Determination of Organic Mercury in Biota, Plants and Contaminated Sediments Using a Thermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Technique

Válega, Mónica; Abreu, S. N.; Pato, P.; Rocha, Luciana S.; Gomes, Ana R.; Pereira, Eduarda; Duarte, Armando C.

doi:10.1007/s11270-006-9100-7

Cited by 47 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…Organic mercury (O-Hg) determination was performed according to Valega et al, 22 through digestion of the sample with a mixture of 18% KBr in 5% H 2 SO 4 , followed by extraction into toluene. Extractions were performed in duplicates and the aqueous fraction resulting from the addition of a Na 2 S 2 O 3 solution was analysed using an AMA LECO 254 set up for total mercury.…”

Section: Mercury Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury distribution in key tissues of fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a contaminated estuary—implications for human and ecosystem health risk assessment

et al. 2009

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This study brings a new viewpoint based on multiple-tissue analyses to form the basis for a predictive mode of mercury accumulation dynamics in fish body under field conditions. Total mercury (T-Hg) was determined in key tissues of Liza aurata captured along an estuarine contamination gradient, displaying the following hierarchy: kidney > liver > muscle > brain > gills > blood. Brain was the tissue that better reflected the mercury contamination extent, closely followed by liver and muscle. Organic mercury (O-Hg) measured in muscle and liver represented more than 85% and less than 30% of the T-Hg, respectively. The lowest O-Hg percentage was found in the most contaminated area, for both muscle and liver. Mercury distribution and accumulation patterns showed dependence on the specific tissue. The high mercury levels found in organs involved in vital physiological processes point out the risk to autochthonous fish fauna. Human risk associated to the ingestion of fish living in the surveyed areas cannot be excluded.

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Section: Mercury Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury distribution in key tissues of fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a contaminated estuary—implications for human and ecosystem health risk assessment

et al. 2009

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“…Organic mercury determinations in biological tissues were determined through triplicate digestion with a mixture of 18% KBr in 5% H 2 SO 4 , followed by extraction of organic mercury into toluene (for more information on method see Válega et al, 2006). Analytical quality control was performed by using certified reference material (CRM).…”

Section: Laboratory Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern and pathways for mercury lifespan bioaccumulation in Carcinus maenas

Coelho

Reis

Ventura

et al. 2008

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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a b s t r a c tCarcinus maenas is an important and exploited natural resource in temperate estuaries, being consumed by local populations and also used as fish bait. Through bioaccumulation and bioamplification processes occurring in polluted estuarine ecosystems, this species may directly or indirectly represent a major pathway for Human contamination. No information is available on the overall lifespan bioaccumulation pattern of mercury for this species, which would be an invaluable tool for assessing the risks associated with C. maenas harvest in contaminated areas. Taking that in mind, the main objectives of this work were to clarify the lifespan bioaccumulation pattern of mercury for this species. A consistent lifespan accumulation pattern was found for this species, both for total and organic mercury, and coherent differences were found between genders, suggesting different physiological responses to contamination. From our results two scenarios emerge: (a) for low mercury contamination areas where the diet is the major pathway for metal uptake, with higher levels in muscle and hepatopancreas (twice as high as in gills) and higher organic mercury fractions (as high as 80-90% in muscle), crabs bioaccumulate with age and (b) on high contaminated areas, environmental exposure is predominant, with higher levels found in gills (reaching 0.8 mg kg À1 ), lower organic fractions and no mercury increment with age. Detoxification strategies, dietary differences and species mobility may account for these two accumulation patterns.

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“…Dissolved reactive mercury and suspended particulate matter (SPM) mercury analyses were performed by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV-AFS), using a PSA model Merlin 10.023 equipped with a detector PSA model 10.003, with tin chloride as reducing agent (2% in 10% HCl). Organic mercury determinations in biological tissues were determined through digestion with a mixture of 18% KBr in 5% H 2 SO 4 , followed by extraction of organic mercury into toluene (for further details see Válega et al, 2006).…”

Section: Laboratory Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of two sediment-dwelling invertebrates on the mercury transfer from sediments to the estuarine trophic web

Coelho

Nunes

Dolbeth

et al. 2008

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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The annual total and organic mercury bioaccumulation pattern of Scrobicularia plana and Hediste diversicolor was assessed to evaluate the potential mercury transfer from contaminated sediments to estuarine food webs. S. plana was found to accumulate more total and organic mercury than H. diversicolor, up to 0.79 mg kg À1 and 0.15 mg kg À1 (wet weight) respectively, with a maximum annual uptake of 0.21 mg kg À1 y À1 , while for methylmercury the annual accumulation was similar between species and never exceeded 0.045 mg kg À1 y À1 . The higher organic mercury fraction in H. diversicolor is related to the omnivorous diet of this species. Both species increase methylmercury exposure by burrowing activities and uptake in anoxic, methylmercury rich sediment layers. Integration with the annual biological production of each species revealed mercury incorporation rates that reached 28 mg m À2 y À1 , and to extract as much as 11.5 g Hg y À1 (of which 95% associated with S. plana) in the 0.4 km 2 of the most contaminated area, that can be transferred to higher trophic levels. S. plana is therefore an essential vector in the mercury biomagnification processes, through uptake from contaminated sediments and, by predation, to transfer it to economically important and exploited estuarine species.

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Determination of Organic Mercury in Biota, Plants and Contaminated Sediments Using a Thermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Technique

Cited by 47 publications

References 27 publications

Mercury distribution in key tissues of fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a contaminated estuary—implications for human and ecosystem health risk assessment

Mercury distribution in key tissues of fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a contaminated estuary—implications for human and ecosystem health risk assessment

Pattern and pathways for mercury lifespan bioaccumulation in Carcinus maenas

The role of two sediment-dwelling invertebrates on the mercury transfer from sediments to the estuarine trophic web

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