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Boyi JO, Sonne C, Dietz R, Rigét F, Siebert U, Lehnert K. Gene expression and trace elements in Greenlandic ringed seals (Pusa hispida). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 244:117839. [PMID: 38081340 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117839] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Marine top predators such as ringed seals biomagnify environmental contaminants; and with the increasing human activities in the Arctic, ringed seals are exposed to biologically significant concentrations of trace elements resulting in reproductive impairment, immunosuppression, and neurological damages. Little is known about the molecular effects of heavy metals on these vulnerable apex predators suffering from a rapidly changing Arctic with significant loss of sea-ice. In the present study, concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) were measured in liver of sixteen Greenlandic ringed seals (nine adults and seven subadults) together with molecular biomarkers involved in bio-transformation, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption and immune activity in blood and blubber. The concentrations of trace elements increased in the following order: Hg > Se > Cd with levels of mercury and selenium being highest in adults. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα, estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1), thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRα) and interleukin - 2 (IL-2) mRNA transcript levels were highest in blubber, while heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and interleukin - 10 (IL-10) were significantly higher in blood. There were no significant correlations between the concentrations of trace elements and mRNA transcript levels suggesting that stressors other than the trace elements investigated are responsible for the changes in gene expression levels. Since Hg seems to increase in Greenlandic ringed seals, there is a need to re-enforce health monitoring of this ringed seal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Ometere Boyi
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Frank Rigét
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
| | - Kristina Lehnert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.
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Hoseini SM, Namroodi S, Sayadshirazi A, Zaccaroni A. Trace Elements and Contaminants Concentrations in Tissues of Caspian Seals ( Pusa caspica) along the Iranian Coast. TOXICS 2022; 11:39. [PMID: 36668765 PMCID: PMC9865950 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) is an endangered species that only lives in the Caspian Sea. Little information is available on its exposure to contaminants, and no data exists for Southern sub-populations. From 2011 to 2016, tissues samples were collected from 20 Caspian seals to (i) Define the concentration of trace elements in five different matrices and the concentration of 30 pesticides in their blubber; (ii) Determine whether differences in contaminant concentrations are age- or sex-related; (iii) Evaluate if detected concentrations can represent a risk to the species. Age- and sex-related variations were detected for Zn and Hg in the blubber and Fe in the kidney by age only. Exceptionally high Hg concentrations and low levels of hepatic Zn were detected, raising some concern about the reproductive health of seals. Similarly, the DDTs levels detected were in the range of adverse reproductive effects in marine mammals. Based on these results, potentially adverse effects on the immune and endocrine systems of the Caspian seal cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that pollutant monitoring becomes an integral component of conservation strategies for the Caspian seal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Malihe Hoseini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Gorgan 4913815739, Iran
| | - Somayeh Namroodi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Gorgan 4913815739, Iran
| | | | - Annalisa Zaccaroni
- Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 47042 Cesenatico, Italy
- MarLab, 06250 Mougins, France
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Luo J, Zhang W, Bai L, Li H, Gao Z. Characterization of the trophic transfer and fate of methylmercury in the food web of Zhalong Wetland, Northeastern China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:25222-25233. [PMID: 34837623 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17675-0] [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: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The transfer and fate of methylmercury (MeHg) in typical components, such as sediment, sediment-inhabiting animals, pelagic fish, and three large waterfowls, namely, red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana), of the ecosystem in China's Zhalong Wetland were examined using equivalence-based mass balance model. The biomagnification degree of MeHg increased on the species at the high trophic level of the system. Hence, elevated MeHg concentration (3.2 μg g-1, dry weight) was detected in the endangered G. japonensis. The accumulation of the organometal generally followed the decreasing order of oriental stork (carnivore) > mallard (omnivore) > red-crowned crane (omnivore). The predicted results of MeHg at each node of the food web were generally in accordance with the measured values (F = 0.09, P = 0.78), implying that the model is suitable for the prediction of MeHg fate in the inland aquatic system. According to the model, the respiration for the species at low trophic strata was the key input source of MeHg, but ingestion played an important role for MeHg intake in the species at the high trophic position in the food web. Metabolism was a crucial pathway of MeHg loss for the top predators in the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Luo
- Department of Science, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenchong Zhang
- College of Life Science and Agriculture Forestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Bai
- Department of Science, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongying Li
- Department of Science, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyan Gao
- Zhalong National Natural Reserve, Qiqihar, 161002, People's Republic of China
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4
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A highly selective barbiturate-based fluorescent probe for detecting Hg2+ in cells and zebrafish as well as in real water samples. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2021.113706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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5
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Milić D, Bubanja N, Ninkov J, Milić S, Vasin J, Luković J. Phytoremediation potential of the naturally occurring wetland species in protected Long Beach in Ulcinj, Montenegro. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 797:148995. [PMID: 34303239 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Long Beach, situated in southern Montenegro, is subject to considerable biogenic and abiogenic influences. Thus, analyzing total heavy metal content in soil and plants in this region is, while challenging, highly important in order to assess the level for determining the soil degradation level and the phytoremediation potential of naturally growing salt marsh species. This area together with a Bojana river and backshore forms a real vegetation mosaic where habitats of various types coexist. Therefore, it represents good model system. In the present study, the levels of As, Al, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn in coastal soils as well as in eight salt marsh plants: Bolboschoenus maritimus, Juncus acutus, Juncus anceps, Juncus articulatus, Juncus gerardii, Juncus maritimus, Scirpus holoschoenus and Schoenus nigricans, were investigated in order to identify the plant species that can be used for the remediation of polluted sites, especially those located along the coastline. The obtained results show that species J. gerardii, J. articulatus and B. maritimus can be clearly separated from J. acutus, J. anceps, J. maritimus, S. holoschoenus and Sh. nigricans based on the degree of heavy metal accumulation in various organs. Moreover, analyses revealed that the bioaccumulation factor of underground organs is significantly higher relative to that of the aboveground parts for almost all investigated metals and species. The bioaccumulation factor had the highest value in the underground organs of J. gerardii and B. maritimus, where a value of 3.37 was measured for B and 2.54 for Hg, respectively. Hence, as all investigated species are "underground accumulators" for most of the analyzed metals, they could be useful for phytostabilization and phytoremediation of B and Hg in particular. Moreover, each plant species can be used in the phytoremediation process targeting specific heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dubravka Milić
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 2, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia.
| | - Nada Bubanja
- Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Trg Vojvode Bećir Bega Osmanagića 16, Podgorica, Montenegro.
| | - Jordana Ninkov
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Stanko Milić
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Jovica Vasin
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Jadranka Luković
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 2, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia.
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Grebenshchkova VI, Kuzmin MI, Suslova MY. Long-term cyclicity of trace element in the Baikal aquatic ecosystem (Russia). ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:260. [PMID: 33839952 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09021-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Longitudinal monitoring studies (between 2006 and 2019) of the chemical composition of the water from the Angara River source (the runoff of Lake Baikal) revealed the interannual, year-round and monthly cyclicity in the distribution of some trace elements vis-à-vis their concentrations. The change in the concentrations of elements was contingent on the season, the temperature of the air and water, the activity of phyto- and zooplankton and regional changes in the environment (floods, earthquakes, fires, tourism, ships, technogenesis etc.). We compared the concentrations of trace elements present in the water samples from the Angara source and the water samples from Lake Baikal with the maximum permissible concentration values for drinking water. The calculated (median) concentrations for water samples from the Angara source, which spanned the entire study period, were close to the data obtained for the Baikal water.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michail I Kuzmin
- Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry SB RAS, 1A Favorsky Str, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia
| | - Maria Yu Suslova
- Limnological Institute SB RAS, 3 Ulan-Batorsray Str, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia
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7
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Topal M. Investigation of the potential human health risk of toxic mercury determined in the grapevine exposed to mine gallery waters. JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2021; 58:1604-1610. [PMID: 33746287 PMCID: PMC7925718 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-020-04673-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, mercury was selected because of its toxicity. It was detected in the grapevines exposed to mine gallery waters. The potential health risk of mercury in leaves of grapevine those are consumed by human worldwide was investigated. The grapevines were harvested and separated into organs of roots, stems, and leaves. The concentrations of mercury were determined in roots, stems, and leaves. The translocation and bioconcentration factors were calculated. Maximum concentrations of mercury were stem < root < leaf. The health risk potential of mercury on human health was calculated. The estimated daily exposure doses of mercury followed an order for children and adults: dietary > ingestion > inhalation > dermal. The HQ values calculated for exposure ways of dietary, ingestion and inhalation were male < female < children. As a result, it was determined that grapevine exposed to mine gallery waters that cause environmental contamination may cause non-carcinogenic risks on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Topal
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Processing Technologies, Tunceli Vocation School, University of Munzur, Tunceli, Turkey
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8
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Wu P, Zakem EJ, Dutkiewicz S, Zhang Y. Biomagnification of Methylmercury in a Marine Plankton Ecosystem. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5446-5455. [PMID: 32054263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury is greatly bioconcentrated and biomagnified in marine plankton ecosystems, and these communities form the basis of marine food webs. Therefore, the evaluation of the potential exposure of methylmercury to higher trophic levels, including humans, requires a better understanding of its distribution in the ocean and the factors that control its biomagnification. In this study, a coupled physical/ecological model is used to simulate the trophic transfer of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in a marine plankton ecosystem. The model includes phytoplankton, a microbial community, herbivorous zooplankton (HZ), and carnivorous zooplankton (CZ). The model captures both shorter food chains in oligotrophic regions, with small HZ feeding on small phytoplankton, and longer chains in higher nutrient conditions, with larger HZ feeding on larger phytoplankton and larger CZ feeding on larger HZ. In the model, trophic dilution occurs in the food webs that involve small zooplankton, as the grazing fluxes of small zooplankton are insufficient to accumulate more MMHg in themselves than in their prey. The model suggests that biomagnification is more prominent in large zooplankton and that the microbial community plays an important role in the trophic transfer of MMHg. Sensitivity analyses show that with increasing body size, the sensitivity of the trophic magnification ratio to grazing, mortality rates, and food assimilation efficiency (AEC) increases, while the sensitivity to excretion rates decreases. More predation or a longer zooplankton lifespan may lead to more prominent biomagnification, especially for large species. Because lower AEC results in more predation, modeled ratios of MMHg concentrations between large plankton are doubled or even tripled when the AEC decreases from 50% to 10%. This suggests that the biomagnification of large zooplankton is particularly sensitive to food assimilation efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Wu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Emily J Zakem
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089 United States
| | - Stephanie Dutkiewicz
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 United States
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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9
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Roche K, Kuta J, Sedláček I, Červenka R, Tomanová K, Jurajda P. Concentrations of Thirteen Trace Metals in Scales of Three Nototheniid Fishes from Antarctica (James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula). Biol Trace Elem Res 2019; 191:214-223. [PMID: 30600496 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-018-1598-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we assessed concentrations of 13 trace metals in the scales of Notothenia coriiceps, Trematomus bernacchii and Gobionotothen gibberifrons caught off the coast of James Ross Island (Antarctic Peninsula). Overall, our results for scales broadly match those of previous studies using different fish and different organs, with most metals found at trace levels and manganese, aluminium, iron and zinc occurring at high levels in all species. This suggests that scales can serve as a useful, non-invasive bioindicator of long-term contamination in Antarctic fishes. High accumulation of manganese, aluminium, iron and zinc is largely due to high levels in sediments associated with nearby active volcanic sites. Manganese, vanadium and aluminium showed significant positive bioaccumulation in T. bernacchii (along with non-significant positive accumulation of iron, zinc, cobalt and chromium), most likely due to greater dietary specialisation on sediment feeding benthic prey and higher trophic species. Levels of significance in bioaccumulation regressions were strongly affected by large-scale variation in the data, driven largely by individual differences in diet and/or changes in habitat use and sex differences associated with life stage and reproductive status. Increased levels of both airborne deposition and precipitation and meltwater runoff associated with climate change may be further adding to the already high levels of manganese, aluminium, iron and zinc in Antarctic Peninsula sediments. Further long-term studies are encouraged to elucidate mechanisms of uptake (especially for aluminium and iron) and possible intra- and interspecific impacts of climate change on the delicate Antarctic food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Roche
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Kuta
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Sedláček
- Czech Collection of Microorganisms, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Rostislav Červenka
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Tomanová
- Czech Collection of Microorganisms, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Jurajda
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic
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Won EJ, Choi B, Hong S, Khim JS, Shin KH. Importance of accurate trophic level determination by nitrogen isotope of amino acids for trophic magnification studies: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 238:677-690. [PMID: 29621727 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
During the last several decades, persistent organic pollutants and metals cause great concern for their toxicity in organisms as well as for their bioaccumulation and/or trophic transfer through the food chains in ecosystems. A large number of studies therefore have focused on the trophic levels of organisms to illustrate food web structure, as a critical component in the study of pollutant dynamics and biomagnification. The trends in biomagnification of pollutants in food webs indeed provide fundamental information about the properties and fates of pollutants in ecosystems. The trophic magnification supports the establishment of a reliable trophic structure, which can further aid the understanding of the transport and exposure routes of contaminants in accumulation and risk assessments. Recently, efforts to interpret the food web structure using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios have contributed to better understanding of the fate of pollutants in the ecosystem. However, it is known that this isotope analysis of bulk ones has many weaknesses, particularly for uncertainties on the estimate of trophic levels and therefore of magnification factors for studied organisms, enough to support a regulatory interpretation. In this review, we collate studies that investigated biomagnification characteristics of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, along with calculated trophic magnification factors. Moreover, we introduce a novel approach, compound-specific stable isotope analysis of nitrogen in amino acids, to establish reliable food web structures and accurate trophic levels for biomagnification studies. This method promises to provide sound results for interpreting the influence of the pollutant in organisms, along with their bioaccumulation and magnification characteristics, as well as that in ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ji Won
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea; Department of Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, 49111, Republic of Korea
| | - Bohyung Choi
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongjin Hong
- Department of Ocean Environmental Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Seong Khim
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences & Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Hoon Shin
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Poste AE, Pastukhov MV, Braaten HFV, Ozersky T, Moore M. Past and present mercury accumulation in the Lake Baikal seal: Temporal trends, effects of life history, and toxicological implications. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:1476-1486. [PMID: 29341225 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite global efforts to reduce anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emissions, the timescale and degree to which Hg concentrations in the environment and biota respond to decreased emissions remain challenging to assess or predict. In the present study we characterize long-term trends and life-history patterns in Hg accumulation and toxicological implications of Hg contamination for a freshwater seal from one of the world's largest lakes (Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia) using contemporary tissues and archival teeth. Stable isotope analysis and Hg analyses of soft tissues (muscle, liver, kidney, blood, brain, heart) and teeth from 22 contemporary seals revealed rapid changes in diet and Hg accumulation in the first year of life with a stable diet and increase in tissue Hg throughout the rest of life. Although maternal transfer of Hg was an important source of Hg to seal pups, reproduction and lactation by female seals did not appear to result in sex-related differences in Hg concentrations or age-related accumulation in adult seals. Based on Hg analysis of archival teeth (n = 114) and reconstructed values for soft tissues, we also assessed temporal trends in seal Hg between the years 1960 and 2013. Seal Hg concentrations in hard (teeth) and soft (e.g., muscle, liver) tissues were highest in the 1960s and 1970s, followed by a decrease. The decline in seal Hg concentrations in recent decades was most likely driven by a reduction in Hg inputs to the lake, suggesting that global and regional efforts to reduce Hg emissions have been successful at reducing ecosystem and human health risks posed by Hg in Lake Baikal. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1476-1486. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mikhail V Pastukhov
- Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
| | | | - Ted Ozersky
- Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
- University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
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12
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Barik SK, Muduli PR, Mohanty B, Rath P, Samanta S. Spatial distribution and potential biological risk of some metals in relation to granulometric content in core sediments from Chilika Lake, India. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:572-587. [PMID: 29047066 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0421-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The article presents first systematic report on the concentration of selected major elements [iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn)] and minor elements [zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co)] from the core sediment of Chilika Lake, India. The analyzed samples revealed higher content of Pb than the background levels in the entire study area. The extent of contamination from minor and major elements is expressed by assessing (i) the metal enrichments in the sediment through the calculations of anthropogenic factor (AF), pollution load index (PLI), Enrichment factor (EF), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and (ii) potential biological risks by the use of sediment quality guidelines like effect range median (ERM) and effect range low (ERL) benchmarks. The estimated indices indicated that sediment is enriched with Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu and Co. The enrichment of these elements seems to be due to the fine granulometric characteristics of the sediment with Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides being the main metal carriers and fishing boats using low grade paints, fuel, and fishing technology using lead beads fixed to fishing nets. Trace element input to the Chilika lake needs to be monitored with due emphasis on Cr and Pb contaminations since the ERM and ERL benchmarks indicated potential biological risk with these metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroja K Barik
- Department of Chemistry, School of Applied Sciences, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India.
| | - Pradipta R Muduli
- Wetland Research and Training Centre, Chilika Development Authority, Barkul, Balugaon, Odisha, 752030, India
| | - Bita Mohanty
- Wetland Research and Training Centre, Chilika Development Authority, Barkul, Balugaon, Odisha, 752030, India
| | - Prasanta Rath
- Department of Chemistry, School of Applied Sciences, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Srikanta Samanta
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, 700120, India
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13
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Ozersky T, Pastukhov MV, Poste AE, Deng XY, Moore MV. Long-Term and Ontogenetic Patterns of Heavy Metal Contamination in Lake Baikal Seals (Pusa sibirica). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:10316-10325. [PMID: 28793769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the history of heavy metal pollution of Russia's Lake Baikal, one of the world's largest lakes and a home to numerous endemic species, including the Baikal Seal, Pusa sibirica. We investigated the history of heavy metal (V, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Tl, Pb, U) pollution in Lake Baikal seals over the past 8 decades. C and N stable isotope analysis (SIA) and laser-ablation ICP-MS of seal teeth were used to examine changes in feeding ecology, heavy metal levels associated with life history events and long-term variation in metal exposure. SIA did not suggest large changes in the feeding ecology of Baikal seals over the past 80 years. LA-ICP-MS analyses revealed element-specific ontogenetic variability in metal concentrations, likely related to maternal transfer, changes in food sources and starvation. Hg and Cd levels in seals varied significantly across the time series, with concentrations peaking in the 1960s - 1970s but then declining to contemporary levels similar to those observed in the 1930s and 1940s. Trends in atmospheric emissions of Hg suggest that local sources as well as emissions from eastern Russia and Europe may be important contributors of Hg to Lake Baikal and that, despite the size of Lake Baikal, its food web appears to respond rapidly to changing inputs of contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted Ozersky
- Large Lakes Observatory, University of Minnesota Duluth , Duluth, Minnesota 55812, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College , Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481, United States
| | - Mikhail V Pastukhov
- Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences , Irkutsk, Russia
| | | | - Xiu Y Deng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College , Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481, United States
| | - Marianne V Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College , Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481, United States
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14
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Formigaro C, Karamanlidis AA, Dendrinos P, Marsili L, Silvi M, Zaccaroni A. Trace element concentrations in the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 576:528-537. [PMID: 27810742 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. The biggest sub-population of the species survives in Greece, where understanding the effects of pollution on the survival of the species has been identified as a national research and conservation priority. From 1990 to 2013 we collected tissue samples from 59 deceased monk seals in order to: (i) Define the concentration of trace elements (As, Pb, Cd, Hg, Se, Cr, Ni) in three different matrices (i.e., blubber, liver and kidney), (ii) Determine whether differences in trace element concentrations are age- or gender-related, (iii) Evaluate the potential effects of these pollutants. The study recorded differences in trace element concentrations among matrices, but in general, trace element exposure in Mediterranean monk seals in Greece was low and within the non-acutely toxic levels for Pinnipeds. Only arsenic concentrations were at the upper limit of the normal range observed in other marine mammals (0.69±0.55mg/kg w.w. in blubber, 0.79±0.62mg/kg w.w. in liver and 0.79±0.59mg/kg w.w. in kidney). We recorded also exceptionally high Hg concentrations in a single adult female (24.88mg/kg w.w.). Age- and gender-related differences were also recorded and were due to various biological, ecological and chemical factors. Based on the results of the study, potentially adverse effects on the immune and endocrine system of the Mediterranean monk seal from some pollutants (e.g., As, Cd, Se, Ni, Cr) cannot be ruled out, which may expose the Mediterranean seal population in Greece to epizootics and stochastic phenomena of mass mortality. It is therefore of utmost importance that pollutant monitoring becomes an integral component of the standard monitoring protocol of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal in the eastern Mediterranean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Formigaro
- Large Pelagic Vertebrate Group, Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico (FC), Italy
| | - Alexandros A Karamanlidis
- MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, Solomou Str. 18, 10682 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Dendrinos
- MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, Solomou Str. 18, 10682 Athens, Greece
| | - Letizia Marsili
- Department of Environment, Earth and Physical Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena (SI), Italy
| | - Marina Silvi
- Large Pelagic Vertebrate Group, Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico (FC), Italy
| | - Annalisa Zaccaroni
- Large Pelagic Vertebrate Group, Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico (FC), Italy.
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15
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Perrot V, Masbou J, Pastukhov MV, Epov VN, Point D, Bérail S, Becker PR, Sonke JE, Amouroux D. Natural Hg isotopic composition of different Hg compounds in mammal tissues as a proxy for in vivo breakdown of toxic methylmercury. Metallomics 2016; 8:170-8. [PMID: 26680232 DOI: 10.1039/c5mt00286a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, specific attention has been paid to total mercury (HgT) stable isotopic composition, especially in natural samples such as aquatic organisms, due to its potential to track the cycle of this toxic element in the environment. Here, we investigated Hg Compound Specific stable Isotopic Composition (CSIC) of natural inorganic Hg (iHg) and methylmercury (MMHg) in various tissues of aquatic mammals (Beluga whale from the Arctic marine environment and seals from the freshwater lake Baikal, Russia). In seals' organs the variation in mass dependent fractionation (MDF, δ(202)Hg) for total Hg was significantly correlated to the respective fraction of iHg and MMHg compounds, with MMHg being enriched by ∼ 3‰ in heavier isotopes relative to iHg. On the other hand, we observe insignificant variation in Hg mass independent isotope fractionation (MIF, Δ(199)Hg) among iHg and MMHg in all organs for the same mammal species and MMHg in prey items. MIF signatures suggest that both MMHg and iHg in aquatic mammals have the same origin (i.e., MMHg from food), and are representative of Hg photochemistry in the water column of the mammal ecosystem. MDF signatures of Hg compounds indicate that MMHg is demethylated in vivo before being stored in the muscle, and the iHg formed is stored in the liver, and to a lesser extent in the kidney, before excretion. Thus, Hg CSIC analysis in mammals can be a powerful tool for tracing the metabolic response to Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Perrot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, IPREM UMR-5254, CNRS-UPPA, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
| | - Jeremy Masbou
- Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées CNRS-IRD-Université de Toulouse 3, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - Mikhail V Pastukhov
- Laboratory of Geochemical Mapping and Monitoring, Institute of Geochemistry SB RAS, 1A Favorskogo Street, PB-304, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia
| | - Vladimir N Epov
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, IPREM UMR-5254, CNRS-UPPA, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
| | - David Point
- Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées CNRS-IRD-Université de Toulouse 3, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - Sylvain Bérail
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, IPREM UMR-5254, CNRS-UPPA, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
| | - Paul R Becker
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées CNRS-IRD-Université de Toulouse 3, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - David Amouroux
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, IPREM UMR-5254, CNRS-UPPA, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
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16
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Ciesielski TM, Pastukhov MV, Leeves SA, Farkas J, Lierhagen S, Poletaeva VI, Jenssen BM. Differential bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements in benthic and pelagic food chains in Lake Baikal. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:15593-15604. [PMID: 27130338 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6634-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Lake Baikal is located in eastern Siberia in the center of a vast mountain region. Even though the lake is regarded as a unique and pristine ecosystem, there are existing sources of anthropogenic pollution to the lake. In this study, the concentrations of the potentially toxic trace elements As, Cd, Pb, Hg, and Se were analyzed in water, plankton, invertebrates, and fish from riverine and pelagic influenced sites in Lake Baikal. Concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb and Se in Lake Baikal water and biota were low, while concentrations of As were similar or slightly higher compared to in other freshwater ecosystems. The bioaccumulation potential of the trace elements in both the pelagic and the benthic ecosystems differed between the Selenga Shallows (riverine influence) and the Listvenichnyĭ Bay (pelagic influence). Despite the one order of magnitude higher water concentrations of Pb in the Selenga Shallows, Pb concentrations were significantly higher in both pelagic and benthic fish from the Listvenichnyĭ Bay. A similar trend was observed for Cd, Hg, and Se. The identified enhanced bioavailability of contaminants in the pelagic influenced Listvenichnyĭ Bay may be attributed to a lower abundance of natural ligands for contaminant complexation. Hg was found to biomagnify in both benthic and pelagic Baikal food chains, while As, Cd, and Pb were biodiluted. At both locations, Hg concentrations were around seven times higher in benthic than in pelagic fish, while pelagic fish had two times higher As concentrations compared to benthic fish. The calculated Se/Hg molar ratios revealed that, even though Lake Baikal is located in a Se-deficient region, Se is still present in excess over Hg and therefore the probability of Hg induced toxicity in the endemic fish species of Lake Baikal is assumed to be low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz M Ciesielski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Mikhail V Pastukhov
- Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia
| | - Sara A Leeves
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Julia Farkas
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Environmental Technology, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Brattørkaia 17c, 7010, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Syverin Lierhagen
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vera I Poletaeva
- Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia
| | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
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17
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Zohra BS, Habib A. Assessment of heavy metal contamination levels and toxicity in sediments and fishes from the Mediterranean Sea (southern coast of Sfax, Tunisia). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:13954-13963. [PMID: 27040542 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of heavy metals in sediment is regarded as a global crisis with a large share in industrializing cities like Sfax (Tunisia). Seven heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn), and one metalloid such as Arsenic (As) in sediments and fish (D. annularis, L. aurata, and S. vulgaris) were investigated from the Southern coast of Sfax in Tunisia. The range of metals in sediments were 13.11-36; 4.42-7.92; 8.23-28.56; 50,564-11,956; 2.9-6.8; 9.13-30.51; 65.06-151.50, and 47-546 kg(-1) DW for As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The level of studied metals in sediment samples exceeded the limits of the quality assessment guidelines (SQGs). The potential ecological risk index (PERI) proved that the investigated region could pose moderate risk for the aquatic biota. Metal bioaccumulation in the fish muscles varied significantly among species. Indeed, S. vulgaris and D. annularis accumulated higher amount of metal than L. aurata. The target hazard quotients (THQ) of individual heavy metals in fish, except for As and Hg, revealed safe levels for human consumption. Nevertheless, the total THQ indexes exceeded 1 suggesting the combined effects on muscles fish, which may constitute a risk to population's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Salem Zohra
- Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems UR/11ES72 Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences Research, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Street of Soukra Km 3.5 BP 1171, PO Box 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
| | - Ayadi Habib
- Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems UR/11ES72 Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences Research, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Street of Soukra Km 3.5 BP 1171, PO Box 3000, Sfax, Tunisia
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18
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Qiu YW, Wang WX. Comparison of mercury bioaccumulation between wild and mariculture food chains from a subtropical bay of Southern China. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2016; 38:39-49. [PMID: 25588738 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-015-9677-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of mercury (Hg) both in the natural marine ecosystem and the mariculture ecosystem were studied at Daya Bay, a subtropical bay in Southern China. Averaged Hg concentrations in sediment, phytoplankton, macrophyte, shrimp, crab, shellfish, planktivorous fish, carnivorous fish, farmed pompano, farmed snapper, compound feed and trash fish were 0.074, 0.054, 0.044, 0.098, 0.116, 0.171, 0.088, 0.121, 0.210, 0.125, 0.038 and 0.106 μg g(-1) dw, respectively. These Hg levels were at the low-middle ends of the global range. Positive correlation between Hg concentrations in farmed fish and fish weights/sizes was observed, whereas no clear correlation between Hg concentrations and lipid contents was found. Hg concentrations followed macrophyte < phytoplankton < sediment < planktivorous fish < shrimp < crab < carnivorous fish < shellfish, and commercial feed < trash fish < farmed fish. Hg was biomagnified along the marine food chain in the ecosystem of Daya Bay. Hg levels in the farmed fish were higher than those in the wild fish primarily because of the higher Hg level in fish feed and the smaller size of marine wild fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Wen Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
| | - Wen-Xiong Wang
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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19
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Contribution of Shellfish Consumption to Lower Mercury Health Risk for Residents in Northern Jiaozhou Bay, China. Bioinorg Chem Appl 2015; 2015:159521. [PMID: 26101470 PMCID: PMC4458521 DOI: 10.1155/2015/159521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Revised: 05/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish and marine mammal consumption are an important pathway for human exposure to mercury. The low mercury content in shellfish poses a low mercury health risk to people who consume shellfish. The objectives of this study are to detect mercury concentrations in different species of shellfish and to calculate the mercury health risk from shellfish consumption among traditional residents near northern Jiaozhou Bay. A total of 356 shellfish samples, which comprised 7 species from 5 different places in northern Jiaozhou Bay, were collected from April to June in 2012. The average mercury content in the collected shellfish ranged from 0.024 mg·kg−1 to 0.452 mg·kg−1. A total of 44 shellfish samples (12.36%) had mercury levels exceeding the national pollution-free aquatic products limit (0.3 mg·kg−1). Generally, the viscus had the highest mercury content among all parts of the shellfish. A positive correlation between mercury content and total weight/edible part weight was found in most species of the collected shellfish. The results showed that shellfish consumption resulted in the lower risk of mercury exposure to residents based on the calculation of daily intake (DI) and target hazard quotient (THQ).
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20
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Valová Z, Hudcová H, Roche K, Svobodová J, Bernardová I, Jurajda P. No relationship found between mercury and lead concentrations in muscle and scales of chub Squalius cephalus L. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2013; 185:3359-3368. [PMID: 22864581 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-012-2796-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2012] [Accepted: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We examined the relationship between muscle and scale mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations in chub Squalius cephalus L. from six riverine sites in the Czech Republic in order to determine whether scale analysis alone could provide a nonlethal and convenient method for prediction of heavy metal concentration in muscle tissue. Our results confirm tissue-specific heavy metal accumulation in chub, with Hg tending to accumulate primarily in muscle tissue and Pb in scales. We found no significant relationship, however, for concentrations of either Pb or Hg between muscle tissue and scales of chub. Our results indicate that scales cannot be used for predicting heavy metal contamination in muscle of chub and we recommend, therefore, that muscle biopsy methods continue as the preferred method of analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenka Valová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, vvi, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
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21
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Bolan NS, Choppala G, Kunhikrishnan A, Park J, Naidu R. Microbial transformation of trace elements in soils in relation to bioavailability and remediation. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2013; 225:1-56. [PMID: 23494555 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6470-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nanthi S Bolan
- Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia,
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22
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Polak-Juszczak L. Bioaccumulation of mercury in the trophic chain of flatfish from the Baltic Sea. CHEMOSPHERE 2012; 89:585-591. [PMID: 22704208 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 01/25/2012] [Accepted: 05/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Mercury concentrations in three flatfish species - flounder (Platichtys flesus), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), and Baltic turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), netted in the southern Baltic Sea were assessed and compared to concentrations of this metal in sediments, sea water, and flatfish food - bivalve Macoma balthica, isopod Saduria entomon, and sprat (Sprattus sprattus). Collected simultaneously with flatfish in 2009 and 2010. Different concentrations of mercury depending on species, tissue or organ, sex, individual length, kind of food, and region were determined. The muscle tissues of turbot had the highest concentrations of the metal. The bioaccumulation (BF) and biomagnification (BMF) factors has been counted showing that the muscle tissues of turbot have maximum affinity for mercury, and thus best reflected the metal contamination of the Baltic Sea environment. The data suggest that the common Baltic turbot (S. maximus) is an important model species, suitable and cost-effective to biomonitor environmental mercury pollution for ecological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucyna Polak-Juszczak
- Department of Food and Environmental Chemistry, National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, ul. Kołłątaja 1, Gdynia 81-332, Poland.
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23
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Tong Y, Zhang W, Hu X, Ou L, Hu D, Yang T, Wei W, Wang X. Model description of trophodynamic behavior of methylmercury in a marine aquatic system. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2012; 166:89-97. [PMID: 22481181 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Revised: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A marine food web in Bohai Bay, China, was selected to study methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation, and an aquivalence-based mass balance model was established to explore the possibility of predicting the MeHg concentrations and quantifying MeHg bioaccumulation in the food web. Results showed that both total mercury (THg) and MeHg were biomagnified in the food web. The calculated MeHg concentrations in the selected species agreed well with the measured values, which shows the model could be a useful tool in MeHg concentration prediction in food web. Model outputs also showed that metabolism and growth dilution could be the dominant mechanisms for the reduction of MeHg levels in aquatic organisms. With the increase of trophic level, the contribution of food as a MeHg source for organism is increasing, and MeHg from prey was the dominant source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yindong Tong
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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24
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Perrot V, Pastukhov MV, Epov VN, Husted S, Donard OFX, Amouroux D. Higher mass-independent isotope fractionation of methylmercury in the pelagic food web of Lake Baikal (Russia). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:5902-11. [PMID: 22545798 DOI: 10.1021/es204572g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mercury undergoes several transformations that influence its stable isotope composition during a number of environmental and biological processes. Measurements of Hg isotopic mass-dependent (MDF) and mass-independent fractionation (MIF) in food webs may therefore help to identify major sources and processes leading to significant bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg). In this work, δ(13)C, δ(15)N, concentration of Hg species (MeHg, inorganic Hg), and stable isotopic composition of Hg were determined at different trophic levels of the remote and pristine Lake Baikal ecosystem. Muscle of seals and different fish as well as amphipods, zooplankton, and phytoplankton were specifically investigated. MDF during trophic transfer of MeHg leading to enrichment of heavier isotopes in the predators was clearly established by δ(202)Hg measurements in the pelagic prey-predator system (carnivorous sculpins and top-predator seals). Despite the low concentrations of Hg in the ecosystem, the pelagic food web reveals very high MIF Δ(199)Hg (3.15-6.65‰) in comparison to coastal fish (0.26-1.65‰) and most previous studies in aquatic organisms. Trophic transfer does not influence MIF signature since similar Δ(199)Hg was observed in sculpins (4.59 ± 0.55‰) and seal muscles (4.62 ± 0.60‰). The MIF is suggested to be mainly controlled by specific physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the water column. The higher level of MIF in pelagic fish of Lake Baikal is mainly due to the bioaccumulation of residual MeHg that is efficiently turned over and photodemethylated in deep oligotrophic and stationary (i.e., long residence time) freshwater columns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Perrot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche sur l'Environnement et les Matériaux, CNRS-UPPA-UMR-5254, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
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25
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Karasov WH. Digestive physiology: a view from molecules to ecosystem. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2011; 301:R276-84. [DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00600.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Digestive physiology links physiology to applications valued by society, such as understanding ecology and ecological toxicology and managing and conserving species. Here I illustrate this applied and integrative perspective with several avian case studies. The match between digestive features and diet provides evidence of tradeoffs that preclude doing well on all possible substrates with a single digestive design, and this influences ecological niche partitioning. But some birds, such as wild house sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) nestlings, are digestively very flexible. Their intestinal maltase activity and mRNA for intestinal maltase glucoamylase specifically and reversibly change when they switch among foods with different starch content. Houses sparrows and many other birds absorb hydrolyzed water-soluble monomers, such as glucose, mainly passively via tight junctions between enterocytes (i.e., paracellular absorption). Such species might be good models for studying this process, which is important biomedically for absorption of drugs. High paracellular absorption may enhance absorption of low molecular weight, natural water-soluble toxins. Also, reliance of American robins ( Turdus migratorius ) on passive absorption makes them less sensitive to types of plant toxins that inhibit mediated glucose absorption, such as phlorizin or the flavanoid isoquercetrin. Determining absorption of environmental contaminants is another important ecological application. Common loon ( Gavia immer ) chicks absorbed 83% of methyl mercury in fish meals, eliminate the mercury slowly, and consequently are predicted in the wild to bioaccumulate mercury to higher concentrations than in their foods. The quantitative details can be used to set regulatory levels for mercury that will protect wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H. Karasov
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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