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Heuschele J, Dinh KV, Lode T, Jager T, Borgå K. Arctic copepod copper sensitivity and comparison with Antarctic and temperate copepods. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s10646-024-02796-2. [PMID: 39196504 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02796-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The ongoing global climate crisis increases temperatures in polar regions faster and with greater magnitude than elsewhere. The decline of Arctic sea ice opens up new passages, eventually leading to higher anthropogenic activities such as shipping, fishing, and mining. Climate change and anthropogenic activities will increase contaminant transport from temperate to Arctic regions. The shipping industry uses copper as an antifouling coating. Copper is an essential element but becomes toxic at excess concentrations, and its use may inadvertently affect non-target organisms such as copepods. Copper affects copepods by lowering reproductive output, prolonging developmental time, and causing increased mortality. As data on copper sensitivity of polar copepods at low temperatures are rare, we conducted onboard survival experiments with the Arctic region's most common copepod species (Calanus finmarchicus, C. glacialis, C. hyperboreus). Acute survival tests were done for up to 8 days on individuals in 70 ml bottles at 1 °C with nominal copper concentrations ranging from 3 to 480 μg L-1. We used a reduced General Unified Threshold model for Survival (GUTS) to analyse the data, and placed our results in the context of the few published copper sensitivity data of the Antarctic and temperate copepod species at low temperatures. The sensitivity of Cu exposure was similar between the three Calanus species. However, a model comparison suggests that the tested C. glacialis population is less sensitive than the other two species in our experiments. Compared to published data, the three Arctic species appear slightly less sensitive to copper compared to their Antarctic counterparts but more compared to their temperate ones. Our literature search revealed only a few available studies on the copper sensitivity of polar copepods. In the future, this species group will be exposed to more pollutants, which warrants more studies to predict potential risks, especially given possible interactions with environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Heuschele
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Khuong V Dinh
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torben Lode
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Katrine Borgå
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
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Li Y, Tan L, Jin S, Xu H, Chen L, Kemp DB, Sinha A, Ma L, Huang C, Lawrence Edwards R, Cheng H. Mercury deposition in central China from the Last Glacial Maximum to the early Holocene recorded in an accurately-dated stalagmite. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024:S2095-9273(24)00560-7. [PMID: 39174403 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Characterization of transport pathways and depositional changes in Mercury (Hg) and their connection to climatic and environmental changes on various time scales are crucial for better understanding the anthropogenic impacts on the global Hg cycle in the Anthropocene epoch. In this study, we examined Hg variations recorded in a stalagmite from central China, covering the period from 25.5 to 10.9 thousand years ago. Our data show a marked increase in Hg concentrations during the late Last Glacial Maximum, which coincided with the period of highest dust deposition on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Hg concentrations were lower during Heinrich events 1 and 2 and the Younger Dryas but higher during the Bølling-Allerød and the early Holocene. We suggest that regional dust load, which enhances atmospheric dry deposition of Hg, is the primary factor influencing Hg deposition in central China on glacial-interglacial timescales. On millennial-to-centennial timescales, climate also plays a significant role. Warmer and wetter conditions increase vegetation, litterfall, and soil/rock weathering, which in turn boost mineral dissolution and soil erosion in the vadose zone. These processes collectively result in higher Hg concentrations in the stalagmite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; Xi'an Institute for Innovative Earth Environment Research, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Liangcheng Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Simin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Critical Zone Evolution, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hai Xu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Lüfan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - David B Kemp
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Critical Zone Evolution, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Ashish Sinha
- Department of Earth Science, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson CA 90747, USA
| | - Le Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Chunju Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Critical Zone Evolution, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - R Lawrence Edwards
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455, USA
| | - Hai Cheng
- Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
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Léandri-Breton DJ, Jouanneau W, Legagneux P, Tarroux A, Moe BR, Angelier F, Blévin P, Bråthen VS, Fauchald P, Gabrielsen GW, Herzke D, Nikiforov VA, Elliott KH, Chastel O. Winter Tracking Data Suggest that Migratory Seabirds Transport Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances to Their Arctic Nesting Site. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:12909-12920. [PMID: 38991194 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Seabirds are often considered sentinel species of marine ecosystems, and their blood and eggs utilized to monitor local environmental contaminations. Most seabirds breeding in the Arctic are migratory and thus are exposed to geographically distinct sources of contamination throughout the year, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Despite the abundance and high toxicity of PFAS, little is known about whether blood concentrations at breeding sites reliably reflect local contamination or exposure in distant wintering areas. We tested this by combining movement tracking data and PFAS analysis (nine compounds) from the blood of prelaying black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) nesting in Arctic Norway (Svalbard). PFAS burden before egg laying varied with the latitude of the wintering area and was negatively associated with time upon return of individuals at the Arctic nesting site. Kittiwakes (n = 64) wintering farther south carried lighter burdens of shorter-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs, C9-C12) and heavier burdens of longer chain PFCAs (C13-C14) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid compared to those wintering farther north. Thus, blood concentrations prior to egg laying still reflected the uptake during the previous wintering stage, suggesting that migratory seabirds can act as biovectors of PFAS to Arctic nesting sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don-Jean Léandri-Breton
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - William Jouanneau
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromso̷, Norway
| | - Pierre Legagneux
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1 V0A6, Canada
| | - Arnaud Tarroux
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromso̷, Norway
| | - Bo Rge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | | | - Vegard S Bråthen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per Fauchald
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromso̷, Norway
| | | | - Dorte Herzke
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), Fram Centre, 9296 Tromso̷, Norway
| | | | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372-CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
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Janssen SE, Kotalik CJ, Willacker JJ, Tate MT, Pritz CMF, Nelson SJ, Krabbenhoft DP, Walters DM, Eagles-Smith CA. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Food Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58. [PMID: 39012137 PMCID: PMC11295128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric mercury (Hg) emissions and subsequent transport and deposition are major concerns within protected lands, including national parks, where Hg can bioaccumulate to levels detrimental to human and wildlife health. Despite this risk to biological resources, there is limited understanding of the relative importance of different Hg sources and delivery pathways within the protected regions. Here, we used Hg stable isotope measurements within a single aquatic bioindicator, dragonfly larvae, to determine if these tracers can resolve spatial patterns in Hg sources, delivery mechanisms, and aquatic cycling at a national scale. Mercury isotope values in dragonfly tissues varied among habitat types (e.g., lentic, lotic, and wetland) and geographic location. Photochemical-derived isotope fractionation was habitat-dependent and influenced by factors that impact light penetration directly or indirectly, including dissolved organic matter, canopy cover, and total phosphorus. Strong patterns for Δ200Hg emerged in the western United States, highlighting the relative importance of wet deposition sources in arid regions in contrast to dry deposition delivery in forested regions. This work demonstrates the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as biosentinels for Hg isotope studies due to their ubiquity across freshwater ecosystems and ability to track variation in Hg sources and processing attributed to small-scale habitat and large-scale regional patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Janssen
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - Christopher J. Kotalik
- US
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - James J. Willacker
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Michael T. Tate
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - Colleen M. Flanagan Pritz
- National
Park Service, Air Resources Division,
P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Sarah J. Nelson
- Appalachian
Mountain Club, 361 Route
16, Gorham, New Hampshire 03581, United States
| | - David P. Krabbenhoft
- US
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive,, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - David M. Walters
- US
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
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Laird LS, Craig EC, Clucas G, Taylor VF, Chen CY. Mercury bioaccumulation in three colonial seabird species in the Gulf of Maine. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:174438. [PMID: 38960193 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The methylated form of mercury, MeHg, is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through aquatic food webs, reaching high concentrations in top trophic species. Many seabird species are wide-ranging and feed on forage fish, so they can be used as sentinel species to assess the level of mercury in pelagic or coastal food webs because they integrate the signal from large areas and from lower trophic levels. The Gulf of Maine provides habitat for many seabirds, including endangered roseate terns (Sterna dougalii), common terns (Sterna hirundo), and the southernmost breeding population of black guillemots (Cepphus grylle). Hg levels were assessed in down of newly hatched chicks of three seabird species to determine pre-hatching Hg exposure. Stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) in down and chick contour feathers grown after hatching were used as indicators of adult female diet in the period before laying the egg (down) and pre-fledging chick diet (contour feathers). Black guillemot down THg concentrations were 10.07 ± 2.88 μg/g (mean ± 1SD), 5.5× higher than common tern down (1.82 ± 0.436 μg /g), and 7.4× higher than roseate tern down (1.37 ± 0.518 μg/g). Black guillemots also had higher down feather δ15N values (15.1 ± 0.52 ‰) compared to common (13.0 ± 0.72 ‰) or roseate terns (12.8 ± 0.25 ‰), and in black guillemot down feathers, higher Hg concentrations were correlated with δ15N, an indicator of trophic level. Repeated testing of the same tissue types across multiple years is needed to monitor THg exposure for seabirds in the Gulf of Maine; additionally, monitoring species composition and Hg presence in prey species of the black guillemot population would help to determine the source of high THg concentrations in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenny S Laird
- Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences, LSC 6044, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Elizabeth C Craig
- Shoals Marine Laboratory (Joint Program of University of New Hampshire and Cornell University), 8 College Rd., Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Gemma Clucas
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Viven F Taylor
- Dartmouth College, Department of Earth Sciences, 6105 Fairchild, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Celia Y Chen
- Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences, LSC 6044, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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He S, Jiang T, Zhang D, Li M, Yu T, Zhai M, He B, Yin T, Wang X, Tao F, Yao Y, Ji D, Yang Y, Liang C. Association of exposure to multiple heavy metals during pregnancy with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and insulin secretion phase after glucose stimulation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 248:118237. [PMID: 38244971 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118237] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological evidence for the association between heavy metals exposure during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is still inconsistent. Additionally, that is poorly understood about the potential cause behind the association, for instance, whether heavy metal exposure is related to the change of insulin secretion phase is unknown. OBJECTIVES We aimed to explore the relationships of blood levels of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), thallium (Tl), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg) and copper (Cu) during early pregnancy with the odds of GDM, either as an individual or a mixture, as well as the association of the metals with insulin secretion phase after glucose stimulation. METHODS We performed a nested case-control study consisting of 302 pregnant women with GDM and 302 controls at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei, China. Around the 12th week of pregnancy, blood samples of pregnant women were collected and levels of As, Pb, Tl, Ni, Cd, Co, Ba, Cr, Hg and Cu in blood were measured. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was done in each pregnant woman during the 24-28th week of pregnancy to diagnose GDM and C-peptide (CP) levels during OGTT were measured simultaneously. The four metals (As, Pb, Tl and Ni) with the highest effect on odds of GDM were selected for the subsequent analyses via the random forest model. Conditional logistic regression models were performed to analyze the relationships of blood As, Pb, Tl and Ni levels with the odds of GDM. The weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the joint effects of levels of As, Pb, Tl and Ni on the odds of GDM as well as to evaluate which metal level contributed most to the association. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify profiles of glycemic and C-peptide levels at different time points. Multiple linear regression models were employed to explore the relationships of metals with glycaemia-related indices (fasting blood glucose (FBG), 1-hour blood glucose (1h BG), 2-hour blood glucose (2h BG), fasting C-peptide (FCP), 1-hour C-peptide (1h CP), 2-hour C-peptide (2h CP), FCP/FBG, 1h CP/1h BG, 2h CP/2h BG, area under the curve of C-peptide (AUCP), area under the curve of glucose (AUCG), AUCP/AUCG and profiles of BGs and CPs, respectively. Mixed-effects models with repeated measures data were used to explore the relationship between As (the ultimately selected metal) level and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion phase. The mediation effects of AUCP and AUCG on the association of As exposure with odds of GDM were investigated using mediation models. RESULTS The odds of GDM in pregnant women increased with every ln unit increase in blood As concentration (odds ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-2.05). The joint effects of As, Pb, Tl and Ni levels on the odds of GDM was statistically significant when blood levels of four metals were exceeded their 50th percentile, with As level being a major contributor. Blood As level was positively associated with AUCG and the category of glucose latent profile, the values of AUCG were much higher in GDM group than those in non-GDM group, which suggested that As exposure associated with the odds of GDM may be due to that As exposure was related to the impairment of glucose tolerance among pregnant women. The significant and positive relationships of As level with AUCP, CP latent profile category, 2h CP and 2h CP/2h BG were observed, respectively; and the values of 1h CP/1h BG and AUCP/AUCG were much lower in GDM group than those in non-GDM group, which suggested that As exposure may not relate to the impairment of insulin secretion (pancreatic β-cell function) among pregnant women. The relationships between As level and 2h CP as well as 2h CP/2h BG were positive and significant; additionally, the values of 2h CP/2h BG in GDM group were comparable with those in non-GDM group; the peak value of CP occurred at 2h in GDM group, as well as the values of 2h CP/2h BG in high As exposure group were much higher than those in low As exposure group, which suggested that As exposure associated with the increased odds of GDM may be due to that As exposure was related to the change of insulin secretion phase (delayment of the peak of insulin secretion) among pregnant women. In addition, AUCP mediated 11% (p < 0.05) and AUCG mediated 43% (p < 0.05) of the association between As exposure and the odds of GDM. CONCLUSION Our results suggested that joint exposure to As, Pb, Tl and Ni during early pregnancy was positively associated with the odds of GDM, As was a major contributor; and the association of environmental As exposure with the increased odds of GDM may be due to that As exposure was related to the impairment of glucose tolerance and change of insulin secretion phase after glucose stimulation (delayment of the peak of insulin secretion) among pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shitao He
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Tingting Jiang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Dongyang Zhang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Mengzhu Li
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Tao Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Muxin Zhai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Bingxia He
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yuyou Yao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
| | - Dongmei Ji
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.
| | - Chunmei Liang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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Bartley MC, Tremblay T, De Silva AO, Michelle Kamula C, Ciastek S, Kuzyk ZZA. Sedimentary records of contaminant inputs in Frobisher Bay, Nunavut. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 18:100313. [PMID: 37860827 PMCID: PMC10582354 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), primarily reach the Arctic through long-range atmospheric and oceanic transport. However, local sources within the Arctic also contribute to the levels observed in the environment, including legacy sources and new sources that arise from activities associated with increasing commercial and industrial development. The City of Iqaluit in Frobisher Bay, Nunavut (Canada), has seen rapid population growth and associated development during recent decades yet remains a site of interest for ocean protection, where Inuit continue to harvest country food. In the present study, seven dated marine sediment cores collected in Koojesse Inlet near Iqaluit, and from sites in inner and outer Frobisher Bay, respectively, were analyzed for total mercury (THg), major and trace elements, PAHs, PCBs, and PFASs. The sedimentary record in Koojesse Inlet shows a period of Aroclor 1260-like PCB input concurrent with military site presence in the 1950-60s, followed by decades of input of pyrogenic PAHs, averaging about ten times background levels. Near-surface sediments in Koojesse Inlet also show evidence of transient local-source inputs of THg and PFASs, and recycling or continued slow release of PCBs from legacy land-based sources. Differences in PFAS congener composition clearly distinguish the local sources from long-range transport. Outside Koojesse Inlet but still in inner Frobisher Bay, 9.2 km from Iqaluit, sediments showed evidence of both local source (PCB) and long-range transport. In outer Frobisher Bay, an up-core increase in THg and PFASs in sediments may be explained by ongoing inputs of these contaminants from long-range transport. The context for ocean protection and country food harvesting in this region of the Arctic clearly involves both local sources and long-range transport, with past human activities leaving a long legacy insofar as levels of persistent organic pollutants are concerned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan C. Bartley
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Environment and Geography, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Tommy Tremblay
- Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Iqaluit, Nunavut, X0A 0H0, Canada
| | - Amila O. De Silva
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - C. Michelle Kamula
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Stephen Ciastek
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Zou Zou A. Kuzyk
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Environment and Geography, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Earth Sciences, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
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Kim J, Soerensen AL, Jeong H, Jeong S, Kim E, Lee YM, Jin YK, Rhee TS, Hong JK, Han S. Cross-shelf processes of terrigenous organic matter drive mercury speciation on the east siberian shelf in the Arctic Ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123270. [PMID: 38163627 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123270] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The cross-shelf distributions of total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and organic and inorganic matter, as well as the presence of the hgcA gene were investigated on the East Siberian Shelf (ESS) to understand the processes underlying the speciation of sedimentary Hg. Samples were collected from 12 stations grouped into four zones based on water depth: inner shelf (5 stations), mid-shelf (3 stations), outer shelf (2 stations), and slope (2 stations). The THg concentration in the surface sediment increased from the inner shelf (0.25 ± 0.023 nmol g-1) toward the slope (0.52 nmol g-1), and, when normalized to total organic carbon content, the THg showed a positive correlation with the clay-to-sand ratio (r2 = 0.48, p = 0.012) and degree of chemical weathering (r2 = 0.79, p = 0.0001). The highest MeHg concentrations (3.0 ± 1.8 pmol g-1), as well as peaks in the S/C ratio (0.012 ± 0.002) of sediment-leached organic matter, were found on the mid-shelf, suggesting that the activities of sulfate reducers control the net Hg(II) methylation rates in the sediment. This was supported by results from a principal component analysis (PCA) performed with Hg species concentrations and sediment-leached organic matter compositions. The site-specific variation in MeHg showed the highest similarity with that of CHONS compounds in the PCA, where Deltaproteobacteria were projected to be putative Hg(II) methylators in the gene analysis. In summary, the hydrodynamic sorting of lithogenic particles appears to govern the cross-shelf distribution of THg, and in situ methylation is considered a major source of MeHg in the ESS sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Anne L Soerensen
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hakwon Jeong
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seorin Jeong
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunsuk Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yung Mi Lee
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Keun Jin
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Siek Rhee
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Kuk Hong
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Staniszewska KJ, Reyes AV, Cooke CA. Glacial Erosion Drives High Summer Mercury Exports from the Yukon River, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:1117-1124. [PMID: 38025955 PMCID: PMC10653217 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Mercury concentrations and yields in the Yukon River are the highest of the world's six largest panarctic drainages. Permafrost thaw has been implicated as the main driver of these high values. Alternative sources include mercury released from glacial melt and erosion, atmospheric mercury pollution, or surface mining. To determine the summer source and speciation of mercury across the Yukon River basin within Canada, we sampled water from 12 tributaries and the mainstem during July 2021. The total (unfiltered) mercury concentration in the glacier-fed White River was 57 ng/L, >10 times higher than all other sampled tributaries. The White River's high total mercury concentrations were driven by suspended sediment and persisted ∼300 km downstream of glacierized headwaters. Total mercury concentrations were lowest (typically <2 ng/L) in tributaries downstream of still-water landscape features (e.g., lakes and settling ponds), suggesting these features are effective sinks for sediment-bound mercury. Low total mercury concentrations (∼2 ng/L) were also observed in five tributaries across diverse thawing permafrost landscapes. These results suggest that glacial erosion and meltwater transport, not permafrost, drive enhanced exports of mercury with suspended sediment. Mercury exports may decline as glacial watersheds pass peak water. Other factors, including mercury released from permafrost thaw, are minor components at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasia J. Staniszewska
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Alberto V. Reyes
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Colin A. Cooke
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
- Environment
and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G6, Canada
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10
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Gundersen CB, Yakushev E, Terentjev P, Kashulin N, Korobov V, Frolova N, Romanov A, Jermilova U, Lokhov A, Miskevich I, Kotova E, Steindal EH, Veiteberg Braaten HF. Mercury in the Barents region - River fluxes, sources, and environmental concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 333:122055. [PMID: 37356792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122055] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Arctic rivers are receiving increased attention for their contributing of mercury (Hg) to the Arctic Ocean. Despite this, the knowledge on both the terrestrial release sources and the levels of Hg in the rivers are limited. Within the Arctic, the Barents region has a high industrial development, including multiple potential Hg release sources. This study presents the first overview of potential Hg release sources on Norwegian and Russian mainland draining to the Barents Sea. Source categories cover mining and metallurgy industry; historical pulp and paper production; municipal and industrial solid waste handling; fossil fuel combustion; and past military activities. Available data on Hg in freshwater bodies near the identified potential release sources are reviewed. Levels of Hg were occasionally exceeding the national pollution control limits, thereby posing concern to the local human population and wildlife. However, the studies were sparse and often unsystematic. Finally, we present new data of Hg measured in five Barents rivers. These data reveal strong seasonality in the Hg levels, with a total annual flux constituting 2% of the panarctic total. With this new insight we aspire to contribute to the international efforts of reducing Hg pollution, such as through the effective implementation of the Minamata Convention. Future studies documenting Hg in exposed Barents freshwater bodies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evgeniy Yakushev
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Petr Terentjev
- Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems (INEP), Akademgorodok, d. 14A, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
| | - Nikolai Kashulin
- Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems (INEP), Akademgorodok, d. 14A, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
| | - Vladimir Korobov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Natalia Frolova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Alexander Romanov
- Scientific Research Institute for Atmospheric Air Protection (SRI Atmosphere JSC), 7, Karbyshev st., St. Petersburg, 194021, Russia
| | - Una Jermilova
- Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Alexey Lokhov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Igor Miskevich
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Kotova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Eirik Hovland Steindal
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Universitetstunet 3, 1432 Ås, Norway
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11
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Szteren D, Aurioles-Gamboa D, Campos-Villegas LE, Alava JJ. Metal-specific biomagnification and trophic dilution in the coastal foodweb of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) off Bahía Magdalena, Mexico: The role of the benthic-pelagic foodweb in the trophic transfer of trace and toxic metals. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115263. [PMID: 37515868 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Trace metals concentrations along with stable isotopes ratios were measured in marine algae, sea grass, sponges, echinoderms, mollusks, crustaceans, fishes, and the California sea lion, to assess the bioaccumulation potential and detect potential risks for top predators off Bahia Magdalena, Mexico. We assessed the trophic magnification factor (TMF) to determine the potential for biomagnification of 11 trace metals. The concentrations of Fe and Zn were one order of magnitude higher than all other metals. Concentrations of As, Cu, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn and Ni correlated negatively with trophic level, supporting trophic dilution (TMF < 1, p > 0.05), while Zn and Hg had significant trophic magnification (TMF > 1, p < 0.05) when assessing only the benthic-pelagic foodweb. This research provides a baseline concentration of metals in multiple species, metal-specific foodweb bioaccumulation and biomagnification of mercury, underscoring the key role of the macrobenthic community as biovectors for trophic transfer of Hg through the foodweb to the California sea lion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Szteren
- Laboratorio de Zoología Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
| | - David Aurioles-Gamboa
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Pinnípedos "Burney J. Le Boeuf", Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Avenida IPN, s/n Colonia Playa Polo de Santa Rita, C.P. 23096 La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Lorena Elizabeth Campos-Villegas
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Calle 30 de junio de 1520 s/n, Col. La Laguna Ticomán, C.P. 07340 Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico
| | - Juan José Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit & Nippon Foundation-Ocean Litter Project, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Fundación Ecuatoriana para El Estudio de Mamíferos Marinos (FEMM), Guayaquil, Ecuador
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12
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Asiedu DA, Søndergaard J, Jónasdóttir S, Juul-Pedersen T, Koski M. Concentration of mercury and other metals in an Arctic planktonic food web under a climate warming scenario. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115436. [PMID: 37660452 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Arctic marine ecosystems act as a global sink of mercury (Hg) and other metals, and high concentrations of these have been measured in higher trophic-level organisms. Nevertheless, the concentrations of metals at the basis of the marine food web in the Arctic is less known despite the likelihood of biomagnification from dietary sources. We investigated the concentrations of mercury (Hg) and other metals in different size fractions of plankton in West Greenland. All size fractions contained detectable levels of Hg (ranging from 4.8 to 241.3 ng g dw-1) at all stations, although with high geographic variability, likely reflecting the sources of mercury (e.g., meltwater). In many cases, the concentrations in the larger-size fractions were lower than in the smaller-size fractions, suggesting depuration through the metabolic activity of mesozooplankton. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, V, Ni, and Cr were higher than previously reported elsewhere in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delove Abraham Asiedu
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Sigrun Jónasdóttir
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas Juul-Pedersen
- Greenland Climate Research Center, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | - Marja Koski
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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13
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Peraza I, Chételat J, Richardson M, Jung TS, Awan M, Baryluk S, Dastoor A, Harrower W, Kukka PM, McClelland C, Mowat G, Pelletier N, Rodford C, Ryjkov A. Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285826. [PMID: 37186585 PMCID: PMC10184919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Peraza
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murray Richardson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas S Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Malik Awan
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Steve Baryluk
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Ashu Dastoor
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
| | - William Harrower
- Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Piia M Kukka
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Christine McClelland
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Garth Mowat
- Ministry of Forests, British Columbia Government, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pelletier
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Rodford
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrei Ryjkov
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
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14
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Yin Y, Chen X, Gui Y, Zou J, Wang Q, Qiu L, Fan L, Meng S, Song C. Risk and benefit assessment of potential neurodevelopment effect resulting from consumption of cultured largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:89788-89795. [PMID: 35854072 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22065-1] [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: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the net effects of dietary consumption on the potential neurodevelopmental effects of largemouth bass (Micropterus Salmoides, simplify as bass) cultured in China, especially when the bait of largemouth bass is changed from iced trash fish to formulated feed. A total of three bait group bass samples were collected from main producing areas during harvest period, including formulated feed group, iced trash fish group, and both group (converting from iced trash fish to formulated feed). Net neurodevelopment value (expressed as intelligence quotient or IQ) was calculated using FAO/WHO deterministic methods and probabilistic assessment model. The results showed net IQ of largemouth bass fed by the three baits groups all showed positive or beneficial neurodevelopmental effects, with the values of 1.55 ± 0.97 (formulated feed group), 3.17 ± 1.76 (iced trash fish group), and 2.65 ± 1.29 (both group) respectively. Bass samples fed with ice trash fish showed the highest neurodevelopmental effect. The present study suggested that more valuable formulated feed should be developed to improve the quality of cultured largemouth bass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Yin
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Gui
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianmin Zou
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liping Qiu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Limin Fan
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Shunlong Meng
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Chao Song
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China.
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, China.
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15
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Korejwo E, Saniewska D, Bełdowski J, Balazy P, Saniewski M. Mercury concentration and speciation in benthic organisms from Isfjorden, Svalbard. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 184:114115. [PMID: 36137440 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polar regions are an important part of the global mercury cycle and interesting study sites due to different possible mercury sources. The full understanding of mercury transformations in the Arctic is difficult because this region is the systems in transition -where the effects of the global climate change are the most prominent. Benthic organisms can be valuable bioindicators of heavy metal contamination. In July 2018, selected benthic organisms: macroalgae, brittle stars, sea urchins, gastropods, and starfish were collected in Isfjorden, Spitsbergen. Two of the sampling stations were located inside the fjord system and one at the entrance to the fjord. The results showed that the starfish were the most contaminated with mercury. Total mercury concentrations in these organisms were at least 10 times higher than in other organisms. However, they effectively deal with mercury by transporting it to hard tissue. The dominant form of mercury was the labile form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Korejwo
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-412 Sopot. Poland.
| | - Dominika Saniewska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Jacek Bełdowski
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-412 Sopot. Poland
| | - Piotr Balazy
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-412 Sopot. Poland
| | - Michał Saniewski
- Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute, Waszyngtona 42, 81-342 Gdynia, Poland
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16
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Hilgendag IR, Swanson HK, Lewis CW, Ehrman AD, Power M. Mercury biomagnification in benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic food webs in an Arctic marine ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156424. [PMID: 35662606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous toxic metal that biomagnifies in food webs, and can reach high concentrations in top predators. Evaluating Hg biomagnification in Arctic marine food webs is critical for understanding Hg dynamics and estimating exposure to understudied fish and wildlife consumed by humans. The majority of studies conducted on Hg biomagnification in the Arctic have focused on pelagic food webs. Benthic and benthopelagic food webs in Arctic marine ecosystems also support many species of subsistence and commercial importance, and data are lacking for these systems. In this study, we investigated food web structure and Hg biomagnification for the benthic, pelagic, and benthopelagic marine food webs of inner Frobisher Bay in Nunavut. Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), as well as total (THg) and methyl (MeHg) mercury concentrations were measured in fish, invertebrates, and zooplankton. Biomagnification in each food web was quantified with Trophic Magnification Slopes (TMS) and Trophic Magnification Factors (TMF). The highest TMS and TMF values were exhibited by the benthopelagic food web (TMS = 0.201; TMF = 1.59), followed by the pelagic food web (TMS = 0.183; TMF = 1.52), and lastly the benthic food web (TMS = 0.079; TMF = 1.20), with δ15N explaining 88%, 79%, and 9% of variation in Hg concentrations, respectively. TMS and TMF values were generally low compared to other Arctic marine food webs. Results from food web structure analyses indicated that the benthic food web had the greatest trophic diversity, trophic redundancy, and largest isotopic niche area of all food webs studied. Greater food web complexity may thus result in reduced MeHg biomagnification, but further study is required. Acquiring Hg and food web structure data is critical for predicting the effects of climate-induced environmental change on Hg dynamics, especially in the context of Arctic marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R Hilgendag
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Heidi K Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Ashley D Ehrman
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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17
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He Y, Shi X, Huffman WW, Lamborg CH, Mason RP. Description of a Dimethylmercury Automatic Analyzer for the High-Resolution Measurement of Dissolved Gaseous Mercury Species in Surface Ocean Waters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13076-13084. [PMID: 36075084 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the significance of dimethylmercury (DMHg) to the mercury (Hg) global ocean biogeochemical cycle is unclear because of the lack of detailed DMHg measurements in the water column. To our knowledge, 30 years of published studies have generated no more than 200 DMHg data points in the ocean surface waters and marine boundary layer (MBL). To improve the precision and reduce the uncertainty in determining DMHg in surface seawater, we developed a simple and robust DMHg automatic analyzer (DAA). This DAA system couples the main sampling and analytic steps, including a continuous flow chamber, with dual Carbotrap preconcentration, a gas chromatographic column, a cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and a data logger for signal integration. We compared the operation, performance, and reproducibility between our DAA and the traditional manual analytic method. Its advantages include the ease of operation, the high time resolution and precision (30 min sampling and <5% relative variation), and long-term stability (2 weeks). The DAA can determine DMHg in both the MBL and surface seawater. The estimated detection limits for DMHg with the DAA in the atmosphere and in surface seawater are 10 pg/m3 and 0.2 fM, respectively. The successful DAA field measurement in coastal waters indicates that it can help detect the low DMHg concentration in surface seawater, and the time series DMHg data helped our understanding of the DMHg behavior (sources and sinks) and its flux into the MBL. The comparison of DMHg concentration in various oceans also suggests that the coastal region had the lowest averaged DMHg, up to an order of magnitude lower than other ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yipeng He
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Xiangming Shi
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Wesley W Huffman
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Carl H Lamborg
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Robert P Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
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18
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Kho F, Koppel DJ, von Hellfeld R, Hastings A, Gissi F, Cresswell T, Higgins S. Current understanding of the ecological risk of mercury from subsea oil and gas infrastructure to marine ecosystems. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129348. [PMID: 35797785 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many oil and gas fields are nearing production cessation and will require decommissioning, with the preferred method being complete infrastructure removal in most jurisdictions. However, decommissioning in situ, leaving some disused components in place, is an option that may be agreed to by the regulators and reservoir titleholders in some circumstances. To understand this option's viability, the environmental impacts and risks of any residual contaminants assessed. Mercury, a contaminant of concern, is naturally present in hydrocarbon reservoirs, may contaminate offshore processing and transmission infrastructure, and can biomagnify in marine ecosystems. Mercury's impact is dependent on its speciation, concentration, and the exposure duration. However, research characterising and quantifying the amount of mercury in offshore infrastructure and the efficacy of decontamination is limited. This review describes the formation of mercury-contaminated products within oil and gas infrastructure, expected exposure pathways after environmental release, possible impacts, and key research gaps regarding the ecological risk of in situ decommissioned contaminated infrastructure. Suggestions are made to overcome these gaps, improving the in situ mercury quantification in infrastructure, understanding environmental controls on, and forecasting of, mercury methylation and bioaccumulation, and the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors within decommissioned infrastructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenny Kho
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Curtin Corrosion Centre, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Darren J Koppel
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Rebecca von Hellfeld
- National Decommissioning Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
| | - Astley Hastings
- National Decommissioning Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Francesca Gissi
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Tom Cresswell
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart Higgins
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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19
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Morris AD, Wilson SJ, Fryer RJ, Thomas PJ, Hudelson K, Andreasen B, Blévin P, Bustamante P, Chastel O, Christensen G, Dietz R, Evans M, Evenset A, Ferguson SH, Fort J, Gamberg M, Grémillet D, Houde M, Letcher RJ, Loseto L, Muir D, Pinzone M, Poste A, Routti H, Sonne C, Stern G, Rigét FF. Temporal trends of mercury in Arctic biota: 10 more years of progress in Arctic monitoring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:155803. [PMID: 35561904 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trend analysis of (total) mercury (THg) concentrations in Arctic biota were assessed as part of the 2021 Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Mercury Assessment. A mixed model including an evaluation of non-linear trends was applied to 110 time series of THg concentrations from Arctic and Subarctic biota. Temporal trends were calculated for full time series (6-46 years) and evaluated with a particular focus on recent trends over the last 20 years. Three policy-relevant questions were addressed: (1) What time series for THg concentrations in Arctic biota are currently available? (2) Are THg concentrations changing over time in biota from the Arctic? (3) Are there spatial patterns in THg trends in biota from the Arctic? Few geographical patterns of recent trends in THg concentrations were observed; however, those in marine mammals tended to be increasing at more easterly longitudes, and those of seabirds tended to be increasing in the Northeast Atlantic; these should be interpreted with caution as geographic coverage remains variable. Trends of THg in freshwater fish were equally increasing and decreasing or non-significant while those in marine fish and mussels were non-significant or increasing. The statistical power to detect trends was greatly improved compared to the 2011 AMAP Mercury Assessment; 70% of the time series could detect a 5% annual change at the 5% significance level with power ≥ 80%, while in 2011 only 19% met these criteria. Extending existing time series, and availability of new, powerful time series contributed to these improvements, highlighting the need for annual monitoring, particularly given the spatial and temporal information needed to support initiatives such as the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Collecting the same species/tissues across different locations is recommended. Extended time series from Alaska and new data from Russia are also needed to better establish circumarctic patterns of temporal trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 15 Eddy Street, 14th floor, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H4, Canada.
| | - Simon J Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, The Fram Centre, Box 6606 Stakkevollan, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Rob J Fryer
- Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - Philippe J Thomas
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marlene Evans
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | | | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | | | - Amanda Poste
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gary Stern
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), University of Manitoba, 125 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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20
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Treu G, Sinding MHS, Czirják GÁ, Dietz R, Gräff T, Krone O, Marquard-Petersen U, Mikkelsen JB, Schulz R, Sonne C, Søndergaard J, Sun J, Zubrod J, Eulaers I. An assessment of mercury and its dietary drivers in fur of Arctic wolves from Greenland and High Arctic Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156171. [PMID: 35613645 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156171] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury has become a ubiquitous hazardous element even ending up in pristine areas such as the Arctic, where it biomagnifies and leaves especially top predators vulnerable to potential health effects. Here we investigate total mercury (THg) concentrations and dietary proxies for trophic position and habitat foraging (δ15N and δ13C, respectively) in fur of 30 Arctic wolves collected during 1869-1998 in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland. Fur THg concentrations (mean ± SD) of 1.46 ± 1.39 μg g -1 dry weight are within the range of earlier reported values for other Arctic terrestrial species. Based on putative thresholds for Hg-mediated toxic health effects, the studied Arctic wolves have most likely not been at compromised health. Dietary proxies show high dietary plasticity among Arctic wolves deriving nutrition from both marine and terrestrial food sources at various trophic positions. Variability in THg concentrations seem to be related to the wolves' trophic position rather than to different carbon sources or regional differences (East Greenland, the Foxe Basin and Baffin Bay area, respectively). Although the present study remains limited due to the scarce, yet unique historic study material and small sample size, it provides novel information on temporal and spatial variation in Hg pollution of remote Arctic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Treu
- German Environment Agency, Department Chemicals, DE-06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Mikkel-Holger S Sinding
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Thomas Gräff
- German Environment Agency, Department Systems on Chemical Safety, DE-6844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, CN-266003 Qingdao, China
| | - Jochen Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany; Zubrod Environmental Data Science, Friesenstrasse 20, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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21
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Skogsberg E, McGovern M, Poste A, Jonsson S, Arts MT, Varpe Ø, Borgå K. Seasonal pollutant levels in littoral high-Arctic amphipods in relation to food sources and terrestrial run-off. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119361. [PMID: 35523379 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Increasing terrestrial run-off from melting glaciers and thawing permafrost to Arctic coastal areas is expected to facilitate re-mobilization of stored legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg), potentially increasing exposure to these contaminants for coastal benthic organisms. We quantified chlorinated POPs and Hg concentrations, lipid content and multiple dietary markers, in a littoral deposit-feeding amphipod Gammarus setosus and sediments during the melting period from April to August in Adventelva river estuary in Svalbard, a Norwegian Arctic Aarchipelago. There was an overall decrease in concentrations of ∑POPs from April to August (from 58 ± 23 to 13 ± 4 ng/g lipid weight; lw), Hg (from 5.6 ± 0.7 to 4.1 ± 0.5 ng/g dry weight; dw) and Methyl Hg (MeHg) (from 5 ± 1 to 0.8 ± 0.7 ng/g dw) in G. setosus. However, we observed a seasonal peak in penta- and hexachlorobenzene (PeCB and HCB) in May (2.44 ± 0.3 and 23.6 ± 1.7 ng/g lw). Sediment concentrations of POPs and Hg (dw) only partly correlated with the contaminant concentrations in G. setosus. Dietary markers, including fatty acids and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, indicated a diet of settled phytoplankton in May-July and a broader range of carbon sources after the spring bloom. Phytoplankton utilization and chlorobenzene concentrations in G. setosus exhibited similar seasonal patterns, suggesting a dietary uptake of chlorobenzenes that is delivered to the aquatic environment during spring snowmelt. The seasonal decrease in contaminant concentrations in G. setosus could be related to seasonal changes in dietary contaminant exposure and amphipod ecology. Furthermore, this decrease implies that terrestrial run-off is not a significant source of re-mobilized Hg and legacy POPs to littoral amphipods in the Adventelva river estuary during the melt season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emelie Skogsberg
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Oslo, Norway; The University Centre in Svalbard, Department of Arctic Biology, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Maeve McGovern
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway; The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Amanda Poste
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway; The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sofi Jonsson
- Stockholm University, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael T Arts
- Ryerson University, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Øystein Varpe
- The University Centre in Svalbard, Department of Arctic Biology, Longyearbyen, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Department of Biological Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Katrine Borgå
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Oslo, Norway.
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22
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Rodríguez J, Andersson A, Björn E, Timonen S, Brugel S, Skrobonja A, Rowe O. Inputs of Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Matter Enhance Bacterial Production and Methylmercury Formation in Oxic Coastal Water. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:809166. [PMID: 35966696 PMCID: PMC9363918 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.809166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin commonly found in aquatic environments and primarily formed by microbial methylation of inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)) under anoxic conditions. Recent evidence, however, points to the production of MeHg also in oxic pelagic waters, but the magnitude and the drivers for this process remain unclear. Here, we performed a controlled experiment testing the hypothesis that inputs of terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) to coastal waters enhance MeHg formation via increased bacterial activity. Natural brackish seawater from a coastal area of the Baltic Sea was exposed to environmentally relevant levels of Hg(II) and additions of tDOM according to climate change scenarios. MeHg formation was observed to be coupled to elevated bacterial production rates, which, in turn, was linked to input levels of tDOM. The increased MeHg formation was, however, not coupled to any specific change in bacterial taxonomic composition nor to an increased abundance of known Hg(II) methylation genes. Instead, we found that the abundance of genes for the overall bacterial carbon metabolism was higher under increased tDOM additions. The findings of this study may have important ecological implications in a changing global climate by pointing to the risk of increased exposure of MeHg to pelagic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjo Rodríguez
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Juanjo Rodríguez,
| | - Agneta Andersson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Marine Research Centre (UMF), Umeå University, Hörnefors, Sweden
| | - Erik Björn
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sari Timonen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sonia Brugel
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Marine Research Centre (UMF), Umeå University, Hörnefors, Sweden
| | | | - Owen Rowe
- Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, Helsinki, Finland
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23
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Li ML, Gillies EJ, Briner R, Hoover CA, Sora KJ, Loseto LL, Walters WJ, Cheung WWL, Giang A. Investigating the dynamics of methylmercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea shelf food web: a modeling perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1010-1025. [PMID: 35748915 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00108j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High levels of methylmercury (MeHg) have been reported in Arctic marine biota, posing health risks to wildlife and human beings. Although MeHg concentrations of some Arctic species have been monitored for decades, the key environmental and ecological factors driving temporal trends of MeHg are largely unclear. We develop an ecosystem-based MeHg bioaccumulation model for the Beaufort Sea shelf (BSS) using the Ecotracer module of Ecopath with Ecosim, and apply the model to explore how MeHg toxicokinetics and food web trophodynamics affect bioaccumulation in the BSS food web. We show that a food web model with complex trophodynamics and relatively simple MeHg model parametrization can capture the observed biomagnification pattern of the BSS. While both benthic and pelagic production are important for transferring MeHg to fish and marine mammals, simulations suggest that benthic organisms are primarily responsible for driving the high trophic magnification factor in the BSS. We illustrate ways of combining empirical observations and modelling experiments to generate hypotheses about factors affecting food web bioaccumulation, including the MeHg elimination rate, trophodynamics, and species migration behavior. The results indicate that population dynamics rather than MeHg elimination may determine population-wide concentrations for fish and lower trophic level organisms, and cause large differences in concentrations between species at similar trophic levels. This research presents a new tool and lays the groundwork for future research to assess the pathways of global environmental changes in MeHg bioaccumulation in Arctic ecosystems in the past and the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Ling Li
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Emma J Gillies
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Renea Briner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
| | - Carie A Hoover
- Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Kristen J Sora
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa L Loseto
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department Environment and Geography, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - William J Walters
- Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - William W L Cheung
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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24
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Kim J, Kwon SY, Kim K, Han S. Import, export, and speciation of mercury in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: Influences of glacier melt and river discharge. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 179:113693. [PMID: 35525059 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113693] [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: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The major sources and sinks of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in Kongsfjorden were estimated based on spreadsheet-based ecological risk assessment for the fate of mercury (SERAFM). SERAFM was parameterized and calibrated to fit Kongsfjorden using the physical properties of the fjord, runoff coefficients of Hg, transformation rate constants of Hg, partition coefficients of Hg, Hg loadings from freshwater, and solid balance parameters. The modeled Hg concentrations in the seawater matched with the measured concentrations, with a mean bias of 12% and a calibration error of 0.035. The mass budget showed that the major THg sources were tidal inflow and glacial runoff, while the major MeHg sources were tidal inflow and in situ methylation in shallow halocline water, which agreed with the distributions of THg and MeHg in seawater. The coupling of observation and fate modeling in Kongsfjorden provides a basic understanding of Hg cycles in the Arctic fjords.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sae Yun Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Kitae Kim
- Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea; Department of Polar Science, University of Science and Technology, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Lippold A, Boltunov A, Aars J, Andersen M, Blanchet MA, Dietz R, Eulaers I, Morshina TN, Sevastyanov VS, Welker JM, Routti H. Spatial variation in mercury concentrations in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair from the Norwegian and Russian Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153572. [PMID: 35121036 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153572] [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: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We examined spatial variation in total mercury (THg) concentrations in 100 hair samples collected between 2008 and 2016 from 87 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the Norwegian (Svalbard Archipelago, western Barents Sea) and Russian Arctic (Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and Chukchi Sea). We used latitude and longitude of home range centroid for the Norwegian bears and capture position for the Russian bears to account for the locality. We additionally examined hair stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to investigate feeding habits and their possible effect on THg concentrations. Median THg levels in polar bears from the Norwegian Arctic (1.99 μg g-1 dry weight) and the three Russian Arctic regions (1.33-1.75 μg g-1 dry weight) constituted about 25-50% of levels typically reported for the Greenlandic or North American populations. Total Hg concentrations in the Norwegian bears increased with intake of marine and higher trophic prey, while δ13C and δ15N did not explain variation in THg concentrations in the Russian bears. Total Hg levels were higher in northwest compared to southeast Svalbard. δ13C and δ15N values did not show any spatial pattern in the Norwegian Arctic. Total Hg concentrations adjusted for feeding ecology showed similar spatial trends as the measured concentrations. In contrast, within the Russian Arctic, THg levels were rather uniformly distributed, whereas δ13C values increased towards the east and south. The results indicate that Hg exposure in Norwegian and Russian polar bears is at the lower end of the pan-Arctic spectrum, and its spatial variation in the Norwegian and Russian Arctic is not driven by the feeding ecology of polar bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lippold
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | - Andrei Boltunov
- Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Centre, 36 Nahimovskiy pr., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | | | - Marie-Anne Blanchet
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway; UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
| | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Institute of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway; Aarhus University, Institute of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Tamara N Morshina
- Research and Production Association "Typhoon", 249038 Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia
| | | | - Jeffrey M Welker
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage 99508, United States; University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland; University of the Arctic, Rovaniemi 96460, Finland
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø 9296, Norway.
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Zhang L, Philben M, Taş N, Johs A, Yang Z, Wullschleger SD, Graham DE, Pierce EM, Gu B. Unravelling biogeochemical drivers of methylmercury production in an Arctic fen soil and a bog soil. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 299:118878. [PMID: 35085651 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Arctic tundra soils store a globally significant amount of mercury (Hg), which could be transformed to the neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) upon warming and thus poses serious threats to the Arctic ecosystem. However, our knowledge of the biogeochemical drivers of MeHg production is limited in these soils. Using substrate addition (acetate and sulfate) and selective microbial inhibition approaches, we investigated the geochemical drivers and dominant microbial methylators in 60-day microcosm incubations with two tundra soils: a circumneutral fen soil and an acidic bog soil, collected near Nome, Alaska, United States. Results showed that increasing acetate concentration had negligible influences on MeHg production in both soils. However, inhibition of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) completely stalled MeHg production in the fen soil in the first 15 days, whereas addition of sulfate in the low-sulfate bog soil increased MeHg production by 5-fold, suggesting prominent roles of SRB in Hg(II) methylation. Without the addition of sulfate in the bog soil or when sulfate was depleted in the fen soil (after 15 days), both SRB and methanogens contributed to MeHg production. Analysis of microbial community composition confirmed the presence of several phyla known to harbor microorganisms associated with Hg(II) methylation in the soils. The observations suggest that SRB and methanogens were mainly responsible for Hg(II) methylation in these tundra soils, although their relative contributions depended on the availability of sulfate and possibly syntrophic metabolisms between SRB and methanogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Zhang
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA; Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Michael Philben
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Neslihan Taş
- Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
| | - Alexander Johs
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Ziming Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309, USA
| | - Stan D Wullschleger
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - David E Graham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Eric M Pierce
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Baohua Gu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
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27
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Ye X, Lee CS, Shipley ON, Frisk MG, Fisher NS. Risk assessment for seafood consumers exposed to mercury and other trace elements in fish from Long Island, New York, USA. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113442. [PMID: 35217419 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We determined concentrations of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Ni, Ag, Se, Cu, and Zn in muscle tissue of six commonly consumed Long Island fish species (black seabass, bluefish, striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, and weakfish, total sample size = 1211) caught off Long Island, New York in 2018 and 2019. Long-term consumption of these coastal fish could pose health risks largely due to Hg exposure; concentrations of the other trace elements were well below levels considered toxic for humans. By combining the measured Hg concentrations in the fish (means ranging from 0.11 to 0.27 mg/kg among the fish species), the average seafood consumption rate, and the current US EPA Hg reference dose (0.0001 mg/kg/d), it was concluded that seafood consumption should be limited to four fish meals per month for adults for some fish (bluefish, tautog) and half that for young children. Molar ratios of Hg:Se exceeded 1 for some black seabass, bluefish, tautog, and weakfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiayan Ye
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States of America.
| | - Cheng-Shiuan Lee
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States of America
| | - Oliver N Shipley
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States of America; Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States of America
| | - Michael G Frisk
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States of America
| | - Nicholas S Fisher
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States of America
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28
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Smith RA, Albonaimi SS, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Fort J, Parkinson KJL, Provencher JF, Love OP. Exposure to cumulative stressors affects the laying phenology and incubation behaviour of an Arctic-breeding marine bird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150882. [PMID: 34627894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150882] [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: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife are exposed to multiple stressors across life-history stages, the effects of which can be amplified as human activity surges globally. In Arctic regions, increasing air and ocean temperatures, more severe weather systems, and exposure to environmental contaminants all represent stressors occurring simultaneously. While Arctic vertebrates, including marine birds, are expected to be at risk of adverse effects from these individual stressors, few studies have researched their combined impacts on breeding behaviour and reproductive success. The interactive effects of environmental conditions and mercury (Hg) contamination on laying phenology and incubation behaviour were examined in female common eiders (Somateria mollissima, mitiq, ᒥᑎᖅ ᐊᒪᐅᓕᒡᔪᐊᖅ) nesting at Canada's largest Arctic breeding colony. Conditions with higher pre-breeding air temperatures were linked to females with higher egg Hg concentrations laying earlier than those with lower Hg values. Furthermore, examination of a total of 190 days of incubation behaviour from 61 eiders across two years revealed a negative relationship between wind speed and the frequency of incubation interruptions. Importantly, exposure to higher air temperatures combined with lower Hg concentrations was significantly correlated with increased incubation interruptions. Although previous research has shown that warmer spring temperatures could afford lower quality females more time to improve body condition to successfully lay, results suggest these females may face stronger cumulative fitness costs during incubation in warmer years, potentially in combination with the effects of Hg on physiological stress and hormone secretion. This study highlights how multiple stressors exposure, driven by human-induced environmental changes, can have a complex influence on reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reyd A Smith
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | | | - Holly L Hennin
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | - H Grant Gilchrist
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | - Oliver P Love
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
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29
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Walker EV, Girgis S, Yuan Y, Goodman KJ. Community-driven research in the canadian arctic: dietary exposure to methylmercury and gastric health outcomes. Int J Circumpolar Health 2021; 80:1889879. [PMID: 33646085 PMCID: PMC7928021 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2021.1889879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Indigenous Arctic Canadians have a higher prevalence of gastric neoplasms relative to North Americans of European ancestry. We investigated the hypothesis that low-dose methylmercury exposure from eating fish/whale increases the risk of gastric cancer in Arctic communities. We used intermediate endpoints from an established model of gastric carcinogenesis: intestinal metaplasia, atrophy, and severe chronic gastritis. During 2008-2012, we obtained gastric biopsies from participants of community-driven projects in 3 communities. In 2016, we collected hair samples to measure methylmercury levels and interviewed them about diet. In cross-sectional analysis, logistic regression estimated odds ratios for the estimated effect of hair-methylmercury concentration on the prevalence of each pathology outcome stratified by selenium intake. Among 80 participants, prevalence of intestinal metaplasia, atrophy and severe chronic gastritis was 17, 29 and 38%, respectively. Adjusted Odds of severe chronic gastritis and atrophy were highest at hair-methylmercury concentrations ≥1μg/g when estimated selenium intake was 0, and approached 0 for all methylmercury levels as estimated selenium intake increased. Gastric pathology increased with methylmercury exposure when selenium intake was low. Though limited by small numbers, these findings suggest selenium ingested by eating fish/whale may counter harmful effects of methylmercury exposure in Arctic populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V. Walker
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Safwat Girgis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Yan Yuan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Karen J. Goodman
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Matsuyama A, Yano S, Taniguchi Y, Kindaichi M, Tada A, Wada M. Trends in mercury concentrations and methylation in Minamata Bay, Japan, between 2014 and 2018. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:112886. [PMID: 34571383 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury concentrations in Minamata Bay are high, but the cause is unclear. We conducted a basic study on the behavior of methylmercury in Minamata Bay seawater; the findings suggest that mercury methylation may occur throughout the year in Minamata Bay. Seawater temperature, salinity, and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon were the environmental factors that affected methylation, and the degree of methylation was closely related to bacterial community structure. The concentration of methylmercury in suspended particulate matter was highest 10 m below the surface and decreased with greater depths. We did not observe a correlation between methylmercury concentrations in suspended particulate matter and concentrations of dissolved methylmercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Matsuyama
- Department of International Affairs and Research, National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD), 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Shinichiro Yano
- Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
| | - Yoko Taniguchi
- Department of International Affairs and Research, National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD), 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Michiaki Kindaichi
- Department of International Affairs and Research, National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD), 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Akihide Tada
- Faculty of Engineering, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
| | - Minoru Wada
- Faculty of Fisheries, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
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31
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Smith RA, Yurkowski DJ, Parkinson KJL, Fort J, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Hobson KA, Mallory ML, Danielsen J, Garbus SE, Hanssen SA, Jónsson JE, Latty CJ, Magnúsdóttir E, Moe B, Parsons GJ, Sonne C, Tertitski G, Love OP. Environmental and life-history factors influence inter-colony multidimensional niche metrics of a breeding Arctic marine bird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 796:148935. [PMID: 34274678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Human industrialization has resulted in rapid climate change, leading to wide-scale environmental shifts. These shifts can modify food web dynamics by altering the abundance and distribution of primary producers (ice algae and phytoplankton), as well as animals at higher trophic levels. Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neuro-endocrine disrupting compound which biomagnifies in animals as a function of prey choice, and as such bioavailability is affected by altered food web dynamics and adds an important risk-based dimension in studies of foraging ecology. Multidimensional niche dynamics (MDND; δ13C, δ15N, THg; total mercury) were determined among breeding common eider (Somateria mollissima) ducks sampled from 10 breeding colonies distributed across the circumpolar Arctic and subarctic. Results showed high variation in MDND among colonies as indicated by niche size and ranges in δ13C, δ15N and THg values in relation to spatial differences in primary production inferred from sea-ice presence and colony migratory status. Colonies with higher sea-ice cover during the pre-incubation period had higher median colony THg, δ15N, and δ13C. Individuals at migratory colonies had relatively higher THg and δ15N, and lower δ13C, suggesting a higher trophic position and a greater reliance on phytoplankton-based prey. It was concluded that variation in MDND exists among eider colonies which influenced individual blood THg concentrations. Further exploration of spatial ecotoxicology and MDND at each individual site is important to examine the relationships between anthropogenic activities, foraging behaviour, and the related risks of contaminant exposure at even low, sub-lethal concentrations that may contribute to deleterious effects on population stability over time. Overall, multidimensional niche analysis that incorporates multiple isotopic and contaminant metrics could help identify those populations at risk to rapidly altered food web dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reyd A Smith
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | | | | | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle University, La Rochelle FR-17000, France
| | - Holly L Hennin
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | - H Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1H0, Canada
| | | | - Mark L Mallory
- cadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Jón Einar Jónsson
- University of Iceland's Research Centre at Snæfellsnes, Hafnargata 3, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Christopher J Latty
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK 99701, United States
| | - Ellen Magnúsdóttir
- University of Iceland's Research Centre at Snæfellsnes, Hafnargata 3, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø N-9296, Norway
| | - Glen J Parsons
- Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry, Kentville, Nova Scotia B4N 4E5, Canada
| | | | - Grigori Tertitski
- Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia
| | - Oliver P Love
- University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
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32
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Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and metals and problematic child behavior at 3-5 years of age: a Greenlandic cohort study. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22182. [PMID: 34772976 PMCID: PMC8589846 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01580-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals are found in Arctic populations. POP and heavy metals are linked to impaired cognitive development. This study examined associations between prenatal POP and metals exposure and problematic child behavior using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). POPs and metals were measured in 102 pregnant Greenlandic women. During follow-up at 3–5 years, parents answered an assisted questionnaire including children’s SDQ scores. Associations were analyzed using linear and logistic regression analyses and adjusted for maternal plasma cotinine, educational level and age at delivery. In the adjusted analyses, the medium tertile of hexachlorobenzene (β = 3.06, p = 0.010), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β = 3.58, p = 0.004) and trans-nonachlor (β = 2.06, p = 0.082) were positively associated with SDQ scores. The continuous cis-nonachlor (OR = 1.09, p = 0.079), dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (OR = 1.01, p = 0.077), trans-nonachlor (OR = 1.01, p = 0.091), and sum Organochlorine-Pesticides (OR = 1.00, p = 0.094) were positively associated with abnormal SDQ score and the continuous mirex (OR = 1.28, p = 0.096), oxychlordane (OR = 1.04, p = 0.066), and trans-nonachlor (OR = 1.02, p = 0.071) with abnormal hyperactivity score. We found no consistent evidence of associations between polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkylated substances and heavy metals and problematic behavior. Prenatal organochlorine pesticide exposure associated significantly with problematic behavior in 3–5 year old children.
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33
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Rudnicka-Kępa P, Zaborska A. Sources, fate and distribution of inorganic contaminants in the Svalbard area, representative of a typical Arctic critical environment-a review. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:724. [PMID: 34648070 PMCID: PMC8516776 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09305-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Global environmental changes not only contribute to the modification of global pollution transport pathways but can also alter contaminant fate within the Arctic. Recent reports underline the importance of secondary sources of pollution, e.g. melting glaciers, thawing permafrost or increased riverine run-off. This article reviews reports on the European Arctic-we concentrate on the Svalbard region-and environmental contamination by inorganic pollutants (heavy metals and artificial radionuclides), including their transport pathways, their fate in the Arctic environment and the concentrations of individual elements in the ecosystem. This review presents in detail the secondary contaminant sources and tries to identify knowledge gaps, as well as indicate needs for further research. Concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides in Svalbard have been studied, in various environmental elements since the beginning of the twentieth century. In the last 5 years, the highest concentrations of Cd (13 mg kg-1) and As (28 mg kg-1) were recorded for organic-rich soils, while levels of Pb (99 mg kg-1), Hg (1 mg kg-1), Zn (496 mg kg-1) and Cu (688 mg kg-1) were recorded for marine sediments. Increased heavy metal concentrations were also recorded in some flora and fauna species. For radionuclides in the last 5 years, the highest concentrations of 137Cs (4500 Bq kg-1), 238Pu (2 Bq kg-1) and 239 + 240Pu (43 Bq kg-1) were recorded for cryoconites, and the highest concentration of 241Am (570 Bq kg-1) was recorded in surface sediments. However, no contamination of flora and fauna with radionuclides was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Agata Zaborska
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
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34
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Lian P, Mou Z, Cooper CJ, Johnston RC, Brooks SC, Gu B, Govind N, Jonsson S, Parks JM. Mechanistic Investigation of Dimethylmercury Formation Mediated by a Sulfide Mineral Surface. J Phys Chem A 2021; 125:5397-5405. [PMID: 34114820 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c04014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) pollution is a global environmental problem. The abiotic formation of dimethylmercury (DMeHg) from monomethylmercury (MMeHg) may account for a large portion of DMeHg in oceans. Previous experimental work has shown that abiotic formation of DMeHg from MMeHg can be facilitated by reduced sulfur groups on sulfide mineral surfaces. In that work, a mechanism was proposed in which neighboring MMeHg moieties bound to sulfide sites on a mineral surface react through an SN2-type mechanism to form DMeHg and incorporate the remaining Hg atoms into the mineral surface. Here, we perform density functional theory calculations to explore the mechanisms of DMeHg formation on the 110 surface of a CdS(s) (hawleyite) nanoparticle. We show that coordination of MMeHg substituents to adjacent reduced sulfur groups protruding from the surface indeed facilitates DMeHg formation and that the reaction proceeds through direct transmethylation from one MMeHg substituent to another. Coordination of Hg by multiple S atoms provides a transition-state stabilization and activates a C-Hg bond for methyl transfer. In addition, solvation effects play an important role in the surface reconstruction of the nanoparticle and in decreasing the energetic barrier for DMeHg formation relative to the corresponding reaction in vacuo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lian
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Zhongyu Mou
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Connor J Cooper
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Ryne C Johnston
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Scott C Brooks
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Baohua Gu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Niranjan Govind
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Sofi Jonsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jerry M Parks
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
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35
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Albatrni H, Qiblawey H, El-Naas MH. Comparative study between adsorption and membrane technologies for the removal of mercury. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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36
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Rowlands E, Galloway T, Manno C. A Polar outlook: Potential interactions of micro- and nano-plastic with other anthropogenic stressors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142379. [PMID: 33254857 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polar marine ecosystems may have higher sensitivity than other ecosystems to plastic pollution due to recurrent physical and biological features; presence of ice and high UV radiation, slow growth rates and weak genetic differentiation of resident biota, accumulation of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, and fast rates of warming and global ocean acidification. Here, we discuss potential sources of and exposure to micro- and nano-plastic in polar marine ecosystems and potential mixture effects of micro- and nano-plastic coupled with chemical and climate related stressors. We address the anthropogenic contaminants likely to be 'high risk' for interactions in Arctic and Antarctic waters for reasons such as accumulation under sea-ice, a known sink for plastic particulates. Consequently, we address the potential for localised plastic-chemical interactions and possible seasonal fluctuations in interactions associated with freeze-thaw events. The risks for keystone polar species are also considered, incorporating the behavioural and physiological traits of biota and addressing potential 'hotspot' areas. Finally, we discuss a possible direction for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rowlands
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Rd, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; University of Exeter, College of Life and Environmental Science, Streatham Campus, Stocker Rd, Exeter EX4 4PY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| | - Tamara Galloway
- University of Exeter, College of Life and Environmental Science, Streatham Campus, Stocker Rd, Exeter EX4 4PY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Clara Manno
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Rd, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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37
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Houde M, Taranu ZE, Wang X, Young B, Gagnon P, Ferguson SH, Kwan M, Muir DC. Mercury in Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic in Relation to Time and Climate Parameters. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2020; 39:2462-2474. [PMID: 33025637 PMCID: PMC7756774 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is found in Arctic marine mammals that are important in the diet of northern Indigenous peoples. The objectives of the present long-term study, spanning a 45-yr period, were to 1) investigate the temporal trends of total mercury (THg; muscle and liver) and selenium (Se; liver) in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from different regions of the Canadian Arctic; and 2) examine possible relationships with age, diet, and climate parameters such as air temperature, precipitation, climatic indices, and ice-coverage. Ringed seals were collected by hunters in northern communities in the Beaufort Sea, Central Arctic, Eastern Baffin Island, Hudson Bay, and Ungava/Nunatsiavut regions (Canada) between 1972 and 2017. Mercury levels did not change through time in seal liver, but THg levels in muscle decreased in seals from Hudson Bay (-0.91%/yr) and Ungava/Nunatsiavut (-1.30%/yr). Carbon stable isotope values in seal muscle decreased significantly through time in 4 regions. Selenium-to-THg ratios were found to be >1 for all years and regions. Variation partitioning analyses across regions indicated that THg trends in seals were mostly explained by age (7.3-21.7%), climate parameters (3.5-12.5%), and diet (up to 9%); climate indices (i.e., Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, Pacific/North American pattern) explained the majority of the climate portion. The THg levels had a positive relationship with Arctic Oscillation for multiple regions. Associations of THg with air temperature, total precipitation, and sea-ice coverage, as well as with North Atlantic Oscillation and Pacific/North American pattern were found to vary with tissue type and geographical area. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2462-2474. © 2020 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaMontrealQuebecCanada
| | | | - Xiaowa Wang
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaBurlingtonOntarioCanada
| | - Brent Young
- Arctic Aquatic Research DivisionDepartment of Fisheries and OceansWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - P. Gagnon
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Steve H. Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research DivisionDepartment of Fisheries and OceansWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | | | - Derek C.G. Muir
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaBurlingtonOntarioCanada
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Kim J, Soerensen AL, Kim MS, Eom S, Rhee TS, Jin YK, Han S. Mass Budget of Methylmercury in the East Siberian Sea: The Importance of Sediment Sources. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:9949-9957. [PMID: 32660243 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) are elevated throughout the Arctic Ocean; however, to date, the major sources and the spatial variability of MeHg are not well quantified. To identify the major inputs and outputs of MeHg to the Arctic shelf water column, we measured MeHg concentrations in the seawater and sediment samples from the East Siberian Sea collected from August to September 2018. We found that the MeHg concentrations in seawater and pore water were higher on the slope than on the shelf, while the MeHg concentrations in the sediment were higher on the shelf than on the slope. We created a mass budget for MeHg and found that the benthic diffusion and resuspension largely exceed other sources, such as atmospheric deposition and river water input. The major sinks of MeHg in the water column were dark demethylation and evasion. When we extrapolated our findings on benthic diffusion to the entire Arctic shelf system, the annual MeHg diffusion from the shelf sediments was estimated to be 23,065 ± 939 mol yr-1, about 2 times higher than previously proposed river discharges. Our study suggests that the MeHg input from shelf sediments in the Arctic Ocean is significant and has been previously underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Anne L Soerensen
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE-10405, Stockholm 114 18, Sweden
| | - Mi Seon Kim
- Department of Ocean Environmental Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
- Division of Polar Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwoo Eom
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Siek Rhee
- Division of Polar Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Keun Jin
- Division of Polar Earth System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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Lippold A, Aars J, Andersen M, Aubail A, Derocher AE, Dietz R, Eulaers I, Sonne C, Welker JM, Wiig Ø, Routti H. Two Decades of Mercury Concentrations in Barents Sea Polar Bears ( Ursus maritimus) in Relation to Dietary Carbon, Sulfur, and Nitrogen. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:7388-7397. [PMID: 32410455 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trends of total mercury (THg) were examined in female polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair (n = 199) from the Barents Sea in 1995-2016. In addition, hair values of stable isotopes (n = 190-197) of carbon (δ13C), sulfur (δ34S), and nitrogen (δ15N) and information on breeding status, body condition, and age were obtained. Stable isotope values of carbon and sulfur reflect dietary source (e.g., marine vs terrestrial) and the nitrogen trophic level. Values for δ13C and δ34S declined by -1.62 and -1.18‰ over the time of the study period, respectively, while values for δ15N showed no trend. Total Hg concentrations were positively related to both δ13C and δ34S. Yearly median THg concentrations ranged from 1.61 to 2.75 μg/g and increased nonlinearly by 0.86 μg/g in total over the study. Correcting THg concentrations for stable isotope values of carbon and sulfur and additionally breeding status and age slightly accelerated the increase in THg concentrations; however, confidence intervals of the raw THg trend and the corrected THg trend had substantial overlap. The rise in THg concentrations in the polar bear food web was possibly related to climate-related re-emissions of previously stored Hg from thawing sea-ice, glaciers, and permafrost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lippold
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | - Jon Aars
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | | | - Aurore Aubail
- Littoral, Environment and Societies (CNRS/La Rochelle University), La Rochelle 17000, France
| | - Andrew E Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rune Dietz
- Institute of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Institute of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Christian Sonne
- Institute of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Jeffrey M Welker
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage 99508, United States
- University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland
- University of the Arctic, Rovaniemi 96460, Finland
| | - Øystein Wiig
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø 9296, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Heli Routti
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø 9296, Norway
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40
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Fernández‐Llamazares Á, Garteizgogeascoa M, Basu N, Brondizio ES, Cabeza M, Martínez‐Alier J, McElwee P, Reyes‐García V. A State-of-the-Art Review of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Pollution. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2020; 16:324-341. [PMID: 31863549 PMCID: PMC7187223 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Indigenous peoples (IPs) worldwide are confronted by the increasing threat of pollution. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature (n = 686 studies), we present the current state of knowledge on: 1) the exposure and vulnerability of IPs to pollution; 2) the environmental, health, and cultural impacts of pollution upon IPs; and 3) IPs' contributions to prevent, control, limit, and abate pollution from local to global scales. Indigenous peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development, including agricultural, mining, and extractive industries, as well as urban growth, waste dumping, and infrastructure and energy development. Nevertheless, IPs are contributing to limit pollution in different ways, including through environmental monitoring and global policy advocacy, as well as through local resistance toward polluting activities. This work adds to growing evidence of the breadth and depth of environmental injustices faced by IPs worldwide, and we conclude by highlighting the need to increase IPs' engagement in environmental decision-making regarding pollution control. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:324-341. © 2019 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Fernández‐Llamazares
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Global Change and Conservation, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - María Garteizgogeascoa
- Global Change and Conservation, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Artec Forschungszentrum NachhaltigkeitUniversity of BremenBremenGermany
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental SciencesMcGill UniversityMontreal, QuebecCanada
| | | | - Mar Cabeza
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Global Change and Conservation, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Joan Martínez‐Alier
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia AmbientalsUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellatera, BarcelonaSpain
| | - Pamela McElwee
- Department of Human Ecology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, RutgersThe State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | - Victoria Reyes‐García
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia AmbientalsUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellatera, BarcelonaSpain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, BarcelonaSpain
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Zolkos S, Krabbenhoft DP, Suslova A, Tank SE, McClelland JW, Spencer RGM, Shiklomanov A, Zhulidov AV, Gurtovaya T, Zimov N, Zimov S, Mutter EA, Kutny L, Amos E, Holmes RM. Mercury Export from Arctic Great Rivers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:4140-4148. [PMID: 32122125 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Land-ocean linkages are strong across the circumpolar north, where the Arctic Ocean accounts for 1% of the global ocean volume and receives more than 10% of the global river discharge. Yet estimates of Arctic riverine mercury (Hg) export constrained from direct Hg measurements remain sparse. Here, we report results from a coordinated, year-round sampling program that focused on the six major Arctic rivers to establish a contemporary (2012-2017) benchmark of riverine Hg export. We determine that the six major Arctic rivers exported an average of 20 000 kg y-1 of total Hg (THg, all forms of Hg). Upscaled to the pan-Arctic, we estimate THg flux of 37 000 kg y-1. More than 90% of THg flux occurred during peak river discharge in spring and summer. Normalizing fluxes to watershed area (yield) reveals higher THg yields in regions where greater denudation likely enhances Hg mobilization. River discharge, suspended sediment, and dissolved organic carbon predicted THg concentration with moderate fidelity, while suspended sediment and water yields predicted THg yield with high fidelity. These findings establish a benchmark in the face of rapid Arctic warming and an intensifying hydrologic cycle, which will likely accelerate Hg cycling in tandem with changing inputs from thawing permafrost and industrial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Zolkos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - David P Krabbenhoft
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Mercury Research Laboratory, United States Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, United States
| | - Anya Suslova
- Woods Hole Research Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02540, United States
| | - Suzanne E Tank
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James W McClelland
- Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, United States
| | - Robert G M Spencer
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Alexander Shiklomanov
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, United States
| | - Alexander V Zhulidov
- South Russia Centre for Preparation and Implementation of International Projects, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russia
| | - Tatiana Gurtovaya
- South Russia Centre for Preparation and Implementation of International Projects, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russia
| | - Nikita Zimov
- Northeast Science Station, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science, Chersky 690041, Russia
| | - Sergey Zimov
- Northeast Science Station, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science, Chersky 690041, Russia
| | - Edda A Mutter
- Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, Anchorage, Alaska 99501, United States
| | - Les Kutny
- Les Kutny Consultant, Inuvik, Northwest Territories X0E 0T0, Canada
| | - Edwin Amos
- Western Arctic Research Centre, Inuvik, Northwest Territories X0E 0T0, Canada
| | - Robert M Holmes
- Woods Hole Research Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02540, United States
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Sharma Ghimire P, Tripathee L, Zhang Q, Guo J, Ram K, Huang J, Sharma CM, Kang S. Microbial mercury methylation in the cryosphere: Progress and prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 697:134150. [PMID: 32380618 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals, and its cycle is mainly controlled by oxidation-reduction reactions carried out by photochemical or microbial process under suitable conditions. The deposition and accumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in various ecosystems, including the cryospheric components such as snow, meltwater, glaciers, and ice sheet, and subsequently in the food chain pose serious health concerns for living beings. Unlike the abundance of knowledge about the processes of MeHg production over land and oceans, little is known about the sources and production/degradation rate of MeHg in cryosphere systems. In addition, processes controlling the concentration of Hg and MeHg in the cryosphere remains poorly understood, and filling this scientific gap has been challenging. Therefore, it is essential to study and review the deposition and accumulation by biological, physical, and chemical mechanisms involved in Hg methylation in the cryosphere. This review attempts to address knowledge gaps in understanding processes, especially biotic and abiotic, applicable for Hg methylation in the cryosphere. First, we focus on the variability in Hg concentration and mechanisms of Hg methylation, including physical, chemical, microbial, and biological processes, and transportation in the cryosphere. Then, we elaborate on the mechanism of redox reactions and biotic and abiotic factors controlling Hg methylation and biogeochemistry of Hg in the cryosphere. We also present possible mechanisms of Hg methylation with an emphasis on microbial transformation and molecular function to understand variability in Hg concentration in the cryosphere. Recent advancements in the genetic and physicochemical mechanisms of Hg methylation are also presented. Finally, we summarize and propose a method to study the unsolved issues of Hg methylation in the cryosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakriti Sharma Ghimire
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kirpa Ram
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Jie Huang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chhatra Mani Sharma
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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43
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Lim AG, Sonke JE, Krickov IV, Manasypov RM, Loiko SV, Pokrovsky OS. Enhanced particulate Hg export at the permafrost boundary, western Siberia. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 254:113083. [PMID: 31473386 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Arctic permafrost soils contain large amounts of organic carbon and the pollutant mercury (Hg). Arctic warming and associated changes in hydrology, biogeochemistry and ecology risk mobilizing soil Hg to rivers and to the Arctic Ocean, yet little is known about the quantity, timing and mechanisms involved. Here we investigate seasonal particulate Hg (PHg) and organic carbon (POC) export in 32 small and medium rivers across a 1700 km latitudinal permafrost transect of the western Siberian Lowland. The PHg concentrations in suspended matter increased with decreasing watershed size. This underlines the significance of POC-rich small streams and wetlands in PHg export from watersheds. Maximum PHg concentrations and export fluxes were located in rivers at the beginning of permafrost zone (sporadic permafrost). We suggest this reflects enhanced Hg mobilization at the permafrost boundary, due to maximal depth of the thawed peat layer. Both the thickness of the active (unfrozen) peat layer and PHg run-off progressively move to the north during the summer and fall seasons, thus leading to maximal PHg export at the sporadic to discontinuous permafrost zone. The discharge-weighed PHg:POC ratio in western Siberian rivers (2.7 ± 0.5 μg Hg: g C) extrapolated to the whole Ob River basin yields a PHg flux of 1.5 ± 0.3 Mg y-1, consistent with previous estimates. For current climate warming and permafrost thaw scenarios in western Siberia, we predict that a northward shift of permafrost boundaries and increase of active layer depth may enhance the PHg export by small rivers to the Arctic Ocean by a factor of two over the next 10-50 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem G Lim
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Geosciences and Environment Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Ivan V Krickov
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Rinat M Manasypov
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Sergey V Loiko
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Oleg S Pokrovsky
- Geosciences and Environment Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France; N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, IEPS, Russian Academy of Sciences, 163000, Arkhangelsk, Russia.
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44
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Štrok M, Baya PA, Dietrich D, Dimock B, Hintelmann H. Mercury speciation and mercury stable isotope composition in sediments from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 671:655-665. [PMID: 30939318 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations as well as mercury (Hg) isotope ratios were determined in sediment cores sampled from six locations from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). At most sites, THg concentrations showed a decreasing trend with depth, ranging from 5 to 61 ng/g, implicating possible increased Hg deposition and/or riverine inputs in top sediment layers. MMHg values showed large oscillations within the top 10 cm of the cores. This variability decreased at the bottom of the cores with MMHg concentrations ranging from less than12 to up to 1073 pg/g. Average concentrations of THg and MMHg in the top 10 cm were linearly correlated, whereas no correlation was observed with organic matter (loss on ignition). Mercury isotope ratios showed negative values for both δ202Hg (-1.59 to -0.55‰) and Δ199Hg (-0.62 to -0.01‰). δ202Hg values became more negative with depth, while the opposite was observed for Δ199Hg. The former is consistent with predicted historical atmospheric Hg trends as a result of increased coal burning worldwide. Hg isotope ratio measurements in CAA sediments offer additional opportunities to trace Hg processes and sources in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Štrok
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada; Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Pascale Anabelle Baya
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada
| | - Dörthe Dietrich
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada; University of Münster, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Corrensstrasse, 30, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Brian Dimock
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada.
| | - Holger Hintelmann
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada.
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45
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Poulin BA, Ryan JN, Tate MT, Krabbenhoft DP, Hines ME, Barkay T, Schaefer J, Aiken GR. Geochemical Factors Controlling Dissolved Elemental Mercury and Methylmercury Formation in Alaskan Wetlands of Varying Trophic Status. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:6203-6213. [PMID: 31090422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b06041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The transformations of aqueous inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)i) to volatile dissolved gaseous mercury (Hg(0)(aq)) and toxic methylmercury (MeHg) govern mercury bioavailability and fate in northern ecosystems. This study quantified concentrations of aqueous mercury species (Hg(II)i, Hg(0)(aq), MeHg) and relevant geochemical constituents in pore waters of eight Alaskan wetlands that differ in trophic status (i.e., bog-to-fen gradient) to gain insight on processes controlling dark Hg(II)i reduction and Hg(II)i methylation. Regardless of wetland trophic status, positive correlations were observed between pore water Hg(II)i and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. The concentration ratio of Hg(0)(aq) to Hg(II)i exhibited an inverse relationship to Hg(II)i concentration. A ubiquitous pathway for Hg(0)(aq) formation was not identified based on geochemical data, but we surmise that dissolved organic matter (DOM) influences mercury retention in wetland pore waters by complexing Hg(II)i and decreasing the concentration of volatile Hg(0)(aq) relative to Hg(II)i. There was no evidence of Hg(0)(aq) abundance directly limiting mercury methylation. The concentration of MeHg relative to Hg(II)i was greatest in wetlands of intermediate trophic status, and geochemical data suggest mercury methylation pathways vary between wetlands. Our insights on geochemical factors influencing aqueous mercury speciation should be considered in context of the long-term fate of mercury in northern wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett A Poulin
- U.S. Geological Survey , Boulder , Colorado 80303 , United States
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering , University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder , Colorado 80309 , United States
| | - Joseph N Ryan
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering , University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder , Colorado 80309 , United States
| | - Michael T Tate
- U.S. Geological Survey , Middleton , Wisconsin 53562 , United States
| | | | - Mark E Hines
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Massachusetts Lowell , Lowell , Massachusetts 01854 , United States
| | - Tamar Barkay
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , New Jersey 08901 , United States
| | - Jeffra Schaefer
- Department of Environmental Sciences , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , New Jersey 08901 , United States
| | - George R Aiken
- U.S. Geological Survey , Boulder , Colorado 80303 , United States
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46
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Neff E, Coleman AL, Maness RW, Tanelus M, Xu X, Dharmarajan G. Effects of methylmercury on mosquito oviposition behavior: Maladaptive response to non-toxic exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 667:248-254. [PMID: 30831364 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.314] [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: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals can modulate their own exposure to environmental contaminants through behavioral plasticity such as diet and habitat choice. However, it remains unclear if behavior also has cascading effects on contaminant exposure across multiple generations. In insects, oviposition site selection is an important behavior females can use to modify offspring contaminant exposure risk. In this study, we use the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, to test how methylmercury (MeHg) affects oviposition site selection. We found that mosquito larval development rate and survival were negatively affected at MeHg concentrations ≥100 ppb. Adult females not exposed to MeHg as larvae avoided oviposition sites with high MeHg concentrations (>50 ppb), but MeHg exposure at the larval stage significantly affected this oviposition site selection. Specifically, females raised from larvae exposed to non-toxic MeHg levels (i.e., five-50 ppb) showed a significant increase in preference for oviposition sites contaminated with toxic MeHg concentrations (≥500 ppb), compared to unexposed controls. This maladaptive behavioral response could be because, when conditioned with non-toxic MeHg concentrations, MeHg-associated olfactory cues act as a "supernormal" stimulus during oviposition site selection. Importantly, however, this maladaptive behavioral response is eliminated in female mosquitoes raised from larvae exposed to toxic MeHg concentrations (i.e. 100 ppb), and these mosquitoes showed a significant increase in preference for MeHg uncontaminated oviposition sites, compared to unexposed controls. Thus, in mosquitoes, the magnitude of MeHg exposure in one generation can impact MeHg exposure in subsequent generations by altering oviposition site selection behavior. Our results have broad implications for our understanding of how contaminant-mediated behavioral modifications can feedback on contaminant exposure risk across multiple generations, and consequently how behavior can affect the evolutionary trajectory of organisms inhabiting a heterogeneously contaminated environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Neff
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29801, USA.
| | - Austin L Coleman
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
| | | | - Manette Tanelus
- University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC 29303, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
| | - Guha Dharmarajan
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
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47
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Bank-Nielsen PI, Long M, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC. Pregnant Inuit Women's Exposure to Metals and Association with Fetal Growth Outcomes: ACCEPT 2010⁻2015. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E1171. [PMID: 30939809 PMCID: PMC6479494 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16071171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Environmental contaminants such as heavy metals are transported to the Arctic regions via atmospheric and ocean currents and enter the Arctic food web. Exposure is an important risk factor for health and can lead to increased risk of a variety of diseases. This study investigated the association between pregnant women's levels of heavy and essential metals and the birth outcomes of the newborn child. This cross-sectional study is part of the ACCEPT birth cohort (Adaption to Climate Change, Environmental Pollution, and dietary Transition) and included 509 pregnant Inuit women ≥18 years of age. Data were collected in five Greenlandic regions during 2010⁻2015. Population characteristics and birth outcomes were obtained from medical records and midwives, respectively, and blood samples were analyzed for 13 metals. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, Spearman's rho, and multiple linear and logistic regression analyses. The proportion of current smokers was 35.8%. The levels of cadmium, chromium, and nickel were higher compared to reported normal ranges. Significant regional differences were observed for several metals, smoking, and parity. Cadmium and copper were significantly inversely related to birth outcomes. Heavy metals in maternal blood can adversely influence fetal development and growth in a dose⁻response relationship. Diet and lifestyle factors are important sources of toxic heavy metals and deviant levels of essential metals. The high frequency of smokers in early pregnancy is of concern, and prenatal exposure to heavy metals and other environmental contaminants in the Greenlandic Inuit needs further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per I. Bank-Nielsen
- Centre for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (P.I.B.-N.); (M.L.)
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (P.I.B.-N.); (M.L.)
| | - Eva C. Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health and Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (P.I.B.-N.); (M.L.)
- Greenland Center for Health Research, University of Greenland, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
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48
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Comparing total mercury concentrations of northern Dolly Varden, Salvelinus malma malma, in two Canadian Arctic rivers 1986–1988 and 2011–2013. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02476-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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49
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Kim H, Lee K, Lim DI, Nam SI, Han SH, Kim J, Lee E, Han IS, Jin YK, Zhang Y. Increase in anthropogenic mercury in marginal sea sediments of the Northwest Pacific Ocean. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 654:801-810. [PMID: 30448670 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the past century, the addition of anthropogenic mercury (HgANTH) to vast areas of North Pacific marginal seas adjacent to the northeast Asian continent has tripled. Analysis of sediment cores showed that the rate of HgANTH addition (HgANTH flux) was greatest in the East China and Yellow Seas (9.1 μg m-2 yr-1) in the vicinity of China (the source continent), but was small in the Bering and western Arctic Ocean (Chukchi Sea) (0.9 μg m-2 yr-1; the regions furthest from China). Our results show that HgANTH has reached open ocean sedimentary environments over extended areas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean, via the formation of organic-mercury complexes and deposition. The implication of these findings is that the addition of HgANTH (via atmospheric deposition and riverine input) to the ocean environment is responsible for elevated Hg flux into sedimentary environments in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haryun Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Kitack Lee
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dhong-Il Lim
- South Sea Research Institute, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Marine Environmental Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seung-Il Nam
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihun Kim
- South Sea Research Institute, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Marine Environmental Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunil Lee
- Ocean Research Division, Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency, Busan 49111, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Seong Han
- Ocean Climate and Ecology Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Keun Jin
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Yanxu Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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50
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Pereira P, Korbas M, Pereira V, Cappello T, Maisano M, Canário J, Almeida A, Pacheco M. A multidimensional concept for mercury neuronal and sensory toxicity in fish - From toxicokinetics and biochemistry to morphometry and behavior. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:129298. [PMID: 30768958 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuronal and sensory toxicity of mercury (Hg) compounds has been largely investigated in humans/mammals with a focus on public health, while research in fish is less prolific and dispersed by different species. Well-established premises for mammals have been governing fish research, but some contradictory findings suggest that knowledge translation between these animal groups needs prudence [e.g. the relative higher neurotoxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) vs. inorganic Hg (iHg)]. Biochemical/physiological differences between the groups (e.g. higher brain regeneration in fish) may determine distinct patterns. This review undertakes the challenge of identifying sensitive cellular targets, Hg-driven biochemical/physiological vulnerabilities in fish, while discriminating specificities for Hg forms. SCOPE OF REVIEW A functional neuroanatomical perspective was conceived, comprising: (i) Hg occurrence in the aquatic environment; (ii) toxicokinetics on central nervous system (CNS)/sensory organs; (iii) effects on neurotransmission; (iv) biochemical/physiological effects on CNS/sensory organs; (v) morpho-structural changes on CNS/sensory organs; (vi) behavioral effects. The literature was also analyzed to generate a multidimensional conceptualization translated into a Rubik's Cube where key factors/processes were proposed. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Hg neurosensory toxicity was unequivocally demonstrated. Some correspondence with toxicity mechanisms described for mammals (mainly at biochemical level) was identified. Although the research has been dispersed by numerous fish species, 29 key factors/processes were pinpointed. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Future trends were identified and translated into 25 factors/processes to be addressed. Unveiling the neurosensory toxicity of Hg in fish has a major motivation of protecting ichtyopopulations and ecosystems, but can also provide fundamental knowledge to the field of human neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Pereira
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Malgorzata Korbas
- Science Division, Canadian Light Source Inc., Saskatoon, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Vitória Pereira
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Tiziana Cappello
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy
| | - Maria Maisano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy
| | - João Canário
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisboa 1049-001, Portugal
| | - Armando Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine (EM), University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga 4750-057, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Mário Pacheco
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal.
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