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Arisekar U, Shalini R, Iburahim SA, Deepika S, Reddy CPK, Anantharaja K, Albeshr MF, Ramkumar S, Kalidass B, Tamilarasan K, Kumar NN. Biomonitoring of mercury and selenium in commercially important shellfish: Distribution pattern, health benefit assessment and consumption advisories. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:122. [PMID: 38483653 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01880-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to explore the concentrations of Se and Hg in shellfish along the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) coast (Southeast India) and to estimate related risks and risk-based consumption limits for children, pregnant women, and adults. Se concentrations in shrimp, crab, and cephalopods ranged from 0.256 to 0.275 mg kg-1, 0.182 to 0.553 mg kg-1, and 0.176 to 0.255 mg kg-1, respectively, whereas Hg concentrations differed from 0.009 to 0.014 mg kg-1, 0.022 to 0.042 mg kg-1 and 0.011 to 0.024 mg kg-1, respectively. Se and Hg content in bamboo shark (C. griseum) was 0.242 mg kg-1 and 0.082 mg kg-1, respectively. The lowest and highest Se concentrations were found in C. indicus (0.176 mg kg-1) and C. natator (0.553 mg kg-1), while Hg was found high in C. griseum (0.082 mg kg-1) and low in P. vannamei (0.009 mg kg-1). Se shellfishes were found in the following order: crabs > shrimp > shark > cephalopods, while that of Hg were shark > crabs > cephalopods > shrimp. Se in shellfish was negatively correlated with trophic level (TL) and size (length and weight), whereas Hg was positively correlated with TL and size. Hg concentrations in shellfish were below the maximum residual limits (MRL) of 0.5 mg kg-1 for crustaceans and cephalopods set by FSSAI, 0.5 mg kg-1 for crustaceans and 1.0 mg kg-1 for cephalopods and sharks prescribed by the European Commission (EC/1881/2006). Se risk-benefit analysis, the AI (actual intake):RDI (recommended daily intake) ratio was > 100%, and the AI:UL (upper limit) ratio was < 100%, indicating that all shellfish have sufficient level of Se to meet daily requirements without exceeding the upper limit (UL). The target hazard quotient (THQ < 1) and hazard index (HI < 1) imply that the consumption of shellfish has no non-carcinogenic health impacts for all age groups. However, despite variations among the examined shellfish, it was consistently observed that they all exhibited a Se:Hg molar ratio > 1. This finding implies that the consumption of shellfish is generally safe in terms of Hg content. The health benefit indexes, Se-HBV and HBVse, consistently showed high positive values across all shellfish, further supporting the protective influence of Se against Hg toxicity and reinforcing the overall safety of shellfish consumption. Enhancing comprehension of food safety analysis, it is crucial to recognize that the elevated Se:Hg ratio in shellfish may be attributed to regular selenoprotein synthesis and the mitigation of Hg toxicity by substituting Se bound to Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulaganathan Arisekar
- Department of Fish Quality Assurance and Management, Fisheries College and Research Institute (FC&RI), Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University (TNJFU), Tuticorin, 628 008, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Rajendran Shalini
- Department of Fish Quality Assurance and Management, Fisheries College and Research Institute (FC&RI), Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University (TNJFU), Tuticorin, 628 008, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | | | - S Deepika
- Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management, Dr MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thalainayeru, Nagapattinam, 614 712, India
| | | | - Kanagaraja Anantharaja
- Regional Research Centre of ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
| | - Mohammed F Albeshr
- Department of Zoology, College of Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sugumar Ramkumar
- ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400061, India
| | | | - K Tamilarasan
- Livestock Production and Management Division, ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Kolasib, Mizoram, 796 081, India
| | - N Nandha Kumar
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Research Centre, Vasad, Gujarat, 388 306, India
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Rahman MM, Jung E, Eom S, Lee W, Han S. Mercury concentrations in sediments and oysters in a temperate coastal zone: a comparison of farmed and wild varieties. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:109810-109824. [PMID: 37777705 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29992-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Oyster aquaculture has progressively increased to meet growing demands for seafood worldwide; however, its effects on methylmercury (MeHg) production in sediment and accumulation in oysters are largely unknown. In this study, total Hg (THg) and MeHg in sediments collected from aquaculture and reference sites and in farmed and wild oysters were measured and compared to explore potential factors that regulate MeHg production and bioaccumulation at the aquaculture sites. The results showed that the mean concentrations of THg and MeHg in varying sediment depths at the aquaculture site were 34 ± 4.1 ng g-1 and 16 ± 12 pg g-1, respectively. In comparison, the mean concentrations of THg and MeHg in sediments at the reference site were 25 ± 2.5 ng g-1 and 63 ± 28 pg g-1, respectively. While the MeHg/THg in the aquaculture sediments increased with organic carbon content, the slope of MeHg/THg versus organic carbon content was suppressed by high concentrations of dissolved sulfide in the pore water. Multiple parameters (total sulfur, total nitrogen and acid volatile sulfide in sediment, and dissolved sulfide in pore water) showed significant negative relationships with MeHg/THg in the sediment, and the total sulfur content in the sediment showed the highest inverse correlation factor with MeHg/THg (r = - 0.83). The mean concentrations of THg and MeHg in farmed oysters (mean weight 3.2 ± 1.5 g) were 36 ± 10 ng g-1 and 15 ± 6.7 ng g-1, respectively, while those in wild oysters (mean weight 0.92 ± 0.32 g) were 47 ± 9.9 ng g-1 and 15 ± 6.7 ng g-1, respectively. Concerning oysters of the same size range, THg and MeHg levels were higher in farmed oysters than in wild oysters despite the faster growth rate of farmed oysters, suggesting that the Hg content of food sources is more important than growth dilution rates in the control of Hg levels. The mean hazardous quotient for MeHg in farmed oyster was calculated as 0.044 ± 0.020, suggesting no expected health risk from farmed oyster consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Moklesur Rahman
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Jung
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwoo Eom
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojin Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National Lab. Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Nur-Sultan, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
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Targino FJ, Ribeiro JDDN, Simões JS, Carneiro CS, Lazzarini SM, Souza AR, Ferreira MDS, Mano SB, Mársico ET. Total Mercury Content in the Tissues of Freshwater Chelonium ( Podocnemis expansa) and a Human Health Risk Assessment for the Amazon Population in Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6489. [PMID: 37569029 PMCID: PMC10418661 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Researchers recognize the silent, negative and deleterious effects caused by mercury pollution in gold mining areas. Freshwater turtles are culturally part of the diet of riverside populations in the Amazon region and this area presents mercury (Hg) pollution issues mainly due to gold mining activities. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the total mercury (THg) content in the different organs of Amazonian giant river turtle (Podocnemis expansa) and carry out a human health risk assessment associated with the consumption of these animals. This study was conducted in the Vila Balbina, municipality of Presidente Figueiredo, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Skin (n = 28), muscle (n = 19) and brain (n = 2) samples were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (TDA-AAS) and a DMA-80™ mercury analyzer was used for the total mercury determinations. The average values found for THg in the skin, muscle and brain samples were, respectively, 0.1045 mg·kg-1, 0.1092 mg·kg-1 and 0.0601 mg·kg-1. Thus, THg was observed even though the P. expansa were kept in captivity, possibly due to previous contamination by air, water and food. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) was calculated considering a 9.07 g·day-1 intake dose of P. expansa and the consumption of turtles once a week showed an HQ = 2.45, which may cause long-term injuries to human health. Although the muscle concentrations were below the maximum limit established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Brazilian regulatory agencies, it is important to evaluate consumption factors such as amount ingested, frequency and animal gender, which may cause a potential risk to regular consumers due to mercury bioaccumulation. The WHO may consider various aspects in order to warn the Amazon population about the severity and silent hazard of this metal, especially due to the importance of this matrix in the region. This region urgently needs government actions to inhibit clandestine mining and to prevent future serious, chronic health problems of the entire population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio Júnior Targino
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Joanna Damazio de Nunes Ribeiro
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Julia Siqueira Simões
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Carla Silva Carneiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-580, Brazil;
| | - Stella Maris Lazzarini
- Centro de Pesquisa e Preservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (CPPMA), Eletronorte, Presidente Figueiredo 69736-000, Brazil; (S.M.L.); (A.R.S.)
| | - Aline Ramos Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa e Preservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (CPPMA), Eletronorte, Presidente Figueiredo 69736-000, Brazil; (S.M.L.); (A.R.S.)
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus 69077-000, Brazil
| | - Micheli da Silva Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Sergio Borges Mano
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Eliane Teixeira Mársico
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
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Constantino WD, Viana LMDS, Luze FHR, Tostes ECL, Pestana IA, de Carvalho CEV. Mercury levels in an environmentally protected estuarine area in Northeast Brazil: partitioning in the water column and transport to the ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:31383-31394. [PMID: 36447105 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24400-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this study, total Hg concentrations (HgT) were determined in the suspended particulate matter (SPM) and the dissolved fraction of the water column to evaluate their behavior through a gradient of physical-chemical parameters in a continuum between rivers and the Serinhaém River estuary of the Pratigi Environmental Protection Area, a pristine environment without point sources of Hg contamination, located in Northeast Brazil. Twelve points were sampled, forming a river-estuary transect, and two samplings were carried out (April and September 2019). Significant spatial and temporal effects were detected only for particulate HgT and not for dissolved HgT. Considering both samplings, the mean HgT concentrations in SPM were 1112 ± 824 and 44 ± 33 ng·g-1 in the river and estuary, respectively. Also, HgT concentrations in the dissolved fraction (1.61 ± 0.61 ng·L-1) were below the limits established by environmental agencies (CONAMA = 2 μg∙L-1 and USEPA = 1.4 μg·L-1). Salinity and SPM concentrations were important predictors of HgT in the water column (R2 = 0.81, p < 0.0001; R2 = 0.56, p < 0.0001, respectively). Mercury transport to the ocean through SPM was 2 kg∙year-1, 4000 times greater than the dissolved fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendel Dias Constantino
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Luísa Maria de Souza Viana
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe Henrique Rossi Luze
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eloá Corrêa Lessa Tostes
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Inácio Abreu Pestana
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo Veiga de Carvalho
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências E Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego - 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP 28013-602, Campos Dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Eckley CS, Luxton TP, Stanfield B, Baldwin A, Holloway J, McKernan J, Johnson MG. Effect of organic matter concentration and characteristics on mercury mobilization and methylmercury production at an abandoned mine site. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 271:116369. [PMID: 33401216 PMCID: PMC7903515 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Thousands of abandoned mines throughout the western region of North America contain elevated total-mercury (THg) concentrations. Mercury is mobilized from these sites primarily due to erosion of particulate-bound Hg (THg-P). Organic matter-based soil amendments can promote vegetation growth on mine tailings, reducing erosion and subsequent loading of THg-P into downstream waterbodies. However, the introduction of a labile carbon source may stimulate microbial activity that can produce methylmercury (MeHg)-the more toxic and bioaccumulative form of Hg. Our objectives were to investigate how additions of different organic matter substrates impact Hg mobilization and methylation using a combination of field observations and controlled experiments. Field measurements of water, sediment, and porewater were collected downstream of the site and multi-year monitoring (and load calculations) were conducted at a downstream gaging station. MeHg production was assessed using stable isotope methylation assays and mesocosm experiments that were conducted using different types of organic carbon soil amendments mixed with materials from the mine site. The results showed that >80% of the THg mobilized from the mine was bound to particles and that >90% of the annual Hg loading occurred during the period of elevated discharge during spring snowmelt. Methylation rates varied between different types of soil amendments and were correlated with the components of excitation emission matrices (EEMs) associated with humic acid fractions of organic matter. The mesocosm experiments showed that under anoxic conditions carbon amendments to tailings could significantly increase porewater MeHg concentrations (up to 13 ± 3 ng/L). In addition, the carbon amendments significantly increased THg partitioning into porewater. Overall, these results indicate that soil amendment applications to reduce surface erosion at abandoned mine sites could be effective at reducing particulate Hg mobilization to downstream waterbodies; however, some types of carbon amendments can significantly increase Hg methylation as well as increase the mobilization of dissolved THg from the site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris S Eckley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region-10, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Todd P Luxton
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brooks Stanfield
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region-10, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Austin Baldwin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Water Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | - JoAnn Holloway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - John McKernan
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Mark G Johnson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
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