1
|
Li Z, Pethybridge HR, Wu F, Li Y. Mercury bioaccumulation in thresher sharks from the eastern tropical Pacific: Influences of body size, maturation stage, and feeding habitat. Sci Total Environ 2023; 872:162248. [PMID: 36804976 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sharks, as top order predators, provide a guidance on how contaminants such as mercury bioaccumulate in marine environments. This study assessed the bioaccumulation of mercury (total mercury, THg) in the muscle, liver, red blood cells (RBC), and plasma of pelagic and bigeye thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus and A. superciliosus) from eastern tropical Pacific. Additionally, the concentration of methylmercury (MeHg) in muscle was also determined to assess risks for human consumption. For both species, muscle THg concentrations (4.05 ± 2.15 and 4.12 ± 1.84 μg g-1 dry weight for pelagic and bigeye thresher shark) were higher than that in other tissues. THg concentrations for all tissues were significantly correlated with precaudal length, with higher accumulation rates after maturity in pelagic than bigeye thresher sharks, suggesting an associated dietary shift at maturation. Correlations among tissues in both species suggested similar transportation and distribution patterns in internal tissues. The δ13C values in muscle, RBC and plasma suggested that habitat shifts influenced Hg accumulation, whereas trophic position, estimated by δ15N values, had limited effects on patterns of Hg bioaccumulation. Diet shifts towards prey more cephalopods that content higher Hg than small fishes (large fishes: 1.77 μg g-1; cephalopods: 0.66 μg g-1 and small fishes 0.48 μg g-1, dry weight) increased Hg accumulation rates in adult pelagic thresher sharks. Concentrations of MeHg in the muscle of both thresher shark (3.42 ± 1.68 μg g-1 in A. pelagicus and 3.78 ± 2.13 μg g-1 in A. superciliosus) exceeded the recommended levels for human consumption. This research provides insight into the factors influencing mercury bioaccumulation in thresher sharks, which are essential for the management and conservation of these species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zezheng Li
- College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Heidi R Pethybridge
- Oceans and Atmosphere, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Feng Wu
- College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yunkai Li
- College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Geils KM, Slongo BD, Hayhurst LD, Ripku T, Metcalfe CD, Rennie MD. Consumption and activity decline in Northern Pike (Esox lucius) during and after silver nanoparticle addition to a lake. Aquat Toxicol 2023; 257:106458. [PMID: 36863155 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are antimicrobial additives in many consumer products with high potential for release into aquatic ecosystems. Though AgNPs have been shown to have negative impacts on fish in laboratory experiments, these effects are rarely observed at ecologically relevant concentrations or in situ in field settings. To evaluate ecosystem-level effects of this contaminant, AgNPs were added to a lake at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) during 2014 and 2015. Mean total silver (TAg) concentrations in the water column were 4 µg L-1 during additions. The growth of Northern Pike (Esox lucius) declined, and their primary prey, Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) became less abundant after AgNP exposure. Here, we used a combined contaminant-bioenergetics modeling approach to show that individual activity and both individual and population-level consumption of Northern Pike declined significantly in the lake dosed with AgNPs, which, combined with other evidence, suggests that observed declines in body size were likely a result of indirect effects (i.e., reduced prey availability). Further, we found the contaminant-bioenergetics approach was sensitive to modelled elimination rates of mercury, overestimating consumption and activity by 43% and 55%, respectively, when using the mercury elimination rate commonly used in these models versus field-derived estimates for this species. This study contributes to the growing evidence of potentially long-term negative impacts on fish from chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of AgNPs in a natural setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K M Geils
- Deprartment of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - B D Slongo
- Deprartment of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - L D Hayhurst
- IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - T Ripku
- Deprartment of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - C D Metcalfe
- The School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - M D Rennie
- Deprartment of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada; IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Laske SM, Burke SM, Carey MP, Swanson HK, Zimmerman CE. Investigating effects of climate-induced changes in water temperature and diet on mercury concentrations in an Arctic freshwater forage fish. Environ Res 2023; 218:114851. [PMID: 36414108 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The amount of mercury (Hg) in Arctic lake food webs is, and will continue to be, affected by rapid, ongoing climate change. At warmer temperatures, fish require more energy to sustain growth; changes in their metabolic rates and consuming prey with potentially higher Hg concentrations could result in increased Hg accumulation. To examine the potential implications of climate warming on forage fish Hg accumulation in Arctic lakes, we quantified growth and Hg accumulation in Ninespine Stickleback Pungitius pungitius under different temperature and diet scenarios using bioenergetics models. Four scenarios were considered that examined the role of climate, diet, climate × diet, and climate × diet × elevated prey Hg. As expected, annual fish growth increased with warmer temperatures, but growth rates and Hg accumulation were largely diet dependent. Compared to current growth rates of 0.3 g⋅y-1, fish growth increased at least 200% for fish consuming energy-dense benthic prey and decreased at least 40% for fish consuming pelagic prey. Compared to baseline levels, the Hg burden per kilocalorie of Ninespine Stickleback declined up to 43% with benthic consumption - indicating strong somatic growth dilution - but no more than 4% with pelagic consumption; elevated prey Hg concentrations led to moderate Hg declines in benthic-foraging fish and Hg increases in pelagic-foraging fish. Bioenergetics models demonstrated the complex interaction of water temperature, growth, prey proportions, and prey Hg concentrations that respond to climate change. Further work is needed to resolve mechanisms and rates linking climate change to Hg availability and uptake in Arctic freshwater systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Laske
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK, USA.
| | - Samantha M Burke
- Department of Biology and Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael P Carey
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Heidi K Swanson
- Department of Biology and Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mebane CA. The Capacity of Freshwater Ecosystems to Recover from Exceedences of Aquatic Life Criteria. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022; 41:2887-2910. [PMID: 36017674 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, national chemical water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life assume that aquatic ecosystems have sufficient resiliency to recover from criteria exceedences occurring up to once every 3 years. This resiliency assumption was critically reviewed through two approaches: (1) synthesis of case studies, and (2) population modeling. The population modeling examined differences in recovery of species with widely different life histories. One invertebrate (Hyalella azteca) and four fish species were modeled (fathead minnow, brook trout, lake trout, and shortnose sturgeon) with various disturbance magnitudes and intervals. The synthesis of ecosystem case studies showed generally faster recoveries for insect communities rather than fish, and recoveries from pulse (acute) disturbances were often faster than recoveries from press (chronic) disturbances. When the recovery dataset excluded severe disturbances that seemed unrepresentative of common facility discharge upsets that might cause criteria exceedences, the median recovery time was 1 year, 81% of the cases were considered recovered within 3 years, and 95% were considered recovered within 10 years. The modeling projected that short-lived fish species with high recovery times could thrive despite enduring 50% mortality disturbances every other year. However, long-lived fish species had longer recovery times and declined under the one disturbance every 3 years scenario. Overall, the analyses did not refute the long-standing judgements that 3 years is generally sufficient for recovery from nonrepetitive, moderate intensity disturbances of a magnitude up to 2× the chronic criteria in waters without other pollution sources or stresses. However, these constraints may not always be met and if long-lived fish species are a concern, longer return intervals such as 5-10 years could be indicated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2887-2910. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Collapse
|
5
|
Johnston TA, Lescord GL, Quesnel M, Savage PL, Gunn JM, Kidd KA. Age, body size, growth and dietary habits: What are the key factors driving individual variability in mercury of lacustrine fishes in northern temperate lakes? Environ Res 2022; 213:113740. [PMID: 35750129 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fish total mercury concentration ([THg]) has been linked to various fish attributes, but the relative importance of these attributes in accounting for among-individual variation in [THg] has not been thoroughly assessed. We compared the contributions of ontogeny (age, length), growth (growth rate, body condition), and food web position (δ13C, δ15N) to among-individual variability in [THg] within populations of seven common fishes from 141 north temperate lakes. Ontogenetic factors accounted for most variation in [THg]; age was a stronger and less variable predictor than length for most species. Adding both indices of growth and food web position to these models increased explained variation (R2) in [THg] by 6-25% among species. Fish [THg] at age increased with growth rate, while fish [THg] at length decreased with growth rate, and the effect of body condition was consistently negative. Trophic elevation (inferred from δ15N) was a stronger predictor than primary production source (inferred from δ13C) for piscivores but not benthivores. Fish [THg] increased with δ15N in all species but showed a more variable relationship with δ13C. Among-individual variation in [THg] is primarily related to age or size in most temperate freshwater fishes, and effects of growth rate and food web position need to be considered in the context of these ontogenetic drivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Johnston
- Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
| | - Gretchen L Lescord
- Biology Department, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - John M Gunn
- Biology Department, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Karen A Kidd
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; School of Earth, Environment and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Blanchfield PJ, Rudd JWM, Hrenchuk LE, Amyot M, Babiarz CL, Beaty KG, Bodaly RAD, Branfireun BA, Gilmour CC, Graydon JA, Hall BD, Harris RC, Heyes A, Hintelmann H, Hurley JP, Kelly CA, Krabbenhoft DP, Lindberg SE, Mason RP, Paterson MJ, Podemski CL, Sandilands KA, Southworth GR, St Louis VL, Tate LS, Tate MT. Experimental evidence for recovery of mercury-contaminated fish populations. Nature 2021; 601:74-78. [PMID: 34912113 PMCID: PMC8732272 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04222-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic releases of mercury (Hg)1-3 are a human health issue4 because the potent toxicant methylmercury (MeHg), formed primarily by microbial methylation of inorganic Hg in aquatic ecosystems, bioaccumulates to high concentrations in fish consumed by humans5,6. Predicting the efficacy of Hg pollution controls on fish MeHg concentrations is complex because many factors influence the production and bioaccumulation of MeHg7-9. Here we conducted a 15-year whole-ecosystem, single-factor experiment to determine the magnitude and timing of reductions in fish MeHg concentrations following reductions in Hg additions to a boreal lake and its watershed. During the seven-year addition phase, we applied enriched Hg isotopes to increase local Hg wet deposition rates fivefold. The Hg isotopes became increasingly incorporated into the food web as MeHg, predominantly from additions to the lake because most of those in the watershed remained there. Thereafter, isotopic additions were stopped, resulting in an approximately 100% reduction in Hg loading to the lake. The concentration of labelled MeHg quickly decreased by up to 91% in lower trophic level organisms, initiating rapid decreases of 38-76% of MeHg concentration in large-bodied fish populations in eight years. Although Hg loading from watersheds may not decline in step with lowering deposition rates, this experiment clearly demonstrates that any reduction in Hg loadings to lakes, whether from direct deposition or runoff, will have immediate benefits to fish consumers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Blanchfield
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. .,Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. .,IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - John W M Rudd
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,R&K Research, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lee E Hrenchuk
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Marc Amyot
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher L Babiarz
- Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ken G Beaty
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - R A Drew Bodaly
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Brian A Branfireun
- Department of Biology, Biological and Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer A Graydon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Britt D Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Reed C Harris
- Reed Harris Environmental, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Heyes
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, MD, USA
| | - Holger Hintelmann
- Water Quality Center, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - James P Hurley
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Carol A Kelly
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,R&K Research, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | - Robert P Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Michael J Paterson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Cheryl L Podemski
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ken A Sandilands
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,IISD Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Vincent L St Louis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lori S Tate
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chételat J, Shao Y, Richardson MC, MacMillan GA, Amyot M, Drevnick PE, Gill H, Köck G, Muir DCG. Diet influences on growth and mercury concentrations of two salmonid species from lakes in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Environ Pollut 2021; 268:115820. [PMID: 33120140 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Diet, age, and growth rate influences on fish mercury concentrations were investigated for Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in lakes of the eastern Canadian Arctic. We hypothesized that faster-growing fish have lower mercury concentrations because of growth dilution, a process whereby more efficient growth dilutes a fish's mercury burden. Using datasets of 57 brook trout and 133 Arctic char, linear regression modelling showed fish age and diet indices were the dominant explanatory variables of muscle mercury concentrations for both species. Faster-growing fish (based on length-at-age) fed at a higher trophic position, and as a result, their mercury concentrations were not lower than slower-growing fish. Muscle RNA/DNA ratios were used as a physiological indicator of short-term growth rate (days to weeks). Slower growth of Arctic char, inferred from RNA/DNA ratios, was found in winter versus summer and in polar desert versus tundra lakes, but RNA/DNA ratio was (at best) a weak predictor of fish mercury concentration. Net effects of diet and age on mercury concentration were greater than any potential offset by biomass dilution in faster-growing fish. In these resource-poor Arctic lakes, faster growth was associated with feeding at a higher trophic position, likely due to greater caloric (and mercury) intake, rather than growth efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Yueting Shao
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Murray C Richardson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Gwyneth A MacMillan
- Centre D'études Nordiques (CEN), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Marc Amyot
- Centre D'études Nordiques (CEN), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Paul E Drevnick
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta, Calgary, AB, T2E 7J2, Canada
| | - Hardeep Gill
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Günter Köck
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, ON, L7S 1A1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Mercury mass balance models (MMBMs) for fish are powerful tools for understanding factors affecting growth and food consumption by free-ranging fish in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Moreover, MMBMs can be used to predict the consequences of global mercury reductions, overfishing, and climate change on mercury (Hg) concentration in commercially and recreationally valuable species of fish. Such predictions are useful in decision-making by resource managers and public health policy makers, because mercury is a neurotoxin and the primary route of exposure of mercury to humans is via consumption of fish. Recent evidence has emerged to indicate that the current-day version of MMBMs overestimates the rate at which fish eliminate mercury from their bodies. Consequently, MMBMs overestimate food consumption by fish and underestimate Hg concentration in fish. In this perspective, we explore underlying reasons for this overestimation of Hg-elimination rate, as well as consequences and implications of this overestimation. We highlight emerging studies that distinguish species and sex as contributing factors, in addition to body weight and water temperature, that can play an important role in how quickly Hg is eliminated from fish. Future research directions for refining MMBMs are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles P. Madenjian
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Steven R. Chipps
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
| | - Paul J. Blanchfield
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kim H, Lee J, Woo HD, Kim DW, Oh JH, Chang HJ, Sohn DK, Shin A, Kim J. Dietary mercury intake and colorectal cancer risk: A case-control study. Clin Nutr 2020; 39:2106-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2019.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
|
10
|
Wang X, Wang WX. Determination of the Low Hg Accumulation in Rabbitfish ( Siganus canaliculatus) by Various Elimination Pathways: Simulation by a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model. Environ Sci Technol 2020; 54:7440-7449. [PMID: 32408739 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) in fish poses a great threat to human health. Consumption of low-Hg-level fish species (e.g., rabbitfish, Siganus canaliculatus) could be one possible solution to balance the nutrient benefits and Hg exposure. However, the underlying mechanisms for the low Hg accumulation in rabbitfish remain unclear. This study quantitatively described the disposition of inorganic Hg(II) and methylmercury (MeHg) in rabbitfish under different exposure routes by constructing a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. The results strongly suggested that effective elimination (estimated rate constant of 0.060, 0.065, and 0.020 d-1 for waterborne Hg(II)-, dietary Hg(II)-, and MeHg-exposed fish, respectively) was the main reason for the low Hg accumulation in rabbitfish. By quantifying the possible pathways for Hg elimination, our study revealed that biliary coupled with fecal excretion played an important role in the elimination of dietary Hg. Although the biliary excretion rate for MeHg was remarkable (6.8 ± 2.2 d-1) and the excreted amount per day could reach up to 790 ng, most of the MeHg in the bile was reabsorbed by the intestine and transferred back to the liver through enterohepatic circulation, leading to a prolonged retention time in the fish body. Moreover, branchial excretion dominated the Hg(II) elimination following aqueous exposure, suggesting a flexible alteration on elimination pathways against different exposure scenarios. The present study provided important understanding of the unique strategies adopted by rabbitfish to maintain the low Hg levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xun Wang
- Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Xiong Wang
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chételat J, Ackerman JT, Eagles-Smith CA, Hebert CE. Methylmercury exposure in wildlife: A review of the ecological and physiological processes affecting contaminant concentrations and their interpretation. Sci Total Environ 2020; 711:135117. [PMID: 31831233 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) can result in detrimental health effects in wildlife. With advances in ecological indicators and analytical techniques for measurement of MeHg in a variety of tissues, numerous processes have been identified that can influence MeHg concentrations in wildlife. This review presents a synthesis of theoretical principals and applied information for measuring MeHg exposure and interpreting MeHg concentrations in wildlife. Mercury concentrations in wildlife are the net result of ecological processes influencing dietary exposure combined with physiological processes that regulate assimilation, transformation, and elimination. Therefore, consideration of both physiological and ecological processes should be integrated when formulating biomonitoring strategies. Ecological indicators, particularly stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, compound-specific stable isotopes, and fatty acids, can be effective tools to evaluate dietary MeHg exposure. Animal species differ in their physiological capacity for MeHg elimination, and animal tissues can be inert or physiologically active, act as sites of storage, transformation, or excretion of MeHg, and vary in the timing of MeHg exposure they represent. Biological influences such as age, sex, maternal transfer, and growth or fasting are also relevant for interpretation of tissue MeHg concentrations. Wildlife tissues that represent current or near-term bioaccumulation and in which MeHg is the predominant mercury species (such as blood and eggs) are most effective for biomonitoring ecosystems and understanding landscape drivers of MeHg exposure. Further research is suggested to critically evaluate the use of keratinized external tissues to measure MeHg bioaccumulation, particularly for less-well studied wildlife such as reptiles and terrestrial mammals. Suggested methods are provided to effectively use wildlife for quantifying patterns and drivers of MeHg bioaccumulation over time and space, as well as for assessing the potential risk and toxicological effects of MeHg on wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA 95620, United States
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, United States
| | - Craig E Hebert
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bøe K, Robertson MJ, Fleming IA, Power M. Evaluating the effect of dorsal muscle biopsies on adult Atlantic salmon growth and marine return rates. Conserv Physiol 2020; 8:coz099. [PMID: 32523699 PMCID: PMC7268101 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Increasing conservation and animal-welfare concerns have driven the development of non-lethal sampling of fish populations, with the use of muscle tissue biopsies now being routinely applied as a sampling method in the wild. Crucial to the success of non-lethal sampling, however, is an evaluation of the short- and long-term consequences of the treatment and ultimately the determination of how these may affect organism mortality and other fitness-related traits. The current study evaluated the use of a dorsal muscle biopsies on post-spawned Atlantic salmon emigrating to sea and undertaking a 2-month long-feeding migration before returning to spawn. Using mark-recapture, return rates and growth were compared between fish that were biopsied and externally tagged, and a control group tagged only with external tags. The biopsy treatment showed no lasting effects on fish as estimated from the two key fitness-related parameters. Results, therefore, suggest the technique can be more widely applied to gather information on marine migrating Atlantic salmon and other anadromous fishes that can be intercepted as they descend and ascend rivers during seasonal migrations. Coupled with modern tagging technologies, the use of biopsies may facilitate an improved understanding of movement and its consequences in terms of feeding patterns and growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bøe
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1K 3E6, Canada
| | | | - Ian A Fleming
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1K 3E6, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, Waterloo University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Vargas Licona SP, Marrugo Negrete JL. Mercurio, metilmercurio y otros metales pesados en peces de Colombia: riesgo por ingesta. Acta biol Colomb 2019. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v24n2.74128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
En 2013 el pescado proporcionó a más de 3100 millones de personas casi el 20 % de la ingesta promedio de proteínas de origen animal per cápita (FAO, 2016). De acuerdo con el Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD), en Colombia y, particularmente en las poblaciones ribereñas y costeras, el 90 % del consumo de proteína de origen animal proviene del pescado, como resultado de un acceso muy bajo a otro tipo de proteínas. Colombia enfrenta uno de los mayores problemas por contaminación ambiental a nivel mundial, generado en gran parte por el abuso de sustancias químicas para el aprovechamiento de minerales, mala disposición de aguas servidas y prácticas industriales y agrícolas inadecuadas, en cuerpos de aguas fundamentales para la dinámica poblacional de animales, vegetales y humanos. Como estrategia mundial para reducir los riesgos a la salud humana por consumo de pescado contaminado con metales pesados, se han considerado límites máximos permisibles, propuestos por diferentes entidades; sin embargo, el 31,5 % de los resultados de estudios publicados para Colombia, son superiores al límite permisible recomendado por la OMS (0,5 μg/g). Los resultados presentados en esta revisión evidencian la urgente necesidad de realizar estudios que evalúen el riesgo a la salud que enfrentan pobladores de zonas mineras y no mineras de Colombia, aportará también fundamentos científicos y bases para el establecimiento de ejes estratégicos que permitan la puesta en marcha de nuevos proyectos productivos que ofrezcan el acceso de la población a diversas fuentes de alimentación.
Collapse
|
14
|
Azad AM, Frantzen S, Bank MS, Nilsen BM, Duinker A, Madsen L, Maage A. Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities. Sci Total Environ 2019; 652:1482-1496. [PMID: 30586833 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in seafood. Co-occurrence of selenium (Se) may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of MeHg in organisms. Here we report the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) and Se in 17 teleost fish species (n = 8459) sampled during 2006-2015 from the North East Atlantic Ocean (NEAO) and evaluate species variation and effects of geography. Mean Hg concentration ranged from 0.04 mg kg-1 ww in Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) to 0.72 mg kg-1 ww in blue ling (Molva dypterygia). Se concentrations were less variable and ranged from 0.27 mg kg-1 ww in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to 0.56 mg kg-1 ww in redfish (Sebastes spp.). The mean Se:Hg molar ratio ranged from 1.9 in blue ling to 43.3 in mackerel. Pelagic species had the lowest Hg concentrations and the highest Se:Hg ratios, whereas demersal species had the highest Hg concentrations and the lowest Se:Hg ratios. Se and Hg concentrations were positively correlated in 13 of the 17 species. Hg concentrations increased from the North to South in contrast to the Se:Hg molar ratio which exhibited the opposite trend. Fish from fjord and coastal areas had higher concentrations of Hg and lower Se:Hg molar ratios compared to fish sampled offshore. All species had average Se:Hg molar ratios >1 and Hg concentrations were largely below the EU maximum level of 0.5 mg kg-1 ww with few exceptions including the deep water species tusk (Brosme brosme) and blue ling sampled from fjord and coastal habitats. Our results show that two fillet servings of tusk, blue ling or Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) exceeded the tolerable weekly intake of MeHg although the surplus Se may possibly ameliorate the toxic effects of MeHg. However, some individuals with selenium deficiencies may exhibit greater sensitivity to MeHg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atabak M Azad
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | - Michael S Bank
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
| | | | | | - Lise Madsen
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amund Maage
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kopec AD, Kidd KA, Fisher NS, Bowen M, Francis C, Payne K, Bodaly RA. Spatial and temporal trends of mercury in the aquatic food web of the lower Penobscot River, Maine, USA, affected by a chlor-alkali plant. Sci Total Environ 2019; 649:770-791. [PMID: 30176487 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) concentrations in aquatic biota, including fish and shellfish, were measured over the period 2006-2012 in the lower Penobscot River and upper estuary (Maine, USA). The Penobscot is a system contaminated with Hg by a chlor-alkali plant that operated from 1967 to 2000, discharging 6-12 tons of mercury into the river. Mercury levels in aquatic biota were highest at sites downstream of the chlor-alkali plant and spatial trends were similar to those of sediments. Mean total Hg concentrations in fish muscle (adjusted for size or age) in the most affected areas were 521 (480, 566; 95% CI) ng/g ww in American eels, 321 (261,395) in mummichog, 121 (104, 140) in rainbow smelt, 155 (142,169) in tomcod, 55.2 (42.7,71.4) in winter flounder, and 328 (259,413) in American lobster tail and 522 (488,557) ng/g dw in blue mussel. Levels exceeded the 50 ng/g ww considered protective for piscivorous predators and were of concern for human health, with American eels and American lobster exceeding Maine's mercury action level of 200 ng/g ww. Calculations of trophic position (using nitrogen isotopes) suggested that the spatial patterns observed in total Hg concentrations were not due to changes in feeding habits of the species. Fish feeding in benthic food webs, as defined by stomach content and stable carbon isotope analyses, showed no change in Hg concentrations over time. In contrast, declining trends in Hg were found in two species dependent on pelagic food webs. The absence of declines in Hg concentrations in the benthically-based food webs, despite the fact that most Hg was discharged into the system >40 years ago, is consistent with the long recovery predicted from dated sediment cores and from similar studies elsewhere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Dianne Kopec
- Penobscot River Mercury Study, 479 Beechwood Ave., Old Town, ME 04468, USA.
| | - Karen A Kidd
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, Ontario L85 4K1, Canada.
| | - Nicholas S Fisher
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, USA.
| | - Marcia Bowen
- Normandeau Associates, Inc., 550 Forest Ave., Suite 201, Portland, ME 04101, USA
| | - Corey Francis
- Normandeau Associates, Inc., 550 Forest Ave., Suite 201, Portland, ME 04101, USA
| | - Kimberley Payne
- Normandeau Associates, Inc., 550 Forest Ave., Suite 201, Portland, ME 04101, USA
| | - R A Bodaly
- Penobscot River Mercury Study, 115 Oystercatcher Place, Salt Spring Island, B.C., V8K 2W5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bjerregaard P, St John T, Biuki NA, Biserova MP, Christensen A, Pedersen KL. Retention and distribution of methylmercury administered in the food in marine invertebrates: Effect of dietary selenium. Mar Environ Res 2018; 138:76-83. [PMID: 29706366 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury is transported along aquatic food chains from the lower trophic levels and selenium modulates the biokinetics of mercury in organisms in complex ways. We investigated the retention of orally administered methylmercury in various marine invertebrates and the effect of selenium hereon. Shrimps (Palaemon adpersus and P. elegans), blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) and sea stars (Asterias rubens) eliminated methylmercury slowly (t½ = ½ to >1 year) and the copepod (Acartia tonsa) faster (t½ ∼ 12-24 h). Orally administered selenite augmented elimination of methylmercury in the copepod (in one of two experiments) and blue mussels, but not in shrimps, crabs and sea stars. Selenium generally alters the distribution of the body burden of mercury, leaving more mercury in muscle and less mercury in digestive glands or rest of the body - also in the species where total body retention is not affected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Poul Bjerregaard
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Tanja St John
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Narges Amrollahi Biuki
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark; Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Iran
| | - Maya Petrova Biserova
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Alan Christensen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Knud Ladegaard Pedersen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Govoni JJ, Morris JA, Evans DW. Tracing Dietary Mercury Histochemically, with Autometallography, through the Liver to the Ovaries and Spawned Eggs of the Spot, a Temperate Coastal Marine Fish. J Aquat Anim Health 2017; 29:173-180. [PMID: 28686515 DOI: 10.1080/08997659.2017.1349009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to mercury (Hg) results in reproductive abnormalities and deficiencies in female fish. We traced the maternal assimilation and redistribution of dietary inorganic (HgII) and organic (MeHg) forms of Hg in a coastal marine fish, the Spot Leiostomus xanthurus. We conducted a 90-d laboratory experiment in which treatment Spot were fed muscle of Blue Marlin Makaira nigricans with elevated concentrations of Hg mixed with a commercial fish food, while control Spot were fed only commercial food pellets. Gonadal maturation was induced by shortening the photoperiod and increasing the temperature. Spawning was induced by intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin at 100 IU/kg. Solid-sampling atomic absorption spectrophotometry measured the total Hg (THg), HgII, and MeHg in Blue Marlin muscle. Autometallography located Hg-sulfide granules in the liver, ovaries, and spawned eggs, and densitometry provided comparisons of Hg-sulfide granules in the ovaries of treatment and control Spot. Overall, the intensity and prevalence of Hg-sulfide granules were greater in the liver, ovaries, and eggs from treatment Spot than in those from controls. The tissue and cellular distribution of Hg-sulfide granules differed. Received November 18, 2016; accepted June 18, 2017.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John J Govoni
- a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research , 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort , North Carolina 28516 , USA
| | - James A Morris
- a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research , 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort , North Carolina 28516 , USA
| | - David W Evans
- a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research , 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort , North Carolina 28516 , USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bradley MA, Barst BD, Basu N. A Review of Mercury Bioavailability in Humans and Fish. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14:ijerph14020169. [PMID: 28208586 PMCID: PMC5334723 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
To estimate human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), risk assessors often assume 95%–100% bioavailability in their models. However, recent research suggests that assuming all, or most, of the ingested mercury (Hg) is absorbed into systemic circulation may be erroneous. The objective of this paper is to review and discuss the available state of knowledge concerning the assimilation or bioavailability of Hg in fish and humans. In fish, this meant reviewing studies on assimilation efficiency, that is the difference between ingested and excreted Hg over a given period of time. In humans, this meant reviewing studies that mostly investigated bioaccessibility (digestive processes) rather than bioavailability (cumulative digestive + absorptive processes), although studies incorporating absorption for a fuller picture of bioavailability were also included where possible. The outcome of this review shows that in a variety of organisms and experimental models that Hg bioavailability and assimilation is less than 100%. Specifically, 25 studies on fish were reviewed, and assimilation efficiencies ranged from 10% to 100% for MeHg and from 2% to 51% for Hg(II). For humans, 20 studies were reviewed with bioaccessibility estimates ranging from 2% to 100% for MeHg and 0.2% to 94% for Hg(II). The overall absorption estimates ranged from 12% to 79% for MeHg and 49% to 69% for Hg(II), and were consistently less than 100%. For both fish and humans, a number of cases are discussed in which factors (e.g., Hg source, cooking methods, nutrients) are shown to affect Hg bioavailability. The summaries presented here challenge a widely-held assumption in the Hg risk assessment field, and the paper discusses possible ways forward for the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Bradley
- School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
| | - Niladri Basu
- School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Li M, Schartup AT, Valberg AP, Ewald JD, Krabbenhoft DP, Yin R, Balcom PH, Sunderland EM. Environmental Origins of Methylmercury Accumulated in Subarctic Estuarine Fish Indicated by Mercury Stable Isotopes. Environ Sci Technol 2016; 50:11559-11568. [PMID: 27690400 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure can cause adverse reproductive and neurodevelopmental health effects. Estuarine fish may be exposed to MeHg produced in rivers and their watersheds, benthic sediment, and the marine water column, but the relative importance of each source is poorly understood. We measured stable isotopes of mercury (δ202Hg, Δ199Hg, and Δ201Hg), carbon (δ13C), and nitrogen (δ15N) in fish with contrasting habitats from a large subarctic coastal ecosystem to better understand MeHg exposure sources. We identify two distinct food chains exposed to predominantly freshwater and marine MeHg sources but do not find evidence for a benthic marine MeHg signature. This is consistent with our previous research showing benthic sediment is a net sink for MeHg in the estuary. Marine fish display lower and less variable Δ199Hg values (0.78‰ to 1.77‰) than freshwater fish (0.72‰ to 3.14‰) and higher δ202Hg values (marine: 0.1‰ to 0.57‰; freshwater: -0.76‰ to 0.15‰). We observe a shift in the Hg isotopic composition of juvenile and adult rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) when they transition between the freshwater and marine environment as their dominant foraging territory. The Hg isotopic composition of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) indicates they receive most of their MeHg from the marine environment despite a similar or longer duration spent in freshwater regions. We conclude that stable Hg isotopes effectively track fish MeHg exposure sources across different ontogenic stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miling Li
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Amina T Schartup
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Amelia P Valberg
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Jessica D Ewald
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | | | - Runsheng Yin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin , Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Prentiss H Balcom
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Elsie M Sunderland
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Madenjian CP, Rediske RR, Krabbenhoft DP, Stapanian MA, Chernyak SM, O'Keefe JP. Sex differences in contaminant concentrations of fish: a synthesis. Biol Sex Differ 2016; 7:42. [PMID: 27594982 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-016-0090-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A comparison of whole-fish polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and total mercury (Hg) concentrations in mature males with those in mature females may provide insights into sex differences in behavior, metabolism, and other physiological processes. In eight species of fish, we observed that males exceeded females in whole-fish PCB concentration by 17 to 43 %. Based on results from hypothesis testing, we concluded that these sex differences were most likely primarily driven by a higher rate of energy expenditure, stemming from higher resting metabolic rate (or standard metabolic rate (SMR)) and higher swimming activity, in males compared with females. A higher rate of energy expenditure led to a higher rate of food consumption, which, in turn, resulted in a higher rate of PCB accumulation. For two fish species, the growth dilution effect also made a substantial contribution to the sex difference in PCB concentrations, although the higher energy expenditure rate for males was still the primary driver. Hg concentration data were available for five of the eight species. For four of these five species, the ratio of PCB concentration in males to PCB concentration in females was substantially greater than the ratio of Hg concentration in males to Hg concentration in females. In sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a very primitive fish, the two ratios were nearly identical. The most plausible explanation for this pattern was that certain androgens, such as testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone, enhanced Hg-elimination rate in males. In contrast, long-term elimination of PCBs is negligible for both sexes. According to this explanation, males not only ingest Hg at a higher rate than females but also eliminate Hg at a higher rate than females, in fish species other than sea lamprey. Male sea lamprey do not possess either of the above-specified androgens. These apparent sex differences in SMRs, activities, and Hg-elimination rates in teleost fishes may also apply, to some degree, to higher vertebrates including humans. Our synthesis findings will be useful in (1) developing sex-specific bioenergetics models for fish, (2) developing sex-specific risk assessment models for exposure of humans and wildlife to contaminants, and (3) refining Hg mass balance models for fish and higher vertebrates.
Collapse
|
21
|
Smylie MS, McDonough CJ, Reed LA, Shervette VR. Mercury bioaccumulation in an estuarine predator: Biotic factors, abiotic factors, and assessments of fish health. Environ Pollut 2016; 214:169-176. [PMID: 27086072 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Estuarine wetlands are major contributors to mercury (Hg) transformation into its more toxic form, methylmercury (MeHg). Although these complex habitats are important, estuarine Hg bioaccumulation is not well understood. The longnose gar Lepisosteus osseus (L. 1758), an estuarine predator in the eastern United States, was selected to examine Hg processes due to its abundance, estuarine residence, and top predator status. This study examined variability in Hg concentrations within longnose gar muscle tissue spatially and temporally, the influence of biological factors, potential maternal transfer, and potential negative health effects on these fish. Smaller, immature fish had the highest Hg concentrations and were predominantly located in low salinity waters. Sex and diet were also important factors and Hg levels peaked in the spring. Although maternal transfer occurred in small amounts, the potential negative health effects to young gar remain unknown. Fish health as measured by fecundity and growth rate appeared to be relatively unaffected by Hg at concentrations in the present study (less than 1.3 ppm wet weight). The analysis of biotic and abiotic factors relative to tissue Hg concentrations in a single estuarine fish species provided valuable insight in Hg bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and elimination. Insights such as these can improve public health policy and environmental management decisions related to Hg pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meredith S Smylie
- Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston, 205 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA.
| | - Christopher J McDonough
- Marine Resources Division, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29422, USA
| | - Lou Ann Reed
- National Ocean Service, NOAA, Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Virginia R Shervette
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hernández Ramirez RE, Lijanova IV, Likhanova NV, Xometl OO. PAMAM dendrimers with porphyrin core: synthesis and metal-chelating behavior. J INCL PHENOM MACRO 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10847-015-0582-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
23
|
Tran L, Reist JD, Power M. Total mercury concentrations in anadromous Northern Dolly Varden from the northwestern Canadian Arctic: a historical baseline study. Sci Total Environ 2015; 509-510:154-164. [PMID: 24891097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.04.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has documented the significance of total mercury (THg) as a northern contaminant in general and of fish in particular. While much research has been devoted to documenting both spatial and temporal changes in THg in consumed fish, little effort has been directed at understanding patterns of THg in Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), a prized subsistence species throughout the western North American Arctic. Here we report historical THg concentrations for anadromous Dolly Varden from 10 populations in the Yukon and Northwest Territories sampled across a range of latitudes (67-69°N) and longitudes (136-141°W) between the years 1988-91. Unadjusted mean THg concentrations ranged from 15 to 254 ng/g wet weight. Length-adjusted THg concentrations were significantly different among sites, but were not related to latitude or longitude. Within and among populations, THg was significantly related to fork-length, age, δ(15)N, and δ(13)C, with the variation in THg found among populations being best explained by size. The data serve as an important baseline against which future changes in THg levels in this important subsistence fishery may be compared to determine the significance of any observed trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Tran
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - J D Reist
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - M Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cladis DP, Zhang R, Tan X, Craig B, Santerre CR. Postharvest correlation between swordfish (Xiphius gladius) size and mercury concentration in edible tissues. J Food Prot 2015; 78:396-401. [PMID: 25710157 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-14-449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Total mercury was measured via thermal decomposition amalgamation atomic absorption spectroscopy in the muscle tissue of 82 swordfish originating in the Pacific Ocean and was found to range from 228 to 2,090 ppb. The relationships between total mercury concentration and the size of the fish (i.e., length and weight) were analyzed. It was found that dressed weight (DW) was a better predictor of mercury concentration than cleithrum-to-caudal keel length in a single variable model, and DW was the only significant predictor of mercury concentration in a multivariable model. Based on these relationships, swordfish with a DW greater than 96.4 kg (213 lb; 95% confidence interval, 88 to 107 kg [195 to 235 lb]) will exceed 1,000 ppb of mercury-the action level in the United States, Canada, and Europe-and should not be sold in commercial markets. Additionally, a logistic regression model was created to illustrate the probability of a swordfish at any DW being unsafe to consume (i.e., containing more than 1,000 ppb of mercury). In this model, the probability of a swordfish being unsafe exceeds the probability of being safe at 94.6 kg (209 lb). Taken together, the models presented in this report give regulators valuable postharvest tools to use for rapid determination of the safety of swordfish intended for sale in commercial markets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis P Cladis
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Stone Hall, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2059, USA.
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- Department of Statistics, Purdue University, Mathematics Building, 250 North University Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2066, USA
| | - Xi Tan
- Department of Statistics, Purdue University, Mathematics Building, 250 North University Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2066, USA
| | - Bruce Craig
- Department of Statistics, Purdue University, Mathematics Building, 250 North University Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2066, USA
| | - Charles R Santerre
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Stone Hall, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2059, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ofukany AFA, Wassenaar LI, Bond AL, Hobson KA. Defining fish community structure in Lake Winnipeg using stable isotopes (δ(13)C, δ(15)N, δ(34)S): implications for monitoring ecological responses and trophodynamics of mercury & other trace elements. Sci Total Environ 2014; 497-498:239-249. [PMID: 25129159 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The ecological integrity of freshwater lakes is influenced by atmospheric and riverine deposition of contaminants, shoreline development, eutrophication, and the introduction of non-native species. Changes to the trophic structure of Lake Winnipeg, Canada, and consequently, the concentrations of contaminants and trace elements measured in tissues of native fishes, are likely attributed to agricultural runoff from the 977,800 km(2) watershed and the arrival of non-native zooplankters and fishes. We measured δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and δ(34)S along with concentrations of 15 trace elements in 17 native fishes from the north and south basins of Lake Winnipeg in 2009 and 2010. After adjusting for differences in isotopic baseline values between the two basins, fishes in the south basin had consistently higher δ(13)C and δ(34)S, and lower δ(15)N. We found little evidence of biomagnification of trace elements at the community level, but walleye (Sander vitreus) and freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) had higher mercury and selenium concentrations with increased trophic position, coincident with increased piscivory. There was evidence of growth dilution of cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, thallium, and vanadium, and bioaccumulation of mercury, which could be explained by increases in algal (and consequently, lake and fish) productivity. We conclude that the north and south basins of Lake Winnipeg represent very different communities with different trophic structures and trace element concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F A Ofukany
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Leonard I Wassenaar
- Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Alexander L Bond
- Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada.
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Seventy-seven finfish species (300 composites of three fish) were obtained from commercial vendors in six regions of the United States: Great Lakes, mid-Atlantic, New England, northwest, southeast, and southwest. Total mercury in fish muscle tissue ranged from 1 ppb (channel catfish) to 1,425 ppb (king mackerel). Of the top 10 most commonly consumed seafoods in the United States, all finfish species, including salmon species (13 to 62 ppb), Alaskan pollock (11 ppb), tilapia (16 ppb), channel catfish (1 ppb), Atlantic cod (82 ppb), and pangasius (swai) (2 ppb), had low total mercury concentrations. However, two large predatory species, king mackerel and swordfish (1,107 ppb), contained mercury concentrations above the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration action level of 1,000 ppb, indicating that consumers may be unaware that species that are high in mercury are being sold in the marketplace.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis P Cladis
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Stone Hall, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2059, USA
| | - Alison C Kleiner
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Stone Hall, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2059, USA
| | - Charles R Santerre
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Stone Hall, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2059, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Madenjian CP, Blanchfield PJ, Hrenchuk LE, Van Walleghem JLA. Mercury elimination rates for adult northern pike Esox lucius: evidence for a sex effect. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2014; 93:144-148. [PMID: 24667854 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-014-1256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effect of sex on mercury elimination in fish by monitoring isotope-enriched mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue of three adult female and three adult male northern pike Esox lucius, which had accumulated the isotope-enriched mercury via a whole-lake manipulation and were subsequently moved to a clean lake. Mercury elimination rates for female and male northern pike were estimated to be 0.00034 and 0.00073 day(-1), respectively. Thus, males were capable of eliminating mercury at more than double the rate than that of females. To the best of our knowledge, our study represents the first documentation of mercury elimination rates varying between the sexes of fish. This sex difference in elimination rates should be taken into account when comparing mercury accumulation between the sexes of fish from the same population. Further, our findings should eventually lead to an improved understanding of mechanisms responsible for mercury elimination in vertebrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles P Madenjian
- U. S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|