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Monteiro LC, Vieira LCG, Bernardi JVE, Recktenvald MCNDN, Nery AFDC, Fernandes IO, de Miranda VL, da Rocha DMS, de Almeida R, Bastos WR. Mercury distribution, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification in riparian ecosystems from a neotropical savanna floodplain, Araguaia River, central Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118906. [PMID: 38609069 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Litterfall is the main source of dry deposition of mercury (Hg) into the soil in forest ecosystems. The accumulation of Hg in soil and litter suggests the possibility of transfer to terrestrial invertebrates through environmental exposure or ingestion of plant tissues. We quantified total mercury (THg) concentrations in two soil layers (organic: 0-0.2 m; mineral: 0.8-1 m), litter, fresh leaves, and terrestrial invertebrates of the Araguaia River floodplain, aiming to evaluate the THg distribution among terrestrial compartments, bioaccumulation in invertebrates, and the factors influencing THg concentrations in soil and invertebrates. The mean THg concentrations were significantly different between the compartments evaluated, being higher in organic soil compared to mineral soil, and higher in litter compared to mineral soil and fresh leaves. Soil organic matter content was positively related to THg concentration in this compartment. The order Araneae showed significantly higher Hg concentrations among the most abundant invertebrate taxa. The higher Hg concentrations in Araneae were positively influenced by the concentrations determined in litter and individuals of the order Hymenoptera, confirming the process of biomagnification in the terrestrial trophic chain. In contrast, the THg concentrations in Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Hymenoptera were not significantly related to the concentrations determined in the soil, litter and fresh leaves. Our results showed the importance of organic matter for the immobilization of THg in the soil and indicated the process of biomagnification in the terrestrial food web, providing insights for future studies on the environmental distribution of Hg in floodplains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Cabrera Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais e Limnológicas, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil; Laboratório de Geoestatística e Geodésia, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil.
| | - Ludgero Cardoso Galli Vieira
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais e Limnológicas, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | - José Vicente Elias Bernardi
- Laboratório de Geoestatística e Geodésia, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | | | | | - Iara Oliveira Fernandes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Lima de Miranda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Ronaldo de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
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Becerra-Lira E, Rodriguez-Achata L, Muñoz Ushñahua A, Corvera Gomringer R, Thomas E, Garate-Quispe J, Hilares Vargas L, Nascimento Herbay PR, Gamarra Miranda LA, Umpiérrez E, Guerrero Barrantes JA, Pillaca M, Cusi Auca E, Peña Valdeiglesias J, Russo R, Del Castillo Torres D, Velasquez Ramírez MG. Spatio-temporal trends of mercury levels in alluvial gold mining spoils areas monitored between rainy and dry seasons in the Peruvian Amazon. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 245:118073. [PMID: 38159662 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118073] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the Amazon has degraded tropical forests and escalated mercury (Hg) pollution, affecting biodiversity, ecological processes and rural livelihoods. In the Peruvian Amazon, ASGM annually releases some 181 tons of Hg into the environment. Despite some recent advances in understanding the spatial distribution of Hg within gold mine spoils and the surrounding landscape, temporal dynamics in Hg movement are not well understood. We aimed to reveal spatio-temporal trends of soil Hg in areas degraded by ASGM.,. We analyzed soil and sediment samples during the dry and rainy seasons across 14 ha of potentially contaminated sites and natural forests, in the vicinities of the Native community of San Jacinto in Madre de Dios, Peru. Soil Hg levels of areas impacted by ASGM (0.02 ± 0.02 mg kg-1) were generally below soil environmental quality standards (6.60 mg kg-1). However, they showed high variability, mainly explained by the type of natural cover vegetation, soil organic matter (SOM), clay and sand particles. Temporal trends in Hg levels in soils between seasons differed between landscape units distinguished in the mine spoils. During the rainy season, Hg levels decreased up to 45.5% in uncovered soils, while in artificial pond sediments Hg increased by up to 961%. During the dry season, uncovered degraded soils were more prone to lose Hg than sites covered by vegetation, mainly due to higher soil temperatures and concomitantly increasing volatilization. Soils from natural forests and degraded soil covered by regenerating vegetation showed a high capacity to retain Hg mainly due to the higher plant biomass, higher SOM, and increasing concentrations of clay particles. Disturbingly, our findings suggest high Hg mobility from gold mine spoil to close by sedimentary materials, mainly in artificial ponds through alluvial deposition and pluvial lixiviation. Thus, further research is needed on monitoring, and remediation of sediments in artificial to design sustainable land use strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Becerra-Lira
- Desarrollo de Tecnologías para el Fortalecimiento de Sistemas Productivos en Base a la Castaña y Shiringa, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N◦1162, Puerto Maldonado, Apartado Postal, 17001, Peru.
| | - Liset Rodriguez-Achata
- Departamento Académico de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios, Av. Jorge Chávez 1160, Puerto Maldonado, Peru.
| | - Adenka Muñoz Ushñahua
- Proyecto Recuperación de áreas Degradadas, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Puerto Maldonado, Peru.
| | - Ronald Corvera Gomringer
- Dirección Regional IIAP Madre de Dios y Selva Sur, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N◦1162, Puerto Maldonado, Apartado Postal, 17001, Peru.
| | - Evert Thomas
- Bioversity International, Av. La Molina, 1895, Lima, Apartado Postal Lima12, Peru.
| | - Jorge Garate-Quispe
- Departamento Académico de Ingeniería Forestal y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 17001, Peru.
| | - Litcely Hilares Vargas
- Proyecto Recuperación de áreas Degradadas, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Puerto Maldonado, Peru.
| | - Pedro Romel Nascimento Herbay
- Proyecto Recuperación de áreas Degradadas, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Puerto Maldonado, Peru.
| | | | - Eleuterio Umpiérrez
- Coordinador Empresarial del IPTP, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando Facultad de Química - UDELAR Montevideo-Uruguay, Uruguay.
| | - Juan Antonio Guerrero Barrantes
- Departamento de Suelos, Universidad Nacional Agraria, La Molina (UNALM), Av. La Molina s/n, Lima, Perú, Apartado Postal Lima12, Peru.
| | - Martin Pillaca
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru.
| | - Edgar Cusi Auca
- Desarrollo de Tecnologías para el Fortalecimiento de Sistemas Productivos en Base a la Castaña y Shiringa, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N◦1162, Puerto Maldonado, Apartado Postal, 17001, Peru.
| | - Joel Peña Valdeiglesias
- Departamento Académico de Ingeniería Forestal y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 17001, Peru.
| | | | - Dennis Del Castillo Torres
- Programa BOSQUES, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Iquitos, Apartado Postal, 16000, Peru.
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3
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Feinberg A, Jiskra M, Borrelli P, Biswakarma J, Selin NE. Deforestation as an Anthropogenic Driver of Mercury Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38328901 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Deforestation reduces the capacity of the terrestrial biosphere to take up toxic pollutant mercury (Hg) and enhances the release of secondary Hg from soils. The consequences of deforestation for Hg cycling are not currently considered by anthropogenic emission inventories or specifically addressed under the global Minamata Convention on Mercury. Using global Hg modeling constrained by field observations, we estimate that net Hg fluxes to the atmosphere due to deforestation are 217 Mg year-1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 134-1650 Mg year-1) for 2015, approximately 10% of global primary anthropogenic emissions. If deforestation of the Amazon rainforest continues at business-as-usual rates, net Hg emissions from the region will increase by 153 Mg year-1 by 2050 (CI: 97-418 Mg year-1), enhancing the transport and subsequent deposition of Hg to aquatic ecosystems. Substantial Hg emissions reductions are found for two potential cases of land use policies: conservation of the Amazon rainforest (92 Mg year-1, 95% CI: 59-234 Mg year-1) and global reforestation (98 Mg year-1, 95% CI: 64-449 Mg year-1). We conclude that deforestation-related emissions should be incorporated as an anthropogenic source in Hg inventories and that land use policy could be leveraged to address global Hg pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryeh Feinberg
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Martin Jiskra
- Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
| | | | - Jagannath Biswakarma
- Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Noelle E Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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Richter L, Amouroux D, Tessier E, Fostier AH. Impact of forest fire on the mercury stable isotope composition in litter and soil in the Amazon. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 339:139779. [PMID: 37567261 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139779] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) emissions from forest fires, especially tropical forests such as the Amazonian forest, were shown to contribute significantly to the atmospheric mercury budget, but new methods are still necessary to improve the traceability and to reduce the great uncertainties related to this emission source. Recent studies have shown that the combustion process can result in Hg stable isotope fractionation that allows tracking coal combustion Hg emissions, as influenced by different factors such as combustion temperature. The main goal of the present study was, therefore, to investigate for the first time the potential of Hg stable isotopes to trace forest fire Hg emissions and pathways. More specifically, small-scale and a large scale prescribed forest fire experiments were conducted in the Brazilian Amazonian forest to study the impact of fire severity on Hg isotopic composition of litter, soil, and ash samples and associated Hg isotope fractionation pathways. In the small-scale experiment, no difference was found in the mercury isotopic composition of the samples collected before and after burning. In contrast, the larger-scale experiment resulted in significant mass dependent fractionation (MDF δ202Hg) in soils and ash suggesting that higher combustion temperature influence Hg isotopic fractionation with the emission of lighter Hg isotopes to the atmosphere and enrichment with heavier Hg in ashes. As for coal combustion, mass independent fractionation was not observed. To our knowledge, these results are the first to highlight the potential of forest fires to cause Hg isotopic fractionation, depending on the fire severity. The results also allowed to establish an isotopic fingerprint for tropical forest fire Hg emissions that corresponds to a mixture of litter and soil Hg isotopic composition (resulting atmospheric δ202Hg, Δ200Hg and Δ199Hg were -1.79 ± 0.24‰, -0.05 ± 0.04‰ and -0.45 ± 0.12‰, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Richter
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 13083-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - David Amouroux
- Université de Pau et des Pays de L'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour L'Environnement et Les Matériaux, Pau, France.
| | - Emmanuel Tessier
- Université de Pau et des Pays de L'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour L'Environnement et Les Matériaux, Pau, France
| | - Anne Hélène Fostier
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 13083-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Fisher JA, Schneider L, Fostier AH, Guerrero S, Guimarães JRD, Labuschagne C, Leaner JJ, Martin LG, Mason RP, Somerset V, Walters C. A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 2: Anthropogenic perturbations. AMBIO 2023; 52:918-937. [PMID: 36952094 PMCID: PMC10073395 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination is a global concern requiring action at national scales. Scientific understanding and regulatory policies are underpinned by global extrapolation of Northern Hemisphere Hg data, despite historical, political, and socioeconomic differences between the hemispheres that impact Hg sources and sinks. In this paper, we explore the primary anthropogenic perturbations to Hg emission and mobilization processes that differ between hemispheres and synthesize current understanding of the implications for Hg cycling. In the Southern Hemisphere (SH), lower historical production of Hg and other metals implies lower present-day legacy emissions, but the extent of the difference remains uncertain. More use of fire and higher deforestation rates drive re-mobilization of terrestrial Hg, while also removing vegetation that would otherwise provide a sink for atmospheric Hg. Prevalent Hg use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a dominant source of Hg inputs to the environment in tropical regions. Meanwhile, coal-fired power stations continue to be a significant Hg emission source and industrial production of non-ferrous metals is a large and growing contributor. Major uncertainties remain, hindering scientific understanding and effective policy formulation, and we argue for an urgent need to prioritize research activities in under-sampled regions of the SH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A. Fisher
- Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Larissa Schneider
- College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Coombs Bld 9 Fellows Rd, Acton, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Anne-Hélène Fostier
- Instituto de Química/Unicamp, Rua Josué de Castro, s/n – Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP 13083-970 Brazil
| | - Saul Guerrero
- College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Coombs Bld 9 Fellows Rd, Acton, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Jean Remy Davée Guimarães
- Lab. de Traçadores, Instituto de Biofísica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco G, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Casper Labuschagne
- South African Weather Service c/o CSIR Environmentek, 11 Jan Cilliers Street, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa
| | - Joy J. Leaner
- Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape Government, Property Building, 1 Dorp Street, Cape Town, 8001 Western Cape South Africa
| | - Lynwill G. Martin
- South African Weather Service c/o CSIR Environmentek, 11 Jan Cilliers Street, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa
- Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group, Chemical Resource Beneficiation, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520 South Africa
| | - Robert P. Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340 USA
| | - Vernon Somerset
- Department of Chemistry, CPUT, CPUT Bellville Campus, Bellville, 7535 Western Cape South Africa
| | - Chavon Walters
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 11 Jan Cilliers Street, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa
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Schneider L, Fisher JA, Diéguez MC, Fostier AH, Guimaraes JRD, Leaner JJ, Mason R. A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 1: Natural processes. AMBIO 2023; 52:897-917. [PMID: 36943620 PMCID: PMC10073387 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01832-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate a short 3-6-month atmospheric lifetime for mercury (Hg). This implies Hg emissions are predominantly deposited within the same hemisphere in which they are emitted, thus placing increasing importance on considering Hg sources, sinks and impacts from a hemispheric perspective. In the absence of comprehensive Hg data from the Southern Hemisphere (SH), estimates and inventories for the SH have been drawn from data collected in the NH, with the assumption that the NH data are broadly applicable. In this paper, we centre the uniqueness of the SH in the context of natural biogeochemical Hg cycling, with focus on the midlatitudes and tropics. Due to its uniqueness, Antarctica warrants an exclusive review of its contribution to the biogeochemical cycling of Hg and is therefore excluded from this review. We identify and describe five key natural differences between the hemispheres that affect the biogeochemical cycling of Hg: biome heterogeneity, vegetation type, ocean area, methylation hotspot zones and occurence of volcanic activities. We review the current state of knowledge of SH Hg cycling within the context of each difference, as well as the key gaps that impede our understanding of natural Hg cycling in the SH. The differences demonstrate the limitations in using NH data to infer Hg processes and emissions in the SH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Schneider
- School of Culture, History and Language. Australian National University, Coombs Bld 9 Fellows Rd, Acton. Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Jenny A. Fisher
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - María C. Diéguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), 1250 San Carlos de Bariloche (8400), Quintral Argentina
| | - Anne-Hélène Fostier
- Instituto de Química/Unicamp, Rua Josué de Castro, s/n – Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP 13083-970 Brazil
| | - Jean R. D. Guimaraes
- Lab. de Traçadores, Inst. de Biofísica, Bloco G, CCS (Centro de Ciências da Saúde), Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão CEP 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Joy J. Leaner
- Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape Government, 1 Dorp Street, Western Cape, Cape Town, 8001 South Africa
| | - Robert Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340 USA
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Yuan T, Zhang P, Song Z, Huang S, Wang X, Zhang Y. Buffering effect of global vegetation on the air-land exchange of mercury: Insights from a novel terrestrial mercury model based on CESM2-CLM5. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 174:107904. [PMID: 37012193 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The vegetation uptake of atmospheric elemental mercury [Hg(0)] and its subsequent littering are critical processes of the terrestrial Hg cycles. There is a large uncertainty in the estimated global fluxes of these processes due to the knowledge gap in the underlying mechanisms and their relationship with environmental factors. Here, we develop a new global model based on the Community Land Model Version 5 (CLM5-Hg) as an independent component of the Community Earth System Model 2 (CESM2). We explore the global pattern of gaseous elemental Hg [Hg(0)] uptake by vegetation and the spatial distribution of litter Hg concentration constrained by observed datasets as well as its driving mechanism. The annual vegetation uptake of Hg(0) is estimated as 3132 Mg yr-1, which is considerably higher than previous global models. The scheme of dynamic plant growth including stomatal activities substantially improves the estimation for global terrestrial distribution of Hg, compared to the leaf area index (LAI) based scheme that is often used by previous models. We find the global distribution of litter Hg concentrations driven by vegetation uptake of atmospheric Hg(0), which are simulated to be higher in East Asia (87 ng/g) than in the Amazon region (63 ng/g). Meanwhile, as a significant source for litter Hg, the formation of structural litter (cellulose litter + lignin litter) results in a lagging effect between Hg(0) deposition and litter Hg concentration, implying the buffering effect of vegetation on the air-land exchange of Hg. This work highlights the importance of vegetation physiology and environmental factors in understanding the vegetation sequestration of atmospheric Hg globally, and calls for greater efforts to protect forests and afforestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Yuan
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Zhengcheng Song
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Shaojian Huang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Casagrande GCR, Dambros J, de Andrade EA, Martello F, Sobral-Souza T, Moreno MIC, Battirola LD, de Andrade RLT. Atmospheric mercury in forests: accumulation analysis in a gold mining area in the southern Amazon, Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:477. [PMID: 36928432 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The spatial distribution and dispersion of mercury (Hg) is associated with the structural conditions of the environment, primarily land use and vegetation cover. Man-made emissions of the metal from activities such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) can influence this distribution. Forest ecosystems are of particular importance as they constitute one of the most active environments in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg, and understanding these dynamics is essential to better understand its global cycle. In this study, we determined the content of Hg present in different forest strata (soil, leaf litter, herbaceous, underwood/bush, and arboreal), as well as the relationship between the presence of Hg and the landscape heterogeneity, percentage of gold mines, and ground slope. This study was carried out in tropical forest areas of the southern Brazilian Amazon. Accumulation and transport of Hg between forest strata was assessed in order to understand the influence of these forest environments on Hg accumulation in areas where ASGM occurs. We verified that there is a difference in Hg content between forest strata, indicating that atmospheric Hg is accumulated onto the arboreal stratum and transported vertically to strata below the canopy, i.e., underwood/bush and herbaceous, and subsequently accumulated in the leaf litter and transferred to the soil. Leaf litter was the stratum with the highest Hg content, characterized as a receptor for most of the Hg load from the upper strata in the forest. Therefore, it was confirmed that Hg accumulation dynamics are at play between the areas analyzed due to the proximity of ASGMs in the region. This indicates that the conservation of forest areas plays an important role in the process of atmospheric Hg deposition and accumulation, acting as a mercury sink in areas close to man-made emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Cristina Rabello Casagrande
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Juliane Dambros
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Ednaldo Antônio de Andrade
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Felipe Martello
- Vale Institute of Technology-Sustainable Development, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Nazaré, CEP 66055-090, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Thadeu Sobral-Souza
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Maria Inês Cruzeiro Moreno
- Departament of Biological Science, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Catalão, Campus I, Av. Dr. Lamartine Pinto de Avelar, 1120 Setor Universitário, CEP 75704-020, Catalão, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Leandro Dênis Battirola
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science, Institute of Natural, Human and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Lopes Tortorela de Andrade
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science, Institute of Natural, Human and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
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Yang L, Yang G, Wang J, Xiong B, Guo P, Wang T, Du H, Ma M, Wang D. Seasonal changes in total mercury and methylmercury in subtropical decomposing litter correspond to the abundances of nitrogen-fixing and methylmercury-degrading bacteria. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 442:130064. [PMID: 36182885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130064] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has found total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) levels increase with litterfall decay, thus suggesting litterfall decomposition plays an essential role in the biogeochemical transformation of mercury (Hg). However, it remains unclear how Hg accumulates in the decaying litter, how bacterial taxa networks vary and what roles various microorganisms play during litterfall decomposition, especially nitrogen (N)-fixing, MeHg-degrading and Hg-methylating microbes. Here, we demonstrated as degradation proceeded, a gradually-complex network evolved for litterfall bacteria for the subtropical mixed broadleaf-conifer (MBC) forest, whereas a relatively static network existed for the evergreen broadleaf (EB) forest. N-fixing and MeHg-degrading bacteria dominated throughout litterfall decomposition process, with relative abundances of N-fixing genera and nifH copies maximum and relative abundances of MeHg-degrading bacteria and merAB copies minimum in summer. Hence, N-fixing bacteria likely mediate THg increase in the decomposing litterfall, while MeHg enhancement may be regulated by aerobic MeHg-degrading microbes which can transform MeHg to inorganic divalent Hg (Hg2+) or further to elemental Hg (Hg0). Together, this work elucidates variations of N-fixing and MeHg-degrading microbes in decaying litterfall and their relationships with Hg accumulation, providing novel insights into understanding the biogeochemical cycle of Hg in the forest ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Yang
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jueying Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Bingcai Xiong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Pan Guo
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongxia Du
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Ming Ma
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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10
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Feinberg A, Dlamini T, Jiskra M, Shah V, Selin NE. Evaluating atmospheric mercury (Hg) uptake by vegetation in a chemistry-transport model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1303-1318. [PMID: 35485923 PMCID: PMC9491292 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00032f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a neurotoxic heavy metal, is transferred to marine and terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric transport. Recent studies have highlighted the role of vegetation uptake as a sink for atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg0) and a source of Hg to soils. However, the global magnitude of the Hg0 vegetation uptake flux is highly uncertain, with estimates ranging 1000-4000 Mg per year. To constrain this sink, we compare simulations in the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem with a compiled database of litterfall, throughfall, and flux tower measurements from 93 forested sites. The prior version of GEOS-Chem predicts median Hg0 dry deposition velocities similar to litterfall measurements from Northern hemisphere temperate and boreal forests (∼0.03 cm s-1), yet it underestimates measurements from a flux tower study (0.04 cm s-1vs. 0.07 cm s-1) and Amazon litterfall (0.05 cm s-1vs. 0.17 cm s-1). After revising the Hg0 reactivity within the dry deposition parametrization to match flux tower and Amazon measurements, GEOS-Chem displays improved agreement with the seasonality of atmospheric Hg0 observations in the Northern midlatitudes. Additionally, the modelled bias in Hg0 concentrations in South America decreases from +0.21 ng m-3 to +0.05 ng m-3. We calculate a global flux of Hg0 dry deposition to land of 2276 Mg per year, approximately double previous model estimates. The Amazon rainforest contributes 29% of the total Hg0 land sink, yet continued deforestation and climate change threatens the rainforest's stability and thus its role as an important Hg sink. In an illustrative worst-case scenario where the Amazon is completely converted to savannah, GEOS-Chem predicts that an additional 283 Mg Hg per year would deposit to the ocean, where it can bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. Biosphere-atmosphere interactions thus play a crucial role in global Hg cycling and should be considered in assessments of future Hg pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryeh Feinberg
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Thandolwethu Dlamini
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Martin Jiskra
- Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viral Shah
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noelle E Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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11
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Xu Z, Wang Z, Zhang X. Mapping the forest litterfall mercury deposition in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156288. [PMID: 35644398 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156288] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Litterfall mercury (Hg) deposition represents one of the biggest Hg inputs to forest ecosystems through assimilation of atmospheric gaseous elemental Hg (Hg0) to foliage. However, due to the availability of litterfall production and Hg concentration data, a comprehensive quantification of litterfall Hg deposition is still lacking in China. In this study, the forest litterfall production of five major forest types in China was modeled by using the random forest (RF) method and multi-source datasets. A substantial nationwide dataset of litterfall Hg concentration was compiled including the investigation of our research group and previous published data. The litterfall Hg flux of forest was quantified by integrating litterfall production map and litterfall Hg concentration data. The nationwide litterfall Hg concentration ranged from 12.75 to 178.00 ng g-1 with a mean of 51.99 ± 34.23 ng g-1. For litterfall production, the mean value was simulated to be 5.07 Mg ha-1 yr-1, with the highest values in tropical areas and the lowest in the northeast and northwest arid regions. The litterfall Hg flux of forest in China was characterized by high in the south and low in the north, ranging from 5.57 to 137.05 μg m-2 yr-1, with an average value of 25.88 ± 12.53 μg m-2 yr-1. Total Hg deposition from forest litterfall in China was estimated to be 27.0 ± 13.0 Mg yr-1, and that of evergreen broadleaf forest, mixed forest, deciduous broadleaf forest, evergreen needleleaf forest and deciduous needleleaf forest were 10.8 ± 5.3 Mg yr-1, 8.5 ± 4.0 Mg yr-1, 6.1 ± 2.6 Mg yr-1, 1.5 ± 1.0 Mg yr-1 and 0.2 ± 0.1 Mg yr-1, respectively. This is the primary quantitative evaluation of the forest litterfall Hg deposition in China, which is essential for understanding the role and status of Chinese forest in the global Hg cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhangwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoshan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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12
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Nyholt K, Jardine TD, Villamarín F, Jacobi CM, Hawes JE, Campos-Silva JV, Srayko S, Magnusson WE. High rates of mercury biomagnification in fish from Amazonian floodplain-lake food webs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155161. [PMID: 35421468 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite a global phase out of some point sources, mercury (Hg) remains elevated in aquatic food webs, posing health risks for fish-eating consumers. Many tropical regions have fast growing organisms, potentially short food chains, and few industrial point sources, suggesting low Hg baselines and low rates of trophic magnification with limited risk to people. Nevertheless, insufficient work on food-web Hg has been undertaken in the tropics and fish consumption is high in some regions. We studied Hg concentrations in fishes from floodplain lakes of the Juruá River, Amazonas, Brazil with three objectives: 1) determine rates of Hg trophic magnification, 2) assess whether Hg concentrations are high enough to impact humans eating fish, and 3) determine whether there are seasonal differences in fish Hg concentrations. A total of 377 fish-muscle samples were collected from 12 floodplain lakes during the low-water (September 2018) and falling-water (June 2019) seasons and analysed for total Hg and stable nitrogen (N) isotopes. The average trophic magnification factor (increase per trophic level) was 10.1 in the low-water season and 5.4 in the falling-water season, both well above the global average for freshwaters. This high rate of trophic magnification, coupled with higher-than-expected Hg concentrations in herbivorous species, led to high concentrations (up to 17.6 ng/g dry weight) in predatory pirarucu and piranha. Nearly 70% of all samples had Hg concentrations above the recommended human-consumption guidelines. Average concentrations were 42% higher in the low-water season than the falling-water season, but differences varied by species. Since Hg concentrations are higher than expected and fish consumption in this region is high, future research should focus on Hg exposure for human populations here and in other tropical-rainforest regions, even in the absence of local point sources of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Nyholt
- Toxicology Centre and School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Timothy D Jardine
- Toxicology Centre and School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada.
| | - Francisco Villamarín
- Grupo de Biogeografía y Ecología Espacial (BioGeoE(2)), Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, km7 vía Muyuna, Tena, Ecuador
| | - Cristina M Jacobi
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, Amazonas 69067-375, Brazil; Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24 A 1515, Rio Claro, São Paulo 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Joseph E Hawes
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway; Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; Instituto Juruá, Manaus, Amazonas 69083-300, Brazil
| | - João V Campos-Silva
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway; Instituto Juruá, Manaus, Amazonas 69083-300, Brazil
| | - Stephen Srayko
- Toxicology Centre and School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - William E Magnusson
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, Amazonas 69067-375, Brazil
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13
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Xia S, Yuan W, Lin L, Yang X, Feng X, Li X, Liu X, Chen P, Zeng S, Wang D, Su Q, Wang X. Latitudinal gradient for mercury accumulation and isotopic evidence for post-depositional processes among three tropical forests in Southwest China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 429:128295. [PMID: 35074747 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tropical forest contributes to > 50% of global litterfall mercury (Hg) inputs and surface soil Hg storage, while with limited understanding of Hg biogeochemical processes. In this study, we displayed the 5-m resolution of Hg spatial distribution in three 1-ha tropical forest plots across the latitudinal gradient in Southwest China, and determined Hg isotopic signatures to understand factors driving Hg spatial distribution and sequestration processes. Our results show that tropical forest at the lowest latitude has the highest litterfall Hg input (74.95 versus 34.14-56.59 μg m-2 yr-1 at higher latitude plots), but the smallest surface soil Hg concentration (2-3 times smaller than at higher latitude sites). Hg isotopic evidence indicates that the decreasing climate mediated microbial Hg reduction in forest floor leads to the increasing Hg accumulation along the latitudinal gradient in three tropical forests. The terrain induced indirect effects by influencing litterfall Hg inputs, soil organic matters distribution and interplays between surface and deep soils drive the heterogeneity of surface soil Hg distribution within each sampling plot. Our results highlight though the elevated litterfall Hg inputs, the distinct post-depositional reductions induced Hg loss would remarkedly decrease atmospheric Hg net sink in tropical forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangwen Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666300, Yunnan, China; Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Luxiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666300, Yunnan, China; Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China; National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna, Mengla 666300, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666300, Yunnan, China; Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China.
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xianming Li
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xu Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Peijia Chen
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shufang Zeng
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qizhao Su
- Mengla Institute of Conservation, Xishuangbanna Administration of Nature Reserves, Mengla 666300, Yunan, China
| | - Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
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14
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de Bakker LB, Gasparinetti P, de Queiroz JM, de Vasconcellos ACS. Economic Impacts on Human Health Resulting from the Use of Mercury in the Illegal Gold Mining in the Brazilian Amazon: A Methodological Assessment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182211869. [PMID: 34831624 PMCID: PMC8622153 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the Amazon results in the dumping of tons of mercury into the environment annually. Despite consensus on the impacts of mercury on human health, there are still unknowns regarding: (i) the extent to which mercury from ASGM can be dispersed in the environment until it becomes toxic to humans; and (ii) the economic value of losses caused by contamination becomes evident. The main objective of this study is to propose a methodology to evaluate the impacts of ASGM on human health in different contexts in the Brazilian Amazon. We connect several points in the literature based on hypotheses regarding mercury dispersion in water, its transformation into methylmercury, and absorption by fish and humans. This methodology can be used as a tool to estimate the extent of environmental damage caused by artisanal gold mining, the severity of damage to the health of individuals contaminated by mercury and, consequently, can contribute to the application of fines to environmental violators. The consequences of contamination are evaluated by dose-response functions relating to mercury concentrations in hair and the development of the following health outcomes: (i) mild mental retardation, (ii) acute myocardial infarction, and (iii) hypertension. From disability-adjusted life years and statistical life value, we found that the economic losses range from 100,000 to 400,000 USD per kilogram of gold extracted. A case study of the Yanomami indigenous land shows that the impacts of mercury from illegal gold mining in 2020 totaled 69 million USD, which could be used by local authorities to compensate the Yanomami people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Barcellos de Bakker
- Leonardo B. Bakker Assessoria, São Clemente Street, Rio de Janeiro 254, Rio de Janeiro 22260-004, Brazil
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Gasparinetti
- Conservation Strategy Fund, Av. Churchill 129, Rio de Janeiro 20020-050, Brazil;
| | - Júlia Mello de Queiroz
- Julia Queiroz Consultoria Desenvolvimento Verde, Maria Angelica Street, Rio de Janeiro 382, Rio de Janeiro 22461-152, Brazil;
| | - Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos
- Laboratory of Professional Education in Health Surveillance, Joaquim Venâncio Polytechnic School of Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil;
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15
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Velásquez Ramírez MG, Vega Ruiz CM, Gomringer RC, Pillaca M, Thomas E, Stewart PM, Gamarra Miranda LA, Dañobeytia FR, Guerrero Barrantes JA, Gushiken MC, Bardales JV, Silman M, Fernandez L, Ascorra C, Torres DDC. Mercury in soils impacted by alluvial gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 288:112364. [PMID: 33774565 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gold mining is the largest source of mercury (Hg) pollution worldwide. The discharge of mercury in the environment bears direct human health risks and is likely to increase cascading effects throughout local food chains. In the Peruvian Amazon the mining process consists of slashing and burning trees, followed by extraction of gold-bearing sediment, amalgamation with Hg and gold recovery, leading each year to the degradation of 6,000-10,000 ha and the release of 180 metric tons of Hg per year to the enviroment. The purpose of this study was to determine soil Hg levels in soils of abandoned alluvial gold mine spoils and undisturbed forest in the Madre de Dios region, the epicenter of alluvial gold mining in Peru. We selected gold mine spoils of the two most important technologies locally applied for gold extraction, i.e., Minimally Mechanized Mining (MMM) and Highly Mechanized Mining (HMM), in the native communities of Laberinto and Kotzimba, respectively. We collected 127 and 35 soil samples (0-20cm depth) from potentially contaminated sites and undisturbed forest, respectively. Physicochemical analysis and determination of Hg levels were determined for all soil samples. None of the samples had Hg concentrations above Peruvian, Canadian and British Environmental Quality Standards for Agricultural Soil (6.6mg/kg). Hg levels in MMM and HMM were not significantly different between the two areas. The main variables explaining variation of soil Hg concentrations were the vegetation cover, soil organic matter, soil pH and clay particle content, which explained up to 80% of data set variation. Surprisingly, highest Hg concentrations were found in untouched old-growth forest bordering the mine spoils, but there was also a trend of increasing Hg concentrations with the regenerating vegetation. Our findings suggest that Hg concentrations in old mine spoils are low and shouldn't stand in the way of efforts to restore soil conditions and develop sustainable land uses. However, it is urgent to end the use of Hg in mining operation to decrease human and environmental risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Maribel Vega Ruiz
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru; Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, Peru.
| | - Ronald Corvera Gomringer
- Dirección Regional IIAP Madre de Dios y Selva Sur, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N°1162, Puerto Maldonado, Apartado postal, 17001, Peru.
| | - Martin Pillaca
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru.
| | - Evert Thomas
- Bioversity International, Av. La Molina, 1895, Lima, Apartado postal Lima12, Peru.
| | - Paul Michael Stewart
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Troy University, Troy, AL, 36081, Alabama, USA.
| | - Luis Alfredo Gamarra Miranda
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N°1162, Puerto Maldonado, apartado, 17001, Peru.
| | - Francisco Roman Dañobeytia
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru; Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, Peru.
| | - Juan Antonio Guerrero Barrantes
- Departamento de suelos, Universidad Nacional Agraria, La Molina (UNALM), Av. La Molina s/n, Lima, Perú, apartado postal Lima12, Peru.
| | - Midori Chinen Gushiken
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N°1162, Puerto Maldonado, apartado, 17001, Peru.
| | - Joel Vasquez Bardales
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Jr. Ica N°1162, Puerto Maldonado, apartado, 17001, Peru.
| | - Miles Silman
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru; Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, Peru.
| | - Luis Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru; Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, Peru; Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Insitution For Science, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Cesar Ascorra
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru; Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, Peru.
| | - Dennis Del Castillo Torres
- Programa BOSQUES, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP), Iquitos, apartado postal, 16000, Peru.
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16
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Wang T, Yang G, Du H, Guo P, Sun T, An S, Wang D, Ma M. Migration characteristics and potential determinants of mercury in long-term decomposing litterfall of two subtropical forests. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 208:111402. [PMID: 33068979 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111402] [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: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It is of great importance to elucidate the mechanism of mercury (Hg) migration in the forest litterfall so as to clearly understand global Hg deposition. However, it is still unclear for the migration and transformation of Hg in different forest litters during long-term decomposition. Therefore, the dynamics of total Hg (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), carbon, nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in the litterfall of the evergreen broadleaf (EB) and mixed broadleaf-conifer (MBC) forests, southwest China were investigated, aiming to understand the migration characteristics of Hg in the two-year decomposing litterfall. Results showed that carbon decreased, while nitrogen accumulated slightly in the process of litterfall decomposition. THg levels in the second year of the EB and MBC forests decreased by 16.9% and 11.3%, while MeHg levels reduced by 141.4% and 210.7% respectively comparing with those in the first year. The total percentage of hydrochloric acid-soluble mercury (Hg-h) and water-soluble mercury (Hg-w) had a significant impact on the migration of THg and MeHg in the two forest stands. The C/N ratio in the EB forest bore a positive correlation with THg and MeHg levels, whereas that in the MBC forest was adverse. Besides, microbial biomass C and N were positively related with THg and MeHg levels in both the EB and MBC forests. It is proposed that THg and MeHg accumulation in the second year drastically decreased probably due to finite nutritional conditions, which implies that Hg accumulation risks alleviate with degradation time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Guang Yang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongxia Du
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Pan Guo
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Tao Sun
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Siwei An
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Bio-resource for Bioenergy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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17
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Gómez-Armesto A, Méndez-López M, Pérez-Rodríguez P, Fernández-Calviño D, Arias-Estévez M, Nóvoa-Muñoz JC. Litterfall Hg deposition to an oak forest soil from southwestern Europe. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 269:110858. [PMID: 32561026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110858] [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: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Litterfall constitutes one of the main vectors for mercury (Hg) transfer to forested ecosystems, so we studied the deposition of Hg through senescent vegetation (oak leaves, twigs and miscellaneous) in a deciduous forest plot of Southwest Europe dominated by Quercus robur in 2015 and 2016. Total Hg concentrations increased in the following order: bole wood (1.4 μg kg-1) < bark (8.3 μg kg-1) < twigs (12.2 μg kg-1) < miscellaneous (36.0 μg kg-1) < oak leaves (39.3 μg kg-1) < mineral soil (42.4 μg kg-1) < Oi horizons (48.7 μg kg-1) < Oe + Oa horizons (71.6 μg kg-1). Mercury accumulation rates in oak leaves during the growing season were 0.15-0.18 μg kg-1 day-1. Mercury deposition fluxes were 26 and 21 μg m-2 yr-1 for 2015 and 2016, respectively, with oak leaves being the fraction that contributed the most. Mercury determination in litterfall sorted biomass fractions lead to a more accurate estimation of the total annual Hg deposition fluxes through litterfall. Higher Hg content was obtained for organic horizons (average of 60.2 μg kg-1) than for mineral soil (mean of 42.4 μg kg-1), but the soil Hg pool was higher in the latter. The results confirmed the necessity of taking into account the Hg pool in the deeper mineral soil layers as they accumulate substantial quantities of Hg associated to organic C and Al compounds, preventing its mobilization to other compartments of the terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gómez-Armesto
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.
| | - M Méndez-López
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
| | - P Pérez-Rodríguez
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
| | - D Fernández-Calviño
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
| | - M Arias-Estévez
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
| | - J C Nóvoa-Muñoz
- Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain; Environmental Technology and Assessment Laboratory, Campus da Auga, Campus of Ourense, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
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Carvalho GS, Oliveira JR, Curi N, Schulze DG, Marques JJ. Selenium and mercury in Brazilian Cerrado soils and their relationships with physical and chemical soil characteristics. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 218:412-415. [PMID: 30476773 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the natural concentrations of Hg and Se in 45 representative soil profiles from the Cerrado biome in central Brazil, and to correlate their concentrations with soil chemical and physical characteristics. The study area was composed of three sub-regions: Goiás, Northwest of Minas Gerais, and Minas Gerais Triangle. Selenium and Hg concentrations were determined by acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Data were subjected to analysis of variance on the means of the Hg and Se variables within each soil class at two depths, followed by multivariate statistical methods. The Hg concentrations ranged from 15 to 182 μg kg-1 and the Se concentrations ranged from 22 to 72 μg kg-1. The soil characteristics that most contributed to Hg concentrations in the soils, according to principal component analysis, were Fe2O3, FeO, TiO2, pH, P2O5, and effective CEC. In general, the soils of the Cerrado biome have deficient Se concentrations. The Humic Rhodic Acrustoxes have Hg concentrations above the prevention reference value for soils of Minas Gerais.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Carvalho
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - J R Oliveira
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - N Curi
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - D G Schulze
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, 915 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - J J Marques
- Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil.
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19
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Guédron S, Amouroux D, Tessier E, Grimaldi C, Barre J, Berail S, Perrot V, Grimaldi M. Mercury Isotopic Fractionation during Pedogenesis in a Tropical Forest Soil Catena (French Guiana): Deciphering the Impact of Historical Gold Mining. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:11573-11582. [PMID: 30222337 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We used natural mercury (Hg) stable isotopes to investigate the Hg cycle in a rainforest soil catena (French Guiana) partially gold-mined during the early 1950s. Litterfall showed homogeneous Δ199Hg values [-0.18 ± 0.05‰, i.e., a modern gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) isotopic signature]. After litter decomposition, Hg bound to organic matter (OM) is mixed with Hg from pristine (-0.55 ± 0.22‰) or gold-mined (-0.09 ± 0.16‰) mineral materials. Negative Δ199Hg values in deep pristine mineral horizons (-0.60 ± 0.16‰) suggest the transfer of Hg bound to dissolved OM depleted in odd isotopes due to mass-independent fractionation during Hg abiotic reduction. Perennial palm tree leaves collected above gold-mined and pristine soil recorded contrasting Δ199Hg signatures likely resulting from GEM re-emission processes from soils and leaf surfaces. Upslope, soil δ202Hg signatures showed a negative shift (ε ∼ -1‰) with depth attributed to mass-dependent fractionation during Hg sorption and complexation onto iron oxides and dissolved OM. Downslope, higher δ202Hg values in soils resulted from hydromorphy [lower humification, greater Hg(II) reduction, etc.]. The unique Hg isotopic signatures of Amazonian soils probably result in multistep fractionation processes during pedogenesis (millions of years) and in a potentially different Hg isotopic signature of preanthropogenic background GEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Guédron
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, 38000 Grenoble , France
| | - D Amouroux
- CNRS/Univ. Pau & Pays Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux-IPREM, UMR5254, 64000 Pau , France
| | - E Tessier
- CNRS/Univ. Pau & Pays Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux-IPREM, UMR5254, 64000 Pau , France
| | - C Grimaldi
- UMR SAS, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, 35000 Rennes , France
| | - J Barre
- CNRS/Univ. Pau & Pays Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux-IPREM, UMR5254, 64000 Pau , France
| | - S Berail
- CNRS/Univ. Pau & Pays Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux-IPREM, UMR5254, 64000 Pau , France
| | - V Perrot
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, 38000 Grenoble , France
| | - M Grimaldi
- Sorbonne Universities, Science Faculty, Paris 06, IRD, CNRS, INRA, UPEC, Univ Paris Diderot, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, iEES Paris, 75005 Paris , France
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre IRD de Cayenne, 97323 Cayenne cedex, France
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20
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Teixeira DC, Lacerda LD, Silva-Filho EV. Mercury sequestration by rainforests: The influence of microclimate and different successional stages. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 168:1186-1193. [PMID: 27816281 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.081] [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: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) concentrations in tropical forest soils and litter are up to 10 times higher than those from temperate and boreal forests. The majority of Hg that has been stored in tropical soils, as the forest is left intact, could be trapped in deeper layers of soil and only small quantities are exported to water bodies. The quantitative approach to the Hg cycle in tropical forests is uncommon; the South America Atlantic Forest indeed is a hotspot for species conservation and also seems to be for the Hg's cycle. This study reports on a biannual dynamics of Hg through different species assemblage of different successional stages in this biome, based on 24 litter traps used to collect litterfall from 3 different successional stages under a rainforest located at Brazilian Southeast. The mean Hg litterfall flux obtained was 6.1 ± 0.15 μg ha-1 yr-1, while the mean Hg concentration in litter was 57 ± 16 ng g-1 and the accumulation of Hg via litterfall flux was 34.6 ± 1.2 μg m-2 yr-1. These inventories are close to those found for tropical areas in the Amazon, but they were lower than those assessed for Atlantic Forest biome studies. These low concentrations are related to the remoteness of the area from pollution sources and probably to the climatic limitation, due to the altitude effects over the forest's eco-physiology. The mercury fluxes found in each different successional stage, correlated with time variations of global radiation, suggesting a mandatory role of the forest primary production over Hg deposition to the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Teixeira
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pós Graduação em Geociências (Geoquímica), Niterói, 24020-141, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luiz D Lacerda
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Instituto de Ciências do Mar, Fortaleza, 60165-081, CE, Brazil
| | - Emmanoel V Silva-Filho
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pós Graduação em Geociências (Geoquímica), Niterói, 24020-141, RJ, Brazil.
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21
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Wang X, Luo J, Yin R, Yuan W, Lin CJ, Sommar J, Feng X, Wang H, Lin C. Using Mercury Isotopes To Understand Mercury Accumulation in the Montane Forest Floor of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:801-809. [PMID: 27951639 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury accumulation in montane forested areas plays an important role in global Hg cycling. In this study, we measured stable Hg isotopes in soil and litter samples to understand Hg accumulation on the forest floor along the eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The low atmospheric Hg inputs lead to the small Hg pool size (23 ± 9 mg m-2 in 0-60 cm soil horizon), up to 1 order of magnitude lower than those found at sites in Southwest China, North America, and Europe. The slightly negative Δ199Hg (-0.12 to -0.05‰) in the litter at low elevations (3100 to 3600 m) suggests an influence of local anthropogenic emissions, whereas the more significant negative Δ199Hg (-0.38 to -0.15‰) at high elevations (3700 to 4300 m) indicates impact from long-range transport. Hg input from litter is more important than wet deposition to Hg accumulation on the forest floor, as evidenced by the negative Δ199Hg found in the surface soil samples. Correlation analyses of Δ199Hg versus total carbon and leaf area index suggest that litter biomass production is a predominant factor in atmospheric Hg inputs to the forest floor. Precipitation and temperature show indirect effects on Hg accumulation by influencing litter biomass production in the eastern TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Wang
- 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
| | - Ji Luo
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Ministry of Water Conservancy , Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Runsheng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guiyang 550081, China
- Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Wei Yuan
- 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
| | - Che-Jen Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710, United States
| | - Jonas Sommar
- 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
| | - Haiming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Ministry of Water Conservancy , Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Cynthia Lin
- The McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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22
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Rocha AV, Rita Cardoso B, Zavarize B, Almondes K, Bordon I, Hare DJ, Teixeira Favaro DI, Franciscato Cozzolino SM. GPX1 Pro198Leu polymorphism and GSTM1 deletion do not affect selenium and mercury status in mildly exposed Amazonian women in an urban population. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 571:801-808. [PMID: 27450956 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is potent toxicant element, but its toxicity can be reduced by forming a complex with selenium for safe excretion. Considering the impact of mercury exposure in the Amazon region and the possible interaction between these two elements, we aimed to assess the effects of Pro198Leu polymorphism to GPX1 and GSTM1 deletion, on mercury levels in a population from Porto Velho, an urban locality in the Brazilian Amazon region. Two hundred women from the capital city of Rondônia state were recruited for this study with 149 deemed suitable to participate. We assessed dietary intake using 24-hour recall. Selenium levels in plasma and erythrocytes were measured using hydride generation quartz tube atomic absorption spectroscopy and total hair mercury using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Oxidative stress parameters (GPx activity, oxygen radical absorbency capacity [ORAC] and malondialdehyde [MDA]) were also analyzed. All participants were genotyped for Pro198Leu polymorphism and GSTM1 deletion. We observed that this population presented high prevalence of selenium deficiency, and also low levels of mercury, likely due to food habits that did not include selenium-rich food sources or significant consumption of fish (mercury biomagnifiers) regularly. Univariate statistical analysis showed that Pro198Leu and GSTM1 genotypes did not affect selenium and mercury levels in this population. Pro198Leu polymorphism and GSTM1 deletion had no effect on mercury levels in mildly exposed people, suggesting these genetic variants impact mercury levels only in highly exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana V Rocha
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Rita Cardoso
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Bruna Zavarize
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kaluce Almondes
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Isabella Bordon
- Laboratory of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), Research Reactor Centre, IPEN - Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dominic J Hare
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Elemental Bio-Imaging Facility, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Déborah Inês Teixeira Favaro
- Laboratory of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), Research Reactor Centre, IPEN - Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
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Olivero-Verbel J, Carranza-Lopez L, Caballero-Gallardo K, Ripoll-Arboleda A, Muñoz-Sosa D. Human exposure and risk assessment associated with mercury pollution in the Caqueta River, Colombian Amazon. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:20761-20771. [PMID: 27475435 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7255-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global contaminant posing severe risks to human health worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of total Hg (T-Hg) in human hair and fish in the Caqueta River, at the Colombian Amazon, as well as to determine fish consumption-based risks for T-Hg ingestion. T-Hg levels were measured using a direct mercury analyzer. The overall mean T-Hg level in hair for humans in the Caqueta River sample (n = 200) was 17.29 ± 0.61 μg/g (1.2 to 47.0 μg/g). Ninety-four percent of the individuals had hair T-Hg concentrations greater than the WHO threshold level (5 μg/g), and 79 % displayed levels higher than 10 μg/g. Average Hg concentrations in fish varied between 0.10-0.15 μg/g and 0.10-1.60 μg/g, for noncarnivorous and carnivorous species, respectively. Based on the maximum allowable fish consumption rate for adults, most carnivorous species should be avoided in the diet, as their target hazard quotient ranged from 2.96 up to 31.05, representing a risk for Hg-related health problems. In the light of existing evidence for elevated Hg levels in the indigenous population of the Colombian Amazon, carnivorous fish should be restricted as part of the diet, and breastfeeding should be reduced to protect children health. Most importantly, gold mining activities directly on rivers demand immediate attention from the national government to avoid extensive damage on the environment and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Zaragocilla Campus, Cartagena, 130014, Colombia.
| | - Liliana Carranza-Lopez
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Zaragocilla Campus, Cartagena, 130014, Colombia
| | - Karina Caballero-Gallardo
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Zaragocilla Campus, Cartagena, 130014, Colombia
| | - Adriana Ripoll-Arboleda
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Zaragocilla Campus, Cartagena, 130014, Colombia
| | - Diego Muñoz-Sosa
- PNN Yaigojé Apaporis, National Parks of Colombia, Avenida Internacional 4-85, Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia
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Wang X, Bao Z, Lin CJ, Yuan W, Feng X. Assessment of Global Mercury Deposition through Litterfall. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:8548-57. [PMID: 27418119 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b06351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
There is a large uncertainty in the estimate of global dry deposition of atmospheric mercury (Hg). Hg deposition through litterfall represents an important input to terrestrial forest ecosystems via cumulative uptake of atmospheric Hg (most Hg(0)) to foliage. In this study, we estimate the quantity of global Hg deposition through litterfall using statistical modeling (Monte Carlo simulation) of published data sets of litterfall biomass production, tree density, and Hg concentration in litter samples. On the basis of the model results, the global annual Hg deposition through litterfall is estimated to be 1180 ± 710 Mg yr(-1), more than two times greater than the estimate by GEOS-Chem. Spatial distribution of Hg deposition through litterfall suggests that deposition flux decreases spatially from tropical to temperate and boreal regions. Approximately 70% of global Hg(0) dry deposition occurs in the tropical and subtropical regions. A major source of uncertainty in this study is the heterogeneous geospatial distribution of available data. More observational data in regions (Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America) where few data sets exist will greatly improve the accuracy of the current estimate. Given that the quantity of global Hg deposition via litterfall is typically 2-6 times higher than Hg(0) evasion from forest floor, global forest ecosystems represent a strong Hg(0) sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Wang
- 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
| | - Zhengduo Bao
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710-0080, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710-0080, United States
| | - Che-Jen Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710-0080, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710-0080, United States
| | - Wei Yuan
- 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
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guiyang 550081, China
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