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Jeong H, Ali W, Zinck P, Souissi S, Lee JS. Toxicity of methylmercury in aquatic organisms and interaction with environmental factors and coexisting pollutants: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 943:173574. [PMID: 38823721 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Mercury is a hazardous heavy metal that is distributed worldwide in aquatic ecosystems. Methylmercury (MeHg) poses significant toxicity risks to aquatic organisms, primarily through bioaccumulation and biomagnification, due to its strong affinity for protein thiol groups, which results in negative effects even at low concentrations. MeHg exposure can cause various physiological changes, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, metabolic disorders, genetic damage, and immunotoxicity. To assess the risks of MeHg contamination in actual aquatic ecosystems, it is important to understand how MeHg interacts with environmental factors such as temperature, pH, dissolved organic matter, salinity, and other pollutants such as microplastics and organic compounds. Complex environmental conditions can cause potential toxicity, such as synergistic, antagonistic, and unchanged effects, of MeHg in aquatic organisms. This review focuses on demonstrating the toxic effects of single MeHg exposure and the interactive relationships between MeHg and surrounding environmental factors or pollutants on aquatic organisms. Our review also recommends further research on biological and molecular responses in aquatic organisms to better understand the potential toxicity of combinational exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haksoo Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Wajid Ali
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 - UCCS - Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR-8187-LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, Station Marine de Wimereux, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Philippe Zinck
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 - UCCS - Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Sami Souissi
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR-8187-LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, Station Marine de Wimereux, F-59000 Lille, France; Center of Excellence for Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan; Operation Center for Enterprise Academia Networking, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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De Pao Mendonca K, Rocher C, Dufour A, Schenkelaars Q, Heimbürger-Boavida LE, le Bivic A, Borchiellini C, Issartel J, Renard E. Methylmercury exposure of the sponge O. lobularis induces strong tissue and cell defects. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:141839. [PMID: 38636911 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141839] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Mediterranean marine biota suffers from various anthropogenic threats. Among them, pollutants such as mercury (Hg) represent important environmental issues that are exacerbated by bioaccumulation and bioamplification along food webs via its organic form, monomethylmercury (MMHg). To date, very little is known regarding the impact of mercury on Porifera and the few available studies have been exclusively focused on Demospongiae. This work studies the effect of MMHgCl at different biological levels of Oscarella lobularis (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha). Bioaccumulation assays show that MMHgCl significantly accumulated in sponge tissues after a 96-h exposure to 0.1 μg L-1. Toxicity assays (LC5096h) show a sensibility that depends on life-stage (adult vs bud). Additionally, we show that the exposure to 1 μg L-1 MMHgCl negatively impacts the epithelial integrity and the regeneration process in buds, as shown by the loss of cell-cell contacts and the alteration of osculum morphogenesis. For the first time in a sponge, a whole set of genes classically involved in metal detoxification and in antioxidant response were identified. Significant changes in catalase, superoxide dismutase and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 expressions in exposed juveniles were measured. Such an integrative approach from the physiological to the molecular scales on a non-model organism expands our knowledge concerning sensitivity and toxicity mechanisms induced by MMHg in Porifera, raising new questions regarding the possible defences used by marine sponges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra De Pao Mendonca
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, UMR7288, Marseille, France
| | - Caroline Rocher
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Aurélie Dufour
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Marseille, France
| | | | - Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Marseille, France
| | - André le Bivic
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, UMR7288, Marseille, France
| | | | - Julien Issartel
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, FR 3098 ECCOREV, F-13545, Aix-en-Provence, France.
| | - Emmanuelle Renard
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, UMR7288, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, FR 3098 ECCOREV, F-13545, Aix-en-Provence, France.
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Pan D, Zhang C, Wang CS, Zhang P, Jiao XY, Ma QR, Wang LT, Li DJ, Li LP. Unravelling hidden threats of water disinfection: Toxicity evaluation and toxic products identification during diclofenac degradation. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 345:123424. [PMID: 38278408 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123424] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Diclofenac (DCF) is a widely-used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is routinely found in surface water bodies. While ozonation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are commonly employed as disinfection methods in water treatment processes, the degradation of DCF in these processes occurs due to the strong oxidizing activity of the reactive oxygen species produced during both ozonation and UV radiation. Despite extensive studies reporting the removal and transformation of DCF through ozone and UV treatments, the potential hidden hazards of toxicity arising from these processes as well as the identification of the toxic transformation products have often been overlooked. In this study, various toxicities including microtoxicity, genotoxicity and antiestrogenicity were evaluated using multiple in-vitro bioassays. The transformation products were identified via ultra-performance liquid chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Correlation analysis was employed to gain deeper insight into the contributions of degradation products to overall toxicity. The results revealed that DCF possessed significant genotoxic and antiestrogenic effects, but displayed minimal microtoxicity. Microtoxic products such as those containing carbazole were generated during DCF degradation with ozone, UVA and UVC. Antiestrogenic products with dichloroaniline structures were observed in DCF ozonation but not in photodegradation by UVA and UVC. These findings highlighted the hidden risks associated with the disinfection of water containing micropollutants such as DCF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Pan
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China; School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Instrumentation and Service Center for Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Cai-Shan Wang
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China; School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xin-Yi Jiao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, China
| | - Qian-Ru Ma
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Li-Ting Wang
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Dai-Jun Li
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Li-Ping Li
- Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China; School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Gu Y, Tobino T, Nakajima F. Dietborne Toxicity of Tebuconazole to a Benthic Crustacean, Heterocypris incongruens and Its Relative Contribution to the Overall Effects under Food-Water Equilibrium Partitioning. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1048-1054. [PMID: 38157561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06609] [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: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Tebuconazole (TEB), a widely used and persistent pesticide, has garnered attention due to its frequent detection in sediments worldwide. This widespread occurrence has raised concerns about potential dietborne toxicity to benthic crustaceans, as they may ingest contaminated particles in their habitat. While bioaccumulation studies indicate the importance of TEB ingestion for benthic crustaceans, limited data exist on direct dietborne toxicity testing. This study investigated the diet-related toxicity of TEB by subjecting a benthic ostracod, Heterocypris incongruens, to a 6 day toxicity test under dietary and combined exposures. Subsequently, the importance of dietary exposure for TEB toxicity was uncovered, followed by quantification of relative dietborne toxicity contributions using a modified concentration-additive model. Results revealed that the dietary route was more toxicologically significant than the aqueous route in equilibrium. The dietborne lethal concentration (LC50) for TEB on H. incongruens was 200 (170-250) mg/kg, with an 80% relative dietborne toxicity contribution. To gain comprehensive insights into dietborne significance, toxicity data were collected from previous studies involving different pollutants to calculate relative contributions. Finally, the correlation between dietborne toxicity and the partitioning coefficient was analyzed to understand the pollutant behavior and its toxic impact when ingested through the diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilu Gu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
- Department of Urban Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Tobino
- Department of Urban Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Fumiyuki Nakajima
- Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Yoo JW, Choi TJ, Park JS, Kim J, Han S, Kim CB, Lee YM. Pathway-dependent toxic interaction between polystyrene microbeads and methylmercury on the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis: Based on mercury bioaccumulation, cytotoxicity, and transcriptomic analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132055. [PMID: 37480609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132055] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Given their worldwide distribution and toxicity to aquatic organisms, methylmercury (MeHg) and microplastics (MP) are major pollutants in marine ecosystems. Although they commonly co-exist in the ocean, information on their toxicological interactions is limited. Therefore, to understand the toxicological interactions between MeHg and MP (6-μm polystyrene), we investigated the bioaccumulation of MeHg, its cytotoxicity, and transcriptomic modulation in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis following single and combined exposure to MeHg and MP. After single exposure to MeHg for 48-h, D. celebensis showed high Hg accumulation (34.83 ± 0.40 μg/g dw biota) and cytotoxicity, which was reduced upon co-exposure to MP. After transcriptomic analysis, 2, 253, and 159 differentially expressed genes were detected in the groups exposed to MP, MeHg, and MeHg+MP, respectively. Genes related to metabolic pathways and the immune system were significantly affected after MeHg exposure, but the effect of MeHg on these pathways was alleviated by MP co-exposure. However, MeHg and MP exhibited synergistic effects on the expression of gene related to DNA replication. These findings suggest that MP can reduce the toxicity of MeHg but that their toxicological interactions differ depending on the molecular pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Je-Won Yoo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-June Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seok Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Bae Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea.
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Jeong H, Byeon E, Kim DH, Maszczyk P, Lee JS. Heavy metals and metalloid in aquatic invertebrates: A review of single/mixed forms, combination with other pollutants, and environmental factors. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114959. [PMID: 37146547 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals (HMs) and metalloid occur naturally and are found throughout the Earth's crust but they are discharged into aquatic environments at high concentrations by human activities, increasing heavy metal pollution. HMs can bioaccumulate in higher organisms through the food web and consequently affect humans. In an aquatic environment, various HMs mixtures can be present. Furthermore, HMs adsorb on other environmental pollutants, such as microplastics and persistent organic pollutants, causing a synergistic or antagonistic effect on aquatic organisms. Therefore, to understand the biological and physiological effects of HMs on aquatic organisms, it is important to evaluate the effects of exposure to combinations of complex HM mixtures and/or pollutants and other environmental factors. Aquatic invertebrates occupy an important niche in the aquatic food chain as the main energy link between higher and lower organisms. The distribution of heavy metals and the resulting toxic effects in aquatic invertebrates have been extensively studied, but few reports have dealt with the relationship between HMs, pollutants, and environmental factors in biological systems with regard to biological availability and toxicity. This review describes the overall properties of individual HM and their effects on aquatic invertebrates and comprehensively reviews physiological and biochemical endpoints in aquatic invertebrates depending on interactions among HMs, other pollutants, and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haksoo Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Eunjin Byeon
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Duck-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Piotr Maszczyk
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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Ibrahim AM, Ghazy M, El-Sayed H, Abd El-Hameed RM, Khalil RG, Korany SM, Aloufi AS, Hammam OA, Morad MY. Histopathological, Immunohistochemical, Biochemical, and In Silico Molecular Docking Study of Fungal-Mediated Selenium Oxide Nanoparticles on Biomphalaria alexandrina (Ehrenberg, 1831) Snails. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030811. [PMID: 36985384 PMCID: PMC10053037 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Daphnia magna and freshwater snails are used as delicate bioindicators of contaminated aquatic habitats. Due to their distinctive characteristics, selenium oxide nanoparticles (SeONPs) have received interest regarding their possible implications on aquatic environments. The current study attempted to investigate the probable mechanisms of fungal-mediated selenium nanoparticles' ecotoxicological effects on freshwater Biomphalaria alexandrina snails and Daphnia magna. SeONPs revealed a toxicological impact on D. magna, with a half-lethal concentration (LC50) of 1.62 mg/L after 24 h and 1.08 mg/L after 48 h. Survival, fecundity, and reproductive rate were decreased in B. alexandrina snails exposed to SeONPs. Furthermore, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were markedly elevated, while albumin and total protein levels decreased. Histopathological damage in the hermaphrodite and digestive glands was detected by light, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry studies. The molecular docking study revealed interactions of selenium oxide with the ALT and AST. In conclusion, B. alexandrina snails and D. magna could be employed as bioindicators of selenium nanomaterial pollution in aquatic ecosystems. This study emphasizes the possible ecological effects of releasing SeONPs into aquatic habitats, which could serve as motivation for regulatory organizations to monitor and control the use and disposal of SeONPs in industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina M Ibrahim
- Medical Malacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza 12411, Egypt
| | - Mahassen Ghazy
- Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, El Tahrir Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Heba El-Sayed
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan 11795, Egypt
| | - Rehab M Abd El-Hameed
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan 11795, Egypt
| | - Rehab G Khalil
- Immunology Division, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt
| | - Shereen M Korany
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abeer S Aloufi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Olfat A Hammam
- Pathology Departments, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza 12411, Egypt
| | - Mostafa Y Morad
- Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan 11795, Egypt
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Ulus Y, Tsui MTK, Sakar A, Nyarko P, Aitmbarek NB, Ardón M, Chow AT. Declines of methylmercury along a salinity gradient in a low-lying coastal wetland ecosystem at South Carolina, USA. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136310. [PMID: 36088973 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands are widely regarded as biogeochemical hotspots of highly toxic methylmercury (MeHg), mainly mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria. In low-lying coastal wetlands, sea level rise, a phenomenon caused by global climate change, is slowly degrading numerous healthy freshwater forested wetlands into salt-degraded counterparts with a nickname "ghost forests", and eventually converting them to saltmarshes. However, little is known about the changes of mercury (Hg) methylation, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification along the forest-to-saltmarsh gradient. Here, we conducted extensive field sampling in three wetland states (healthy forested wetlands, salt-degraded forested wetlands, and saltmarsh) along a salinity gradient (from 0 to 9.4 ppt) in Winyah Bay, South Carolina, USA. We found that in our study wetland systems the saltmarshes had the lowest levels of both total Hg and MeHg in sediments and biota, as compared to healthy forested wetlands and saltwater-degraded ghost forests. Our results suggest that the slow conversion of forested wetland to saltmarsh could reduce net MeHg production in our study wetland systems, which we hypothesized that could be attributed to increased sulfate reduction and excessive buildup of sulfide in sediment that inhibits microbial Hg methylation, and/or reduced canopy density and increased photodegradation of MeHg. However, it should be noted that biogeochemical MeHg responses to salinity changes may be site-specific and we urge more similar studies in other wetland systems along a salinity gradient. Therefore, long-term salinization of coastal wetlands and the slow conversion of forests to marshes could decrease long-term exposure of toxic MeHg levels in coastal food webs that are similar to our system, and ultimately reduce human exposure to this neurotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yener Ulus
- Department of Environmental Studies, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, 28035, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA; School of Life Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences Programme, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Aslihan Sakar
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Paul Nyarko
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Nadia B Aitmbarek
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Marcelo Ardón
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Alex T Chow
- Biogeochemistry and Environmental Quality Research Group, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC, 29442, USA
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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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