 1.5-2 times of the levels in open-field rainfall. However, Hg deposition contributed by throughfall and open-field rainfall is comparable due to the water interception by vegetative biomasses. Runoff from the forest shows nearly one order of magnitude lower Hg concentration than those in throughfall. In contrast to the positive Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg signatures in open-field rainfall, throughfall water exhibits nearly zero signals of Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg, while runoff shows negative Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg signals. Using a binary mixing model, Hg in throughfall and runoff is primarily derived from atmospheric Hg0 inputs, with average contributions of 65 ± 18 and 91 ± 6%, respectively. The combination of flux and isotopic modeling suggests that two-thirds of atmospheric Hg2+ input is intercepted by vegetative biomass, with the remaining atmospheric Hg2+ input captured by the forest floor. Overall, these findings shed light on simulation of Hg cycle in tropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Che-Jen Lin
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas 77710, United States
| | - Ge Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Fei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Nantao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Longyu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Huazheng Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
| | - Jinlong Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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16
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Wang J, Yin Y, Zhang Q, Deng X, Miao Z, Xu S. HgCl 2 exposure mediates pyroptosis of HD11 cells and promotes M1 polarization and the release of inflammatory factors through ROS/Nrf2/NLRP3. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 269:115779. [PMID: 38056124 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115779] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a serious metal environmental pollutant. HgCl2 exposure causes pyroptosis. When macrophages are severely stimulated, they often undergo M1 polarization and release inflammatory factors. However, the mechanisms by which mercuric chloride exposure induces macrophage apoptosis, M1 polarization, and inflammatory factors remain unclear. HD11 cells were exposed to different concentrations of Hg chloride (180, 210 and 240 nM HgCl2). The results showed that mercury chloride exposure up-regulated ROS, C-Nrf2 and its downstream factors (NQO1 and HO-1), and down-regulated N-Nrf2. In addition, the expressions of focal death-related indicators (Caspase-1, NLRP3, GSDMD, etc.), M1 polarization marker CD86 and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β) increased, and the above changes were related to mercury. Oxidative stress inhibitor (NAC) can block ROS/ NrF2-mediated oxidative stress, inhibit mercury-induced pyroptosis and M1 polarization, and effectively reduce the release of inflammatory factors. The addition of Vx-765 to inhibit pyroptosis can effectively alleviate M1 polarization of HD11 cells and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors. HgCl2 mediates pyroptosis of HD11 cells by regulating ROS/Nrf2/NLRP3, promoting M1 polarization and the release of inflammatory factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Yilin Yin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Qirui Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Xinrui Deng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Zhiruo Miao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
| | - Shiwen Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
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17
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Bank MS, Ho QT, Ingvaldsen RB, Duinker A, Nilsen BM, Maage A, Frantzen S. Climate change dynamics and mercury temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Barents Sea ecosystem. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122706. [PMID: 37821039 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) is the world's northernmost stock of Atlantic cod and is of considerable ecological and economic importance. Northeast Arctic cod are widely distributed in the Barents Sea, an environment that supports a high degree of ecosystem resiliency and food web complexity. Here using 121 years of ocean temperature data (1900-2020), 41 years of sea ice extent information (1979-2020) and 27 years of total mercury (Hg) fillet concentration data (1994-2021, n = 1999, ≥71% Methyl Hg, n = 20) from the Barents Sea ecosystem, we evaluate the effects of climate change dynamics on Hg temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod. We observed low and consistently stable, Hg concentrations (yearly, least-square means range = 0.022-0.037 mg/kg wet wt.) in length-normalized fish, with a slight decline in the most recent sampling periods despite a significant increase in Barents Sea temperature, and a sharp decline in regional sea ice extent. Overall, our data suggest that recent Arctic amplification of ocean temperature, "Atlantification," and other perturbations of the Barents Sea ecosystem, along with rapidly declining sea ice extent over the last ∼30 years did not translate into major increases or decreases in Hg bioaccumulation in Northeast Arctic cod. Our findings are consistent with similar long-term, temporal assessments of Atlantic cod inhabiting Oslofjord, Norway, and with recent investigations and empirical data for other marine apex predators. This demonstrates that Hg bioaccumulation is highly context specific, and some species may not be as sensitive to current climate change-contaminant interactions as currently thought. Fish Hg bioaccumulation-climate change relationships are highly complex and not uniform, and our data suggest that Hg temporal trends in marine apex predators can vary considerably within and among species, and geographically. Hg bioaccumulation regimes in biota are highly nuanced and likely driven by a suite of other factors such as local diets, sources of Hg, bioenergetics, toxicokinetic processing, and growth and metabolic rates of individuals and taxa, and inputs from anthropogenic activities at varying spatiotemporal scales. Collectively, these findings have important policy implications for global food security, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and several relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bank
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway; University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Quang Tri Ho
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Arne Duinker
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Amund Maage
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, 5020, Bergen, Norway
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18
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Mao W, Mei J, He H, Liu C, Tao X, Huang Z. Bioleaching Mercury from Coal with Aspergillus flavus M-3. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2702. [PMID: 38004714 PMCID: PMC10672889 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study focuses on the utilization of Aspergillus flavus(M-3) for the bioleaching mercury from coal, offering an alternative and environmentally to its clean utilization. The fungus was isolated from the soil near a high mercury coal mine in Lao Ying Shan (LYS), Guizhou. Utilizing direct mercury analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) analysis techniques, the transformation of mercury speciation, mineral components, and organic groups in the coal were analyzed before and after the bioleaching process. The findings of the study illustrated that the fungus M-3 exhibited a remarkable capacity for coal bioliquefaction and mercury leaching from LYS coal. Following a 15-day bioleaching process, a remarkable mercury leaching rate of 83.79% was achieved. Various forms of mercury speciation, including residue, organic matter, sulfide-bound, oxide-bound, exchangeable, and carbonate-bound forms, were released from the coal, with leaching rates ranging from 80.41% to 92.60%. XRD analysis indicated that the M-3 strain facilitated the dissolution of coal pyrite and the degradation of macromolecules, effectively loosening the coal structure. FT-IR analysis of raw and residual coal demonstrated the breakdown of the aromatic ring structure and introduced oxygen-containing functional groups by M-3. Overall, this study highlights the efficacy of bioliquefying coal using Aspergillus flavus (M-3) as a method for clean coal utilization while simultaneously bioleaching mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Mao
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; (W.M.); (J.M.); (C.L.); (X.T.)
| | - Juan Mei
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; (W.M.); (J.M.); (C.L.); (X.T.)
| | - Huan He
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; (W.M.); (J.M.); (C.L.); (X.T.)
| | - Cheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; (W.M.); (J.M.); (C.L.); (X.T.)
| | - Xiuxiang Tao
- Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; (W.M.); (J.M.); (C.L.); (X.T.)
| | - Zaixing Huang
- National Engineering Research Center of Coal Preparation and Purification, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China;
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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19
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Chen J, Hu G, Liu J, Poulain AJ, Pu Q, Huang R, Meng B, Feng X. The divergent effects of nitrate and ammonium application on mercury methylation, demethylation, and reduction in flooded paddy slurries. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 460:132457. [PMID: 37669605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The production of methylmercury (MeHg) in flooded paddy fields determines its accumulation in rice grains; this, in turn, results in MeHg exposure risks for not only rice-eating humans but also wildlife. Nitrogen (N) fertilizers have been widely applied in rice cultivation fields to supply essential nutrients. However, the effects of N fertilizer addition on mercury (Hg) transformations are not unclear. This limits our understanding of MeHg formation in rice paddy ecosystems. In this study, we spiked three Hg tracers (200HgII, Me198Hg, and 202Hg0) in paddy slurries fertilized with urea, ammonium, and nitrate. The influences of N fertilization on Hg methylation, demethylation, and reduction and the underlying mechanisms were elucidated. The results revealed that dissimilatory nitrate reduction was the dominant process in the incubated paddy slurries. Nitrate addition inhibited HgII reduction, HgII methylation, and MeHg demethylation. Competition between nitrates and other electron acceptors (e.g., HgII, sulfate, or carbon dioxide) under dark conditions was the mechanism underlying nitrate-regulated Hg transformation. Ammonium and urea additions promoted HgII reduction, and anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled with HgII reduction (Hgammox) was likely the reason. This work highlighted that nitrate addition not only inhibited HgII methylation but also reduced the demethylation of MeHg and therefore may generate more accumulation of MeHg in the incubated paddy slurries. Findings from this study link the biogeochemical cycling of N and Hg and provide crucial knowledge for assessing Hg risks in intermittently flooded wetland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Chen
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Gongren Hu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Alexandre J Poulain
- Biology Department, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Qiang Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Rong Huang
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Bo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
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20
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Ci Z, Tang X, Shen W, Chen B. Gaseous mercury exchange between air and highly dynamic tidal flats: A laboratory incubation experiment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 335:122383. [PMID: 37586689 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122383] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Gaseous mercury (mainly elemental mercury, Hg(0)) exchange between air and Earth's surfaces is one of the most critical fluxes governing global Hg cycle. As an important and unique part of intertidal ecosystem, tidal flat is characterized by periodic inundation and exposure due to tidal cycle, generating varying hydrological, photochemical and biogeochemical processes. However, quantitative and mechanistic understanding of Hg(0) dynamics between air and exceptionally dynamic tide flats has remained limited to date. In this study, we select five representative tidal flat sediments from typical coastal habits of Chinese coastlines to perform laboratory incubation experiments for deciphering the effect of the interaction of tidal cycle and solar radiation on Hg(0) dynamics over tidal flats with different sediment compositions. We show that sediment Hg concentration, tidal cycle and solar radiation collectively modulate the air-surface Hg(0) exchange over tidal flats and highlight that the photochemistry dominates the Hg(0) production and emission over tidal flats. We find that the daytime inundation presents highest Hg(0) emission fluxes for Hg-poor sediment, but the daytime exposure is the hot moment of Hg(0) emission from Hg-rich sediments and substantially contributes to daily Hg(0) emission fluxes. In the treatment to mimic semidiurnal tide, the daily Hg(0) fluxes are positively correlated to sediment Hg concentrations. Combining our mechanistic insights on air-surface Hg(0) exchange over tidal flats and related data and knowledge reported by other studies, we discuss the implications of our study for field measurement and model development of Hg(0) dynamics over highly dynamic tidal flats. We conclude that the air-surface Hg(0) dynamics over tidal flats are extremely complex and highly variable, and a greater understanding the interactions between natural processes, human impacts and climate forcings will better constrain current and future Hg biogeochemical cycle in global tidal flats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Ci
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, China.
| | - Xiong Tang
- Guangdong Eco-Engineering Polytechnic, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Wenjie Shen
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources Exploration, Zhuhai, 519082, China
| | - Baowei Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, China
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21
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Selin NE. Mercury's complex legacy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2310784120. [PMID: 37531374 PMCID: PMC10433272 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310784120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Noelle E. Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, and Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
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22
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Rodríguez-Viso P, Domene A, Sánchez A, Vélez D, Monedero V, Devesa V, Zúñiga M. Challenges and strategies for preventing intestinal damage associated to mercury dietary exposure. Toxicology 2023; 494:153580. [PMID: 37328091 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Food represents the major risk factor for exposure to mercury in most human populations. Therefore, passage through the gastrointestinal tract plays a fundamental role in its entry into the organism. Despite the intense research carried out on the toxicity of Hg, the effects at the intestinal level have received increased attention only recently. In this review we first provide a critical appraisal of the recent advances on the toxic effects of Hg at the intestinal epithelium. Next, dietary strategies aimed to diminish Hg bioavailability or modulate the epithelial and microbiota responses will be revised. Food components and additives, including probiotics, will be considered. Finally, limitations of current approaches to tackle this problem and future lines of research will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrián Domene
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain
| | - Alicia Sánchez
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain
| | - Dinoraz Vélez
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain
| | - Vicente Monedero
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain
| | - Vicenta Devesa
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain
| | - Manuel Zúñiga
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Spain.
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23
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Chen CY, Evers DC. Global mercury impact synthesis: Processes in the Southern Hemisphere. AMBIO 2023; 52:827-832. [PMID: 36917434 PMCID: PMC10073386 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01842-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Celia Y. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH USA
| | - David C. Evers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH USA
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME USA
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