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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [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: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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Andersen-Ranberg EU, Leifsson PS, Rigét FF, Søndergaard J, Andersen S, Alstrup AKO, Dietz R, Sonne C. Element Concentrations and Histopathology of Liver and Kidney in West Greenland Ringed Seals ( Pusa hispida). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1739. [PMID: 38929358 PMCID: PMC11200747 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Ringed seals are consumed in Greenland and are therefore included as a key biomonitoring species with the focus on pollution exposure and health effects. Ringed seals in Central West Greenland (Qeqertarsuaq) and in North West Greenland (Qaanaaq) were analyzed for metal concentrations in the liver and histological changes in the liver and kidney. The mean liver concentration of mercury in Qaanaaq was 3.73 ± 5.01 µg/g ww (range: 0.28-23.29 µg/g ww), and the mean cadmium concentration was 7.80 ± 8.95 µg/g ww (range: 0.013-38.79 µg/g ww). For Qeqertarsuaq, the liver concentration of mercury was 1.78 ± 1.70 µg/g ww (range: 0.45-8.00 µg/g ww) and the mean cadmium concentration was 11.58 ± 6.32 µg/g ww (range: 0.11-25.45 µg/g ww). Age had a positive effect on the liver concentrations of metals, while no effect was found for sex or histological changes. The prevalence of histological changes in liver tissue decreased in the following order: random pattern mononuclear cell infiltration (92.1%), portal cell infiltration (68.4%), hepatic intracellular fat (18.4%), portal fibrosis (7.9%), focal hepatic fibrosis (7.9%), bile duct hyperplasia/fibrosis (7.9%) and lipid granuloma (2.6%). For kidney tissue, the prevalence of histological changes decreased in the following order: glomerular mesangial deposits (54.1%) > glomerular basement membrane thickening (45.9%) > THD (40%) > tubular hyaline casts (14.0%) > glomerular atrophy (13.5%) > dilated tubules (13.5%) > glomerular hyper-cellularity (10.8%) > mononuclear cell infiltrations (8.1%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie U. Andersen-Ranberg
- Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technological Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (F.F.R.); (J.S.); (R.D.); (C.S.)
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 16, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Pall S. Leifsson
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 3, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark;
| | - Frank F. Rigét
- Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technological Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (F.F.R.); (J.S.); (R.D.); (C.S.)
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technological Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (F.F.R.); (J.S.); (R.D.); (C.S.)
| | - Steen Andersen
- Hunters Science, Rådmandsgade 55, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark;
| | - Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, DK-8200 Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Nuclear medicine & PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, DK-8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technological Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (F.F.R.); (J.S.); (R.D.); (C.S.)
| | - Christian Sonne
- Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, Faculty of Technological Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; (F.F.R.); (J.S.); (R.D.); (C.S.)
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von Hellfeld R, Gade C, Doeschate MT, Davison NJ, Brownlow A, Mbadugha L, Hastings A, Paton G. High resolution visualisation of tiemannite microparticles, essential in the detoxification process of mercury in marine mammals. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123027. [PMID: 38016588 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The North Sea is an ecologically rich habitat for marine wildlife which has also been impacted by industrial developments and anthropogenic emissions of contaminants such as mercury. Marine mammals are particularly susceptible to mercury exposure, due to their trophic position, long lifespan, and dependence on (increasingly contaminated) aquatic prey species. To mitigate impact, marine mammals can detoxify methylmercury by binding it to selenium-containing biomolecules, creating insoluble mercury selenide granules. Here, liver, kidney, muscle, and brain samples from an adult male bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with known elevated mercury concentrations were analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Tiemannite (HgSe) deposits were identified in all organs, ranging from 400 nm to 5 μm in diameter, with particle size being organ-dependent. Although reported in other studies, this is the first time that the three-dimensional nature of tiemannite is captured in marine mammal tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca von Hellfeld
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, 23 St Machar Drive, AB23 8UU, Aberdeen, UK; National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), Main Street, AB41 6AA, Newburgh, UK.
| | - Christoph Gade
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, 23 St Machar Drive, AB23 8UU, Aberdeen, UK; National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), Main Street, AB41 6AA, Newburgh, UK
| | - Mariel Ten Doeschate
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), University of Glasgow, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, 464 Bearsden Road, G61 1QH, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nicolas J Davison
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), University of Glasgow, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, 464 Bearsden Road, G61 1QH, Glasgow, UK
| | - Andrew Brownlow
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), University of Glasgow, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, 464 Bearsden Road, G61 1QH, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lenka Mbadugha
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, 23 St Machar Drive, AB23 8UU, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Astley Hastings
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, 23 St Machar Drive, AB23 8UU, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Graeme Paton
- University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences, 23 St Machar Drive, AB23 8UU, Aberdeen, UK
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Andersson Stavridis M, Røed SB, Hansen BB, Mikkelsen Ø, Ciesielski TM, Jenssen BM. Tracing the footprints of Arctic pollution: Spatial variations in toxic and essential elements in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) faeces. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167562. [PMID: 37802349 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167562] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is an accumulation zone of long-range transported pollution. In addition, local anthropogenic activities further contribute to regional pollution levels. The Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) is a suitable organism for studying and monitoring exposure to anthropogenic pollutants at the base of the terrestrial Arctic food web, and reindeer faeces have been promoted as non-invasive means of biomonitoring contaminant exposure. This study used HR-ICP-MS to analyse levels and composition of 16 elements in Svalbard reindeer faeces (n = 96) and soil (n = 9) from two locations on Svalbard, with the aim to assess whether local anthropogenic pollution influences element bioavailability. One of the sampling areas, the Nordenskiöld coast, is situated on the west coast of Spitsbergen, close to the Arctic Ocean and relatively far from local anthropogenic sources. The other sampling area, Adventdalen, is located further inland and close to Longyearbyen, the largest settlement of the archipelago. There was a significant difference in faecal elemental concentration and composition between the Adventdalen and Nordenskiöld coast reindeer populations. Elements of geogenic origin (e.g., Al, Cu and Fe) were found at higher levels in faeces from Adventdalen. In comparison, levels of Ca, Se and the toxic elements Cd and Pb were higher in faecal samples from the Nordenskiöld coast. The significantly higher levels of faecal Cd and Pb at Nordenskiöld coast may be due to marine input, dietary differences between the populations, or possible anthropogenic influence from the nearby settlement of Barentsburg. There was, however, a decoupling in elemental composition between faecal and soil samples, which may derive from a selective vegetational uptake of elements from the soil. The results suggest that reindeer are exposed to a range of elements and that faeces can be used to monitor the exposure to bioavailable environmental levels of both essential and toxic elements in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Andersson Stavridis
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Susanne Brix Røed
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Øyvind Mikkelsen
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
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Polizzi P, Romero MB, Chiodi Boudet L, Dolagaratz Carricavur A, Gerpe M. What do small cetaceans tell us about trace elements pollution on the Argentinean coast? Franciscana dolphin as a biomonitor. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167428. [PMID: 37793446 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167428] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Trace elements (TEs) constitute the oldest emerging pollutants globally, most occur from natural sources, but a few are derived from anthropogenic sources. Marine mammals are considered bioindicators of ecosystem contamination. The aims of this review is compile reports on essential and nonessential TEs occurrence in small cetaceans from Argentinean waters; and to review the existing information on the concentration of TEs in the Franciscana dolphin, a biomonitor species of the Argentine coastal marine ecosystem. We searched reports where levels of TEs were present in small cetaceans from and eight species were analysed: Pontoporia blainvillei, Tursiops truncatus gephyreus, Kogia breviceps, Delphinus delphis, Lagenorhynchus obscurus, Lagenodelphis hasei, Cephaloryhchus commersonii and Ziphius cavirostris. Essential TEs like Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, Se, As, Au, Ag, Sn, and nonessential TE as Pb, Cd, Hg, As was considered. The reports compiled in this article analysed kidney, liver, muscle and occasionally brain, skin, lung and spleen, covering a temporal range of 30 years, from 1982 to 2016. Of data analysis, we identify knowledge gaps, species of small cetaceans for which the concentration of trace metals is not yet known and areas on the Argentine coast where there are no reports that analyse them. The most recent information corresponds to the 2010 decade, and in those subsequent publications, the samples were taken at that time. This emphasizes the importance of reviewing this data, in order to compare old and new datasets, create contamination timelines and evaluate possible increases or decreases of contaminants in different study areas. The information recopilated will serve as valuable baselines to detect the future impact of increasing human, even natural, activities on marine ecosystems in the South Atlantic Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Polizzi
- Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, CC1260, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - M B Romero
- Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, CC1260, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - L Chiodi Boudet
- Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, CC1260, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - A Dolagaratz Carricavur
- Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, CC1260, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - M Gerpe
- Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, CC1260, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Bank MS, Ho QT, Ingvaldsen RB, Duinker A, Nilsen BM, Maage A, Frantzen S. Climate change dynamics and mercury temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Barents Sea ecosystem. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122706. [PMID: 37821039 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) is the world's northernmost stock of Atlantic cod and is of considerable ecological and economic importance. Northeast Arctic cod are widely distributed in the Barents Sea, an environment that supports a high degree of ecosystem resiliency and food web complexity. Here using 121 years of ocean temperature data (1900-2020), 41 years of sea ice extent information (1979-2020) and 27 years of total mercury (Hg) fillet concentration data (1994-2021, n = 1999, ≥71% Methyl Hg, n = 20) from the Barents Sea ecosystem, we evaluate the effects of climate change dynamics on Hg temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod. We observed low and consistently stable, Hg concentrations (yearly, least-square means range = 0.022-0.037 mg/kg wet wt.) in length-normalized fish, with a slight decline in the most recent sampling periods despite a significant increase in Barents Sea temperature, and a sharp decline in regional sea ice extent. Overall, our data suggest that recent Arctic amplification of ocean temperature, "Atlantification," and other perturbations of the Barents Sea ecosystem, along with rapidly declining sea ice extent over the last ∼30 years did not translate into major increases or decreases in Hg bioaccumulation in Northeast Arctic cod. Our findings are consistent with similar long-term, temporal assessments of Atlantic cod inhabiting Oslofjord, Norway, and with recent investigations and empirical data for other marine apex predators. This demonstrates that Hg bioaccumulation is highly context specific, and some species may not be as sensitive to current climate change-contaminant interactions as currently thought. Fish Hg bioaccumulation-climate change relationships are highly complex and not uniform, and our data suggest that Hg temporal trends in marine apex predators can vary considerably within and among species, and geographically. Hg bioaccumulation regimes in biota are highly nuanced and likely driven by a suite of other factors such as local diets, sources of Hg, bioenergetics, toxicokinetic processing, and growth and metabolic rates of individuals and taxa, and inputs from anthropogenic activities at varying spatiotemporal scales. Collectively, these findings have important policy implications for global food security, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and several relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bank
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway; University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Quang Tri Ho
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Arne Duinker
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Amund Maage
- Institute of Marine Research, 5817, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, 5020, Bergen, Norway
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Cusset F, Charrier J, Massé G, Mallory M, Braune B, Provencher J, Guillou G, Massicotte P, Fort J. The consumption of ice-derived resources is associated with higher mercury contamination in an Arctic seabird. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117066. [PMID: 37660878 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Sea ice plays a fundamental role in Arctic marine environments, by driving primary productivity and sustaining ice-associated ecosystems. Simultaneously, sea ice influences the contamination of Arctic marine organisms, by modifying contaminant cycles or their bioavailability. Changes in sea ice conditions could therefore profoundly impact the functioning of Arctic marine food webs and their contamination. Top predators such as seabirds, which are subject to bioaccumulation and biomagnification of contaminants, are particularly exposed. In this context, the present study aims to investigate the influence of sea ice and of the use of ice-derived resources on the contamination of seabirds by mercury (Hg). To this end, eggs of thick-billed murres (Brünnich's guillemots, Uria lomvia; n = 60) were collected on Prince Leopold Island (Canadian High Arctic) during four years of varying ice conditions (2010-2013). Trophic tracers (i.e., Highly Branched Isoprenoids, HBIs - an indicator of the use of ice-derived resources; carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes - indicators of foraging habitats and trophic status), as well as total Hg concentrations were quantified. Results showed that feeding on ice-derived resources (as indicated by HBI concentrations) was positively correlated to sea ice cover, and both positively influenced Hg concentrations in murre eggs. However, when testing for the best predictor with model selection, sea ice concentration only drove Hg contamination in murres. This work provides new insights into the role of sea ice and ice-derived resources in the contamination by Hg of Arctic wildlife. Further research is now needed to better understand the relationship between sea ice and Hg contamination in Arctic biota and its underlying mechanisms, but also to identify Hg sources in rapidly changing environmental conditions in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Cusset
- Takuvik International Research Laboratory (IRL 3376) ULaval-CNRS, Biolgy Department, Laval University, 1045 Avenue de La Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada; LIENSs, UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France.
| | - Julie Charrier
- LIENSs, UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France.
| | - Guillaume Massé
- Takuvik International Research Laboratory (IRL 3376) ULaval-CNRS, Biolgy Department, Laval University, 1045 Avenue de La Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada; LOCEAN, UMR 7159, CNRS, MNHN, IRD, Sorbonne-Université, Station Marine de Concarneau, BP225, 29900, Concarneau, France
| | - Mark Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, 15 University Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Birgit Braune
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Jennifer Provencher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Gaël Guillou
- LIENSs, UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Philippe Massicotte
- Takuvik International Research Laboratory (IRL 3376) ULaval-CNRS, Biolgy Department, Laval University, 1045 Avenue de La Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jérôme Fort
- LIENSs, UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
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8
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Reiter EB, Escher BI, Rojo-Nieto E, Nolte H, Siebert U, Jahnke A. Characterizing the marine mammal exposome by iceberg modeling, linking chemical analysis and in vitro bioassays. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:1802-1816. [PMID: 37132588 PMCID: PMC10647987 DOI: 10.1039/d3em00033h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study complements work on mixture effects measured with in vitro bioassays of passive equilibrium sampling extracts using the silicone polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in organs from marine mammals with chemical profiling. Blubber, liver, kidney and brain tissues of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), ringed seal (Phoca hispida) and orca (Orcinus orca) from the North and Baltic Seas were investigated. We analyzed 117 chemicals including legacy and emerging contaminants using gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and quantified 70 of those chemicals in at least one sample. No systematic differences between the organs were found. Only for single compounds a clear distribution pattern was observed. For example, 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, enzacamene and etofenprox were mainly detected in blubber, whereas tonalide and the hexachlorocyclohexanes were more often found in liver. Furthermore, we compared the chemical profiling with the bioanalytical results using an iceberg mixture model, evaluating how much of the biological effect could be explained by the analyzed chemicals. The mixture effect predicted from the quantified chemical concentrations explained 0.014-83% of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor activating effect (AhR-CALUX), but less than 0.13% for the activation of the oxidative stress response (AREc32) and peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor (PPARγ). The quantified chemicals also explained between 0.044-45% of the cytotoxic effect measured with the AhR-CALUX. The largest fraction of the observed effect was explained for the orca, which was the individuum with the highest chemical burden. This study underlines that chemical analysis and bioassays are complementary to comprehensively characterize the mixture exposome of marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva B Reiter
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elisa Rojo-Nieto
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Hannah Nolte
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, 52074, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstr. 6, 25761, Büsum, Germany
| | - Annika Jahnke
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, 52074, Germany
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9
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Gomes PR, Pestana IA, de Almeida MG, de Rezende CE. The Paraíba do Sul River Basin and its coastal area as a study model of the mercury cycle: A meta-analytical review of three decades of research. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 460:132442. [PMID: 37683351 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The Paraíba do Sul River (PSR) Basin is a crucial drainage basin in Southeast Brazil, being the most industrialized and densely populated region in the country. Over the last three decades, the basin has been the subject of numerous studies due to its long history of mercury (Hg) contamination. This makes the PSR Basin an excellent model to evaluate Hg cycling, which is a priority for signatory countries of the Minamata Convention, which includes Brazil. This review compiled data on Hg from five environmental compartments (animals, plants, sediment, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and water), three different sectors (upper, middle, and lower) and five different ecosystems (reservoir, mangrove, fluvial, estuarine, and coastal) from 60 published studies, aiming to understand the Hg cycling through meta-analyses. The highest concentrations of Hg were observed in the upper and middle sectors of the basin, which are areas with high industrialization and urbanization levels. Among the evaluated ecosystems, hydropower reservoirs showed the highest medians and were also frequent in the upper and middle portions of the PSR basin. Over the years, all environmental compartments showed a decline in Hg concentrations due to the implementation of federal and state environmental policies. The main source of Hg for the basin was Hg-rich soils from past activities (such as artisanal small-scale gold mining and the use of organomercurial fungicides in sugarcane plantations). These results can assist decision-makers in the management of the basin's ecosystems and can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the Minamata Convention in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipe Ribeiro Gomes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Inácio Abreu Pestana
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Gomes de Almeida
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo de Rezende
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000 - Parque Califórnia - CEP: 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Gundersen CB, Yakushev E, Terentjev P, Kashulin N, Korobov V, Frolova N, Romanov A, Jermilova U, Lokhov A, Miskevich I, Kotova E, Steindal EH, Veiteberg Braaten HF. Mercury in the Barents region - River fluxes, sources, and environmental concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 333:122055. [PMID: 37356792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Arctic rivers are receiving increased attention for their contributing of mercury (Hg) to the Arctic Ocean. Despite this, the knowledge on both the terrestrial release sources and the levels of Hg in the rivers are limited. Within the Arctic, the Barents region has a high industrial development, including multiple potential Hg release sources. This study presents the first overview of potential Hg release sources on Norwegian and Russian mainland draining to the Barents Sea. Source categories cover mining and metallurgy industry; historical pulp and paper production; municipal and industrial solid waste handling; fossil fuel combustion; and past military activities. Available data on Hg in freshwater bodies near the identified potential release sources are reviewed. Levels of Hg were occasionally exceeding the national pollution control limits, thereby posing concern to the local human population and wildlife. However, the studies were sparse and often unsystematic. Finally, we present new data of Hg measured in five Barents rivers. These data reveal strong seasonality in the Hg levels, with a total annual flux constituting 2% of the panarctic total. With this new insight we aspire to contribute to the international efforts of reducing Hg pollution, such as through the effective implementation of the Minamata Convention. Future studies documenting Hg in exposed Barents freshwater bodies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evgeniy Yakushev
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Petr Terentjev
- Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems (INEP), Akademgorodok, d. 14A, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
| | - Nikolai Kashulin
- Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems (INEP), Akademgorodok, d. 14A, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
| | - Vladimir Korobov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Natalia Frolova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Alexander Romanov
- Scientific Research Institute for Atmospheric Air Protection (SRI Atmosphere JSC), 7, Karbyshev st., St. Petersburg, 194021, Russia
| | - Una Jermilova
- Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Alexey Lokhov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Igor Miskevich
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Kotova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (IORAS), 36, Nakhimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Eirik Hovland Steindal
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Universitetstunet 3, 1432 Ås, Norway
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11
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Yurkowski DJ, McCulloch E, Ogloff WR, Johnson KF, Amiraux R, Basu N, Elliott KH, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Harris LN, Hedges KJ, Jacobs K, Loewen TN, Matthews CJD, Mundy CJ, Niemi A, Rosenberg B, Watt CA, McKinney MA. Mercury accumulation, biomagnification, and relationships to δ 13C, δ 15N and δ 34S of fishes and marine mammals in a coastal Arctic marine food web. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115233. [PMID: 37421916 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Combining mercury and stable isotope data sets of consumers facilitates the quantification of whether contaminant variation in predators is due to diet, habitat use and/or environmental factors. We investigated inter-species variation in total Hg (THg) concentrations, trophic magnification slope between δ15N and THg, and relationships of THg with δ13C and δ34S in 15 fish and four marine mammal species (249 individuals in total) in coastal Arctic waters. Median THg concentration in muscle varied between species ranging from 0.08 ± 0.04 μg g-1 dw in capelin to 3.10 ± 0.80 μg g-1 dw in beluga whales. Both δ15N (r2 = 0.26) and δ34S (r2 = 0.19) best explained variation in log-THg across consumers. Higher THg concentrations occurred in higher trophic level species that consumed more pelagic-associated prey than consumers that rely on the benthic microbial-based food web. Our study illustrates the importance of using a multi-isotopic approach that includes δ34S when investigating trophic Hg dynamics in coastal marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Yurkowski
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - Elena McCulloch
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wesley R Ogloff
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kelsey F Johnson
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Rémi Amiraux
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Les N Harris
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kevin J Hedges
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kevin Jacobs
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tracey N Loewen
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Cory J D Matthews
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - C J Mundy
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Andrea Niemi
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Bruno Rosenberg
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Cortney A Watt
- Arctic and Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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12
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Parker KH, Bishop JM, Serieys LEK, Mateo R, Camarero PR, Leighton GRM. A heavy burden: Metal exposure across the land-ocean continuum in an adaptable carnivore. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 327:121585. [PMID: 37040831 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation and associated anthropogenic activities release large quantities of toxic metals and metalloids into the environment, where they may bioaccumulate and threaten both wildlife and human health. In highly transformed landscapes, terrestrial carnivores may be at increased risk of exposure through biomagnification. We quantified metallic element and metalloid exposure in blood of caracals (Caracal caracal), an adaptable felid inhabiting the rapidly urbanising, coastal metropole of Cape Town, South Africa. Using redundancy analysis and mixed-effect models, we explored the influence of demography, landscape use, and diet on the concentration of 11 metals and metalloids. Although species-specific toxic thresholds are lacking, arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) were present at potentially sublethal levels in several individuals. Increased use of human-transformed landscapes, particularly urban areas, roads, and vineyards, was significantly associated with increased exposure to aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co) and lead (Pb). Foraging closer to the coast and within aquatic food webs was associated with increased levels of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and arsenic, where regular predation on seabirds and waterbirds likely facilitates transfer of metals from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. Further, several elements were linked to lower haemoglobin levels (chromium, mercury, manganese, and zinc) and elevated levels of infection-fighting cells (mercury and selenium). Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic activities as major environmental sources of metal contamination in terrestrial wildlife, including exposure across the land-ocean continuum. These findings contribute towards the growing evidence suggesting cities are particularly toxic areas for wildlife. Co-exposure to a suite of metal pollutants may threaten the long-term health and persistence of Cape Town's caracal population in unexpected ways, particularly when interacting with additional known pollutant and pathogen exposure. The caracal is a valuable sentinel for assessing metal exposure and can be used in pollution monitoring programmes to mitigate exposure and promote biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim H Parker
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline M Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Laurel E K Serieys
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Panthera, New York, NY, USA; Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pablo R Camarero
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Gabriella R M Leighton
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
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13
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Ryazanov SD, Fomin SV, Kalinchuk VV. Mercury content in the fur of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) from the Commander Islands. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114638. [PMID: 36706549 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a keystone species in the ecosystem which is currently in depression in Russia. The objectives of this study were to: (1) establish if the sea otters from the Commander Islands have hazardous levels of mercury (Hg) in their fur; (2) assess Hg pollution in sea otters during a period of high abundance and population depression; (3) identify the age and sex differences in sea otters by Hg content. The sea otters were classified from no to low risk for Hg health effects. Differences in Hg content during periods of low and high population size were not statistically significant. Hg concentrations in adult sea otters were significantly higher than in the young, and higher in males than in females. This study presents the first data on Hg content in sea otters' fur and the first estimate of Hg contamination for the Commander Islands population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey D Ryazanov
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiiskaya Str., Vladivostok 690041, Russia.
| | - Sergey V Fomin
- Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, FEB RAS, 6, Partizanskaya Str., Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 683000, Russia
| | - Viktor V Kalinchuk
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS, 43, Baltiiskaya Str., Vladivostok 690041, Russia.
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14
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Carravieri A, Lorioux S, Angelier F, Chastel O, Albert C, Bråthen VS, Brisson-Curadeau É, Clairbaux M, Delord K, Giraudeau M, Perret S, Poupart T, Ribout C, Viricel-Pante A, Grémillet D, Bustamante P, Fort J. Carryover effects of winter mercury contamination on summer concentrations and reproductive performance in little auks. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 318:120774. [PMID: 36496068 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Many animals migrate after reproduction to respond to seasonal environmental changes. Environmental conditions experienced on non-breeding sites can have carryover effects on fitness. Exposure to harmful chemicals can vary widely between breeding and non-breeding grounds, but its carryover effects are poorly studied. Mercury (Hg) contamination is a major concern in the Arctic. Here, we quantified winter Hg contamination and its carryover effects in the most abundant Arctic seabird, the little auk Alle alle. Winter Hg contamination of birds from an East Greenland population was inferred from head feather concentrations. Birds tracked with Global Location Sensors (GLS, N = 28 of the total 92) spent the winter in western and central North Atlantic waters and had increasing head feather Hg concentrations with increasing longitude (i.e., eastward). This spatial pattern was not predicted by environmental variables such as bathymetry, sea-surface temperature or productivity, and needs further investigation. Hg concentrations in head feathers and blood were strongly correlated, suggesting a carryover effect of adult winter contamination on the consequent summer concentrations. Head feather Hg concentrations had no clear association with telomere length, a robust fitness indicator. In contrast, carryover negative effects were detected on chick health, as parental Hg contamination in winter was associated with decreasing growth rate of chicks in summer. Head feather Hg concentrations of females were not associated with egg membrane Hg concentrations, or with egg volume. In addition, parental winter Hg contamination was not related to Hg burdens in chicks' body feathers. Therefore, we hypothesise that the association between parental winter Hg exposure and the growth of their chick results from an Hg-related decrease in parental care, and needs further empirical evidence. Our results stress the need of considering parental contamination on non-breeding sites to understand Hg trans-generational effects in migrating seabirds, even at low concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Carravieri
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Sophie Lorioux
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Céline Albert
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Vegard Sandøy Bråthen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Postboks 5685, Torgarden 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Émile Brisson-Curadeau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France; Université McGill, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Manon Clairbaux
- MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Beaufort Building, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, P43 C573, Ireland; School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Samuel Perret
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Timothée Poupart
- Patrimoine Naturel Joint Unit (OFB-CNRS-MNHN), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Station marine de Concarneau, Quai de la Croix, 29900 Concarneau, France
| | - Cécile Ribout
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Amélia Viricel-Pante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; LEMAR (UMR 6539 UBO, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer) IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
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15
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Boutet V, Dominique M, Eccles KM, Branigan M, Dyck M, van Coeverden de Groot P, Lougheed SC, Rutter A, Langlois VS. An exploratory spatial contaminant assessment for polar bear (Ursus maritimus) liver, fat, and muscle from northern Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120663. [PMID: 36395907 PMCID: PMC10163957 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120663] [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: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Since the industrial era, chemicals have been ubiquitous in worldwide ecosystems. Despite the discontinued release of highly toxic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment, the levels of some POPs are still being measured in the Canadian Arctic. These contaminants are of great concern due to their persistence, toxicity, and levels of bioaccumulation in food chains. Animals occupying top trophic positions in the Canadian Arctic, particularly polar bears, are exposed to these contaminants mainly through their diet. Our study investigated the levels of 30 metals (including total and methyl mercury) alkaline and alkaline earth metals, 15 polycyclic aromatic compounds and their alkyl congeners (PACs), 6 chlordanes (CHLs), and 20 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in 49 polar bears from the Canadian Arctic. Contaminant burden was measured in liver, muscle, and fat in bears of different sex, age, and locations. A principal component analysis did not distinguish differences between age and sex profiles for most contaminants. However, the concentrations measured and their distribution in the tissues confirm findings observed in past studies. This study highlights the importance of continual monitoring of polar bear health (e.g., newly detected PACs were measured within this study) and evaluating those impacts for the next generations of polar bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Boutet
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Québec, Canada
| | - M Dominique
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Québec, Canada
| | - K M Eccles
- National Institute of Environmental Health Science, Division of the National Toxicology Program, Durham, USA
| | - M Branigan
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - M Dyck
- Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Igloolik, NU, Canada
| | | | - S C Lougheed
- Biology Department, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - A Rutter
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - V S Langlois
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Québec, Canada.
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16
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Rajaram R, Ganeshkumar A, Emmanuel Charles P. Ecological risk assessment of metals in the Arctic environment with emphasis on Kongsfjorden Fjord and freshwater lakes of Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 310:136737. [PMID: 36228726 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of five heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in the sediments, water, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macroalgae from Kongsfjorden Fjord and the freshwater lakes of Ny-Ålesund in the Svalbard archipelago were determined in order to describe the anthropogenic impacts related to the Ny-Ålesund town. Water samples from nine stations, sediment samples from 23 stations, plankton samples from five stations, and six species of macroalgae were collected and subjected to heavy metal analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Only Cu and Zn were detected in the water samples. The plankton samples had only Zn, Cu, and Cr. The average metal concentrations in macroalgae fell in the decreasing order of Cu > Zn > Cr > Cd > Pb. In sediment samples, the metal order was as follows: Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Cd. Multivariate statistical analyses including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to identify the source of the metal contamination. The metals were found to originate from a blend of both anthropogenic and geogenic sources. Pollution monitoring indices including geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor, contamination degree (Cdeg), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk (PER) were calculated using the metal data. In the study area, Igeo values of the metals showed pollution grades from 0 (uncontaminated) to 6 (extremely contaminated). Cdeg fell in classes from 1 (low contamination) to 4 (very high contamination). PLI values ranged between 0 and 5.68. PER values expressed that except for a few stations located at higher elevations in the glacial outwash plains, all other sites were highly polluted. The high level of pollution indices in the sites can be attributed to the anthropogenic activities persistent in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendran Rajaram
- Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India - 620024.
| | - Arumugam Ganeshkumar
- Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India - 620024
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17
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Peraza I, Chételat J, Richardson M, Jung TS, Awan M, Baryluk S, Dastoor A, Harrower W, Kukka PM, McClelland C, Mowat G, Pelletier N, Rodford C, Ryjkov A. Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285826. [PMID: 37186585 PMCID: PMC10184919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Peraza
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murray Richardson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas S Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Malik Awan
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Steve Baryluk
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Ashu Dastoor
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
| | - William Harrower
- Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Piia M Kukka
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Christine McClelland
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Garth Mowat
- Ministry of Forests, British Columbia Government, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pelletier
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Rodford
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrei Ryjkov
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
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18
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Dietz R, Wilson S, Loseto LL, Dommergue A, Xie Z, Sonne C, Chételat J. Special issue on the AMAP 2021 assessment of mercury in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:157020. [PMID: 35764153 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This Editorial presents an overview of the Special Issue on advances in Arctic mercury (Hg) science synthesized from the 2021 assessment of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Mercury continues to travel to Arctic environments and threaten wildlife and human health in this circumpolar region. Over the last decade, progress has been achieved in addressing policy-relevant uncertainties in environmental Hg contamination. This includes temporal trends of Hg, its transport to and within the Arctic, methylmercury cycling, climate change influences, biological effects of Hg on fish and wildlife, human exposure to Hg, and forecasting of Arctic responses to different future scenarios of anthropogenic Hg emissions. In addition, important contributions of Indigenous Peoples to Arctic research and monitoring of Hg are highlighted, including through projects of knowledge co-production. Finally, policy-relevant recommendations are summarized for future study of Arctic mercury. This series of scientific articles presents comprehensive information relevant to supporting effectiveness evaluation of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lisa L Loseto
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada; Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Aurélien Dommergue
- Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement, Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, France
| | - Zhouqing Xie
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
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19
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Morris AD, Wilson SJ, Fryer RJ, Thomas PJ, Hudelson K, Andreasen B, Blévin P, Bustamante P, Chastel O, Christensen G, Dietz R, Evans M, Evenset A, Ferguson SH, Fort J, Gamberg M, Grémillet D, Houde M, Letcher RJ, Loseto L, Muir D, Pinzone M, Poste A, Routti H, Sonne C, Stern G, Rigét FF. Temporal trends of mercury in Arctic biota: 10 more years of progress in Arctic monitoring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:155803. [PMID: 35561904 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trend analysis of (total) mercury (THg) concentrations in Arctic biota were assessed as part of the 2021 Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Mercury Assessment. A mixed model including an evaluation of non-linear trends was applied to 110 time series of THg concentrations from Arctic and Subarctic biota. Temporal trends were calculated for full time series (6-46 years) and evaluated with a particular focus on recent trends over the last 20 years. Three policy-relevant questions were addressed: (1) What time series for THg concentrations in Arctic biota are currently available? (2) Are THg concentrations changing over time in biota from the Arctic? (3) Are there spatial patterns in THg trends in biota from the Arctic? Few geographical patterns of recent trends in THg concentrations were observed; however, those in marine mammals tended to be increasing at more easterly longitudes, and those of seabirds tended to be increasing in the Northeast Atlantic; these should be interpreted with caution as geographic coverage remains variable. Trends of THg in freshwater fish were equally increasing and decreasing or non-significant while those in marine fish and mussels were non-significant or increasing. The statistical power to detect trends was greatly improved compared to the 2011 AMAP Mercury Assessment; 70% of the time series could detect a 5% annual change at the 5% significance level with power ≥ 80%, while in 2011 only 19% met these criteria. Extending existing time series, and availability of new, powerful time series contributed to these improvements, highlighting the need for annual monitoring, particularly given the spatial and temporal information needed to support initiatives such as the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Collecting the same species/tissues across different locations is recommended. Extended time series from Alaska and new data from Russia are also needed to better establish circumarctic patterns of temporal trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 15 Eddy Street, 14th floor, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H4, Canada.
| | - Simon J Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, The Fram Centre, Box 6606 Stakkevollan, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Rob J Fryer
- Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - Philippe J Thomas
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marlene Evans
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | | | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en bois, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | | | - Amanda Poste
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gary Stern
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), University of Manitoba, 125 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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20
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Barst BD, Chételat J, Basu N. Toxicological risk of mercury for fish and invertebrate prey in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155702. [PMID: 35523325 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the risks of mercury (Hg) to Arctic marine and freshwater fish by compiling published muscle Hg concentrations and information on tissue concentrations associated with adverse effects. The assessment included 333 groups of fish representing 35 genera and 14,002 individuals sampled from sites across the circumpolar Arctic. Mean or median Hg concentrations in fish muscle varied widely from 0.005 μg/g ww to a maximum of 2.2 μg/g ww. Results indicate that most (n = 139 of 333 or ~ 42%) Arctic fish are not at risk for Hg toxicity, based on the large number of fish mean or median muscle Hg concentrations below 0.1 μg/g ww. A smaller number of the identified groups (n = 76 of 333 or ~ 23%) of Arctic fish had mean or median Hg concentrations consistent with moderate (0.3-0.5 μg/g ww), high (0.5-2 μg/g ww), and severe risk (≥2 μg/g ww). Most of the fish with Hg concentrations in these risk categories were long-lived predators (e.g., non-anadromous Arctic char, northern pike, lake trout, Greenland halibut, Greenland shark). We also, for the first time, conducted a risk assessment of Arctic marine and freshwater invertebrates to evaluate the potential for Hg effects at lower trophic levels and to support risk assessment for Arctic fish. The vast majority (90%) of site-specific Hg or methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in taxa of marine and freshwater invertebrates (n = 321) were < 0.5 μg/g dw, which is well below critical body residues of Hg in aquatic invertebrates associated with acute and sublethal effects determined in laboratory dosing studies. As the screening-level approach we carried out in the present study is not indicative of actual effects, more studies which directly evaluate the effects of Hg exposure in Arctic fish species are needed. The information here will be of use to Article 22 (Effectiveness Evaluation) of the Minamata Convention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D Barst
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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21
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McKinney MA, Chételat J, Burke SM, Elliott KH, Fernie KJ, Houde M, Kahilainen KK, Letcher RJ, Morris AD, Muir DCG, Routti H, Yurkowski DJ. Climate change and mercury in the Arctic: Biotic interactions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 834:155221. [PMID: 35427623 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change has led to profound alterations of the Arctic environment and ecosystems, with potential secondary effects on mercury (Hg) within Arctic biota. This review presents the current scientific evidence for impacts of direct physical climate change and indirect ecosystem change on Hg exposure and accumulation in Arctic terrestrial, freshwater, and marine organisms. As the marine environment is elevated in Hg compared to the terrestrial environment, terrestrial herbivores that now exploit coastal/marine foods when terrestrial plants are iced over may be exposed to higher Hg concentrations. Conversely, certain populations of predators, including Arctic foxes and polar bears, have shown lower Hg concentrations related to reduced sea ice-based foraging and increased land-based foraging. How climate change influences Hg in Arctic freshwater fishes is not clear, but for lacustrine populations it may depend on lake-specific conditions, including interrelated alterations in lake ice duration, turbidity, food web length and energy sources (benthic to pelagic), and growth dilution. In several marine mammal and seabird species, tissue Hg concentrations have shown correlations with climate and weather variables, including climate oscillation indices and sea ice trends; these findings suggest that wind, precipitation, and cryosphere changes that alter Hg transport and deposition are impacting Hg concentrations in Arctic marine organisms. Ecological changes, including northward range shifts of sub-Arctic species and altered body condition, have also been shown to affect Hg levels in some populations of Arctic marine species. Given the limited number of populations and species studied to date, especially within Arctic terrestrial and freshwater systems, further research is needed on climate-driven processes influencing Hg concentrations in Arctic ecosystems and their net effects. Long-term pan-Arctic monitoring programs should consider ancillary datasets on climate, weather, organism ecology and physiology to improve interpretation of spatial variation and time trends of Hg in Arctic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada.
| | - John Chételat
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Samantha M Burke
- Minnow Aquatic Environmental Services, Guelph, ON N1H 1E9, Canada
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3 V9, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC H2Y 5E7, Canada
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology & Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Adam D Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Gatineau, QC J8X 2V6, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - David J Yurkowski
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
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22
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Toxic and essential trace element concentrations in Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) skeletal muscle varies by location and reproductive status. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03069-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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