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Pilote M, Houle D, Gagnon C, Couture S, Dastoor A, Ryjkov A. Key factors influencing Hg levels and trends in unperturbed oligotrophic temperate and boreal lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124232. [PMID: 38823549 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal that presents a major risk to ecosystems, biota, human health, and remains a priority concern. In temperate and boreal lakes Hg and methylmercury (MMHg) are expected to vary as a function of atmospheric Hg deposition, lake water chemistry, catchment characteristics and climate variables. The aim of this study was to quantify Hg and MMHg in unperturbed oligotrophic lakes and to identify the factors controlling their distribution. We first hypothesized that lake Hg (and MMHg to lesser extent) spatial variations are linked to atmospheric deposition, catchment characteristics, and terrestrial exportation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). We secondly examined if lake Hg concentrations have followed the decrease in atmospheric Hg emission observed between the mid-1990s to the end-2010s. We found that overall, atmospheric Hg has little impact on lake Hg and MMHg concentrations, which are both primarily influenced by DOC input originating from the forest catchment. The relationship between DOC and Hg differed between the spring and the fall, with a Hg-to-DOC ratio twice as high in spring. This seems related to snowmelt input of Hg (with a relatively reduced input of DOC) or the internal lake build-up of Hg during the ice-covered period. Of the 10 lakes intensively visited over a 20-year period, only 3 showed significant lake Hg decreases despite significant negative trends in atmospheric Hg concentrations, suggesting a lag between atmospheric and surface water temporal trends. Overall, terrestrial catchments retain around 80% of atmospheric Hg implying that large Hg pools have been built up in soils in the last decades. As such, the reduction of atmospheric Hg alone will not necessarily result in Hg decreases in lakes, since the Hg concentrations may be modulated by DOC export trends and catchment characteristics. This stresses the need to improve our understanding of the processes governing Hg transfers from catchments into lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pilote
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Science and Technology, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Qc, H2Y 2E7, Canada.
| | - D Houle
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Science and Technology, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Qc, H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - C Gagnon
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Science and Technology, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Qc, H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - S Couture
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Science and Technology, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Qc, H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - A Dastoor
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Air Quality Research Division, 2121 route Transcanadienne, Dorval, Qc, H9P 1J3, Canada
| | - A Ryjkov
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Air Quality Research Division, 2121 route Transcanadienne, Dorval, Qc, H9P 1J3, Canada
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Wojdasiewicz A, Panasiuk A, Bełdowska M. The non-selective Antarctic filter feeder Salpa thompsoni as a bioindicator of mercury origin. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2245. [PMID: 38278823 PMCID: PMC10817981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52770-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hg is considered as the most toxic metal in the environment. Sources of Hg in the environment include burning fossil fuels, burning waste, and forest fires. The long residence time of the gaseous form in the atmosphere allows mercury to be transported over long distances. The pelagic tunicate Salpa thompsoni is an important component of the Antarctic environment. Over the past few decades an expansion of this species to the higher latitudes has been noted, mainly due to the ongoing climate change. The study material consisted of samples of S. thompsoni individuals, collected in the waters surrounding Elephant Island (Western Antarctic). Total mercury and five of its fractions were determined. Whole organisms were analyzed as well as internal organs: stomachs, muscle strips, and tunics. Obtained results showed that the highest concentrations of mercury in salps were observed in stomachs. With the Hg fraction results, it can be concluded that the main route of exposure of S. thompsoni to Hg is presumably absorption from the food-filtered organic and non-organic particles. Moreover, the process of transformation of simple soluble forms into organic forms of Hg in stomachs and intestines and its distribution to other tissues was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Wojdasiewicz
- Department of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Laboratory of Toxic Substances Transformation, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Anna Panasiuk
- Department of Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Plankton Biology, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378, Gdynia, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Bełdowska
- Department of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Laboratory of Toxic Substances Transformation, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378, Gdynia, Poland
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Munshed M, Van Griensven Thé J, Fraser R, Matthews B, Elkamel A. Country-Wide Ecological Health Assessment Methodology for Air Toxics: Bridging Gaps in Ecosystem Impact Understanding and Policy Foundations. TOXICS 2024; 12:42. [PMID: 38250998 PMCID: PMC10820021 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Amid the growing concerns about air toxics from pollution sources, much emphasis has been placed on their impacts on human health. However, there has been limited research conducted to assess the cumulative country-wide impact of air toxics on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as the complex interactions within food webs. Traditional approaches, including those of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), lack versatility in addressing diverse emission sources and their distinct ecological repercussions. This study addresses these gaps by introducing the Ecological Health Assessment Methodology (EHAM), a novel approach that transcends traditional methods by enabling both comprehensive country-wide and detailed regional ecological risk assessments across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. EHAM also advances the field by developing new food-chain multipliers (magnification factors) for localized ecosystem food web models. Employing traditional ecological multimedia risk assessment of toxics' fate and transport techniques as its foundation, this study extends US EPA methodologies to a broader range of emission sources. The quantification of risk estimation employs the quotient method, which yields an ecological screening quotient (ESQ). Utilizing Kuwait as a case study for the application of this methodology, this study's findings for data from 2017 indicate a substantial ecological risk in Kuwait's coastal zone, with cumulative ESQ values reaching as high as 3.12 × 103 for carnivorous shorebirds, contrasted by negligible risks in the inland and production zones, where ESQ values for all groups are consistently below 1.0. By analyzing the toxicity reference value (TRV) against the expected daily exposure of receptors to air toxics, the proposed methodology provides valuable insights into the potential ecological risks and their subsequent impacts on ecological populations. The present contribution aims to deepen the understanding of the ecological health implications of air toxics and lay the foundation for informed, ecology-driven policymaking, underscoring the need for measures to mitigate these impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Munshed
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
- Lakes Environmental Software, Waterloo, ON N2L 3L3, Canada
| | - Jesse Van Griensven Thé
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
- Lakes Environmental Software, Waterloo, ON N2L 3L3, Canada
| | - Roydon Fraser
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Bryan Matthews
- Lakes Environmental Software, Waterloo, ON N2L 3L3, Canada
| | - Ali Elkamel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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4
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Nie X, Wu C, Zhang H, Li Y, Li T, Wang Y. Atmospheric wet deposition of mercury in urban Jinan, eastern China: Speciation, scavenging process and potential sources. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 251:114529. [PMID: 36640571 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114529] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the speciation and related influence factors of Hg in wet deposition is important to predict the fate and transport of mercury in the atmosphere. In this study, event-based samples of rainwater were collected for one year in Jinan, a northern city in eastern China. The volume-weighted mean concentration of total mercury (THg) in rainwater was 34.8 ng L-1, comparable to levels in some inland cities in China and were significantly higher than those in North America, Korea and Japan. Most of the Hg in rainwater was associated with particulates, accounted for 15.2-92.9% of THg with a mean of 66.9%, which might be attributed to the scavenging effects of high particulate-bound mercury concentrations in ambient air in urban Jinan. Dissolved mercury (DHg) accounted for 33.1% of THg, in which Hg(OH)2, HgClOH, HgCl2 and Hg(NH3)22+ are the dominant species based on the chemical equilibrium modeling simulations. THg concentrations in rainwater decreased as the rainfall amount increased owing to the dilution effect and 5 mm rainfall might be a threshold for the full wash-out capability of atmospheric Hg. For a continuous rain event, the proportion of DHg in THg could increase from 7.1% to 84.8% with the rainfall processing, especially for the species of HgClOH and HgCl2 under the influence of rainwater pH. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis suggested that the major sources of Hg in rainwater were combustion emissions, marine sources, industrial emissions, as well as complexation process, which contributed to 51.4%, 24.7%, 12.2%, and 11.7% of the THg, respectively. For the specific species, the main sources varied with different Hg species, in which combustion emissions contributed one third to one half of each species sum to particulate mercury (PHg), HgClOH, HgCl2, HgBrOH and HgBrCl followed by marine sources and industrial emissions. Cluster analysis of backward trajectories revealed that polluted air masses, transported from southeast Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces, as well as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, contributed to high Hg concentration in rainwater in Jinan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Nie
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Jinhua Municipal Water Conservancy Bureau of Zhejiang Province, Jinhua 321000, China
| | - Houyong Zhang
- Jinan Ecology and Environment Monitoring Center of Shandong Province, Jinan 250101, China
| | - Yanbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Tao Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
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5
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Janssen SE, Tate MT, Poulin BA, Krabbenhoft DP, DeWild JF, Ogorek JM, Varonka MS, Orem WH, Kline JL. Decadal trends of mercury cycling and bioaccumulation within Everglades National Park. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156031. [PMID: 35595135 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156031] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) contamination has been a persistent concern in the Florida Everglades for over three decades due to elevated atmospheric deposition and the system's propensity for methylation and rapid bioaccumulation. Given declines in atmospheric Hg concentrations in the conterminous United States and efforts to mitigate nutrient release to the greater Everglades ecosystem, it was vital to assess how Hg dynamics responded on temporal and spatial scales. This study used a multimedia approach (water and biota) to examine Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) dynamics across a 76-site network within the southernmost portion of the region, Everglades National Park (ENP), from 2008 to 2018. Hg concentrations across matrices showed that air, water, and biota from the system were inextricably linked. Temporal patterns across matrices were driven primarily by hydrologic and climatic changes in the park and no evidence of a decline in atmospheric Hg deposition from 2008 to 2018 was observed, unlike other regions of the United States. In the Shark River Slough (SRS), excess dissolved organic carbon and sulfate were also consistently delivered from upgradient canals and showed no evidence of decline over the study period. Within the SRS a strong positive correlation was observed between MeHg concentrations in surface water and resident fish. Within distinct geographic regions of ENP (SRS, Marsh, Coastal), the geochemical controls on MeHg dynamics differed and highlighted regions susceptible to higher MeHg bioaccumulation, particularly in the SRS and Coastal regions. This study demonstrates the strong influence that dissolved organic carbon and sulfate loads have on spatial and temporal distributions of MeHg across ENP. Importantly, improved water quality and flow rates are two key restoration targets of the nearly 30-year Everglades restoration program, which if achieved, this study suggests would lead to reduced MeHg production and exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Janssen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Michael T Tate
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brett A Poulin
- University of California-Davis, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David P Krabbenhoft
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - John F DeWild
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob M Ogorek
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Matthew S Varonka
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Reston, VA, USA
| | - William H Orem
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Reston, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Kline
- South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL, USA
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6
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MacSween K, Stupple G, Aas W, Kyllönen K, Pfaffhuber KA, Skov H, Steffen A, Berg T, Mastromonaco MN. Updated trends for atmospheric mercury in the Arctic: 1995-2018. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155802. [PMID: 35550896 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic region forms a unique environment with specific physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting mercury (Hg) cycles and limited anthropogenic Hg sources. However, historic global emissions and long range atmospheric transport has led to elevated Hg in Arctic wildlife and waterways. Continuous atmospheric Hg measurements, spanning 20 years, and increased monitoring sites has allowed a more comprehensive understanding of how Arctic atmospheric mercury is changing over time. Time-series trend analysis of TGM (Total Gaseous Mercury) in air was performed from 10 circumpolar air monitoring stations, comprising of high-Arctic, and sub-Arctic sites. GOM (gaseous oxidised mercury) and PHg (particulate bound mercury) measurements were also available at 2 high-Arctic sites. Seasonal mean TGM for sub-Arctic sites were lowest during fall ranging from 1.1 ng m-3 Hyytiälä to 1.3 ng m-3, Little Fox Lake. Mean TGM concentrations at high-Arctic sites showed the greatest variability, with highest daily means in spring ranging between 4.2 ng m-3 at Amderma and 2.4 ng m-3 at Zeppelin, largely driven by local chemistry. Annual TGM trend analysis was negative for 8 of the 10 sites. High-Arctic seasonal TGM trends saw smallest decline during summer. Fall trends ranged from -0.8% to -2.6% yr-1. Across the sub-Arctic sites spring showed the largest significant decreases, ranging between -7.7% to -0.36% yr-1, while fall generally had no significant trends. High-Arctic speciation of GOM and PHg at Alert and Zeppelin showed that the timing and composition of atmospheric mercury deposition events are shifting. Alert GOM trends are increasing throughout the year, while PHg trends decreased or not significant. Zeppelin saw the opposite, moving towards increasing PHg and decreasing GOM. Atmospheric mercury trends over the last 20 years indicate that Hg concentrations are decreasing across the Arctic, though not uniformly. This is potentially driven by environmental change, such as plant productivity and sea ice dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina MacSween
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada.
| | - Geoff Stupple
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada
| | - Wenche Aas
- NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Instituttveien 18, 2027 Kjeller, Norway
| | - Katriina Kyllönen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Air Quality, Erik Palménin aukio 1, FI-00560 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Henrik Skov
- Department of Environmental Science, iClimate, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Alexandra Steffen
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada
| | - Torunn Berg
- Norwegian University for Technology and Science, Department of Chemistry, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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A Simplified Approach to Modeling the Dispersion of Mercury from Precipitation to Surface Waters—The Bay of Kaštela Case Study. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10040539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Wet deposition is the main source of mercury (Hg) from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface. However, the processes that govern the dispersion of deposited Hg in seawater are currently not well understood. To address this issue, total mercury (THg) concentrations in surface seawaters and precipitation were determined on a monthly basis in the Bay of Kaštela (Central Adriatic Sea). Following the assumption that deposited THg is diluted in the seawater bulk due to mixing processes, an exponential decay-like model was developed and the wet deposition of THg was normalized based on periods between precipitation events and seawater sampling. Normalized wet deposition of THg showed significant correlation with the THg gradient in surface seawater after removal of an outlier. To explain the observed outlier, further data normalization included wind data to account for enhanced seawater mixing due to strong winds. Wind-normalized THg deposition of all datapoints showed significant correlation with the THg gradient in surface seawater. The correlation showed that the THg gradient in surface seawater of 0.378 pg L−1 m−1 corresponds to THg wet deposition of 1 ng m−2 after including the influence of wind speed on seawater mixing.
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Ruskin KJ, Herring G, Eagles-Smith CA, Eiklor AB, Elphick CS, Etterson MA, Field CR, Longenecker RA, Kovach AI, Gregory Shriver W, Walsh J, Olsen BJ. Mercury exposure of tidal marsh songbirds in the northeastern United States and its association with nest survival. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 31:208-220. [PMID: 34783931 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02488-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The biogeochemistry of tidal marsh sediments facilitates the transformation of mercury (Hg) into the biologically available form methylmercury (MeHg), resulting in elevated Hg exposures to tidal marsh wildlife. Saltmarsh and Acadian Nelson's sparrows (Ammospiza caudacutua and A. nelsoni subvirgatus, respectively) exclusively inhabit tidal marshes, potentially experiencing elevated risk to Hg exposure, and have experienced range-wide population declines. To characterize spatial and temporal variation of Hg exposure in these species, we sampled total mercury (THg) in blood collected from 9 populations spanning 560 km of coastline, including individuals resampled within and among years. Using concurrent nesting studies, we tested whether THg was correlated with nest survival probabilities, an index of fecundity. Blood THg ranged from 0.074-3.373 µg/g ww across 170 samples from 127 individuals. We detected high spatial variability in Hg exposure, observing differences of more than 45-fold across all individuals and 8-fold in mean blood THg among all study plots, including 4-fold between study plots within 4 km. Intraindividual changes in blood Hg exposure did not vary systematically in time but were considerable, varying by up to 2-fold within and among years. Controlling for both species differences and maximum water level, the dominant driver of fecundity in this system, nest survival probability decreased by 10% across the full range of female blood THg concentrations observed. We conclude that Hg has the potential to impair songbird reproduction, potentially exacerbating known climate-change driven population declines from sea-level rise in saltmarsh and Acadian Nelson's sparrows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine J Ruskin
- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 123 Bryand Global Sciences Center, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA.
| | - Garth Herring
- United States Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- United States Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Alyssa B Eiklor
- Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, 1 National Life Dr Montpelier, Davis 1, VT, 05620-3520, USA
| | - Chris S Elphick
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Center of Biological Risk, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, U-43, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Matthew A Etterson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Boulevard, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Christopher R Field
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island 45 Upper College Rd, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Rebecca A Longenecker
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Regional Office, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA, 01035, USA
| | - Adrienne I Kovach
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - W Gregory Shriver
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, 257 Townsend Hall, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Jennifer Walsh
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Brian J Olsen
- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 123 Bryand Global Sciences Center, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
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9
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Huang J, Kang S, Tang W, He M, Guo J, Zhang Q, Yin X, Tripathee L. Contrasting changes in long-term wet mercury deposition and socioeconomic development in the largest city of Tibet. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 804:150124. [PMID: 34517315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Information about the long-term trends of wet mercury (Hg) deposition is important for assessing the impact of atmospheric pollution on environmental health. As the most populated and capital city of Tibet, Lhasa is isolated far away from the heavily-polluted urban clusters in China. In this study, a 10-year observation was conducted in Lhasa to establish the long-term trend of wet Hg deposition and investigate the possible causes of this variation trend. Our study showed no significant increase in wet Hg deposition while Lhasa has achieved rapid population and economic growth during the study period. The contrasting changes in long-term wet Hg deposition and socioeconomic development (e.g., GDP growth) could be greatly attributed to the efforts in preventing and controlling air pollution at regional and local levels. This trend in Lhasa differs greatly from those observed by a rapid increase of Hg trend in the remote areas of the Tibetan Plateau. Our findings indicate that the remote cryospheric areas over the Tibetan Plateau are prone to be affected by transboundary Hg pollution, and more attention should be paid to its environmental and health effects for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Wenjun Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Maosheng He
- Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Rostock University, Kühlungsborn 18225, Germany
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiufeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
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10
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Assessment of Mercury Concentrations and Fluxes Deposited from the Atmosphere on the Territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The problem of mercury input and its further distribution in the Arctic environment is actively debated, especially in recent times, due to the observed processes of permafrost thawing causing the enhanced release of mercury into the Arctic atmosphere and further distribution in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. The atmospheric mercury deposition occurs via dry deposition and wet scavenging by precipitation events. Here we present a study of Hg in wet precipitation on the remote territory of the Russian Arctic; the data were obtained at the monitoring stations Nadym and Salekhard in 2016–2018. Mercury pollution of the Salekhard atmosphere in cold time is mainly determined by regional and local sources, while in Nadym, long-range transport of mercury and local fuel combustion are the main sources of pollutants in the cold season, while internal regional sources have a greater impact on the warm season. Total mercury concentrations in wet precipitation in Nadym varied from <0.5 to 63.3 ng/L. The highest Hg concentrations in the springtime were most likely attributed to atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDE). The contributions of wet atmospheric precipitation during the AMDE period to the annual Hg deposition were 16.7% and 9.8% in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, respectively. The average annual volume-weighted Hg concentration (VWC) in the atmospheric precipitation in Nadym is notably higher than the values reported for the remote regions in the Arctic and comparable with the values obtained for the other urbanized regions of the world. Annual Hg fluxes in Nadym are nevertheless close to the average annual fluxes for remote territories of the Arctic zone and significantly lower than the annual fluxes reported for unpolluted sites of continental-scale monitoring networks of the different parts of the world (USA, Europe, and China). The increase of Hg deposition flux with wet precipitation in Nadym in 2018 might be caused by regional emissions of gas and oil combustion, wildfires, and Hg re-emission from soils due to the rising air temperature. The 37 cm increase of the seasonally thawed layer (STL) in 2018 compared to the 10-year average reflects that the climatic changes in the Nadym region might increase Hg(0) evasion, considering a great pool of Hg is contained in permafrost.
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11
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Roberts SL, Kirk JL, Muir DCG, Wiklund JA, Evans MS, Gleason A, Tam A, Drevnick PE, Dastoor A, Ryjkov A, Yang F, Wang X, Lawson G, Pilote M, Keating J, Barst BD, Ahad JME, Cooke CA. Quantification of Spatial and Temporal Trends in Atmospheric Mercury Deposition across Canada over the Past 30 Years. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:15766-15775. [PMID: 34792335 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04034] [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: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant of concern across Canada and transboundary anthropogenic Hg sources presently account for over 95% of national anthropogenic Hg deposition. This study applies novel statistical analyses of 82 high-resolution dated lake sediment cores collected from 19 regions across Canada, including nearby point sources and in remote regions and spanning a full west-east geographical range of ∼4900 km (south of 60°N and between 132 and 64°W) to quantify the recent (1990-2018) spatial and temporal trends in anthropogenic atmospheric Hg deposition. Temporal trend analysis shows significant synchronous decreasing trends in post-1990 anthropogenic Hg fluxes in western Canada in contrast to increasing trends in the east, with spatial patterns largely driven by longitude and proximity to known point source(s). Recent sediment-derived Hg fluxes agreed well with the available wet deposition monitoring. Sediment-derived atmospheric Hg deposition rates also compared well to the modeled values derived from the Hg model, when lake sites located nearby (<100 km) point sources were omitted due to difficulties in comparison between the sediment-derived and modeled values at deposition "hot spots". This highlights the applicability of multi-core approaches to quantify spatio-temporal changes in Hg deposition over broad geographic ranges and assess the effectiveness of regional and global Hg emission reductions to address global Hg pollution concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Roberts
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Jane L Kirk
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Johan A Wiklund
- Biology Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Marlene S Evans
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Amber Gleason
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Allison Tam
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Paul E Drevnick
- Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
- National Institute of Scientific Research, Centre Eau Terre Environment, 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Ashu Dastoor
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec H9P 1J3, Canada
| | - Andrei Ryjkov
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec H9P 1J3, Canada
| | - Fan Yang
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Xiaowa Wang
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Greg Lawson
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Martin Pilote
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Jonathan Keating
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- National Institute of Scientific Research, Centre Eau Terre Environment, 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada
- Water and Environment Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - Jason M E Ahad
- Geological Survey of Canada─Québec Division, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Colin A Cooke
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
- Alberta Environment and Parks, 9888 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C6, Canada
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12
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Sather ME, Mukerjee S, Smith L, Mathew J, Jackson C, Flournoy M. Gaseous Oxidized Mercury Dry Deposition Measurements in the Four Corners Area, U.S.A., after Large Power Plant Mercury Emission Reductions. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH 2021; 12:148-158. [PMID: 33746528 PMCID: PMC7970455 DOI: 10.1016/j.apr.2020.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) dry deposition measurements using surrogate surface passive samplers were collected at six sites in the Four Corners area, U.S.A., for the two-year period August, 2017-August, 2019, after the implementation of large power plant mercury emission reductions across the U.S.A. Two-year baseline GOM dry deposition measurements at the same six sites in the Four Corners area, taken before the implementation of U.S.A. power plant mercury control regulations, were conducted earlier from August, 2009-August, 2011. The GOM dry deposition rate estimate decreased at the Four Corners area high elevation remote mountain site of Molas Pass, Colorado (3249 m asl) from 0.4 ng/m2h for August, 2009-August, 2011 to 0.3 ng/m2h for August, 2017-August, 2019. In contrast, GOM dry deposition rate estimates for the remaining five sites increased for August, 2017-August, 2019, ranging from 0.8-1.3 ng/m2h, up from the August, 2009-August, 2011 range of 0.6-1.0 ng/m2h. Comparisons of median GOM dry deposition values showed a statistically significant decrease of 17 ng/m2 at the Molas Pass site between August, 2009-August, 2011 and August, 2017-August, 2019, and a statistically significant increase of 66 ng/m2 and 64 ng/m2, respectively, at the Mesa Verde National Park and Farmington Substation sites between August, 2009-August, 2011 and August, 2017-August, 2019. For the four years of GOM dry deposition data collected in the Four Corners area annual GOM dry deposition levels ranged from 2237 ng/m2yr (at the Molas Pass high elevation remote mountain site) to 11542 ng/m2yr (at the Mesa Verde National Park site), and the estimates were generally higher in magnitude in the spring and summer compared to the fall and winter. In light of the unexpected increases in GOM dry deposition rates at the non-remote sites, it is suggested that large regional wildfires and local anthropogenic mercury emission sources from cities and oil/gas production areas are possible notable contributors to the GOM dry deposition measurements collected in the Four Corners area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Sather
- Air Monitoring & Grants Section, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6, 1201 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas 75270
| | - Shaibal Mukerjee
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. EPA (E205-03), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
| | - Luther Smith
- Serco, Inc., 4819 Emperor Blvd., Suite 400, Durham, North Carolina 27703
| | - Johnson Mathew
- Houston Laboratory, U.S. EPA Region 6, 10625 Fallstone Road, Houston, Texas 77099
| | - Clarence Jackson
- Houston Laboratory, U.S. EPA Region 6, 10625 Fallstone Road, Houston, Texas 77099
| | - Michael Flournoy
- Eurofins Frontier Global Sciences, 5755 8 St. E, Tacoma, Washington 98424
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13
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Millard G, Driscoll C, Montesdeoca M, Yang Y, Taylor M, Boucher S, Shaw A, Richter W, Paul E, Parker C, Yokota K. Patterns and trends of fish mercury in New York State. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1709-1720. [PMID: 31955284 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02163-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the mid-2000s a survey was conducted to evaluate fish mercury in lakes across New York State. Approximately 10 years later a second survey examining adult sportfish from 103 lakes and reservoirs was conducted to evaluate the response of fish mercury to recent declines in US mercury emissions. Of those lakes, 43 were part of the earlier survey and were examined to determine if mercury concentrations in four popular sport species, Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Small- and Largemouth Bass, declined in response to decreasing emissions. Water samples were also collected at 35 of these lakes and analyzed for mercury, methylmercury and other analytes. The Adirondack and Catskill regions remain biological mercury hotspots with elevated concentrations in fish. The most widely sampled species, Yellow Perch, showed significant increases in mercury in the Northeast and West regions of New York State over the past decade. The increases in Yellow Perch mercury is not consistent with significant reductions in water concentrations of both total and methylmercury observed corresponding in lake water samples. This discrepancy suggests watershed and in-lake processes beyond mercury emissions, such as recovery from acid deposition, impacts from climate change, or changes in food web structure may be controlling fish mercury concentrations. These results demonstrate a need for a consistent, long-term program to monitor fish mercury to inform the status of mercury contamination in New York State.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Millard
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45244, USA.
| | - Charles Driscoll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Mario Montesdeoca
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Mariah Taylor
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Stephen Boucher
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Amy Shaw
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Wayne Richter
- Division of Fish and Wildlife, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY, 12233, USA
- Department of Biology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| | - Eric Paul
- Division of Fish and Wildlife, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Rome, NY, 13440, USA
| | - Colleen Parker
- Department of Biology, State University of New York College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, 13820, USA
| | - Kiyoko Yokota
- Department of Biology, State University of New York College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, 13820, USA
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14
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Grieb TM, Fisher NS, Karimi R, Levin L. An assessment of temporal trends in mercury concentrations in fish. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1739-1749. [PMID: 31583510 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-019-02112-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The importance of fish consumption as the primary pathway of human exposure to mercury and the establishment of fish consumption advisories to protect human health have led to large fish tissue monitoring programs worldwide. Data on fish tissue mercury concentrations collected by state, tribal, and provincial governments via contaminant monitoring programs have been compiled into large data bases by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Monitoring Program Office (GLNPO), the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's Fish Contaminants Monitoring and Surveillance Program (FMSP), and many others. These data have been used by a wide range of governmental and academic investigators worldwide to examine long-term and recent trends in fish tissue mercury concentrations. The largest component of the trend literature is for North American freshwater species important in recreational fisheries. This review of temporal trends in fish tissue mercury concentrations focused on published results from freshwater fisheries of North America as well as marine fisheries worldwide. Trends in fish tissue mercury concentrations in North American lakes with marked overall decreases were reported over the period 1972-2016. These trends are consistent with reported mercury emission declines as well as trends in wet deposition across the U.S. and Canada. More recently, a leveling-off in the rate of decreases or increases in fish tissue mercury concentrations has been reported. Increased emissions of mercury from global sources beginning between 1990 and 1995, despite a decrease in North American emissions, have been advanced as an explanation for the observed changes in fish tissue trends. In addition to increased atmospheric deposition, the other factors identified to explain the observed mercury increases in the affected fish species include a systematic shift in the food-web structure with the introduction of non-native species, creating a new or expanding role for sediments as a net source for mercury. The influences of climate change have also been identified as contributing factors, including considerations such as increases in temperature (resulting in metabolic changes and higher uptake rates of methylmercury), increased rainfall intensity and runoff (hydrologic export of organic matter carrying HgII from watersheds to surface water), and water level fluctuations that alter either the methylation of mercury or the mobilization of monomethylmercury. The primary source of mercury exposure in the human diet in North America is from the commercial fish and seafood market which is dominated (>90%) by marine species. However, very little information is available on mercury trends in marine fisheries. Most of the data used in the published marine trend studies are assembled from earlier reports. The data collection efforts are generally intermittent, and the spatial and fish-size distribution of the target species vary widely. As a result, convincing evidence for the existence of fish tissue mercury trends in marine fish is generally lacking. However, there is some evidence from sampling of large, long-lived commercially-important fish showing both lower mercury concentrations in the North Atlantic in response to reduced anthropogenic mercury emission rates in North America and increases in fish tissue mercury concentrations over time in the North Pacific in response to increased mercury loading.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas S Fisher
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Leonard Levin
- Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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15
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Schoch N, Yang Y, Yanai RD, Buxton VL, Evers DC, Driscoll CT. Spatial patterns and temporal trends in mercury concentrations in common loons (Gavia immer) from 1998 to 2016 in New York's Adirondack Park: has this top predator benefitted from mercury emission controls? ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1774-1785. [PMID: 31691909 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-019-02119-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a neurotoxic pollutant, can be transported long distances through the atmosphere and deposited in remote areas, threatening aquatic wildlife through methylation and bioaccumulation. Over the last two decades, air quality management has resulted in decreases in Hg emissions from waste incinerators and coal-fired power plants across North America. The common loon (Gavia immer) is an apex predator of the aquatic food web. Long-term monitoring of Hg in loons can help track biological recovery in response to the declines in atmospheric Hg that have been documented in the northeastern USA. To assess spatial patterns and temporal trends in Hg exposure of the common loon in the Adirondack Park of New York State, we analyzed Hg concentrations in loon blood and egg samples from 116 lakes between 1998 and 2016. We found spatially variable Hg concentrations in adult loon blood and feathers across the Park. Loon Hg concentrations (converted to female loon units) increased 5.7% yr-1 from 1998 to 2010 (p = 0.04), and then stabilized at 1.70 mg kg-1 from 2010 to 2016 (p = 0.91), based on 760 observations. Concentrations of Hg in juvenile loons also increased in the early part of the record, stabilizing 2 years before Hg concentrations stabilized in adults. For 52 individual lakes with samples from at least 4 different years, loon Hg increased in 34 lakes and decreased in 18 lakes. Overall, we found a delayed recovery of Hg concentrations in loons, despite recent declines in atmospheric Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Schoch
- Formerly of Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, 04103, USA
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, PO Box 195, Ray Brook, NY, 12977, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - Ruth D Yanai
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Valerie L Buxton
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, PO Box 195, Ray Brook, NY, 12977, USA
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Charles T Driscoll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
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16
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Buxton VL, Evers DC, Schoch N. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on banded common loon (Gavia immer) reproductive success in a remote, mountainous region of the northeastern United States. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1794-1801. [PMID: 31691906 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-019-02121-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Habitat degradation resulting from anthropogenic activities can threaten wildlife populations. Even wildlife existing in seemingly pristine areas are at risk of airborne pollutants and urban development. The common loon (Gavia immer), a top-trophic level predator in freshwater aquatic ecosystems, has previously experienced detrimental changes in reproductive success as a result of anthropogenic activities. However, long-term studies and large sample sizes are necessary to ascertain the impacts of various anthropogenic activities on this long-lived species. Using a multi-year dataset, we investigated the effects of multiple biotic and abiotic factors on the probability of adult male and female common loon hatching and fledging success. From 1998-2017, we banded individual loons, collected blood samples to assess mercury (Hg) exposure of the birds, and monitored their reproductive success. Adult female loon hatching success was negatively associated with the amount of rainfall received in a given year while fledging success was positively associated with the amount of shoreline development. Adult male loon hatching success was positively associated with the amount of shoreline development and fledging success was negatively associated with the number of other loon pairs on a lake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie L Buxton
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, P.O. Box 195, Ray Brook, NY, 12977, USA.
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Nina Schoch
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, P.O. Box 195, Ray Brook, NY, 12977, USA
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17
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Sheu GR, Gay DA, Schmeltz D, Olson M, Chang SC, Lin DW, Nguyen LSP. A New Monitoring Effort for Asia: The Asia Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN). ATMOSPHERE 2020; 10:481. [PMID: 33005443 PMCID: PMC7526002 DOI: 10.3390/atmos10090481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Asia Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network (APMMN) cooperatively measures mercury in precipitation in a network of sites operating in Asia and the Western Pacific region. The network addresses significant data gaps in a region where mercury emission estimates are the highest globally, and available measurement data are limited. The reduction of mercury emissions under the Minamata Convention on Mercury also justifies the need for continent-wide and consistent observations that can help determine the magnitude of the problem and assess the efficacy of reductions over time. The APMMN's primary objectives are to monitor wet deposition and atmospheric concentrations of mercury and assist partners in developing their own monitoring capabilities. Network planning began in 2012 with wet deposition sampling starting in 2014. Currently, eight network sites measure mercury in precipitation following standardized procedures adapted from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program. The network also has a common regional analytical laboratory (Taiwan), and quality assurance and data flagging procedures, which ensure the network makes scientifically valid and consistent measurements. Results from our ongoing analytical and field quality assurance measurements show minimal contamination in the network and accurate analytical analyses. We are continuing to monitor a potential concentration and precipitation volume bias under certain conditions. The average mercury concentration in precipitation was 11.3 (+9.6) ng L-1 for 139 network samples in 2018. Concentrations for individual sites vary widely. Low averages compare to the low concentrations observed on the U.S. West Coast; while other sites have average concentrations similar to the high values reported from many urban areas in China. Future APMMN goals are to (1) foster new network partnerships, (2) continue to collect, quality assure, and distribute results on the APMMN website, (3) provide training and share best monitoring practices, and (4) establish a gaseous concentration network for estimating dry deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guey-Rong Sheu
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, 300 Jhong-Da Rd, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
- Correspondence: or
| | - David A. Gay
- National Atmospheric Deposition Program, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, 465 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Correspondence: or
| | - David Schmeltz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Clean Air Markets Division, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, MC6204J, Washington, DC 20460, USA
| | - Mark Olson
- National Atmospheric Deposition Program, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, 465 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Da-Wei Lin
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, 300 Jhong-Da Rd, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| | - Ly Sy Phu Nguyen
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, 300 Jhong-Da Rd, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
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18
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Rimmer CC, Lloyd JD, McFarland KP, Evers DC, Lane OP. Patterns of blood mercury variation in two long-distance migratory thrushes on Mount Mansfield, Vermont. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1174-1182. [PMID: 31520201 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-019-02104-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigated mercury (Hg) blood concentrations in Bicknell's thrush (Catharus bicknelli) and Swainson's thrush (C. ustulatus), congeneric long-distance migratory songbirds, from 2000-2017 at a montane forest site in north-central Vermont. We analyzed variation in blood Hg of both species using mixed-effects models, incorporating atmospheric wet Hg deposition data from a nearby sampling location. Although Hg deposition varied among years and seasonally, we detected no temporal trend in either atmospheric deposition or blood Hg, nor evidence of a relationship between the two. Sampling date had the strongest effect on blood Hg concentration, which declined seasonally, followed by age and sex of the individual. The data did not support an effect of species. We believe that the absence of a clear relationship between local atmospheric deposition and thrush blood Hg concentrations suggests that Hg cycling dynamics, mechanisms of transfer, and timing of uptake by montane forest biota are complex and poorly understood. The blood Hg concentrations of ~0.07-0.1 μg/g we documented in Bicknell's and Swainson's thrush are below those found to negatively impact physiological or reproductive endpoints in other invertivorous terrestrial passerines. To better evaluate the validity of Bicknell's thrush as a bioindicator of MeHg availability in montane forest ecosystems, we recommend (1) effects-based investigations, (2) a more robust understanding of Hg and MeHg cycling, (3) more clear geospatial and temporal links between Hg deposition and biotic uptake, and (4) more thorough documentation of Hg burdens across the species' annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John D Lloyd
- Vermont Center for Ecostudies, P.O. Box 420, Norwich, VT, 05055, USA
- American Wind Wildlife Institute, 1990 K Street NW, Suite 620, Washington, DC, 20006, USA
| | - Kent P McFarland
- Vermont Center for Ecostudies, P.O. Box 420, Norwich, VT, 05055, USA
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Oksana P Lane
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
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19
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Singh A, Chou CCK, Chang SY, Chang SC, Lin NH, Chuang MT, Pani SK, Chi KH, Huang CH, Lee CT. Long-term (2003-2018) trends in aerosol chemical components at a high-altitude background station in the western North Pacific: Impact of long-range transport from continental Asia. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 265:114813. [PMID: 32504975 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the long-term trends in chemical components in PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) samples collected at Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (LABS) located on the summit of Mt. Lulin (2862 m above mean sea level) in Taiwan in the western North Pacific during 2003-2018. High ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and its chemical components were observed during March and April every year. This enhancement was primarily associated with the long-range transport of biomass burning (BB) smoke emissions from Indochina, as revealed from cluster analysis of backward air mass trajectories. The decreasing trends in ambient concentrations of organic carbon (-0.67% yr-1; p = 0.01), elemental carbon (-0.48% yr-1; p = 0.18), and non-sea-salt (nss) K+ (-0.71% yr-1; p = 0.04) during 2003-2018 indicated a declining effect of transported BB aerosol over the western North Pacific. These findings were supported by the decreasing trend in levoglucosan (-0.26% yr-1; p = 0.20) during the period affected by the long-range transport of BB aerosol. However, NO3- displayed an increasing trend (0.71% yr-1; p = 0.003) with considerable enhancement resulting from the air masses transported from the Asian continent. Given that the decreasing trends were for the majority of the chemical components, the columnar aerosol optical depth (AOD) also demonstrated a decreasing trend (-1.04% yr-1; p = 0.0001) during 2006-2018. Overall decreasing trends in ambient (carbonaceous aerosol and nss-K+) as well as columnar (e.g., AOD) aerosol loadings at the LABS may influence the regional climate, which warrants further investigations. This study provides an improved understanding of the long-term trends in PM2.5 chemical components over the western North Pacific, and the results would be highly useful in model simulations for evaluating the effects of BB transport on an area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atinderpal Singh
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan
| | - Charles C-K Chou
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yu Chang
- Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Shuenn-Chin Chang
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 114, Taiwan; Environmental Protection Administration, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Neng-Huei Lin
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan; Center for Environmental Monitoring Technology, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tung Chuang
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Shantanu Kumar Pani
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan
| | - Kai Hsien Chi
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Hua Huang
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Te Lee
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan.
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20
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Soldatini C, Sebastiano M, Albores-Barajas YV, Abdelgawad H, Bustamante P, Costantini D. Mercury exposure in relation to foraging ecology and its impact on the oxidative status of an endangered seabird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138131. [PMID: 32247131 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a natural element extensively found in the Earth's crust, released to the atmosphere and waters by natural processes. Since the industrial revolution, atmospheric deposition of Hg showed a three-to-five-fold enrichment due to human activities. Marine top predators such as seabirds are recognized valuable bioindicators of ocean health and sensitive victims of Hg toxic effects. Hg negatively affects almost any aspect of avian physiology; thus, birds prove valuable to study the effect of Hg exposure in vertebrates. The Black-vented Shearwater is endemic to the North-Eastern Pacific Ocean, where it forages along the Baja California Peninsula during the breeding period. The area has no industrial settlement and is in the southern portion of the California Current System (CCS). After observing possible contamination effects in eggshells, we decided to quantify the exposure of breeding birds to Hg and test for possible effects on oxidative status of the species. The concentration of Hg in erythrocytes averaged 1.84 μg/g dw and varied from 1.41 to 2.40 μg/g dw. Males and females had similar Hg concentrations. The individual trophic level (reflected by δ15N) did not explain Hg exposure. In contrast, individuals foraging inshore had higher Hg concentrations than those foraging more offshore (reflected by δ13C). Shearwaters having higher concentrations of Hg had lower activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase and showed lower non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity. Levels of plasma oxidative damage, superoxide dismutase and catalase were not associated with Hg. Our results indicate that (i) the foraging habitat is the factor explaining Hg exposure and (ii) there is some evidence for potential harmful effects of Hg exposure to this seabird species of conservation concern. CAPSULE: The foraging habitat is the factor explaining Hg exposure in seabirds and we observed potential harmful effects of Hg exposure in a seabird species of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Soldatini
- Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada - Unidad La Paz, Calle Miraflores 334, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23050, Mexico
| | - Manrico Sebastiano
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS- Université La Rochelle, France
| | - Yuri V Albores-Barajas
- CONACYT, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, Col. Crédito Constructor, Alcaldía Benito Juárez, C.P. 03940 Mexico City, Mexico; Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Sur. Km. 5.5 Carr. 1, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico.
| | - Hamada Abdelgawad
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - David Costantini
- Unité Physiologie moléculaire et adaptation (PhyMA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP32, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
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21
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Lyman SN, Cheng I, Gratz LE, Weiss-Penzias P, Zhang L. An updated review of atmospheric mercury. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 707:135575. [PMID: 31784172 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The atmosphere is a key component of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury, acting as a reservoir, transport mechanism, and facilitator of chemical reactions. The chemical and physical behavior of atmospheric mercury determines how, when, and where emitted mercury pollution impacts ecosystems. In this review, we provide current information about what is known and what remains uncertain regarding mercury in the atmosphere. We discuss new ambient, laboratory, and theoretical information about the chemistry of mercury in various atmospheric media. We review what is known about mercury in and on solid- and liquid-phase aerosols. We present recent findings related to wet and dry deposition and spatial and temporal trends in atmospheric mercury concentrations. We also review atmospheric measurement methods that are in wide use and those that are currently under development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth N Lyman
- Bingham Research Center, Utah State University, 320 N Aggie Blvd., Vernal, UT, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, USA.
| | - Irene Cheng
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lynne E Gratz
- Environmental Studies Program, Colorado College, 14 East Cache la Poudre St., Colorado Springs, CO, USA
| | - Peter Weiss-Penzias
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Leiming Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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22
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Long-Term Observations of Atmospheric Speciated Mercury at a Coastal Site in the Northern Gulf of Mexico during 2007–2018. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11030268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Atmospheric mercury species (gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate-bound mercury (PBM)), trace pollutants (O3, SO2, CO, NO, NOY, and black carbon), and meteorological parameters have been continuously measured since 2007 at an Atmospheric Mercury Network (AMNet) site that is located on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Moss Point, Mississippi. For the data that were collected between 2007 and 2018, the average concentrations and standard deviations are 1.39 ± 0.22 ng m−3 for GEM, 5.1 ± 10.2 pg m−3 for GOM, 5.9 ± 13.0 pg m−3 for PBM, and 309 ± 407 ng m−2 wk−1 for mercury wet deposition, with interannual trends of −0.009 ng m−3 yr−1 for GEM, −0.36 pg m−3 yr−1 for GOM, 0.18 pg m−3 yr−1 for PBM, and 2.8 ng m−2 wk−1 yr−1 for mercury wet deposition. The diurnal variation of GEM shows lower concentrations in the early morning due to GEM depletion, likely due to plant uptake in high humidity events and slight elevation during the day, likely due to downward mixing to the surface of higher concentrations of GEM in the air aloft. The seasonal variation of GEM shows higher levels in winter and spring and lower levels in summer and fall. Diurnal variations of both GOM and PBM show broad peaks in the afternoon likely due to the photochemical oxidation of GEM. Seasonally, PBM measurements exhibit higher levels in winter and early spring and lower levels in summer with rising levels in fall, while GOM measurements show high levels in late spring/early summer and late fall and low levels in winter. The seasonal variation of mercury wet deposition shows higher values in summer and lower values in winter, due to larger rainfall amounts in summer than in winter. As expected, anticorrelation between mercury wet deposition and the sum of GOM and PBM, but positive correlation between mercury wet deposition and rainfall were observed. Correlation among GOM, ozone, and SO2 suggests possible different GOM sources: direct emissions and photochemical oxidation of GEM, with the possible influence of boundary layer dynamics and seasonal variability. This study indicates that the monitoring site experiences are impacted from local and regional mercury sources as well as large scale mercury cycling phenomena.
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23
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Klapstein SJ, Walker AK, Saunders CH, Cameron RP, Murimboh JD, O'Driscoll NJ. Spatial distribution of mercury and other potentially toxic elements using epiphytic lichens in Nova Scotia. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 241:125064. [PMID: 31683434 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of naturally occurring epiphytic lichens can be an effective tool for regional monitoring of mercury (Hg) and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Nova Scotia, Canada is a hotspot for mercury and other trace metal accumulation in ecosystems; partially attributed to long-range transport of air pollution. The relative contribution of local and international sources of Hg to local air in Nova Scotia is unknown. This study assessed the potential of epiphytic lichens (Usnea spp.) as passive samplers for PTE air pollution in Nova Scotia. Lichens (n = 190) collected across mainland Nova Scotia were analyzed for PTEs. Results indicate that there are 3 distinct clusters of PTEs which suggest patterns and sources for each elemental cluster. Hg was correlated with longitude and prevailing wind direction, and Hg was not significantly different in site-specific hotspot sampling nor year of sampling. Our data support the hypothesis that Hg in lichens is from historical and ongoing long-range transport and diffuse emission patterns rather than localized pollution sources. PTE concentrations were shown to have median values that are similar to other remote regions (such as the Antarctic) however the maximum values were observed to be substantially higher for some elements (e.g. lead, cadmium). This research supports the use of lichens as biomonitors and provides a baseline for future monitoring efforts to identify changes in PTE distribution in Nova Scotia with ongoing industrial activity and a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara J Klapstein
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada.
| | - Allison K Walker
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | | | - Robert P Cameron
- Nova Scotia Department of Environment, Protected Areas Branch, Canada
| | - John D Murimboh
- Chemistry Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Nelson J O'Driscoll
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
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24
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Sanders CW, Pacifici K, Hess GR, Olfenbuttel C, DePerno CS. Metal contamination of river otters in North Carolina. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:146. [PMID: 31993757 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-8106-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic apex predators are vulnerable to environmental contaminants due to biomagnification. North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) populations should be closely monitored across their range due to point and nonpoint pollution sources. Nonetheless, no information exists on environmental contaminants in the North Carolina otter population. Metals and metalloids occur naturally across the landscape, are essential for cellular function, and become toxic when concentrated unnaturally. We conducted our study across the three Furbearer Management Units (FMU) and 14 river basins of North Carolina. We determined the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, thallium, and zinc in liver and kidney samples from 317 otters harvested from 2009 to 2016. Arsenic, lead, and thallium samples were tested at levels below the limit of detection. With the exception of cadmium, we detected all other elements at higher levels in the liver compared with the kidney. Specifically, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, and zinc levels differed by tissue type analyzed. Most element concentrations remained stable or increased with otter age. We detected higher levels of mercury and selenium in the Lower Pee Dee and Cape Fear river basins. River basins within the Mountain FMU were higher in cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc, whereas the Coastal Plain FMU was lower in cobalt and manganese. None of the elements occurred at toxic levels. Our research establishes baseline concentration levels for North Carolina, which will benefit future monitoring efforts and provide insight into future changes in the otter population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Sanders
- Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| | - Krishna Pacifici
- Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - George R Hess
- Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Colleen Olfenbuttel
- Surveys and Research Program, Wildlife Management Division, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Pittsboro, NC, 27312, USA
| | - Christopher S DePerno
- Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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25
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Day NK, Schmidt TS, Roberts JJ, Osmundson BC, Willacker JJ, Eagles-Smith CA. Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226824. [PMID: 31929573 PMCID: PMC6957192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are contaminants of concern for fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We explored Hg and Se in fish tissues (2,324 individuals) collected over 50 years (1962-2011) from the UCRB. Samples include native and non-native fish collected from lotic waterbodies spanning 7 major tributaries to the Colorado River. There was little variation of total mercury (THg) in fish assemblages basin-wide and only 13% (272/1959) of individual fish samples exceeded the fish health benchmark (0.27 μg THg/g ww). Most THg exceedances were observed in the White-Yampa tributary whereas the San Juan had the lowest mean THg concentration. Risks associated with THg are species specific with exceedances dominated by Colorado Pikeminnow (mean = 0.38 and standard error ± 0.08 μg THg/g ww) and Roundtail Chub (0.24 ± 0.06 μg THg/g ww). For Se, 48% (827/1720) of all individuals exceeded the fish health benchmark (5.1 μg Se/g dw). The Gunnison river had the most individual exceedances of the Se benchmark (74%) whereas the Dirty Devil had the fewest. We identified that species of management concern accumulate THg and Se to levels above risk thresholds and that fishes of the White-Yampa (THg) and Gunnison (Se) rivers are at the greatest risk in the UCRB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie K. Day
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, United States of America
| | - Travis S. Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James J. Roberts
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Barbara C. Osmundson
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Junction, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James J. Willacker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
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26
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Chen CF, Ju YR, Lim YC, Chen CW, Wu CH, Lin YL, Dong CD. Dry and wet seasonal variation of total mercury, inorganic mercury, and methylmercury formation in estuary and harbor sediments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 253:109683. [PMID: 31666210 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed the seasonal variations and the spatial distributions of total mercury (THg), inorganic divalent mercury (IHg), and methylmercury (MeHg) in sediments of river mouth (RM), main channel (MC), and entrance (E) of the Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The THg, IHg, and MeHg concentrations were, respectively, 198-9130, 2.6-3164, and <0.3-42.6 μg/kg in the wet season and 362-2264, 11.0-790, and 3.3-65.6 μg/kg in the dry season. As for seasonal variations, the concentrations of THg and IHg for RM sediment were higher in the wet season than in the dry season, whereas for MC and E was converse. Generally, MeHg in sediment was higher in the dry season than in the wet season. THg and IHg were mainly transported from the river, whereas MeHg was generated by onsite microbes transforming the local available IHg. Results indicated that the formation of MeHg in sediment may be mainly influenced by the concentration of IHg and seasonal variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Feng Chen
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ru Ju
- Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, 36063, Taiwan
| | - Yee Cheng Lim
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Wen Chen
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan.
| | - Chung-Hsin Wu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 80778, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Li Lin
- Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Di Dong
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan.
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27
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Nguyen LSP, Sheu GR, Lin DW, Lin NH. Temporal changes in atmospheric mercury concentrations at a background mountain site downwind of the East Asia continent in 2006-2016. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:1049-1056. [PMID: 31200303 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric mercury (Hg) has been monitored at the Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (LABS) in Taiwan since April 2006 and is still continuing. Here we reported the trend in gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) concentrations at LABS between April 2006 and December 2016, before the Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force in 2017. Previous research indicated nighttime (0-8 am) data collected at LABS are better representative of regional influence. Therefore, only nighttime GEM data were used for trend analysis. A significant decreasing trend in GEM at a rate of -1.5% yr-1 (-0.022 ng m-3 yr-1, p < 0.01) was found, comparable to the decreasing trends observed in Europe, North America, South Africa, and over the North Atlantic Ocean. Five major GEM source regions to the LABS were identified, including northern Indochina Peninsula, China, Northeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and South China Sea. Significant decreasing trends in GEM were found for air masses coming from northern Indochina Peninsula (-0.042 ng m-3 yr-1, -2.6% yr-1, p < 0.01), China (-0.041 ng m-3 yr-1, -2.4% yr-1, p < 0.01), Northeast Asia (-0.031 ng m-3 yr-1, -2.0% yr-1, p < 0.05), and the Pacific Ocean (-0.022 ng m-3 yr-1, -1.7% yr-1, p < 0.05). Decreasing GEM trend (-0.020 ng m-3 yr-1, -1.5% yr-1), but insignificant (p > 0.05), was also found for air masses coming from South China Sea. The decreasing trends observed with air from the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea indicated declining background GEM concentrations in Northern Hemisphere. Decrease in GEM concentrations at the LABS was in agreement with the reduction in atmospheric Hg export from the East Asia continent caused by changes in Hg emission quantity and speciation, and temporal and spatial distribution in emission sources that have been suggested by recent research. Additionally, changes in the frequency distribution of air mass origins and transport paths may also contribute to the changes in GEM concentrations at LABS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly Sy Phu Nguyen
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli 320, Taiwan
| | - Guey-Rong Sheu
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli 320, Taiwan.
| | - Da-Wei Lin
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli 320, Taiwan
| | - Neng-Huei Lin
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli 320, Taiwan
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28
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Roberts S, Kirk JL, Wiklund JA, Muir DCG, Yang F, Gleason A, Lawson G. Mercury and metal(loid) deposition to remote Nova Scotia lakes from both local and distant sources. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 675:192-202. [PMID: 31030127 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Kejimkujik National Park, in Nova Scotia, Canada, is a sensitive region for metal(loid) contamination, such as mercury, in part due to long-range atmospheric deposition from global and regional industrial centers. The region is remote from industrial centres, but is downwind of major pollution sources in the Eastern United States and Canada, and historically had numerous gold mining sites. Due to a paucity of long-term atmospheric deposition monitoring in this region, little is known about the response of Kejimkujik lakes to multiple changing global, regional and local atmospheric Hg and metal(loid) sources. Here, we used multiple lake sediment cores to reconstruct anthropogenic depositional fluxes of metal(loid)s of concern for the last ~210years. Results showed that Kejimkujik lake sediments are highly enriched in lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn), with post-industrial metal(loid) concentrations being >4-fold greater than natural baseline levels (prior to ~1800) and moderately enriched in silver (Ag), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), rubidium (Rb), tellurium (Te), thallium (Tl), vanadium (V), tungsten (W) and zinc (Zn), with post-industrial metal(loid) concentrations being between 1.5 and 4-fold greater than natural baseline levels (prior to ~1800). Lake sediment core reconstructions of total atmospheric Hg deposition matched well with Hg wet deposition monitoring data from the overlapped period (1997-2010) being 9.1±2.7μg/m2/yr and 7.0±0.7μg/m2/yr respectively. Lakes closest to historic gold mining sites show spikes in Ag, Cd, Sb, Tl, Zn and W during mining periods (~1880 and 1950). Most of the enriched metal(loid)s (EF >1.5) (Ag, Bi, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sn, V and W) do not appear affected by redox and remobilisation issues. For the other enriched metal(loid)s (EF >1.5) (Cd, Tl, and Zn), remobilisation from upper sediments appears to be occurring within these acidic and DOC rich Kejimkujik lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Roberts
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada.
| | - J L Kirk
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada.
| | - J A Wiklund
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - D C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - F Yang
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - A Gleason
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - G Lawson
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
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29
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St Louis VL, Graydon JA, Lehnherr I, Amos HM, Sunderland EM, St Pierre KA, Emmerton CA, Sandilands K, Tate M, Steffen A, Humphreys ER. Atmospheric Concentrations and Wet/Dry Loadings of Mercury at the Remote Experimental Lakes Area, Northwestern Ontario, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:8017-8026. [PMID: 31250626 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant released from both natural and human sources. Here we compare long-term records of wet deposition loadings of total Hg (THg) in the open to dry deposition loadings of THg in throughfall and litterfall under four boreal mixedwood canopy types at the remote Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. We also present long-term records of atmospheric concentrations of gaseous elemental (GEM), gaseous oxidized (GOM), and particle bound (PBM) Hg measured at the ELA. We show that dry THg loadings in throughfall and litterfall are 2.7 to 6.1 times greater than wet THg loadings in the open. GEM concentrations showed distinct monthly and daily patterns, correlating positively in spring and summer with rates of gross ecosystem productivity and respiration. GOM and PBM concentrations were less variable throughout the year but were highest in the winter, when concentrations of anthropogenically sourced particles and gases were also high. Forest fires, Arctic air masses, and road salt also impacted GEM, GOM, and PBM concentrations at the ELA. A nested GEOS-Chem simulation for the ELA region produced a dry/wet deposition ratio of >5, suggesting that the importance of dry deposition in forested regions can be reasonably modeled by existing schemes for trace gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent L St Louis
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 2E9 , Canada
| | - Jennifer A Graydon
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 2E9 , Canada
| | - Igor Lehnherr
- Department of Geography , University of Toronto-Mississauga , 3359 Mississauga Road , Mississauga , Ontario L5L 1C6 , Canada
| | - Helen M Amos
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Department of Environmental Health , Boston , Massachusetts 02215 , United States
| | - Elsie M Sunderland
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Department of Environmental Health , Boston , Massachusetts 02215 , United States
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Kyra A St Pierre
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 2E9 , Canada
| | - Craig A Emmerton
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 2E9 , Canada
| | - Ken Sandilands
- International Institute of Sustainable Development - Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) , 111 Lombard Avenue, Suite 325 , Winnipeg , Manitoba R3B 0T4 , Canada
| | - Michael Tate
- University of Wisconsin , Aquatic Science Center , 1975 Willow Drive , Madison , Wisconsin 53706 , United States
| | - Alexandra Steffen
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch , Air Quality Research , 4905 Dufferin Street , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Elyn R Humphreys
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies , Carleton University , Ottawa , Ontario K1S 5B6 , Canada
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30
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Wang F, Outridge PM, Feng X, Meng B, Heimbürger-Boavida LE, Mason RP. How closely do mercury trends in fish and other aquatic wildlife track those in the atmosphere? - Implications for evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 674:58-70. [PMID: 31003088 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The Minamata Convention to reduce anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emissions entered into force in 2017, and attention is now focused on how to best monitor its effectiveness at reducing Hg exposure to humans. A key question is how closely Hg concentrations in the human food chain, especially in fish and other aquatic wildlife, will track the changes in atmospheric Hg that are expected to occur following anthropogenic emission reductions. We investigated this question by evaluating several regional groups of case studies where Hg concentrations in aquatic biota have been monitored continuously or intermittently for several decades. Our analysis shows that in most cases Hg time trends in biota did not agree with concurrent Hg trends in atmospheric deposition or concentrations, and the divergence between the two trends has become more apparent over the past two decades. An over-arching general explanation for these results is that the impact of changing atmospheric inputs on biotic Hg is masked by two factors: 1) The aquatic environment contains a large inventory of legacy emitted Hg that remains available for bio-uptake leading to a substantial lag in biotic response time to a change in external inputs; and 2) Biotic Hg trends reflect the dominant effects of changes in multi-causal, local and regional processes (e.g., aquatic or terrestrial biogeochemical processes, feeding ecology, climate) that control the speciation, bioavailability, and bio-uptake of both present-day and legacy emitted Hg. Globally, climate change has become the most prevalent contributor to the divergence. A wide range of biotic Hg outcomes can thus be expected as anthropogenic atmospheric Hg emissions decline, depending on how these processes operate on specific regions and specific organisms. Therefore, evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention will require biomonitoring of multiple species that represent different trophic and ecological niches in multiple regions of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyue Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Peter M Outridge
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, 601 Booth St., Ottawa, ON K1A 0E8, Canada
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 46 Guanshui Road, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Bo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 46 Guanshui Road, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Robert P Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
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Olson CI, Beaubien GB, McKinney AD, Otter RR. Identifying contaminants of potential concern in remote headwater streams of Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:176. [PMID: 30788643 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7305-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The susceptibility of Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains to anthropogenic stressors has remained largely uninvestigated likely due to a lack of known point source contamination. However, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that depositional inputs can lead to concerning levels of contamination, even in remote areas. To investigate potential concerns, water quality parameters, contaminants in water (nitrogen, TSS, and metals), and contaminants in eastern brook trout (mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], organochlorine [OC] pesticides, dioxins, furans, and phthalates) were measured in four Appalachian Mountain streams from 2015 to 2017. Concentrations were compared to literature and/or model-derived (e.g., biotic ligand model) threshold values to determine whether levels exceeded those acceptable for stream health. Dioxins and furans were detectable in fish tissue at all sites with an average 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodinbenzodioxin toxicity equivalence (TEQ) of 0.0015 ng/kg. Concentrations of PCBs, phthalates, and organochlorine pesticides were never above analytical quantitation limits, although several OC pesticides (e.g., alpha-chlordane) were detectable in fish. Aluminum concentrations in water were found at levels shown previously to cause mortality in brook trout during acidic rain events. The average whole-body methylmercury concentrations in fish among sites were 0.037 ± 0.003 μg/kg and were on average 75 ± 2% of total mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor I Olson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Gale B Beaubien
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | | | - Ryan R Otter
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
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32
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Sun J, Wu Y, Jiang P, Zheng L, Zhang A, Qi H. Concentration, uptake and human dietary intake of novel brominated flame retardants in greenhouse and conventional vegetables. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 123:436-443. [PMID: 30622068 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The possible adverse effects of organic pollutants entering vegetables have attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, research on the behavior of novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in soil-vegetable systems is still limited. This work was initiated to investigate the uptake of seven representative NBFRs by vegetables from bulk soil and suspended soil particles under greenhouse and conventional conditions. The mean concentrations of the sum of seven NBFRs (Σ7 NBFRs) were 2.8 and 3.8 ng g-1 dw in greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and 1.1 and 1.7 ng g-1 dw in conventional tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively. Greenhouse vegetables had higher concentrations of Σ7 NBFRs than conventional vegetables. The root bioaccumulation factors (RBCFs) of tomatoes and cucumbers in response to NBFRs ranged from 0.6 to 6.3. The range of fruit bioaccumulation factors (FBCFs) was 0.3-7.0. The bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) in greenhouse vegetables were significantly higher than those in conventional vegetables, indicating that greenhouses increased the uptake of NBFRs by vegetables. To address human dietary exposure to NBFRs, the estimated dietary intake (EDI) and the amounts available for human absorption (EDIba) were calculated using vegetable consumption and gastrointestinal absorption, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional tomato consumption were 344 ng d-1 and 109 ng d-1, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional cucumber consumption were 445 ng d-1 and 217 ng d-1, respectively. The higher EDI values of NBFRs implied that consuming greenhouse vegetables was associated with higher health risks than consuming conventional vegetables. The mean EDIba values of the DBDPEs were 68 ng d-1 and 46 ng d-1 for tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and were significantly different from the EDI values due to lower bioaccessibility. Gastrointestinal absorption should not be neglected during risk assessments of human exposure to pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqiang Sun
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yihua Wu
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pan Jiang
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zheng
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Anping Zhang
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Hong Qi
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
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Giang A, Song S, Muntean M, Janssens-Maenhout G, Harvey A, Berg E, Selin NE. Understanding factors influencing the detection of mercury policies in modelled Laurentian Great Lakes wet deposition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2018; 20:1373-1389. [PMID: 30247491 DOI: 10.1039/c8em00268a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We used chemical transport modelling to better understand the extent to which policy-related anthropogenic mercury emissions changes (a policy signal) can be statistically detected in wet deposition measurements in the Great Lakes region on the subdecadal scale, given sources of noise. In our modelling experiment, we consider hypothetical regional (North American) and global (rest of the world) policy changes, consistent with existing policy efforts (Δglobal = -18%; Δregional = -30%) that divide an eight-year period. The magnitude of statistically significant (p < 0.1) pre- and post-policy period wet deposition differences, holding all else constant except for the policy change, ranges from -0.3 to -2.0% for the regional policy and -0.8 to -2.7% for the global policy. We then introduce sources of noise-trends and variability in factors that are exogenous to the policy action-and evaluate the extent to which the policy signals can still be detected. For instance, technology-related variability in emissions magnitude and speciation can shift the magnitude of differences between periods, in some cases dampening the policy effect. We have found that the interannual variability in meteorology has the largest effect of the sources of noise considered, driving deposition differences between periods to ±20%, exceeding the magnitude of the policy signal. However, our simulations suggest that gaseous elemental mercury concentration may be more robust to this meteorological variability in this region, and a stronger indicator of local/regional emissions changes. These results highlight the potential challenges of detecting statistically significant policy-related changes in Great Lakes wet deposition within the subdecadal scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Giang
- Institute for Data, Systems and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Wolfe JD, Lane OP, Brigham RM, Hall BD. Mercury exposure to red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and dragonfly (Odonata: Aeshnidae) nymphs in Prairie Pothole wetlands. Facets (Ott) 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2017-0086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in the northern Great Plains is an area of ecological significance, serving as an important breeding site for avian wildlife. However, organisms feeding within the PPR may be at risk of mercury (Hg) exposure due to deposition of anthropogenic emissions and the high Hg methylation potential of PPR wetlands. We quantified Hg concentrations in red-winged blackbirds’ ( Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766); RWBLs) blood, feathers, and eggs in the spring and summer breeding season and compared our values with those from RWBLs sampled from ecoregions across North America. Hg concentrations in whole water, aeshnid dragonfly nymphs, and RWBL tissues varied by wetland and were below those considered to elicit acute effects in wildlife, and egg total Hg (THg) concentrations were significantly related to spring whole water methylmercury concentrations. Only RWBL blood THg concentrations showed a clear increase in summer compared with spring, resulting in decoupling of summer blood and feather THg concentrations. Moreover, blood THg concentrations varied by ecoregion, with those impacted by an industrial point source exhibiting high Hg levels. Our study emphasizes that tissue renewal time as well as ecological factors such as competition and diet shifts are important considerations when using RWBLs to assess biological Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared D. Wolfe
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Oksana P. Lane
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME 04103, USA
| | - R. Mark Brigham
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Britt D. Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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35
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Zhou H, Zhou C, Hopke PK, Holsen TM. Mercury wet deposition and speciated mercury air concentrations at rural and urban sites across New York state: Temporal patterns, sources and scavenging coefficients. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 637-638:943-953. [PMID: 29763876 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of ambient speciated mercury (Hg) concentrations and Hg wet deposition were made at two urban sites (Bronx, NY and Rochester, NY) and one rural site (Potsdam, NY) in New York State in 2013 and 2014 to: 1) determine the factors influencing Hg wet deposition concentrations, 2) identify the contribution of gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) and particulate bound Hg (PBM) scavenging to Hg wet deposition concentrations, and 3) identify potential source areas associated with high concentration events. The Bronx had the highest mean gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) and GOM concentrations, Rochester had the highest mean PBM and the lowest GOM concentrations, and Potsdam had the lowest mean GEM and PBM concentrations. The annual volume weighted mean (VWM) Hg concentrations and Hg wet deposition fluxes in the Bronx, Rochester, and Potsdam were significantly different with mean values of 10.3 ± 8.16, 10.2 ± 9.06, and 5.07 ± 1.79 ngL-1 and 8.45 ± 0.64, 6.65 ± 0.21, and 5.25 ± 0.49 μg/m2 year-1, respectively. Hg wet deposition flux and precipitation depth were positively correlated at all three sites as were Hg concentration in precipitation and weekly GOM concentrations at the Bronx and Potsdam sites. Scavenging coefficients (SC) of 680, 630, 850 for GOM and 410, 320, and 410 for PBM at Bronx, Rochester, and Potsdam, respectively, suggest GOM is responsible for most of the scavenged Hg. Measured GOM and PBM concentrations were relatively constant before precipitation events and Hg concentrations in precipitation did not vary significantly during precipitation events implying the scavenging process mainly occurred in clouds. VWM Hg concentrations, monthly accumulated Hg flux, and SCs for GOM and PBM were higher at the urban sites and significantly different for non-snow and snow events. Local sources appeared more important at the rural site while regional sources affected high urban concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhou
- Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam 13699, NY, United States
| | - Chuanlong Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam 13699, NY, United States
| | - Philip K Hopke
- Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam 13699, NY, United States; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester 14642, NY, United States.
| | - Thomas M Holsen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam 13699, NY, United States
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Li T, Wang Y, Mao H, Wang S, Talbot RW, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Nie X, Qie G. Insights on Chemistry of Mercury Species in Clouds over Northern China: Complexation and Adsorption. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:5125-5134. [PMID: 29630344 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Cloud effects on heterogeneous reactions of atmospheric mercury (Hg) are poorly understood due to limited knowledge of cloudwater Hg chemistry. Here we quantified Hg species in cloudwater at the summit of Mt. Tai in northern China. Total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in cloudwater were on average 70.5 and 0.15 ng L-1, respectively, and particulate Hg (PHg) contributed two-thirds of THg. Chemical equilibrium modeling simulations suggested that Hg complexes by dissolved organic matter (DOM) dominated dissolved Hg (DHg) speciation, which was highly pH dependent. Hg concentrations and speciation were altered by cloud processing, during which significant positive correlations of PHg and MeHg with cloud droplet number concentration ( Nd) were observed. Unlike direct contribution to PHg from cloud scavenging of aerosol particles, abiotic DHg methylation was the most likely source of MeHg. Hg adsorption coefficients Kad (5.9-362.7 L g-1) exhibited an inverse-power relationship with cloud residues content. Morphology analyses indicated that compared to mineral particles, fly ash particles could enhance Hg adsorption due to more abundant carbon binding sites on the surface. Severe particulate air pollution in northern China may bring substantial Hg into cloud droplets and impact atmospheric Hg geochemical cycling by aerosol-cloud interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Jinan 250100 , China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Jinan 250100 , China
| | - Huiting Mao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry , State University of New York , Syracuse , New York 13210 , United States
| | - Shuxiao Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex and State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment , Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084 , China
| | - Robert W Talbot
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science , University of Houston , Houston , Texas 77204 , United States
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry , State University of New York , Syracuse , New York 13210 , United States
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
| | - Xiaoling Nie
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Jinan 250100 , China
| | - Guanghao Qie
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Jinan 250100 , China
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Selin H, Keane SE, Wang S, Selin NE, Davis K, Bally D. Linking science and policy to support the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. AMBIO 2018; 47:198-215. [PMID: 29388129 PMCID: PMC5794682 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-1003-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The Minamata Convention on Mercury, with its objective to protect human health and the environment from the dangers of mercury (Hg), entered into force in 2017. The Convention outlines a life-cycle approach to the production, use, emissions, releases, handling, and disposal of Hg. As it moves into the implementation phase, scientific work and information are critically needed to support decision-making and management. This paper synthesizes existing knowledge and examines three areas in which researchers across the natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences can mobilize and disseminate knowledge in support of Hg abatement and the realization of the Convention's objective: (1) uses, emissions, and releases; (2) support, awareness raising, and education; and (3) impacts and effectiveness. The paper ends with a discussion of the future of Hg science and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Selin
- Frederick S Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, 154 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Susan Egan Keane
- Natural Resources Defense Council, 1152 15th St, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005 USA
| | - Shuxiao Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
| | - Noelle E. Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, and Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Kenneth Davis
- United Nations Environment Programme, Chemicals and Health Branch, International Environment House I, 11-13 chemin des Anemones, 1219 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826, Cidex 03 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
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Obrist D, Kirk JL, Zhang L, Sunderland EM, Jiskra M, Selin NE. A review of global environmental mercury processes in response to human and natural perturbations: Changes of emissions, climate, and land use. AMBIO 2018; 47:116-140. [PMID: 29388126 PMCID: PMC5794683 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-1004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We review recent progress in our understanding of the global cycling of mercury (Hg), including best estimates of Hg concentrations and pool sizes in major environmental compartments and exchange processes within and between these reservoirs. Recent advances include the availability of new global datasets covering areas of the world where environmental Hg data were previously lacking; integration of these data into global and regional models is continually improving estimates of global Hg cycling. New analytical techniques, such as Hg stable isotope characterization, provide novel constraints of sources and transformation processes. The major global Hg reservoirs that are, and continue to be, affected by anthropogenic activities include the atmosphere (4.4-5.3 Gt), terrestrial environments (particularly soils: 250-1000 Gg), and aquatic ecosystems (e.g., oceans: 270-450 Gg). Declines in anthropogenic Hg emissions between 1990 and 2010 have led to declines in atmospheric Hg0 concentrations and HgII wet deposition in Europe and the US (- 1.5 to - 2.2% per year). Smaller atmospheric Hg0 declines (- 0.2% per year) have been reported in high northern latitudes, but not in the southern hemisphere, while increasing atmospheric Hg loads are still reported in East Asia. New observations and updated models now suggest high concentrations of oxidized HgII in the tropical and subtropical free troposphere where deep convection can scavenge these HgII reservoirs. As a result, up to 50% of total global wet HgII deposition has been predicted to occur to tropical oceans. Ocean Hg0 evasion is a large source of present-day atmospheric Hg (approximately 2900 Mg/year; range 1900-4200 Mg/year). Enhanced seawater Hg0 levels suggest enhanced Hg0 ocean evasion in the intertropical convergence zone, which may be linked to high HgII deposition. Estimates of gaseous Hg0 emissions to the atmosphere over land, long considered a critical Hg source, have been revised downward, and most terrestrial environments now are considered net sinks of atmospheric Hg due to substantial Hg uptake by plants. Litterfall deposition by plants is now estimated at 1020-1230 Mg/year globally. Stable isotope analysis and direct flux measurements provide evidence that in many ecosystems Hg0 deposition via plant inputs dominates, accounting for 57-94% of Hg in soils. Of global aquatic Hg releases, around 50% are estimated to occur in China and India, where Hg drains into the West Pacific and North Indian Oceans. A first inventory of global freshwater Hg suggests that inland freshwater Hg releases may be dominated by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM; approximately 880 Mg/year), industrial and wastewater releases (220 Mg/year), and terrestrial mobilization (170-300 Mg/year). For pelagic ocean regions, the dominant source of Hg is atmospheric deposition; an exception is the Arctic Ocean, where riverine and coastal erosion is likely the dominant source. Ocean water Hg concentrations in the North Atlantic appear to have declined during the last several decades but have increased since the mid-1980s in the Pacific due to enhanced atmospheric deposition from the Asian continent. Finally, we provide examples of ongoing and anticipated changes in Hg cycling due to emission, climate, and land use changes. It is anticipated that future emissions changes will be strongly dependent on ASGM, as well as energy use scenarios and technology requirements implemented under the Minamata Convention. We predict that land use and climate change impacts on Hg cycling will be large and inherently linked to changes in ecosystem function and global atmospheric and ocean circulations. Our ability to predict multiple and simultaneous changes in future Hg global cycling and human exposure is rapidly developing but requires further enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Obrist
- Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, One University Ave, Lowell, MA 01854 USA
| | - Jane L. Kirk
- Environment and Climate Change, Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7P 2X3 Canada
| | - Lei Zhang
- School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023 Jiangsu China
| | - Elsie M. Sunderland
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Martin Jiskra
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, GET-CNRS, CNRS – OMP, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Noelle E. Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
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Arnold J, Gustin MS, Weisberg PJ. Evidence for Nonstomatal Uptake of Hg by Aspen and Translocation of Hg from Foliage to Tree Rings in Austrian Pine. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:1174-1182. [PMID: 29232509 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To determine whether trees are reliable biomonitors of air mercury (Hg) pollution concentrations were measured in bark, foliage, and tree rings. Data were developed using 4-year old Pinus and Populus trees grown from common genetic stock in Oregon and subsequently transferred to four air treatments differing in gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) chemistry and total gaseous Hg (TGM) concentrations. Soil of a subset of trees was spiked with HgBr2 in solution to test for root uptake. Results indicate no significant effect of the soil spike or GOM compounds on tree tissue Hg concentrations. TGM treatment had a significant effect on Pinus and Populus foliage, and Pinus year 5 growth ring concentrations. Populus foliar Hg concentrations were highest in the exposure where 24 h TGM concentrations were highest, indicating the importance of the nonstomatal pathway for uptake. Pinus tree ring concentrations were correlated to day time TGM concentrations suggesting Hg accumulation into tree rings is by way of the stomata and subsequent translocation by way of phloem. Populus leaves and Pinus rings can be used as biomonitors for TGM concentrations over space. However, the use of trees as temporal proxies requires further investigation due to radial translocation observed in active sapwood tree rings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Arnold
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada-Reno Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
| | - Mae Sexauer Gustin
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada-Reno Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
| | - Peter J Weisberg
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada-Reno Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
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40
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Spatial Patterns and Temporal Changes in Atmospheric-Mercury Deposition for the Midwestern USA, 2001–2016. ATMOSPHERE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos9010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Nasr M, Arp PA. Relating Fish Hg to Variations in Sediment Hg, Climate and Atmospheric Deposition. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.4236/ajcc.2018.73024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Tong Y, Wang M, Bu X, Guo X, Lin Y, Lin H, Li J, Zhang W, Wang X. Mercury concentrations in China's coastal waters and implications for fish consumption by vulnerable populations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 231:396-405. [PMID: 28818815 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We assessed mercury (Hg) pollution in China's coastal waters, including the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, based on a nationwide dataset from 301 sampling sites. A methylmercury (MeHg) intake model for humans based on the marine food chain and human fish consumption was established to determine the linkage between water pollutants and the pollutant intake by humans. The predicted MeHg concentration in fish from the Bohai Sea was the highest among the four seas included in the study. The MeHg intake through dietary ingestion was dominant for the fish and was considerably higher than the MeHg intake through water respiration. The predicted MeHg concentrations in human blood in the coastal regions of China ranged from 1.37 to 2.77 μg/L for pregnant woman and from 0.43 to 1.00 μg/L for infants, respectively, based on different diet sources. The carnivorous fish consumption advisory for pregnant women was estimated to be 288-654 g per week to maintain MeHg concentrations in human blood at levels below the threshold level (4.4 μg/L established by the US Environmental Protection Agency). With a 50% increase in Hg concentrations in water in the Bohai Sea, the bioaccumulated MeHg concentration (4.5 μg/L) in the fish consumers will be higher than the threshold level. This study demonstrates the importance in controlling Hg pollution in China's coastal waters. An official recommendation guideline for the fish consumption rate and its sources will be necessary for vulnerable populations in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yindong Tong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Mengzhu Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiaoge Bu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Tianjin Environmental Sanitation Engineering Design Institute, Tianjin, 300201, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, 0349, Norway
| | - Huiming Lin
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of Urban and Environment Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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43
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The Putative Role of Environmental Mercury in the Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Subtypes. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:4834-4856. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0692-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Streets DG, Horowitz HM, Jacob DJ, Lu Z, Levin L, Ter Schure AFH, Sunderland EM. Total Mercury Released to the Environment by Human Activities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:5969-5977. [PMID: 28448134 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
We estimate that a cumulative total of 1540 (1060-2800) Gg (gigagrams, 109 grams or thousand tonnes) of mercury (Hg) have been released by human activities up to 2010, 73% of which was released after 1850. Of this liberated Hg, 470 Gg were emitted directly into the atmosphere, and 74% of the air emissions were elemental Hg. Cumulatively, about 1070 Gg were released to land and water bodies. Though annual releases of Hg have been relatively stable since 1880 at 8 ± 2 Gg, except for wartime, the distributions of those releases among source types, world regions, and environmental media have changed dramatically. Production of Hg accounts for 27% of cumulative Hg releases to the environment, followed by silver production (24%) and chemicals manufacturing (12%). North America (30%), Europe (27%), and Asia (16%) have experienced the largest releases. Biogeochemical modeling shows a 3.2-fold increase in the atmospheric burden relative to 1850 and a contemporary atmospheric reservoir of 4.57 Gg, both of which agree well with observational constraints. We find that approximately 40% (390 Gg) of the Hg discarded to land and water must be sequestered at contaminated sites to maintain consistency with recent declines in atmospheric Hg concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Streets
- Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Hannah M Horowitz
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Daniel J Jacob
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Zifeng Lu
- Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Leonard Levin
- Electric Power Research Institute , Palo Alto, California 94304, United States
| | | | - Elsie M Sunderland
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Harvard University , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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45
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Wiklund JA, Kirk JL, Muir DCG, Evans M, Yang F, Keating J, Parsons MT. Anthropogenic mercury deposition in Flin Flon Manitoba and the Experimental Lakes Area Ontario (Canada): A multi-lake sediment core reconstruction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 586:685-695. [PMID: 28238379 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution records of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) deposition were constructed from 9 lakes located 5-75km from the Flin Flon, Manitoba smelter (formerly one of North America's largest atmospheric Hg point sources) and 5 lakes in Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), Ontario; a region remote from major Hg point sources. Anthropogenic Hg deposition, as both a flux and inventory, was determined after accounting for lake-specific natural Hg background concentrations, changes in sedimentation and sediment focusing. Results show that records of anthropogenic flux and inventory of Hg were remarkably consistent among the ELA lakes, but varied by 2 orders of magnitude among Flin Flon lakes. The relation between Hg inventories (normalized for prevailing wind direction) and distance from the smelter was used to estimate the total Hg fallout within a 50km radius in 5year time-steps, thus providing a quantitative spatial-temporal Hg depositional history for the Flin Flon region. The same relation solved for 8 cardinal directions weighted by the inverse of the previously applied wind direction normalization generates a map of Hg inventory and deposition on the landscape (Supplementary video). This novel application of sediment core data constructs a landscape model and allows for a visualization of contaminant deposition with respect to a point major source in both space and time. The propensity for Hg to undergo long-range, even global transport explains why Hg deposition within 50km of Flin Flon was ~11% of estimated releases. That is until smelter releases were reduced >10-fold (post-2000), after which observed deposition exceeded smelter releases, suggesting landscape re-emission/remobilization of legacy Hg is a major ongoing regional source of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan A Wiklund
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada.
| | - Jane L Kirk
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Marlene Evans
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Fan Yang
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan Keating
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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46
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Boczulak SA, Vanderwel MC, Hall BD. Survey of mercury in boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) and wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles from wetland ponds in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada. Facets (Ott) 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2016-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tadpoles are important prey items for many aquatic organisms and often represent the largest vertebrate biomass in many fishless wetland ecosystems. Neurotoxic mercury (Hg) can, at elevated levels, decrease growth, lower survival, and cause developmental instability in amphibians. We compared total Hg (THg) body burden and concentration in boreal chorus frog ( Pseudacris maculata) and wood frog ( Rana sylvatica) tadpoles. Overall, body burden and concentration were lower in boreal chorus frog tadpoles than wood frog tadpoles, as expected, because boreal chorus frog tadpoles consume at lower trophic levels. The variables species, stage, and mass explained 21% of total variation for body burden in our models but had negligible predictive ability for THg concentration. The vast majority of the remaining variation in both body burden and THg concentration was attributable to differences among ponds; tadpoles from ponds in three areas had considerably higher THg body burden and concentration. The pond-to-pond differences were not related to any water chemistry or physical parameter measured, and we assumed that differences in wetland geomorphology likely played an important role in determining Hg levels in tadpoles. This is the first report of Hg in frog tadpoles in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy A. Boczulak
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Mark C. Vanderwel
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Britt D. Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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47
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Paranjape AR, Hall BD. Recent advances in the study of mercury methylation in aquatic systems. Facets (Ott) 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2016-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing input of neurotoxic mercury to environments as a result of anthropogenic activity, it has become imperative to examine how mercury may enter biotic systems through its methylation to bioavailable forms in aquatic environments. Recent development of stable isotope-based methods in methylation studies has enabled a better understanding of the factors controlling methylation in aquatic systems. In addition, the identification and tracking of the hgcAB gene cluster, which is necessary for methylation, has broadened the range of known methylators and methylation-conducive environments. Study of abiotic factors in methylation with new molecular methods (the use of stable isotopes and genomic methods) has helped elucidate the confounding influences of many environmental factors, as these methods enable the examination of their direct effects instead of merely correlative observations. Such developments will be helpful in the finer characterization of mercury biogeochemical cycles, which will enable better predictions of the potential effects of climate change on mercury methylation in aquatic systems and, by extension, the threat this may pose to biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avnee R. Paranjape
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Britt D. Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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48
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Tong Y, Yin X, Lin H, Wang H, Deng C, Chen L, Li J, Zhang W, Schauer JJ, Kang S, Zhang G, Bu X, Wang X, Zhang Q. Recent Decline of Atmospheric Mercury Recorded by Androsace tapete on the Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:13224-13231. [PMID: 27993077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We combined the mercury passive sampling method and plant biomonitoring together to understand the long-term changes of atmospheric mercury concentrations on the Tibetan Plateau. Through the analysis of leaves of Androsace tapete that represent growing periods spanning the past decade, we explored the historical records of atmospheric mercury from 2006 to 2015. Mercury concentration was stable in the leaves of Androsace tapete during the period between 2006 and 2009, while a significant decrease occurred after the year of 2010. The decreasing trend is consistent with the monitoring data of the ground-based stations in other regions globally. Despite the potential uncertainties using a passive sampling method and biomonitoring technique, we suggest that Androsace tapete is a potential biomarker that could provide reliable and effective historical records of atmospheric mercury concentrations and offer new perspectives in monitoring mercury and perhaps other atmospheric pollutants in regions where long-term active monitoring was missing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiufeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Lanzhou, 730000 P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100101 P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100049 P.R. China
| | - Huiming Lin
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Huanhuan Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Chunyan Deng
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Long Chen
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Jinling Li
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China , Beijing, 100872 P.R. China
| | - James Jay Schauer
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison, Wisconsin 53703, United States
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Lanzhou, 730000 P.R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences , Beijing, 100101 P.R. China
| | - Guoshuai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100101 P.R. China
| | | | - Xuejun Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University , Beijing, 100871 P.R. China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100101 P.R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences , Beijing, 100101 P.R. China
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49
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Lodeiro C, Capelo JL, Oliveira E, Nuñez C. Pollutant toxic ions and molecules. A global pollution problem: trends in detection and protection. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:24419-24421. [PMID: 27098884 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6685-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Lodeiro
- BIOSCOPE Group, UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University NOVA of Lisbon, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
- ProteoMass Scientific Society, Madan Park. Rúa dos Inventores, 2825-182, Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Jose Luis Capelo
- BIOSCOPE Group, UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University NOVA of Lisbon, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- ProteoMass Scientific Society, Madan Park. Rúa dos Inventores, 2825-182, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Oliveira
- BIOSCOPE Group, UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University NOVA of Lisbon, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- ProteoMass Scientific Society, Madan Park. Rúa dos Inventores, 2825-182, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Cristina Nuñez
- BIOSCOPE Group, UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University NOVA of Lisbon, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002, Lugo, Spain
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50
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Lepak JM, Hooten MB, Eagles-Smith CA, Tate MT, Lutz MA, Ackerman JT, Willacker JJ, Jackson AK, Evers DC, Wiener JG, Pritz CF, Davis J. Assessing potential health risks to fish and humans using mercury concentrations in inland fish from across western Canada and the United States. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 571:342-354. [PMID: 27161906 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Fish represent high quality protein and nutrient sources, but Hg contamination is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and can pose health risks to fish and their consumers. Potential health risks posed to fish and humans by Hg contamination in fish were assessed in western Canada and the United States. A large compilation of inland fish Hg concentrations was evaluated in terms of potential health risk to the fish themselves, health risk to predatory fish that consume Hg contaminated fish, and to humans that consume Hg contaminated fish. The probability that a fish collected from a given location would exceed a Hg concentration benchmark relevant to a health risk was calculated. These exceedance probabilities and their associated uncertainties were characterized for fish of multiple size classes at multiple health-relevant benchmarks. The approach was novel and allowed for the assessment of the potential for deleterious health effects in fish and humans associated with Hg contamination in fish across this broad study area. Exceedance probabilities were relatively common at low Hg concentration benchmarks, particularly for fish in larger size classes. Specifically, median exceedances for the largest size classes of fish evaluated at the lowest Hg concentration benchmarks were 0.73 (potential health risks to fish themselves), 0.90 (potential health risk to predatory fish that consume Hg contaminated fish), and 0.97 (potential for restricted fish consumption by humans), but diminished to essentially zero at the highest benchmarks and smallest fish size classes. Exceedances of benchmarks are likely to have deleterious health effects on fish and limit recommended amounts of fish humans consume in western Canada and the United States. Results presented here are not intended to subvert or replace local fish Hg data or consumption advice, but provide a basis for identifying areas of potential health risk and developing more focused future research and monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M Lepak
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526, United States.
| | - Mevin B Hooten
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, 1484 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States.
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
| | - Michael T Tate
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, United States.
| | - Michelle A Lutz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, United States.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Dixon, CA 95620, United States.
| | - James J Willacker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
| | - Allyson K Jackson
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME 04103, United States.
| | - James G Wiener
- University of Wisconsin La Crosse, River Studies Center, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI 54601, United States.
| | - Colleen Flanagan Pritz
- National Park Service, Air Resources Division, PO Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225, United States.
| | - Jay Davis
- San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Ave, Richmond, CA 94804, United States.
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