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Díaz-Delgado E, Girolametti F, Annibaldi A, Trueman CN, Willis TJ. Mercury bioaccumulation and its relationship with trophic biomarkers in a Mediterranean elasmobranch mesopredator. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 201:116218. [PMID: 38531207 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Human activity has led to increased concentrations of mercury (Hg) in the world's oceans. Mercury can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in animal tissues via trophic transfer, thus, becoming most pronounced in larger and older predators. Here, we measured Hg concentrations and their relationship with stable isotopes-based proxies of trophic level (δ13C and δ15N values) in multiple tissues of Mustelus spp. from the Mediterranean Sea. We found higher Hg concentrations in muscle than in liver and fin tissues. The relationship between Hg concentrations and δ15N values in muscle suggested repeated foraging for low trophic level and Hg-poor prey, and biomagnification of Hg at higher trophic levels. Seasonal variations in δ13C values could indicate shifts in primary production sources and/or in local prey availability. The HBVSe index suggested no risk to human health, however the safe meal limit recommendations are 4.5 and 2.2 portions per month for adults and children, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Díaz-Delgado
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Center, Viale Adriatico 1/N, 61032 Fano, Italy.
| | - Federico Girolametti
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Anna Annibaldi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Clive N Trueman
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO143ZH, UK
| | - Trevor J Willis
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Center, Viale Adriatico 1/N, 61032 Fano, Italy
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Rechimont ME, Ruelas-Inzunza J, Amezcua F, Paéz-Osuna F, Castillo-Géniz JL. Hg and Se in Muscle and Liver of Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) from the Entrance of the Gulf of California: An Insight to the Potential Risk to Human Health. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2024; 86:165-177. [PMID: 38383775 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01054-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is the most commonly caught species of Elasmobranchii at the entrance to the Gulf of California. Although fins are the primary target commodity, the entire organism is consumed. This study examined the concentration of Hg and Se in muscle and liver to understand the antagonistic process that occurs between these two elements within the organism. Twenty-two individuals were captured at the Gulf of California inlet between September 2019 and March 2021. Hg was measured by cold vapor atomic absorption, and Se by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a graphite furnace. All individuals studied showed higher concentrations (µg g-1 wet weight) of Hg (0.69) and Se (2.49) in liver than in muscle (Hg 0.63 and Se 0.08). Although the mean Hg values were below the maximum allowable limits (Hg 1.0 µg g-1 wet weight), the molar ratio (< 1.0) and the negative health benefit value of selenium (HBVSe) in muscle show that additional caution should be taken when consuming this species. We recommend a more thorough study of the antagonistic interaction between Hg and Se to accurately assess the health risk for consumers of blue shark.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Rechimont
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - J Ruelas-Inzunza
- Instituto Tecnológico de Mazatlán, 82070, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
| | - F Amezcua
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 82040, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - F Paéz-Osuna
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 82040, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
- El Colegio de Sinaloa, 80000, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - J L Castillo-Géniz
- Centro Regional de Investigación Pesquera de Ensenada, Instituto Nacional de Pesca y Acuacultura, 22760, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
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Crawford LM, Gelsleichter J, Newton AL, Hoopes LA, Lee CS, Fisher NS, Adams DH, Giraudo M, McElroy AE. Associations between total mercury, trace minerals, and blood health markers in Northwest Atlantic white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 195:115533. [PMID: 37734227 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The ecology and life-histories of white sharks make this species susceptible to mercury bioaccumulation; however, the health consequences of mercury exposure are understudied. We measured muscle and plasma total mercury (THg), health markers, and trace minerals in Northwest Atlantic white sharks. THg in muscle tissue averaged 10.0 mg/kg dry weight, while THg in blood plasma averaged 533 μg/L. THg levels in plasma and muscle were positively correlated with shark precaudal length (153-419 cm), and THg was bioaccumulated proportionally in muscle and plasma. Nine sharks had selenium:mercury molar ratios in blood plasma >1.0, indicating that for certain individuals the potential protective effects of the trace mineral were diminished, whereas excess selenium may have protected other individuals. No relationships between plasma THg and any trace minerals or health markers were identified. Thus, we found no evidence of negative effects of Hg bioaccumulation, even in sharks with very high THg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Crawford
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | | | - Alisa L Newton
- OCEARCH, Park City, UT 84060, USA; ZooQuatic Laboratory, LLC, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
| | - Lisa A Hoopes
- Department of Research and Conservation, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA 30313, USA
| | - Cheng-Shiuan Lee
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nicholas S Fisher
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | - Maeva Giraudo
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Biotechnologie Microbienne, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Anne E McElroy
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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Pantoja-Echevarría LM, Marmolejo-Rodríguez AJ, Galván-Magaña F, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Tripp-Valdéz A, Tamburin E, Lara A, Jonathan M, Sujitha S, Delgado-Huertas A, Arreola-Mendoza L. Trophic structure and biomagnification of cadmium, mercury and selenium in brown smooth hound shark (Mustelus henlei) within a trophic web. Food Webs 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Storelli A, Barone G, Garofalo R, Busco A, Storelli MM. Determination of Mercury, Methylmercury and Selenium Concentrations in Elasmobranch Meat: Fish Consumption Safety. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:788. [PMID: 35055610 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study measures total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and selenium (Se) concentrations in elasmobranch fish from an Italian market with the aim of evaluating the risk-benefit associated with their consumption, using estimated weekly intake (EWI), permissible safety level (MeHgPSL), selenium health benefit value (HBVSe) and monthly consumption rate limit (CRmm) for each species. THg and Se were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry, while MeHg was determined by HrGc/Ms. THg and MeHg concentrations ranged from 0.61 to 1.25 μg g-1 w.w. and from 0.57 to 0.97 μg g-1 w.w., respectively, whereas Se levels were 0.49-0.65 μg g-1 w.w. In most samples European Community limits for THg were surpassed, while for MeHg none of the fish had levels above the limit adopted by FAO/WHO. EWIs for THg and MeHg in many cases were above the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWIs). MeHgPSL estimate showed that fish should contain approximately 50% of the concentration measured to avoid exceeding the PTWI. Nevertheless, the HBVSe index indicated that solely skates were safe for human consumption (HBVSe = 3.57-6.22). Our results highlight the importance of a constant monitoring of THg and MeHg level in fish, especially in apex predators, to avoid the risk of overexposure for consumers.
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