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Sánchez-Fortún M, Amouroux D, Tessier E, Carrasco JL, Sanpera C. Mercury stable isotopes in seabirds in the Ebro Delta (NE Iberian Peninsula): Inter-specific and temporal differences. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123739. [PMID: 38458513 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123739] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant, which particularly affects aquatic ecosystems, both marine and freshwater. Top-predators depending on these environments, such as seabirds, are regarded as suitable bioindicators of Hg pollution. In the Ebro Delta (NE Iberian Peninsula), legacy Hg pollution from a chlor-alkali industry operating in Flix and located ca. 100 km upstream of the Ebro River mouth has been impacting the delta environment and the neighboring coastal area. Furthermore, levels of Hg in the biota of the Mediterranean Sea are known to be high compared to other marine areas. In this work we used a Hg stable isotopes approach in feathers to understand the processes leading to different Hg concentrations in three Laridae species breeding in sympatry in the area (Audouin's gull Ichthyaetus audouinii, black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus, common tern Sterna hirundo). These species have distinct trophic ecologies, exhibiting a differential use of marine resources and freshwater resources (i.e., rice paddies prey). Moreover, for Audouin's gull, in which in the Ebro Delta colony temporal differences in Hg levels were documented previously, we used Hg stable isotopes to understand the impact of anthropogenic activities on Hg levels in the colony over time. Hg stable isotopes differentiated the three Laridae species according to their trophic ecologies. Furthermore, for Audouin's gull we observed temporal variations in Hg isotopic signatures possibly owing to anthropogenic-derived pollution in the Ebro Delta. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time Hg stable isotopes have been reported in seabirds from the NW Mediterranean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisès Sánchez-Fortún
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - David Amouroux
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, Pau, France.
| | - Emmanuel Tessier
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, Pau, France.
| | - Josep Lluís Carrasco
- Biostatistics, Department of Basic Clinical Practice, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Carola Sanpera
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Zhou Z, Wang H, Li Y. Mercury stable isotopes in the ocean: Analytical methods, cycling, and application as tracers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162485. [PMID: 36858226 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) has seven stable isotopes that can be utilized to trace the sources of Hg and evaluate the importance of transport and transformation processes in the cycling of Hg in the environment. The ocean is an integral part of the Earth and plays an important role in the global mercury cycle. However, there is a lack of a systematic review of Hg stable isotopes in marine environments. This review is divided into four sections: a) advances in Hg stable isotope analysis, b) the isotope ratios of Hg in various marine environmental matrices (seawater, sediment, and organisms), c) processes governing stable Hg isotope ratios in the ocean, and d) application of Hg stable isotopes to understand biotic uptake and migration. Mercury isotopes have provided much useful information on marine Hg cycling that cannot be given by Hg concentrations alone. This includes (i) sources of Hg in coastal or estuarine environments, (ii) transformation pathways and mechanisms of different forms of Hg in marine environments, (iii) trophic levels and feeding guilds of marine fish, and (iv) migration/habitat changes of marine fish. With the improvement of methods for seawater Hg isotope analysis (especially species-specific methods) and the measurement of Hg isotope fractionation during natural biogeochemical processes in the ocean, Hg stable isotopes will advance our understanding of the marine Hg cycle in the future, e.g., mercury exchange at the sea-atmosphere interface and seawater-sediment interface, contributions of different water masses to Hg in the ocean, fractionation mechanisms of Hg and MeHg transformation in seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengwen Zhou
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Huiling Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Yanbin Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
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3
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Yang YH, Kwon SY, Tsui MTK, Motta LC, Washburn SJ, Park J, Kim MS, Shin KH. Ecological Traits of Fish for Mercury Biomonitoring: Insights from Compound-Specific Nitrogen and Stable Mercury Isotopes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:10808-10817. [PMID: 35852377 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02532] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We coupled compound-specific isotopic analyses of nitrogen (N) in amino acids (δ15NGlu, δ15NPhe) and mercury stable isotopes (δ202Hg, Δ199Hg) to quantify ecological traits governing the concentration, variability, and source of Hg in largemouth bass (LB) and pike gudgeon (PG) across four rivers, South Korea. PG displayed uniform Hg concentration (56-137 ng/g), trophic position (TPcorrected; 2.6-3.0, n = 9), and N isotopes in the source amino acid (δ15NPhe; 7-13‰), consistent with their specialist feeding on benthic insects. LB showed wide ranges in Hg concentration (45-693 ng/g), TPcorrected (2.8-3.8, n = 14), and δ15NPhe (1.3-16‰), reflecting their opportunistic feeding behavior. Hg sources assessed using Hg isotopes reveal low and uniform Δ199Hg in PG (0.20-0.49‰), similar to Δ199Hg reported in sediments. LB displayed site-specific δ202Hg (-0.61 to -0.04‰) and Δ199Hg (0.53-1.09‰). At the Yeongsan River, LB displayed elevated Δ199Hg and low δ15NPhe, consistent with Hg and N sourced from the atmosphere. LB at the Geum River displayed low Δ199Hg and high δ15NPhe, both similar to the isotope values of anthropogenic sources. Our results suggest that a specialist fish (PG) with consistent ecological traits and Hg concentration is an effective bioindicator species for Hg. When accounting for Hg sources, however, LB better captures site-specific Hg sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo Han Yang
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Sae Yun Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
- Institute for Convergence Research and Education in Advanced Technology, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-Ro, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon 21983, South Korea
| | - Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, South Block, Science Centre, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Laura C Motta
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, 312 Natural Sciences Complex, Buffalo, New York 14260-3000, United States
| | - Spencer J Washburn
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jaeseon Park
- Environmental Measurement & Analysis Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Hwangyong-Ro, Seo-Gu, Incheon 22689, South Korea
| | - Min-Seob Kim
- Environmental Measurement & Analysis Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, 42 Hwangyong-Ro, Seo-Gu, Incheon 22689, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Hoon Shin
- Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-Ro, Sangnok-Gu, Ansan 15588, South Korea
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Huang S, Jiang R, Song Q, Zhao Y, Lv S, Zhang Y, Huo Y, Chen Y. The Hg behaviors in mangrove ecosystems revealed by Hg stable isotopes: a case study of Maowei mangrove. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:25349-25359. [PMID: 34843054 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17744-4] [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: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics, mangroves are an important part of the global mercury (Hg) cycling. The environmental processes and effects of Hg in mangroves are complex and affect human Hg exposure, and it is crucial to understand Hg behaviors in the mangrove ecosystem. However, clarifying Hg behaviors in the mangrove ecosystem remains difficult because of an insufficient understanding of the dominant pathways. In this study, measurements of mercury (Hg) concentration and isotope ratios in sediment and plant tissues from a mangrove wetland were used to investigate Hg isotope fractionation in mangrove plants and sediments. Spatial patterns in Hg concentration and isotope signatures indicate that Hg re-emission in the sediment was suppressed by mangrove plants. The ratio of Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg was 0.93 for all sediments, indicating that Hg mass-independent fractionation in the mangrove ecosystem was primarily affected by photoreduction, while the ratios of Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg and Δ199Hg/δ202Hg for plant tissues suggested that natural organic matter reduction of Hg(II) was occurred in the plants. The distinct positive Δ199Hg values found in mangrove plants were supposed to be the results of the unique physiological characteristics of mangroves. The exterior Hg sources from atmosphere and seawater emphasize the role of mangrove ecosystems in the global Hg biogeochemistry. Our study highlights the distinct Hg isotope signatures in the mangrove from that in forests and indicates unique Hg behaviors in the mangrove ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyuan Huang
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Ronggen Jiang
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Qingyong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Yuhan Zhao
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Supeng Lv
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yuanbiao Zhang
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China.
| | - Yunlong Huo
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yaojin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
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5
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Laffont L, Menges J, Goix S, Gentès S, Maury-Brachet R, Sonke JE, Legeay A, Gonzalez P, Rinaldo R, Maurice L. Hg concentrations and stable isotope variations in tropical fish species of a gold-mining-impacted watershed in French Guiana. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:60609-60621. [PMID: 34159470 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14858-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine if gold-mining activities could impact the mercury (Hg) concentrations and isotopic signatures in freshwater fish consumed by riparian people in French Guiana. Total Hg, MeHg concentrations, and Hg stable isotopes ratios were analyzed in fish muscles from different species belonging to three feeding patterns (herbivorous, periphytophagous, and piscivorous). We compared tributaries impacted by gold-mining activities (Camopi, CR) with a pristine area upstream (Trois-Sauts, TS), along the Oyapock River. We measured δ15N and δ 13C to examine whether Hg patterns are due to differences in trophic level. Differences in δ 15N and δ 13C values between both studied sites were only observed for periphytophagous fish, due to difference of CN baselines, with enriched values at TS. Total Hg concentrations and Hg stable isotope signatures showed that Hg accumulated in fish from both areas has undergone different biogeochemical processes. Δ199Hg variation in fish (-0.5 to 0.2‰) was higher than the ecosystem baseline defined by a Δ199Hg of -0.66‰ in sediments, and suggested limited aqueous photochemical MeHg degradation. Photochemistry-corrected δ202Hg in fish was 0.7‰ higher than the baseline, consistent with biophysical and chemical isotope fractionation in the aquatic environment. While THg concentrations in periphytophagous fish were higher in the gold-mining area, disturbed by inputs of suspended particles, than in TS, the ensemble of Hg isotope shifts in fish is affected by the difference of biotic (methylation/demethylation) and abiotic (photochemistry) processes between both areas and did therefore not allow to resolve the contribution of gold-mining-related liquid Hg(0) in fish tissues. Mercury isotopes of MeHg in fish and lower trophic level organisms can be complementary to light stable isotope tracers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Laffont
- Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD/CNES/Université Toulouse III, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France.
| | - Johanna Menges
- Section 4.6, Geomorphology, GFZ-German Research Centre for Geosciences, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Sylvaine Goix
- Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD/CNES/Université Toulouse III, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France
- University Toulouse III, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Gentès
- EPOC, EPHE, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, 33120, Arcachon, France
| | | | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD/CNES/Université Toulouse III, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Alexia Legeay
- EPOC, EPHE, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, 33120, Arcachon, France
| | | | - Raphaëlle Rinaldo
- Parc Amazonien de Guyane, 1 rue Lederson, 97354, Remire-Montjoly, France
| | - Laurence Maurice
- Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD/CNES/Université Toulouse III, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France.
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Pinzone M, Cransveld A, Tessier E, Bérail S, Schnitzler J, Das K, Amouroux D. Contamination levels and habitat use influence Hg accumulation and stable isotope ratios in the European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 281:117008. [PMID: 33813195 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hg accumulation in marine organisms depends strongly on in situ water or sediment biogeochemistry and levels of Hg pollution. To predict the rates of Hg exposure in human communities, it is important to understand Hg assimilation and processing within commercially harvested marine fish, like the European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax. Previously, values of Δ199Hg and δ202Hg in muscle tissue successfully discriminated between seven populations of European seabass. In the present study, a multi-tissue approach was developed to assess the underlying processes behind such discrimination. We determined total Hg content (THg), the proportion of monomethyl-Hg (%MeHg), and Hg isotopic composition (e.g. Δ199Hg and δ202Hg) in seabass liver. We compared this to the previously published data on muscle tissue and local anthropogenic Hg inputs. The first important finding of this study showed an increase of both %MeHg and δ202Hg values in muscle compared to liver in all populations, suggesting the occurrence of internal MeHg demethylation in seabass. This is the first evidence of such a process occurring in this species. Values for mass-dependent (MDF, δ202Hg) and mass-independent (MIF, Δ199Hg) isotopic fractionation in liver and muscle accorded with data observed in estuarine fish (MDF, 0-1‰ and MIF, 0-0.7‰). Black Sea seabass stood out from other regions, presenting higher MIF values (≈1.5‰) in muscle and very low MDF (≈-1‰) in liver. This second finding suggests that under low Hg bioaccumulation, Hg isotopic composition may allow the detection of a shift in the habitat use of juvenile fish, such as for first-year Black Sea seabass. Our study supports the multi-tissue approach as a valid tool for refining the analysis of Hg sourcing and metabolism in a marine fish. The study's major outcome indicates that Hg levels of pollution and fish foraging location are the main factors influencing Hg species accumulation and isotopic fractionation in the organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Pinzone
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of Research (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, B6c Allée du 6 Août, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Alice Cransveld
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of Research (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, B6c Allée du 6 Août, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Tessier
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux (IPREM), Technopôle Helioparc, 2 Avenue Pierre Angot, 64053, Pau Cedex 09, France
| | - Sylvain Bérail
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux (IPREM), Technopôle Helioparc, 2 Avenue Pierre Angot, 64053, Pau Cedex 09, France
| | - Joseph Schnitzler
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of Research (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, B6c Allée du 6 Août, 4000, Liège, Belgium; Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine of Hannover, Foundation, Werftstraße 6, 25761, Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Krishna Das
- Freshwater and Oceanic Sciences Unit of Research (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, B6c Allée du 6 Août, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - David Amouroux
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux (IPREM), Technopôle Helioparc, 2 Avenue Pierre Angot, 64053, Pau Cedex 09, France
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7
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Bonsignore M, Manta DS, Barsanti M, Conte F, Delbono I, Horvat M, Quinci EM, Schirone A, Shlyapnikov Y, Sprovieri M. Mercury isotope signatures in sediments and marine organisms as tracers of historical industrial pollution. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 258:127435. [PMID: 32947671 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Isotopic composition of mercury (Hg) in marine organisms and sediment cores was used to identify sources and reconstruct historical trends of contamination in the coastal-marine area of Rosignano Solvay (Italy), affected by Hg pollution from a chlor-alkali plant on the near land. Sediments show a wide range of Hg concentration and Hg isotope signatures. Particularly, coupled Hg concentration and δ202Hg values trace inputs from different sources. The two depth-profiles clearly indicate three distinct periods: "pre-industrial" (before 1941), "industrial" (between 1941 and 2007) and "post-industrial" (after 2007) ages. This is also corroborated by sediment chronology, using 210Pb dating method, validated through 137Cs. Marine organisms are characterized by Hg isotope signatures comparable to "post-industrial" surface sediments. Notably, specimens of Mullus spp. evidence isotope composition comparable to the "industrial" sediments, thus suggesting a still active role of those sediments as source of Hg for the benthic fish compartment. The small amount of MIF and the Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg ratio recorded in organisms are reasonably consistent with limited processes of MMHg demethylation in the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bonsignore
- IAS-CNR - National Research Council of Italy IAS - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment, Capo Granitola, Italy.
| | - Daniela Salvagio Manta
- IAS-CNR - National Research Council of Italy IAS - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 452, 90149 Palermo, Italy
| | - Mattia Barsanti
- ENEA - Italian National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, SSPT - Department for Sustainability of Production and Territorial Systems, La Spezia, Italy
| | - Fabio Conte
- ENEA - Italian National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, SSPT - Department for Sustainability of Production and Territorial Systems, La Spezia, Italy
| | - Ivana Delbono
- ENEA - Italian National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, SSPT - Department for Sustainability of Production and Territorial Systems, La Spezia, Italy
| | - Milena Horvat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Enza Maria Quinci
- IAS-CNR - National Research Council of Italy IAS - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment, Capo Granitola, Italy
| | - Antonio Schirone
- ENEA - Italian National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, SSPT - Department for Sustainability of Production and Territorial Systems, La Spezia, Italy
| | | | - Mario Sprovieri
- IAS-CNR - National Research Council of Italy IAS - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment, Capo Granitola, Italy
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Tsui MTK, Blum JD, Kwon SY. Review of stable mercury isotopes in ecology and biogeochemistry. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:135386. [PMID: 31839301 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to the advent of cold vapor-multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CV-MC-ICP-MS) in the past two decades, many research groups studying mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry have integrated stable Hg isotopes into their research. Currently, >200 studies using this technique have been published and this has greatly enhanced our understanding of the Hg biogeochemical cycle beyond what Hg concentration and speciation analyses alone can provide. These studies are largely divided into two groups: (i) controlled experiments investigating fractionation of Hg isotopes and refining tools of isotopic analyses, and (ii) studies of natural variations of Hg isotopes. It is now known that Hg isotopes undergo both mass dependent fractionation (MDF; reported as the ratio of mass 202Hg to 198Hg) and mass independent fractionation (MIF), with MIF occurring at odd masses (199Hg, 201Hg) to a larger magnitude and at even masses (200Hg, 204Hg) to a much smaller magnitude. The two types of MIF are controlled by different photochemical processes. The range of isotopic variations of MDF, odd-MIF, and even-MIF are now well documented in a diverse set of environmental samples, and researchers are continuing to explore how the field of Hg isotope biogeochemistry can be further developed and taken to the next level of understanding. One application that has received considerable attention is the use of Hg isotopes to examine the environmental controls on the production and degradation of methylmercury (MeHg), the most toxic and bioaccumulative form of Hg. Since MeHg is efficiently assimilated and biomagnified along food chains, MeHg has the potential to be a robust ecological tracer. In this review, we give an updated overview of the field of Hg isotopes and focus on how Hg isotopes of MeHg can be used to address fundamental ecological questions, including energy transfer across ecosystem interfaces and as a tracer for animal movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA.
| | - Joel D Blum
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sae Yun Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
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9
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Meng M, Sun RY, Liu HW, Yu B, Yin YG, Hu LG, Chen JB, Shi JB, Jiang GB. Mercury isotope variations within the marine food web of Chinese Bohai Sea: Implications for mercury sources and biogeochemical cycling. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 384:121379. [PMID: 31611019 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) speciation and isotopic compositions in a large-scale food web and seawater from Chinese Bohai Sea were analyzed to investigate methylmercury (MeHg) sources and Hg cycling. The biota showed ∼5‰ variation in mass dependent fractionation (MDF, -4.57 to 0.53‰ in δ202Hg) and mostly positive odd-isotope mass independent fractionation (odd-MIF, -0.01 to 1.21‰ in Δ199Hg). Both MDF and odd-MIF in coastal biota showed significant correlations with their trophic levels and MeHg fractions, likely reflecting a preferential trophic transfer of MeHg with higher δ202Hg and Δ199Hg than inorganic Hg. The MDF and odd-MIF of biota were largely affected by their feeding habits and living territories, and MeHg in pelagic food web was more photodegraded than in coastal food web (21-31% vs. 9-11%). From the Hg isotope signatures of pelagic biota and extrapolated coastal MeHg, we suggest that MeHg in the food webs was likely derived from sediments. Interestingly, we observed complementary even-MIF (mainly negative Δ200Hg of -0.36 to 0.08‰ and positive Δ204Hg of -0.05 to 0.82‰) in the biota and a significant linear slope of -0.5 for Δ200Hg/Δ204Hg. This leads us to speculate that atmospheric Hg0 is an important source to bioaccumulated MeHg, although the exact source-receptor relationships need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Meng
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Ruo-Yu Sun
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Hong-Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Ben Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yong-Guang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Li-Gang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Jiu-Bin Chen
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jian-Bo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China.
| | - Gui-Bin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
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10
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Sontag PT, Steinberg DK, Reinfelder JR. Patterns of total mercury and methylmercury bioaccumulation in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) along the West Antarctic Peninsula. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 688:174-183. [PMID: 31229815 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We examined mercury (Hg) accumulation in juvenile and adult subpopulations of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) collected west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Samples were collected along a northern cross-shelf transect beginning near Anvers Island and farther south near the sea ice edge in the austral summers of 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Regardless of geographical position, mean concentrations of total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg), the form of Hg that biomagnifies in marine food webs, were significantly higher in juvenile than adult krill in all years. In 2013, juvenile Antarctic krill collected along the coast near Anvers Island had significantly higher MeHg concentrations than krill collected farther offshore, and in 2013 and 2014, coastal juvenile krill exhibited some of the highest MeHg concentrations of all subpopulations sampled. Across all sampling years, collection in northern (sea ice-free) or southern (sea ice edge) transects did not affect MeHg concentrations of juvenile or adult krill, suggesting similar levels and routes of MeHg exposure across the latitudes sampled. Developmental stage, feeding near the coast, and annual variations in sea ice-driven primary and export production were identified as potentially important factors leading to greater MeHg accumulation in juvenile than adult krill. Krill-dependent predators feeding primarily on juveniles may thus accumulate more MeHg than consumers foraging on older krill. These results report MeHg concentrations in Antarctic krill and will be useful for predicting Hg biomagnification in higher-level consumers in this productive Antarctic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip T Sontag
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Deborah K Steinberg
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA.
| | - John R Reinfelder
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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11
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Liu H, Yu B, Fu J, Li Y, Yang R, Zhang Q, Liang Y, Yin Y, Hu L, Shi J, Jiang G. Different circulation history of mercury in aquatic biota from King George Island of the Antarctic. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 250:892-897. [PMID: 31085475 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.04.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To trace the circulation history of aquatic bioavailable Hg in the Antarctic, the species and isotopic compositions of Hg in sediment, Archaeogastropoda (Agas), Neogastropoda (Ngas), and fish collected from King George Island were studied in detail. Positive mass independent fractionation (MIF) was observed and positively correlated with the percentages of methylmercury (MeHg%) in Agas and Ngas, suggesting an effect of MeHg accumulation during trophic transfer on MIF signatures. However, both the ratios of Δ199Hg/δ202Hg and Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg indicated different circulation histories of Hg in Agas, Ngas, and fish. The microbial methylation in sediment was the primary source of MeHg in Agas and Ngas (Δ199Hg/δ202Hg ∼0, Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg ∼1.00). In contrast, the MeHg in fish (Δ199Hg/δ202Hg = 0.55 ± 0.06, Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg = 1.19 ± 0.17) came from the combined sources of residual MeHg which had sunk from the surface water and microbial-methylated MeHg in sediments, and the bioavailable Hg in the sediments contributed to approximately 44% of the total Hg in fish. Subsequently, the Δ199Hg values of bioavailable MeHg and IHg in sediments were quantitatively calculated, which provided key end-member information for future source apportionment in the Antarctic and other pelagic regions. It was also found that the Hg accumulated in Agas and Ngas had no history of MeHg photo-degradation, indicating that the methylated Hg in benthic zones suffered little photo-degradation and thus presented high bioavailability and environmental risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ben Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Jianjie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yingming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Ruiqiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yong Liang
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China.
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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12
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Rua-Ibarz A, Bolea-Fernandez E, Maage A, Frantzen S, Sanden M, Vanhaecke F. Tracing Mercury Pollution along the Norwegian Coast via Elemental, Speciation, and Isotopic Analysis of Liver and Muscle Tissue of Deep-Water Marine Fish ( Brosme brosme). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:1776-1785. [PMID: 30652479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Liver and muscle tissue of tusks ( Brosme brosme) have been analyzed for their THg and MeHg concentrations and Hg isotopic signatures for tracing Hg pollution along the Norwegian coast. Clear differences between tissue types and locations were established. At five of the eight locations, the Hg concentration in muscle exceeded the maximum allowable level of 0.5 mg kg-1 wet weight. δ202Hg values in both tissue types indicated that Hg speciation affects the bulk Hg isotopic signature. Tusk liver seems to be more sensitive to immediate changes and to anthropogenic inorganic Hg, while the muscle rather reflects the Hg accumulated over a longer period of exposure. The δ202Hg values of liver and muscle also enabled different sources of Hg and exposure pathways to be distinguished. δ202Hgmuscle-δ202Hgliver showed a clear correlation with the % MeHg in tusk liver for the coastal waters, but not for the fjords. The absence of significant differences in Δ199Hg values between both tissues of tusk from the same location suggests that in vivo metabolic processes are the underlying reason for the differences in Hg speciation and in δ202Hg values. This work highlights the importance of selecting different tissues of marine fish in future Hg monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rua-Ibarz
- Ghent University , Department of Chemistry, Atomic & Mass Spectrometry Research Unit , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12 , 9000 Ghent , Belgium
| | - Eduardo Bolea-Fernandez
- Ghent University , Department of Chemistry, Atomic & Mass Spectrometry Research Unit , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12 , 9000 Ghent , Belgium
| | - Amund Maage
- Institute of Marine Research , Postboks 1870 Nordnes , 5817 Bergen , Norway
| | - Sylvia Frantzen
- Institute of Marine Research , Postboks 1870 Nordnes , 5817 Bergen , Norway
| | - Monica Sanden
- Institute of Marine Research , Postboks 1870 Nordnes , 5817 Bergen , Norway
| | - Frank Vanhaecke
- Ghent University , Department of Chemistry, Atomic & Mass Spectrometry Research Unit , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12 , 9000 Ghent , Belgium
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13
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Ma L, Evans RD, Wang W, Georg RB. In vivo fractionation of mercury isotopes in tissues of a mammalian carnivore (Neovison vison). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 627:1228-1233. [PMID: 30857087 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The use of isotope ratios to trace Hg contamination sources in environmental compartments is now generally accepted. However, for biota and especially for mammals, it is still unknown if and/or how Hg isotopes fractionate in vivo and which tissue is most representative of the source(s) of contamination. We measured fractionation of Hg in mink (Neovison vison) tissues (fur, brain, blood, liver, kidney) collected during a controlled feeding experiment where captive mink were fed differing amounts of methylmercury. There was no significant effect of dietary MeHg concentrations on Hg fractionation in most tissues. Net fractionation of Hg, i.e., fractionation corrected for diet (δ202Hgtissue-δ202Hgdiet) was observed in all tissues with the greatest net fractionation occurring in the mink liver (-1.39‰) and kidney (-0.95‰). Less net fractionation, occurred in the brain (-0.12‰), blood (0.38‰) and fur (0.30‰). In the absence of brain tissue, fur is a suitable proxy which is readily obtainable and can be non-lethally collected. In these mink, it appears that biochemical processes such as demethylation, contribute to significant fractionation of Hg in the liver and kidney, but not as much in the brain and fur, where transport of Hg via thiol-containing complexes may be more important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Ma
- Environment & Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - R Douglas Evans
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
| | - Wei Wang
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - R Bastian Georg
- Water Quality Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
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14
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Renedo M, Amouroux D, Pedrero Z, Bustamante P, Cherel Y. Identification of sources and bioaccumulation pathways of MeHg in subantarctic penguins: a stable isotopic investigation. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8865. [PMID: 29891979 PMCID: PMC5995893 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27079-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seabirds are widely used as bioindicators of mercury (Hg) contamination in marine ecosystems and the investigation of their foraging strategies is of key importance to better understand methylmercury (MeHg) exposure pathways and environmental sources within the different ecosystems. Here we report stable isotopic composition for both Hg mass-dependent (e.g. δ202Hg) and mass-independent (e.g. Δ199Hg) fractionation (proxies of Hg sources and transformations), carbon (δ13C, proxy of foraging habitat) and nitrogen (δ15N, proxy of trophic position) in blood of four species of sympatric penguins breeding at the subantarctic Crozet Islands (Southern Indian Ocean). Penguins have species-specific foraging strategies, from coastal to oceanic waters and from benthic to pelagic dives, and feed on different prey. A progressive increase to heavier Hg isotopic composition (δ202Hg and Δ199Hg, respectively) was observed from benthic (1.45 ± 0.12 and 1.41 ± 0.06‰) to epipelagic (1.93 ± 0.18 and 1.77 ± 0.13‰) penguins, indicating a benthic-pelagic gradient of MeHg sources close to Crozet Islands. The relative variations of MeHg concentration, δ202Hg and Δ199Hg with pelagic penguins feeding in Polar Front circumpolar waters (1.66 ± 0.11 and 1.54 ± 0.06‰) support that different MeHg sources occur at large scales in Southern Ocean deep waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Renedo
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France. .,CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR 5254, 64000, Pau, France.
| | - David Amouroux
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR 5254, 64000, Pau, France
| | - Zoyne Pedrero
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR 5254, 64000, Pau, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France.
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15
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Liu CB, Hua XB, Liu HW, Yu B, Mao YX, Wang DY, Yin YG, Hu LG, Shi JB, Jiang GB. Tracing aquatic bioavailable Hg in three different regions of China using fish Hg isotopes. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 150:327-334. [PMID: 29304475 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.12.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
To trace the most concerned bioavailable mercury (Hg) in aquatic environment, fish samples were collected from three typical regions in China, including 3 rivers and 1 lake in the Tibetan Plateau (TP, a high altitude background region with strong solar radiation), the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR, the largest artificial freshwater reservoir in China), and the Chinese Bohai Sea (CBS, a heavily human-impacted semi-enclosed sea). The Hg isotopic compositions in fish muscles were analyzed. The results showed that anthropogenic emissions were the main sources of Hg in fish from TGR and CBS because of the observed negative δ202Hg and positive Δ199Hg in these two regions (TGR, δ202Hg: - 0.72 to - 0.29‰, Δ199Hg: 0.15 - 0.52‰; CBS, δ202Hg: - 2.09 to - 0.86‰, Δ199Hg: 0.07 - 0.52‰). The relatively higher δ202Hg and Δ199Hg (δ202Hg: - 0.37 - 0.08‰, Δ199Hg: 0.50 - 1.89‰) in fish from TP suggested the insignificant disturbance from local anthropogenic activities. The larger slopes of Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg in fish from TGR (1.29 ± 0.14, 1SD) and TP (1.25 ± 0.06, 1SD) indicated methylmercury (MeHg) was produced and photo-reduced in the water column before incorporation into the fish. In contrast, the photoreduction of Hg2+ was the main process in CBS (slope of Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg: 1.06 ± 0.06, 1SD). According to the fingerprint data of Hg isotopes, the most important source for aquatic bioavailable Hg in TP should be the long-range transported Hg, contrasting to the anthropogenic originated MeHg from surface sediments and runoffs in TGR and inorganic Hg from continental inputs in CBS. Therefore, the isotopic signatures of Hg in fish can provide novel clues in tracing sources and behaviors of bioavailable Hg in aquatic systems, which are critical for further understanding the biogeochemical cycling of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Bin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiu-Bing Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
| | - Hong-Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ben Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Mao
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
| | - Ding-Yong Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yong-Guang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Li-Gang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jian-Bo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Gui-Bin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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16
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Jackson TA. Isotopic and chemical characteristics of mercury in organs and tissues of fish in a mercury-polluted lake: Evidence for fractionation of mercury isotopes by physiological processes. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:515-529. [PMID: 28926123 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Organs and tissues of whitefish and trout from mercury (Hg)-polluted Lake Ontario were analyzed for Hg isotopes, methylmercury (CH3 Hg+ ), and inorganic Hg to investigate possible mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) and mass-independent fractionation (MIF) of Hg isotopes by physiological processes of the fish. Isotope signatures of different body parts were defined by δ-values of 198 Hg/202 Hg, 199 Hg/202 Hg, 200 Hg/202 Hg, and 201 Hg/202 Hg ratios and by Δ-values representing effects of MIF on 199 Hg/202 Hg and 201 Hg/202 Hg ratios. The research yielded the following evidence for MDF and MIF, including MIF of isotopes with even as well as odd mass numbers, by metabolic activities: 1) anomalously low δ-values for whitefish kidneys but not for trout kidneys; 2) widely varying differences between the δ-values of different body parts of whitefish but practically uniform differences for those of trout; 3) different relationships between Δ199 Hg and Δ201 Hg for whitefish than for trout; 4) nonlinear correlation between δ198 Hg and δ200 Hg for whitefish but linear correlation for trout; 5) an inverse correlation between the δ199 Hg values and CH3 Hg+ concentrations of whitefish and trout; 6) an inverse correlation between the δ201 Hg/δ199 Hg and CH3 Hg+ /inorganic Hg ratios of trout kidneys and gills (and lipids of trout near the sources of pollution) but a positive correlation for muscle, liver, and gut; and 7) inverse correlations between Δ199 Hg and the CH3 Hg+ /inorganic Hg ratio for trout liver, kidneys, and gut. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:515-529. © 2017 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Togwell A Jackson
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Sackett DK, Drazen JC, Popp BN, Choy CA, Blum JD, Johnson MW. Carbon, Nitrogen, and Mercury Isotope Evidence for the Biogeochemical History of Mercury in Hawaiian Marine Bottomfish. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:13976-13984. [PMID: 29132209 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The complex biogeochemical cycle of Hg makes identifying primary sources of fish tissue Hg problematic. To identify sources and provide insight into this cycle, we combined carbon (δ13C), nitrogen amino acid (δ15NPhe), and Hg isotope (Δ199Hg, Δ201Hg, δ202Hg) data for six species of Hawaiian marine bottomfish. Results from these isotopic systems identified individuals within species that likely fed from separate food webs. Terrestrial freshwater inputs to coastal sediments were identified as the primary source of tissue Hg in the jack species, Caranx ignobilis, which inhabit shallow marine ecosystems. Thus, coastal C. ignobilis were a biological vector transporting Hg from freshwater environments into marine ecosystems. Depth profiles of Hg isotopic compositions for bottomfish (excludung C. ignobilis) were similar, but not identical, to profiles for open-ocean pelagic fishes, suggesting that in both settings inorganic Hg, which was ultimately transformed to monomethylmercury (MeHg) and bioaccumulated, was dominantly from a single source. However, differences between pelagic fish and bottomfish profiles were attributable to mass-dependent fractionation in the benthos prior to incorporation into the food web. Results also confirmed that bottomfish relied, at least in part, on a benthic food web and identified the incorporation of deeper water oceanic MeHg sources into deeper water sediments prior to food web uptake and transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana K Sackett
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University , Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Jeffrey C Drazen
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii , Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| | - Brian N Popp
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii , Manoa, 1680 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| | - C Anela Choy
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute , 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, California 95039, United States
| | - Joel D Blum
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan , 1100 N University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Marcus W Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan , 1100 N University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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18
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Li P, Du B, Maurice L, Laffont L, Lagane C, Point D, Sonke JE, Yin R, Lin CJ, Feng X. Mercury Isotope Signatures of Methylmercury in Rice Samples from the Wanshan Mercury Mining Area, China: Environmental Implications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:12321-12328. [PMID: 28958148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b03510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Rice consumption is the primary pathway of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure for residents in mercury-mining areas of Guizhou Province, China. In this study, compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of MeHg was performed on rice samples collected in the Wanshan mercury mining area. An enrichment of 2.25‰ in total Hg (THg) δ202Hg was observed between rice and human hair, and THg Δ199Hg in hair was 0.12‰ higher than the value in rice. Rice and human hair samples in this study show distinct Hg isotope signatures compared to those of fish and human hair of fish consumers collected in China and other areas. Distinct Hg isotope signatures were observed between IHg and MeHg in rice samples (in mean ± standard deviation: δ202HgIHg at -2.30‰ ± 0.49‰, Δ199HgIHg at -0.08‰ ± 0.04‰, n = 7; δ202HgMeHg at -0.80‰ ± 0.25‰, Δ199HgMeHg at 0.08‰ ± 0.04‰, n = 7). Using a binary mixing model, it is estimated that the atmospheric Hg contributed 31% ± 16% of IHg and 17% ± 11% of THg in the rice samples and the IHg in soil caused by past mining activities contributed to the remaining Hg. This study demonstrated that Hg stable isotopes are good tracers of human MeHg exposure to fish and rice consumption, and the isotope data can be used for identifying the sources of IHg and MeHg in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Buyun Du
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China
| | - Laurence Maurice
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS , 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Laure Laffont
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS , 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Christelle Lagane
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS , 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - David Point
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS , 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Observatory Midi-Pyrénées, Geosciences Environment Toulouse Laboratory, Research Institute for the Development (IRD), University of Toulouse and CNRS , 31400 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Che-Jen Lin
- Center for Advances in Water and Air Quality, Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas 77710, United States
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19
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Cransveld A, Amouroux D, Tessier E, Koutrakis E, Ozturk AA, Bettoso N, Mieiro CL, Bérail S, Barre JPG, Sturaro N, Schnitzler J, Das K. Mercury Stable Isotopes Discriminate Different Populations of European Seabass and Trace Potential Hg Sources around Europe. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:12219-12228. [PMID: 28942649 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b01307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Our study reports the first data on mercury (Hg) isotope composition in marine European fish, for seven distinct populations of the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax. The use of δ202Hg and Δ199Hg values in SIBER enabled us to estimate Hg isotopic niches, successfully discriminating several populations. Recursive-partitioning analyses demonstrated the relevance of Hg stable isotopes as discriminating tools. Hg isotopic values also provided insight on Hg contamination sources for biota in coastal environment. The overall narrow range of δ202Hg around Europe was suggested to be related to a global atmospheric contamination while δ202Hg at some sites was linked either to background contamination, or with local contamination sources. Δ199Hg was related to Hg levels of fish but we also suggest a relation with ecological conditions. Throughout this study, results from the Black Sea population stood out, displaying a Hg cycling similar to fresh water lakes. Our findings bring out the possibility to use Hg isotopes in order to discriminate distinct populations, to explore the Hg cycle on a large scale (Europe) and to distinguish sites contaminated by global versus local Hg source. The interest of using Hg sable isotopes to investigate the whole European Hg cycle is clearly highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cransveld
- Laboratory for Oceanology - MARE, University of Liège , 15 Allée du 6 Août, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - David Amouroux
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR5254 , 64000, PAU, France
| | - Emmanuel Tessier
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR5254 , 64000, PAU, France
| | - Emmanuil Koutrakis
- Fisheries Research Institute , Hellenic Agricultural Organisation, 640 07 Nea Peramos, Kavala Greece
| | - Ayaka A Ozturk
- Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nicola Bettoso
- Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell'Ambiente del Friuli Venezia Giulia (ARPA FVG) , via A. La Marmora 13, 34139 Trieste, Italy
| | - Cláudia L Mieiro
- CESAM and Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro , Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sylvain Bérail
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR5254 , 64000, PAU, France
| | - Julien P G Barre
- CNRS/UNIV PAU & PAYS ADOUR, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Materiaux, UMR5254 , 64000, PAU, France
| | - Nicolas Sturaro
- Laboratory for Oceanology - MARE, University of Liège , 15 Allée du 6 Août, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Joseph Schnitzler
- Laboratory for Oceanology - MARE, University of Liège , 15 Allée du 6 Août, 4000 Liège, Belgium
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation , 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein Germany
| | - Krishna Das
- Laboratory for Oceanology - MARE, University of Liège , 15 Allée du 6 Août, 4000 Liège, Belgium
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20
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Abstract
Stocking is a worldwide activity on geographical and historical scales. The rate of non-native fish introductions have more than doubled over the last decades yet the effect on natural ecosystems, in the scope of biologically mediated transport and biomagnification of Hg and Hg-isotopes, is unknown. Using geochemistry (THg) and stable isotopes (N, Sr and Hg), we evaluate natal origin and trophic position of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), as well as mercury biomagnification trends and potential pollution sources to three high-altitude lakes. Farmed trout show Hg-isotope signatures similar to marine biota whereas wild trout shows Hg-isotope signatures typical of fresh water lakes. Stocked trout initially show Hg-isotope signatures similar to marine biota. As the stocked trout age and shifts diet to a higher trophic level, THg concentrations increase and the marine Hg isotope signatures, induced via farm fish feed, shift to locally produced MeHg with lower δ202Hg and higher Δ199Hg. We conclude that stocking acts a humanly induced biovector that transfers marine Hg to freshwater ecosystems, which is seen in the Hg-isotopic signature up to five years after stocking events occurred. This points to the need of further investigations of the role of stocking in MeHg exposure to freshwater ecosystems.
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21
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Evans RD, Wang W, Evans HE, Georg RB. Variation in Zn, C, and N isotope ratios in three stream insects. Facets (Ott) 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2016-0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Total Zn concentrations and Zn isotope ratios were measured, using multicollector inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-mass spectrometry (MS), in three species of aquatic insects collected from a stream in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Total Zn levels averaged 193 ± 88 μg/g dry weight (dw) in water striders (Heteroptera: Gerridae, Aquarius remigis) and were significantly higher than the concentrations measured in stonefly nymphs (Plecoptera: Perlidae, Acroneuria abnormis) and caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae, Pycnopsyche guttifer), i.e., 136 ± 34 μg/g dw and 125 ± 26 μg/g dw, respectively. Average delta values for 66Zn/64Zn in the water striders were approximately 0.7‰ lighter (−1.2‰ ± 1.0‰) and were significantly different than those measured for stoneflies (−0.45‰ ± 0.62‰) and caddisflies (−0.51‰ ± 0.54‰). Nitrogen isotope ratios were significantly different ( P < 0.05) among the three species suggesting differences in trophic positioning. Similar to the Zn isotope ratios, δ 13C values for the water striders (−28.61‰ ± 0.98‰) were significantly different than those of the stoneflies and caddisflies, i.e., −30.75‰ ± 1.33‰ and −30.68‰ ± 1.01‰, respectively. The data suggest that the differences observed in Zn ratios relate to food source for these insects. Similar to their carbon sources, Zn in water striders appears to be primarily of terrestrial origin, and of aquatic origin for the other two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Douglas Evans
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
- Water Quality Centre, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Wei Wang
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Hayla E. Evans
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
- Water Quality Centre, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - R. Bastian Georg
- Water Quality Centre, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
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22
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Donovan PM, Blum JD, Singer MB, Marvin-DiPasquale M, Tsui MTK. Methylmercury degradation and exposure pathways in streams and wetlands impacted by historical mining. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 568:1192-1203. [PMID: 27234290 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Monomethyl mercury (MMHg) and total mercury (THg) concentrations and Hg stable isotope ratios (δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg) were measured in sediment and aquatic organisms from Cache Creek (California Coast Range) and Yolo Bypass (Sacramento Valley). Cache Creek sediment had a large range in THg (87 to 3870ng/g) and δ(202)Hg (-1.69 to -0.20‰) reflecting the heterogeneity of Hg mining sources in sediment. The δ(202)Hg of Yolo Bypass wetland sediment suggests a mixture of high and low THg sediment sources. Relationships between %MMHg (the percent ratio of MMHg to THg) and Hg isotope values (δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg) in fish and macroinvertebrates were used to identify and estimate the isotopic composition of MMHg. Deviation from linear relationships was found between %MMHg and Hg isotope values, which is indicative of the bioaccumulation of isotopically distinct pools of MMHg. The isotopic composition of pre-photodegraded MMHg (i.e., subtracting fractionation from photochemical reactions) was estimated and contrasting relationships were observed between the estimated δ(202)Hg of pre-photodegraded MMHg and sediment IHg. Cache Creek had mass dependent fractionation (MDF; δ(202)Hg) of at least -0.4‰ whereas Yolo Bypass had MDF of +0.2 to +0.5‰. This result supports the hypothesis that Hg isotope fractionation between IHg and MMHg observed in rivers (-MDF) is unique compared to +MDF observed in non-flowing water environments such as wetlands, lakes, and the coastal ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Donovan
- University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 1100 N., University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Joel D Blum
- University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 1100 N., University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Michael Bliss Singer
- University of St Andrews, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, North St., St. Andrews, KY16 9AL, UK; Earth Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 91306, USA
| | | | - Martin T K Tsui
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
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23
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Rua-Ibarz A, Bolea-Fernandez E, Maage A, Frantzen S, Valdersnes S, Vanhaecke F. Assessment of Hg Pollution Released from a WWII Submarine Wreck (U-864) by Hg Isotopic Analysis of Sediments and Cancer pagurus Tissues. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:10361-10369. [PMID: 27609466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Hg pollution released from the U-864 submarine sunk during WWII and potential introduction of that Hg into the marine food chain have been studied by a combination of quantitative Hg and MeHg determination and Hg isotopic analysis via cold vapor generation multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (CVG-MC-ICP-MS) in sediment and Cancer pagurus samples. The sediment pollution could be unequivocally linked with the metallic Hg present in the wreck. Crabs were collected at the wreck location and 4 nmi north and south, and their brown and claw meat were analyzed separately. For brown meat, the δ202Hg values of the individuals from the wreck location were shifted toward the isotopic signature of the sediment and, thus, the submarine Hg. Such differences were not found for claw meat. The isotope ratio results suggest direct ingestion of metallic Hg by C. pagurus but do not offer any proof for any other introduction of the submarine Hg into the marine food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rua-Ibarz
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eduardo Bolea-Fernandez
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amund Maage
- National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sylvia Frantzen
- National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway
| | - Stig Valdersnes
- National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway
| | - Frank Vanhaecke
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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24
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Yin R, Feng X, Zhang J, Pan K, Wang W, Li X. Using mercury isotopes to understand the bioaccumulation of Hg in the subtropical Pearl River Estuary, South China. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 147:173-9. [PMID: 26766353 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2015] [Revised: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Coastal and estuarine regions are important areas of mercury pollution. Therefore, it is important to properly characterize the sources and bioaccumulation processes of mercury in these regions. Here, we present mercury stable isotopic compositions in 18 species of wild marine fish collected from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), south China. Our results showed variations in mass-independent fractionation (Δ(199)Hg: +0.05 ± 0.10‰ to +0.59 ± 0.30‰) with a Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg of ∼1.26, suggesting that aqueous MeHg underwent photo-degradation prior to incorporation into the food chain. For the results, we discovered small but significant differences of Δ(199)Hg values among herbivorous, demersal, and carnivorous fish, indicating that different feeding guilds of fish may have incorporated MeHg with various degrees of photo-demethylation. The consistent mercury isotope compositions between fish feeding habitat and mercury sources in the estuary provide potentially important findings on the transformation and bioaccumulation of this toxic metal in subtropical coastal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runsheng Yin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Junjun Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ke Pan
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Wenxiong Wang
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Xiangdong Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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25
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Pedrero Z, Donard OFX, Amouroux D. Pushing back the frontiers of mercury speciation using a combination of biomolecular and isotopic signatures: challenge and perspectives. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016; 408:2641-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-015-9243-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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26
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An in-depth evaluation of accuracy and precision in Hg isotopic analysis via pneumatic nebulization and cold vapor generation multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2015; 408:417-29. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-015-9131-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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27
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Kwon SY, Blum JD, Nadelhoffer KJ, Timothy Dvonch J, Tsui MTK. Isotopic study of mercury sources and transfer between a freshwater lake and adjacent forest food web. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 532:220-9. [PMID: 26071963 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Studies of monomethylmercury (MMHg) sources and biogeochemical pathways have been extensive in aquatic ecosystems, but limited in forest ecosystems. Increasing evidence suggests that there is significant mercury (Hg) exchange between aquatic and forest ecosystems. We use Hg stable isotope ratios (δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg) to investigate the relative importance of MMHg sources and assess Hg transfer pathways between Douglas Lake and adjacent forests located at the University of Michigan Biological Station, USA. We characterize Hg isotopic compositions of basal resources and use linear regression of % MMHg versus δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg to estimate Hg isotope values for inorganic mercury (IHg) and MMHg in the aquatic and adjacent forest food webs. In the aquatic ecosystem, we found that lake sediment represents a mixture of IHg pools deposited via watershed runoff and precipitation. The δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg values estimated for IHg are consistent with other studies that measured forest floor in temperate forests. The Δ(199)Hg value estimated for MMHg in the aquatic food web indicates that MMHg is subjected to ~20% photochemical degradation prior to bioaccumulation. In the forest ecosystem, we found a significant negative relationship between total Hg and δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg of soil collected at multiple distances from the lakeshore and lake sediment. This suggests that IHg input from watershed runoff provides an important Hg transfer pathway between the forest and aquatic ecosystems. We measured Δ(199)Hg values for high trophic level insects and compared these insects at multiple distances perpendicular to the lake shoreline. The Δ(199)Hg values correspond to the % canopy cover suggesting that forest MMHg is subjected to varying extents of photochemical degradation and the extent may be controlled by sunlight. Our study demonstrates that the use of Hg isotopes adds important new insight into the relative importance of MMHg sources and complex Hg transfer pathways across ecosystem boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Yun Kwon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
| | - Joel D Blum
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 830 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Knute J Nadelhoffer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 830 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - J Timothy Dvonch
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27402, United States
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28
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Bonsignore M, Tamburrino S, Oliveri E, Marchetti A, Durante C, Berni A, Quinci E, Sprovieri M. Tracing mercury pathways in Augusta Bay (southern Italy) by total concentration and isotope determination. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2015; 205:178-85. [PMID: 26074159 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The mercury (Hg) pollution of sediments is the main carrier of Hg for the biota and, subsequently, for the local fish consumers in Augusta Bay area (SE Sicily, Italy), a coastal marine system affected by relevant sewage from an important chlor-alkali factory. This relationship was revealed by the determination of Mass Dependent (MDF) and Mass Independent Fractionation (MIF) of Hg isotopes in sediment, fish and human hair samples. Sediments showed MDF but no MIF, while fish showed MIF, possibly due to photochemical reduction in the water column and depending on the feeding habitat of the species. Benthic and demersal fish exhibited MDF similar to that of sediments in which anthropogenic Hg was deposited, while pelagic organisms evidenced higher MDF and MIF due to photoreduction. Human hair showed high values of δ(202)Hg (offset of +2.2‰ with respect to the consumed fish) and Δ(199)Hg, both associated to fish consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bonsignore
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC) - CNR, Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Campobello di Mazara (TP), Italy.
| | - S Tamburrino
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC) - CNR, Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Campobello di Mazara (TP), Italy
| | - E Oliveri
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC) - CNR, Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Campobello di Mazara (TP), Italy
| | - A Marchetti
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 183, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - C Durante
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 183, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - A Berni
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 183, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - E Quinci
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC) - CNR, Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Campobello di Mazara (TP), Italy
| | - M Sprovieri
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC) - CNR, Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Campobello di Mazara (TP), Italy
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29
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Chételat J, Amyot M, Arp P, Blais JM, Depew D, Emmerton CA, Evans M, Gamberg M, Gantner N, Girard C, Graydon J, Kirk J, Lean D, Lehnherr I, Muir D, Nasr M, Poulain AJ, Power M, Roach P, Stern G, Swanson H, van der Velden S. Mercury in freshwater ecosystems of the Canadian Arctic: recent advances on its cycling and fate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 509-510:41-66. [PMID: 24993511 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.05.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Canadian Arctic has vast freshwater resources, and fish are important in the diet of many Northerners. Mercury is a contaminant of concern because of its potential toxicity and elevated bioaccumulation in some fish populations. Over the last decade, significant advances have been made in characterizing the cycling and fate of mercury in these freshwater environments. Large amounts of new data on concentrations, speciation and fluxes of Hg are provided and summarized for water and sediment, which were virtually absent for the Canadian Arctic a decade ago. The biogeochemical processes that control the speciation of mercury remain poorly resolved, including the sites and controls of methylmercury production. Food web studies have examined the roles of Hg uptake, trophic transfer, and diet for Hg bioaccumulation in fish, and, in particular, advances have been made in identifying determinants of mercury levels in lake-dwelling and sea-run forms of Arctic char. In a comparison of common freshwater fish species that were sampled across the Canadian Arctic between 2002 and 2009, no geographic patterns or regional hotspots were evident. Over the last two to four decades, Hg concentrations have increased in some monitored populations of fish in the Mackenzie River Basin while other populations from the Yukon and Nunavut showed no change or a slight decline. The different Hg trends indicate that the drivers of temporal change may be regional or habitat-specific. The Canadian Arctic is undergoing profound environmental change, and preliminary evidence suggests that it may be impacting the cycling and bioaccumulation of mercury. Further research is needed to investigate climate change impacts on the Hg cycle as well as biogeochemical controls of methylmercury production and the processes leading to increasing Hg levels in some fish populations in the Canadian Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Marc Amyot
- Centre d'études nordiques, Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Paul Arp
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Jules M Blais
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - David Depew
- Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Craig A Emmerton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Marlene Evans
- Environment Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Mary Gamberg
- Gamberg Consulting, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5M2, Canada
| | - Nikolaus Gantner
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
| | - Catherine Girard
- Centre d'études nordiques, Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jennifer Graydon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jane Kirk
- Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - David Lean
- Lean Environmental, Apsley, Ontario K0L 1A0, Canada
| | - Igor Lehnherr
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Derek Muir
- Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Mina Nasr
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Alexandre J Poulain
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Pat Roach
- Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2B5, Canada
| | - Gary Stern
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Heidi Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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30
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Sherman LS, Blum JD, Basu N, Rajaee M, Evers DC, Buck DG, Petrlik J, DiGangi J. Assessment of mercury exposure among small-scale gold miners using mercury stable isotopes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 137:226-34. [PMID: 25577187 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2014] [Revised: 11/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury (Hg) concentrations in hair and urine are often used as biomarkers of exposure to fish-derived methylmercury (MeHg) and gaseous elemental Hg, respectively. We used Hg stable isotopes to assess the validity of these biomarkers among small-scale gold mining populations in Ghana and Indonesia. Urine from Ghanaian miners displayed similar Δ(199)Hg values to Hg derived from ore deposits (mean urine Δ(199)Hg=0.01‰, n=6). This suggests that urine total Hg concentrations accurately reflect exposure to inorganic Hg among this population. Hair samples from Ghanaian miners displayed low positive Δ(199)Hg values (0.23-0.55‰, n=6) and low percentages of total Hg as MeHg (7.6-29%, n=7). These data suggest that the majority of the Hg in these miners' hair samples is exogenously adsorbed inorganic Hg and not fish-derived MeHg. Hair samples from Indonesian gold miners who eat fish daily displayed a wider range of positive Δ(199)Hg values (0.21-1.32‰, n=5) and percentages of total Hg as MeHg (32-72%, n=4). This suggests that total Hg in the hair samples from Indonesian gold miners is likely a mixture of ingested fish MeHg and exogenously adsorbed inorganic Hg. Based on data from both populations, we suggest that total Hg concentrations in hair samples from small-scale gold miners likely overestimate exposure to MeHg from fish consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Sherman
- University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
| | - Joel D Blum
- University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Niladri Basu
- McGill University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X3V9
| | - Mozhgon Rajaee
- University of Michigan, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038, United States
| | - David G Buck
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038, United States
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31
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Chandan P, Ghosh S, Bergquist BA. Mercury isotope fractionation during aqueous photoreduction of monomethylmercury in the presence of dissolved organic matter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:259-67. [PMID: 25399734 DOI: 10.1021/es5034553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Monomethylmercury (MMHg) is a toxic pollutant that bioaccumulates in aquatic food webs. A major mechanism that limits MMHg uptake by biota is photodemethylation in surface waters. Recently, the extent of mass-independent fractionation (MIF) of Hg isotopes preserved in fish is being used to quantify this MMHg sink. Here, the effects of different types and amounts of DOM on Hg MIF during MMHg photodemethylation were investigated to assess how variable MIF enrichment factors may be with respect to changing DOM binding sites. From experiments conducted with varying amounts of reduced organic sulfur (S(red)-DOM), the extent and signature of MIF is likely dependent on whether MMHg is dominantly bound to S(red)-DOM. Similar enrichment factors were observed for low MMHg:S(red)-DOM experiments, where S(red)-DOM was in far excess of MMHg. In contrast, significantly lower and variable enrichment factors were observed for experiments with higher MMHg:S(red)-DOM ratios. Additionally the relationship between the two odd Hg isotopes that display MIF (Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg) was consistent for the low MMHg:S(red)-DOM experiments, while lower Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg relationships were observed for the higher MMHg:S(red)-DOM experiments. These results suggest that both the extent and signature of MMHg MIF are sensitive to different ligands that bind MMHg in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Chandan
- University of Toronto , Department of Earth Sciences, 22 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada
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32
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Kwon SY, Blum JD, Chen C, Meattey DE, Mason RP. Mercury isotope study of sources and exposure pathways of methylmercury in estuarine food webs in the Northeastern U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:10089-97. [PMID: 25116221 PMCID: PMC4151785 DOI: 10.1021/es5020554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We measured mercury (Hg) isotope ratios in sediments and various estuarine organisms (green crab, blue mussel, killifish, eider) to investigate methylmercury (MMHg) sources and exposure pathways in five Northeast coast (U.S.) estuaries. The mass independent Hg isotopic compositions (MIF; Δ(199)Hg) of the sediments were linearly correlated with the sediment 1/Hg concentrations (Δ(199)Hg: r(2) = 0.77, p < 0.05), but the mass dependent isotope compositions (MDF; δ(202)Hg) were not (r(2) = 0.26, p = 0.16), reflecting inputs of anthropogenic Hg sources with varying δ(202)Hg. The estuarine organisms all display positive Δ(199)Hg values (0.21 to 0.98 ‰) indicating that MMHg is photodegraded to varying degrees (5-12%) prior to entry into the food web. The δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg values of most organisms can be explained by a mixture of MMHg and inorganic Hg from sediments. At one contaminated site mussels have anomalously high δ(202)Hg, indicating exposure to a second pool of MMHg, compared to sediment, crabs and fish. Eiders have similar Δ(199)Hg as killifish but much higher δ(202)Hg, suggesting that there is an internal fractionation of δ(202)Hg in birds. Our study shows that Hg isotopes can be used to identify multiple anthropogenic inorganic Hg and MMHg sources and determine the degree of photodegradation of MMHg in estuarine food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Yun Kwon
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University
of Michigan, 1100 N.
University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United
States
- Phone: 1.734.615.7209; fax: 1.734.763.4690; e-mail:
| | - Joel D. Blum
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University
of Michigan, 1100 N.
University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United
States
| | - Celia
Y. Chen
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-3576, United States
| | - Dustin E. Meattey
- Biodiversity
Research Institute, 652
Main Street, Gorham, Maine 04038, United States
| | - Robert P. Mason
- Department
of Marine Science, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
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Brand WA, Coplen TB, Vogl J, Rosner M, Prohaska T. Assessment of international reference materials for isotope-ratio analysis (IUPAC Technical Report). PURE APPL CHEM 2014. [DOI: 10.1515/pac-2013-1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 400] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
AbstractSince the early 1950s, the number of international measurement standards for anchoring stable isotope delta scales has mushroomed from 3 to more than 30, expanding to more than 25 chemical elements. With the development of new instrumentation, along with new and improved measurement procedures for studying naturally occurring isotopic abundance variations in natural and technical samples, the number of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials with a specified delta value has blossomed in the last six decades to more than 150 materials. More than half of these isotopic reference materials were produced for isotope-delta measurements of seven elements: H, Li, B, C, N, O, and S. The number of isotopic reference materials for other, heavier elements has grown considerably over the last decade. Nevertheless, even primary international measurement standards for isotope-delta measurements are still needed for some elements, including Mg, Fe, Te, Sb, Mo, and Ge. It is recommended that authors publish the delta values of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials that were used for anchoring their measurement results to the respective primary stable isotope scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willi A. Brand
- 1Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jochen Vogl
- 3BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Prohaska
- 5University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Tulln, Austria
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Li M, Sherman LS, Blum JD, Grandjean P, Mikkelsen B, Weihe P, Sunderland E, Shine J. Assessing sources of human methylmercury exposure using stable mercury isotopes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:8800-6. [PMID: 24967674 PMCID: PMC4123924 DOI: 10.1021/es500340r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Seafood consumption is the primary route of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure for most populations. Inherent uncertainties in dietary survey data point to the need for an empirical tool to confirm exposure sources. We therefore explore the utility of Hg stable isotope ratios in human hair as a new method for discerning MeHg exposure sources. We characterized Hg isotope fractionation between humans and their diets using hair samples from Faroese whalers exposed to MeHg predominantly from pilot whales. We observed an increase of 1.75‰ in δ(202)Hg values between pilot whale muscle tissue and Faroese whalers' hair but no mass-independent fractionation. We found a similar offset in δ(202)Hg between consumed seafood and hair samples from Gulf of Mexico recreational anglers who are exposed to lower levels of MeHg from a variety of seafood sources. An isotope mixing model was used to estimate individual MeHg exposure sources and confirmed that both Δ(199)Hg and δ(202)Hg values in human hair can help identify dietary MeHg sources. Variability in isotopic signatures among coastal fish consumers in the Gulf of Mexico likely reflects both differences in environmental sources of MeHg to coastal fish and uncertainty in dietary recall data. Additional data are needed to fully refine this approach for individuals with complex seafood consumption patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miling Li
- Department
of Environmental Health, Harvard School
of Public Health, 401
Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- E-mail: . Phone: 617-384-8836
| | - Laura S. Sherman
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University
of Michigan, 1100 North
University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United
States
| | - Joel D. Blum
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University
of Michigan, 1100 North
University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United
States
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department
of Environmental Health, Harvard School
of Public Health, 401
Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Institute
of Public Health, University of Southern
Denmark, J. B. Winsløws
Vej 9B, 2nd floor, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Bjarni Mikkelsen
- The
Faroese Museum of Natural History, V. U. Hammershaimbsgøta 13, FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department
of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Sigmundargøta 5, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Elsie
M. Sunderland
- Department
of Environmental Health, Harvard School
of Public Health, 401
Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- School of
Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University, 29 Oxford
Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - James
P. Shine
- Department
of Environmental Health, Harvard School
of Public Health, 401
Park Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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Day RD, Becker PR, Donard OFX, Pugh RS, Wise SA. Environmental specimen banks as a resource for mercury and mercury isotope research in marine ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2014; 16:10-27. [PMID: 24166047 DOI: 10.1039/c3em00261f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Environmental specimen banks (ESBs) have been a fundamental tool for many nations to monitor contaminant temporal and spatial trends, study fate and transport, and assess the severity and risks of pollution. The specimens archived in ESBs are among the longest time-series, most geographically robust, and highest integrity samples available for performing environmental research. Mercury (Hg) remains one of the world's most ubiquitous environmental contaminants, and ESBs have played a prominent role in Hg research. Historically this has involved measuring concentrations of Hg species in various environmental matrices, but the emerging field of Hg stable isotope research provides a new analytical approach that can augment these traditional techniques. Signatures of Hg isotope fractionation have been effectively used for source apportionment and for elucidating Hg biogeochemical cycling. As the research surrounding Hg stable isotopes continues to mature, ESBs can play a useful role in analytical quality control, provide a robust and economical sample archive to expand and diversify the inventory of Hg isotope measurements, and be used to develop and test hypotheses to evaluate whether broadly prevailing paradigms are supported. Samples archived in ESBs are available for request by external collaborators in order to perform high impact research, and should be utilized more effectively to address emerging global environmental concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rusty D Day
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA.
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Kwon SY, Blum JD, Chirby MA, Chesney EJ. Application of mercury isotopes for tracing trophic transfer and internal distribution of mercury in marine fish feeding experiments. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2013; 32:2322-30. [PMID: 23787815 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 04/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Feeding experiments were performed to investigate mercury (Hg) isotope fractionation during trophic transfer and internal distribution of total Hg (THg) in marine fish on exposure to natural seafood. Young-of-the-year amberjack (Seriola dumerili) were fed with either blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus; 2647 ng/g THg) or brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus; 25.1 ng/g THg) for 80 d or 50 d, respectively, and dissected for muscle, liver, kidney, brain, and blood. After 30 d of tuna consumption, Hg isotopes (δ(202) Hg and Δ(199)Hg) of the amberjack organs shifted to the tuna value (δ(202)Hg = 0.55‰, Δ(199)Hg = 1.54‰,), demonstrating the absence of Hg isotope fractionation. When amberjack were fed a shrimp diet, there was an initial mixing of the amberjack organs toward the shrimp value (δ(202)Hg = -0.48‰, Δ(199)Hg = 0.32‰), followed by a cessation of further shifts in Δ(199)Hg and a small shift in δ(202)Hg. The failure of Δ(199)Hg to reach the shrimp value can be attributed to a reduction in Hg bioaccumulation from shrimp resulting from feeding inhibition and the δ(202)Hg shift can be attributed to a small internal fractionation during excretion. Given that the feeding rate and Hg concentration of the diet can influence internal Hg isotope distribution, these parameters must be considered in biosentinel fish studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Yun Kwon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
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Mao Y, Li Y, Richards J, Cai Y. Investigating uptake and translocation of mercury species by sawgrass ( Cladium jamaicense ) using a stable isotope tracer technique. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:9678-9684. [PMID: 23885899 DOI: 10.1021/es400546s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The role of macrophytes in mercury (Hg) cycling in the Florida Everglades ecosystem has not been fully understood. In this study, a stable isotope ((199)Hg(2+)) addition technique was used to trace the methylation, uptake, and translocation of Hg by sawgrass ( Cladium jamaicense ) and quantitatively evaluate the contribution of atmospheric and soil Hg to Hg in sawgrass leaves and below-ground biomass. The results showed that spiked (199)Hg(2+) could be rapidly methylated to monomethylmercury (Me(199)Hg) in the soil of the sawgrass pots. Only small portions of total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MeHg) in the soil could be taken up by sawgrass, indicated by the ratios of T(199)Hg and Me(199)Hg (tracer) concentrations in the sawgrass below-ground biomass (BGBM) over that in the soil (6.50 ± 1.9% and 12.8 ± 3.6% for THg and MeHg, respectively). Concentrations of T(199)Hg (tracer) and Me(199)Hg (tracer) in sawgrass leaves only accounted for 5.50 ± 2.8% and 15.6 ± 4.0%, respectively, of that in the BGBM, implying that the fractions of mercury species transported upward by sawgrass were also small. Statistical analysis (t test) showed that sawgrass preferred MeHg over THg in both uptake and upward translocation. The majority (>90%) of THg in sawgrass leaves were estimated to be obtained from atmospheric Hg, rather than from soil, suggesting that assimilation of atmospheric Hg could increase the overall Hg stock in the Florida Everglades ecosystem. The finding about foliar uptake of Hg is especially important for a better understanding of mercury cycling in the Everglades, given the large amount of sawgrass biomass in this ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Mao
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University , Jiaozuo, 454000, China.
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Sherman LS, Blum JD, Franzblau A, Basu N. New insight into biomarkers of human mercury exposure using naturally occurring mercury stable isotopes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:3403-9. [PMID: 23463943 DOI: 10.1021/es305250z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and elemental mercury vapor (Hg(0)(g)) are often estimated using total Hg concentrations in hair and urine, respectively. We investigated whether Hg stable isotopes could be used to better distinguish between exposure to Hg(0)(g) versus MeHg. We found that hair from North American dental professionals was characterized by high positive Δ(199)Hg values (mean = 1.86‰, 1 SD = 0.12‰, n = 11). This confirms that among people who regularly consume fish, total Hg concentrations in hair reflect exposure to MeHg. In contrast, we found that urine from the same individuals was characterized by a range of Δ(199)Hg values (0.29 to 1.77‰, 2 SD = 0.06‰, n = 12) that were significantly correlated to the number of dental amalgams in each individual's mouth. We hypothesize that fish-derived MeHg is demethylated within the body, causing mass-dependent fractionation and the excretion of inorganic Hg in urine. Mercury in urine therefore represents a mixture of demethylated fish-derived MeHg and amalgam-derived inorganic Hg. We estimate that the majority (>70%) of Hg in urine from individuals with <10 dental amalgams is derived from ingestion of MeHg in fish. These data suggest that within populations that consume fish, urine total Hg concentrations may overestimate Hg exposure from personal dental amalgams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Sherman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
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Sherman LS, Blum JD. Mercury stable isotopes in sediments and largemouth bass from Florida lakes, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2013; 448:163-75. [PMID: 23062970 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2012] [Revised: 09/10/2012] [Accepted: 09/13/2012] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Humans and wildlife can be exposed to mercury (Hg) through the consumption of fish with elevated concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg). Studies have shown that increased atmospheric deposition of Hg often leads to increased MeHg concentrations in aquatic organisms. However, depending on the ecosystem characteristics, reductions in Hg emissions may not always lead to immediate decreases in fish MeHg concentrations. Measurements of natural abundance Hg stable isotope ratios may enable a better understanding of these complex relationships. To gain insight into the sources of Hg to sport fish in central Florida, we measured the Hg isotopic compositions of surface sediments and largemouth bass from freshwater lakes. We found that fish collected from lakes located near the large Crystal River coal-fired power plant did not display evidence of anomalous negative δ(202)Hg values that were observed in nearby precipitation. This suggests that Hg recently deposited from the atmosphere is not preferentially methylated and bioaccumulated in these lakes relative to previously deposited Hg accumulated in the lake sediments. We also observed significant positive Δ(199)Hg values in the fish that were correlated with light penetration depth in the lakes from which they were collected. This indicates that a significant amount of photochemical degradation of MeHg (up to ~40%) occurred prior to uptake of the remaining MeHg into the food webs. These results suggest that depending on physical lake characteristics and biogeochemical factors, decreased atmospheric Hg deposition may not lead to immediate short-term reductions in fish MeHg concentrations. Instead, recovery of some freshwater fish populations to baseline MeHg concentrations may take decades to centuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Sherman
- University of Michigan, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 1100 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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40
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Tsui MTK, Blum JD, Kwon SY, Finlay JC, Balogh SJ, Nollet YH. Sources and transfers of methylmercury in adjacent river and forest food webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:10957-64. [PMID: 23033864 DOI: 10.1021/es3019836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Nearly all ecosystems are contaminated with highly toxic methylmercury (MeHg), but the specific sources and pathways leading to the uptake of MeHg within and among food webs are not well understood. In this study, we report stable mercury (Hg) isotope compositions in food webs in a river and an adjacent forest in northern California and demonstrate the utility of Hg isotopes for studying MeHg sources and cross-habitat transfers. We observed large differences in both δ(202)Hg (mass-dependent fractionation) and Δ(199)Hg (mass-independent fractionation) within both food webs. The majority of isotopic variation within each food web could be accounted for by differing proportions of inorganic Hg [Hg(II)] and MeHg along food chains. We estimated mean isotope values of Hg(II) and MeHg in each habitat and found a large difference in δ(202)Hg between Hg(II) and MeHg (∼2.7‰) in the forest but not in the river (∼0.25‰). This is consistent with in situ Hg(II) methylation in the study river but suggests Hg(II) methylation may not be important in the forest. In fact, the similarity in δ(202)Hg between MeHg in forest food webs and Hg(II) in precipitation suggests that MeHg in forest food webs may be derived from atmospheric sources (e.g., rainfall, fog). Utilizing contrasting δ(202)Hg values between MeHg in river food webs (-1.0‰) and MeHg in forest food webs (+0.7‰), we estimate with a two-source mixing model that ∼55% of MeHg in two riparian spiders is derived from riverine sources while ∼45% of MeHg originates from terrestrial sources. Thus, stable Hg isotopes can provide new information on subtle differences in sources of MeHg and trace MeHg transfers within and among food webs in natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Tsz Ki Tsui
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
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Kwon SY, Blum JD, Carvan MJ, Basu N, Head JA, Madenjian CP, David SR. Absence of fractionation of mercury isotopes during trophic transfer of methylmercury to freshwater fish in captivity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:7527-34. [PMID: 22681311 PMCID: PMC4347840 DOI: 10.1021/es300794q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
We performed two controlled experiments to determine the amount of mass-dependent and mass-independent fractionation (MDF and MIF) of methylmercury (MeHg) during trophic transfer into fish. In experiment 1, juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were raised in captivity on commercial food pellets and then their diet was either maintained on unamended food pellets (0.1 μg/g MeHg) or was switched to food pellets with 1.0 μg/g or 4.0 μg/g of added MeHg, for a period of 2 months. The difference in δ(202)Hg (MDF) and Δ(199)Hg (MIF) between fish tissues and food pellets with added MeHg was within the analytical uncertainty (δ(202)Hg, 0.07 ‰; Δ(199)Hg, 0.06 ‰), indicating no isotope fractionation. In experiment 2, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) were raised in captivity on food pellets and then shifted to a diet of bloater (Coregonus hoyi) for 6 months. The δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg of the lake trout equaled the isotopic composition of the bloater after 6 months, reflecting reequilibration of the Hg isotopic composition of the fish to new food sources and a lack of isotope fractionation during trophic transfer. We suggest that the stable Hg isotope ratios in fish can be used to trace environmental sources of Hg in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Yun Kwon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
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42
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Perrot V, Pastukhov MV, Epov VN, Husted S, Donard OFX, Amouroux D. Higher mass-independent isotope fractionation of methylmercury in the pelagic food web of Lake Baikal (Russia). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:5902-11. [PMID: 22545798 DOI: 10.1021/es204572g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mercury undergoes several transformations that influence its stable isotope composition during a number of environmental and biological processes. Measurements of Hg isotopic mass-dependent (MDF) and mass-independent fractionation (MIF) in food webs may therefore help to identify major sources and processes leading to significant bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg). In this work, δ(13)C, δ(15)N, concentration of Hg species (MeHg, inorganic Hg), and stable isotopic composition of Hg were determined at different trophic levels of the remote and pristine Lake Baikal ecosystem. Muscle of seals and different fish as well as amphipods, zooplankton, and phytoplankton were specifically investigated. MDF during trophic transfer of MeHg leading to enrichment of heavier isotopes in the predators was clearly established by δ(202)Hg measurements in the pelagic prey-predator system (carnivorous sculpins and top-predator seals). Despite the low concentrations of Hg in the ecosystem, the pelagic food web reveals very high MIF Δ(199)Hg (3.15-6.65‰) in comparison to coastal fish (0.26-1.65‰) and most previous studies in aquatic organisms. Trophic transfer does not influence MIF signature since similar Δ(199)Hg was observed in sculpins (4.59 ± 0.55‰) and seal muscles (4.62 ± 0.60‰). The MIF is suggested to be mainly controlled by specific physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the water column. The higher level of MIF in pelagic fish of Lake Baikal is mainly due to the bioaccumulation of residual MeHg that is efficiently turned over and photodemethylated in deep oligotrophic and stationary (i.e., long residence time) freshwater columns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Perrot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche sur l'Environnement et les Matériaux, CNRS-UPPA-UMR-5254, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
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43
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Day RD, Roseneau DG, Berail S, Hobson KA, Donard OFX, Vander Pol SS, Pugh RS, Moors AJ, Long SE, Becker PR. Mercury stable isotopes in seabird eggs reflect a gradient from terrestrial geogenic to oceanic mercury reservoirs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:5327-5335. [PMID: 22519440 DOI: 10.1021/es2047156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Elevated mercury concentrations ([Hg]) were found in Alaskan murre (Uria spp.) eggs from the coastal embayment of Norton Sound relative to insular colonies in the northern Bering Sea-Bering Strait region. Stable isotopes of Hg, carbon, and nitrogen were measured in the eggs to investigate the source of this enrichment. Lower δ(13)C values in Norton Sound eggs (-23.3‰ to -20.0‰) relative to eggs from more oceanic colonies (-20.9‰ to -18.7‰) indicated that a significant terrestrial carbon source was associated with the elevated [Hg] in Norton Sound, implicating the Yukon River and smaller Seward Peninsula watersheds as the likely Hg source. The increasing [Hg] gradient extending inshore was accompanied by strong decreasing gradients of δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg in eggs, indicating lower degrees of mass-dependent (MDF) and mass-independent Hg fractionation (MIF) (respectively) in the Norton Sound food web. Negative or zero MDF and MIF signatures are typical of geological Hg sources, which suggests murres in Norton Sound integrated Hg from a more recent geological origin that has experienced a relatively limited extent of aquatic fractionation relative to more oceanic colonies. The association of low δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg with elevated [Hg] and terrestrial δ(13)C values suggested that Hg stable isotopes in murre eggs effectively differentiated terrestrial/geogenic Hg sources from oceanic reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rusty D Day
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, United States.
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44
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Jackson TA, Muir DCG. Mass-dependent and mass-independent variations in the isotope composition of mercury in a sediment core from a lake polluted by emissions from the combustion of coal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 417-418:189-203. [PMID: 22265602 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2011] [Revised: 12/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/20/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A dated sediment core from a lake polluted with mercury (Hg), other heavy metals, and arsenic (As) from coal-burning power plants was analysed to test the hypothesis that power plant emissions have distinctive Hg isotope signatures which may be preserved in sediments but are altered by natural processes. Coal and fly ash were also analysed. The research yielded evidence for mass-dependent and mass-independent fractionation of Hg isotopes (MDF and MIF, respectively) by combustion and flue gas reactions in the power plants and natural processes in the lake. Power plant pollution and earlier pollution attributable to domestic coal burning produced a characteristic isotope signature indicative of depletion in lighter isotopes by MDF and enrichment in (199)Hg and (201)Hg by MIF, suggesting loss of isotopically light gaseous Hg(0) and reactions of Hg with free radicals at the sources of pollution; but coal and fly ash data showed that combustion imparted a different signature to the ash, corroborating chemical evidence that reactive gaseous Hg(II), not particulate Hg(II), was the principal Hg fraction deposited in the lake. Moreover, the core data imply alteration of the anthropogenic isotope signature by microbially mediated MDF and MIF, with alteration of the microbial activities themselves by toxic effects of As and metals from the emissions. Effects of metals on isotope fractionation increased with the stability constants and ligand field stabilisation energies of metal complexes, suggesting inhibition of microbial enzymes and metal binding by microbial carrier molecules. The importance of fractionation by natural (possibly microbial) processes is also indicated by depletion in (199)Hg and (201)Hg owing to MIF in sediments predating local pollution. In brief, the isotope signature of the polluted sediment is probably the net result of abiotic reactions at the sources of pollution, microbial activities in the lake, and effects of toxic pollutants on the microflora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Togwell A Jackson
- Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Research Division, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, PO Box 5050, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A6.
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Applications of Stable Mercury Isotopes to Biogeochemistry. ADVANCES IN ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-10637-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Mass-independent isotope fractionation of heavy elements measured by MC-ICPMS: a unique probe in environmental sciences. Anal Bioanal Chem 2011; 400:1619-24. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-011-4856-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2010] [Revised: 02/21/2011] [Accepted: 02/23/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Estrade N, Carignan J, Donard OFX. Tracing and quantifying anthropogenic mercury sources in soils of northern france using isotopic signatures. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2011; 45:1235-1242. [PMID: 21265564 DOI: 10.1021/es1026823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The mercury (Hg) isotopic composition was investigated in topsoils from two case studies in north of France. The Hg isotope composition was first determined in agricultural topsoils contaminated by a close by Pb-Zn smelter. The Hg isotopic composition was also measured in topsoils from an urban area in northeastern France (Metz). In both cases, no significant mass independent isotope fractionation could be found in the soils. However, the soil isotopic composition (δ(202)Hg) was enriched in the heavier isotopes as the Hg concentration increased in the soils. A linear relationship between the δ(202)Hg in soils and 1/[Hg] indicated a mixing between a contamination source and the Hg derived from the geogenic background soils. Such findings demonstrate that the contamination signature was preserved in the soils and that the deposition of anthropogenic Hg was predominant compared to reactions leading to isotope fractionation such as biotic and abiotic reduction of Hg(II) and resulting in Hg mobility or evasion from the soils. It was therefore possible, for the first time in the case of Hg, to evaluate the contribution of the contamination source relative to the background Hg source in urban topsoils using relative isotope abundances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Estrade
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG), Nancy-Université, CNRS/INSU, 15 rue Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres B.P. 20 F-54501 Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France.
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Gehrke GE, Blum JD, Slotton DG, Greenfield BK. Mercury isotopes link mercury in San Francisco Bay forage fish to surface sediments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2011; 45:1264-70. [PMID: 21250676 DOI: 10.1021/es103053y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Identification of sources of biologically accessible Hg is necessary to fully evaluate Hg exposure in aquatic ecosystems. This study assesses the relationship between Hg in forage fish and Hg in surface sediments throughout San Francisco Bay (SF Bay) and evaluates processes influencing the incorporation of Hg into the aquatic food web. We measured the Hg stable isotope compositions of two nearshore fish species and compared them with previously reported analyses of colocated intertidal surface sediments. Fish δ(202)Hg values (mass-dependent fractionation) demonstrated a distinct spatial gradient within SF Bay that ranged from 0.60‰ in the south to -0.25‰ in the north. Fish δ(202)Hg values were consistently higher than sediment δ(202)Hg values by 0.73‰ (±0.16‰, 1SD). Fish and sediment δ(202)Hg values in SF Bay proper were well correlated (r(2) = 0.83), suggesting that sediment is a primary source of Hg to the nearshore aquatic food web. Fish Δ(199)Hg values (mass-independent fractionation) ranged from 0.46‰ to 1.55‰, did not correlate with sediment values, and yielded a Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg ratio of 1.26 (±0.01, 1SD; r(2) = 0.99). This mass-independent fractionation is consistent with photodegradation of MeHg to varying degrees at each site prior to incorporation into the food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen E Gehrke
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Perrot V, Epov VN, Pastukhov MV, Grebenshchikova VI, Zouiten C, Sonke JE, Husted S, Donard OFX, Amouroux D. Tracing sources and bioaccumulation of mercury in fish of Lake Baikal--Angara River using Hg isotopic composition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2010; 44:8030-7. [PMID: 20942479 DOI: 10.1021/es101898e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the determination and comparison of isotopic compositions of Hg in sediments, plankton, roach, and perch of two freshwater systems in the Lake Baikal-Angara River aquatic ecosystem: the man-made Bratsk Water Reservoir contaminated by Hg from a chlor-alkali factory and the noncontaminated Lake Baikal. Isotopic ratios of biota exhibit both significant mass-independent fractionation (MIF) (Δ(199)Hg from 0.20 to 1.87‰) and mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) (δ(202)Hg from -0.97 to -0.16‰), whereas sediments exhibit high MDF (δ(202)Hg from -1.99 to -0.83‰) but no MIF. δ(15)N and δ(13)C are correlated with methylmercury in organisms from both sites, indicating bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food webs of both regions. Combining this with isotopic composition of samples shows that δ(202)Hg increases with the trophic level of organisms and also with methylmercury in fish from Lake Baikal. This study demonstrates that MIF in fish samples from Bratsk Water Reservoir allow to trace anthropogenic Hg, since fish with the highest levels of Hg in muscle have the same isotopic composition as the sediment in which anthropogenic Hg was deposited. Less contaminated fish do not exhibit this anthropogenic signature accumulating relatively lower Hg amount from the contaminated sediments. This work reveals that Hg isotopic composition can be used to track the contribution of anthropogenic sources in fish from a contaminated lake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Perrot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement, Institut Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche sur l'Environnement et les Matériaux, CNRS-UPPA-UMR-5254, Hélioparc, 2 Avenue du Président Pierre Angot, Pau, 64053, France.
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Estrade N, Carignan J, Donard OFX. Isotope tracing of atmospheric mercury sources in an urban area of northeastern France. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2010; 44:6062-6067. [PMID: 20704200 DOI: 10.1021/es100674a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) isotope composition was investigated in lichens over a territory of 900 km(2) in the northeast of France over a period of nine years (2001-2009). The studied area was divided into four geographical areas: a rural area, a suburban area, an urban area, and an industrial area. In addition, lichens were sampled directly at the bottom of chimneys, within the industrial area. While mercury concentrations in lichens did not correlate with the sampling area, mercury isotope compositions revealed both mass dependent and mass independent fractionation globally characteristic of each geographical area. Odd isotope deficits measured in lichens were smallest in samples close to industries, with Delta(199)Hg of -0.15 +/- 0.03 per thousand, where Hg is thought to originate mainly from direct anthropogenic inputs. Samples from the rural area displayed the largest anomalies with Delta(199)Hg of -0.50 +/- 0.03 per thousand. Samples from the two other areas had intermediate Delta(199)Hg values. Mercury isotopic anomalies in lichens were interpreted to result from mixing between the atmospheric reservoir and direct anthropogenic sources. Furthermore, the combination of mass-dependent and mass independent fractionation was used to characterize the different geographical areas and discriminate the end-members (industrial, urban, and local/regional atmospheric pool) involved in the mixing of mercury sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Estrade
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy-Université, CNRS/INSU, 15 rue Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres B.P. 20 F-54501 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France.
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