High Levels of Methylmercury in Guano and Ornithogenic Coral Sand Sediments on Xisha Islands, South China Sea

Chen, Qianqian; Liu, Xiaodong; Xu, Liqiang; Sun, Liguang; Yan, Hong; Liu, Yi; Luo, Yuhan; Huang, Jing

doi:10.1007/s00244-012-9770-7

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Deposition into guano confirms rapid excretion in birds and also therefore the existence of a fast-acting organism detoxification mechanism. Results obtained by other researchers were similar and showed that the removal of trace metals and POPs from bird systems is performed over short periods of time (Chen et al 2012 ; Falkowska et al 2013 ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 69%

Flame Retardants at the Top of a Simulated Baltic Marine Food Web—A Case Study Concerning African Penguins from the Gdansk Zoo

Reindl

Falkowska

2014

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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The present study estimated hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) as a sum of three main isomers (α, β, and γ) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) from Gdansk Zoo and in their sole food, Baltic herring (Clupea harengus), from Gdansk Bay. The average concentration of HBCD in whole herring was 22.0 ± 9.9 ng/g lw, whereas TBBPA was approximately 10-fold lower (2.3 ± 1.3 ng/g lw). Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were also found in muscle and liver of herring. The estimated daily dietary exposure of the penguins to HBCD was 252.9 ± 113.7 ng, whereas for TBBPA it was 26.3 ± 14.9 ng. The ability of BFRs to accumulate in the liver, muscles, fatty tissue, and brain of penguin was confirmed. The highest concentrations of HBCD (326.9 ng·g−1 lw) and TBBPA (14.8 ng·g−1 lw) were found in the brain of an adult penguin. The strongest accumulation factor for BFRs was also established for brain tissue, but it showed stronger magnification in muscle than in liver. HBCD and TBBPA were found in penguin guano and eggs, thus showing effective removal from the birds’ systems. BFRs content in yolk was approximately ten times greater than in albumen indicating the lipophilic character of these compounds.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 69%

Flame Retardants at the Top of a Simulated Baltic Marine Food Web—A Case Study Concerning African Penguins from the Gdansk Zoo

Reindl

Falkowska

2014

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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“…MeHg has been found to account for 45% (wt/wt) of the Hg in seabird guano, which has an average HgT concentration of 0.11 μg·g −1 dry wt. (21). As previously stated, California sea lion excrement has ∼0.80 μg·g −1 HgT dry wt.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Mercury offloaded in Northern elephant seal hair affects coastal seawater surrounding rookery

Cossaboon

Ganguli

Flegal

2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that is biomagnified approximately 1-10 million-fold in aquatic carnivores such as the Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), whose excreta and molted pelage, in turn, constitute a source of environmental MeHg contamination at the base of marine food chains. The potential for this top-down contamination is greatest in coastal areas with productive marine ecosystems that provide ideal habitats for large marine mammal colonies that can number in the thousands. This recycling of MeHg was evidenced by comparing total mercury (HgT) and MeHg concentrations in seawater, and HgT in molted pelage of M. angustirostris, at the Año Nuevo State Reserve pinniped rookery with concentrations at neighboring coastal sites in Central California. Seawater MeHg concentrations around the rookery (average = 2.5 pM) were markedly higher than those at the comparison coastal sites (average = 0.30 pM), and were as high as 9.5 pM during the M. angustirostris molting season. As a consequence, excreta and molts from this marine mammal colony, and presumably other marine predator populations, constitute a major source of MeHg at the base of the local marine food chain. mercury | biogeochemistry | marine mammals | biomagnification | environmental toxicology

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“…Since penguins and seals both primarily acquire marine MeHg through a similar marine fish-based diet (details in SI), the different Δ 199 Hg/Δ 201 Hg between their feces suggests that penguins and seals have food sources with different Δ 199 Hg/Δ 201 Hg signatures. One possible caveat is that fecal Hg is not completely equivalent to the ingested Hg and may contain a considerable fraction of IHg (e.g., ∼20–55% in penguin guano). However, most fecal IHg is the metabolite of MeHg and thus should retain the MIF signature of the MeHg from the food source based on the assumption that biological metabolism does not induced MIF.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One possible caveat is that fecal Hg is not completely equivalent to the ingested Hg and may contain a considerable fraction of IHg (e.g., ∼20−55% in penguin guano 87 ). However, most fecal IHg is the metabolite of MeHg and thus should retain the MIF signature of the MeHg from the food source based on the assumption that biological metabolism does not induced MIF.…”

Section: Environmental Science and Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury Stable Isotopes in Ornithogenic Deposits As Tracers of Historical Cycling of Mercury in Ross Sea, Antarctica

Zheng

Xie

Bergquist

2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Production of methylmercury (MeHg) in ocean waters and its bioaccumulation in marine organisms are critical processes controlling the fate and toxicity of mercury (Hg). However, these processes are not well understood in the Antarctic, where high levels of MeHg are observed in the subsurface ocean (100-1000 m). We explored the use of Hg stable isotope compositions in historical and modern biological deposits as a new approach for discerning Hg sources and tracing MeHg cycling in the ocean and bioaccumulation in marine biota. We found similar mass independent isotope fractionation (MIF) of Hg between a sediment profile containing historical penguin and seal feces deposits from coastal Antarctica and modern penguin and seal feces, suggesting that penguin and seal feces were the dominant sources of Hg to the sediments at different time periods. Furthermore, sediments dominated by seal feces displayed a significantly lower MIF slope (Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg) than those dominated by penguin feces despite similar extents of MIF. Since seals forage at greater depths (>400 m) than penguins (<100 m), the high MIF values and lower Δ(199)Hg/Δ(201)Hg in seal feces suggest that a significant fraction of MeHg accumulated by seals was produced in situ in the subsurface ocean from residual inorganic Hg(II) that sank from the euphotic zone after partial photoreduction. Our results suggest that in situ Hg methylation can be an important source of MeHg for marine biota, and Hg isotope compositions in biological archives can be valuable tracers of MeHg cycling.

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High Levels of Methylmercury in Guano and Ornithogenic Coral Sand Sediments on Xisha Islands, South China Sea

Cited by 11 publications

References 64 publications

Flame Retardants at the Top of a Simulated Baltic Marine Food Web—A Case Study Concerning African Penguins from the Gdansk Zoo

Flame Retardants at the Top of a Simulated Baltic Marine Food Web—A Case Study Concerning African Penguins from the Gdansk Zoo

Mercury offloaded in Northern elephant seal hair affects coastal seawater surrounding rookery

Mercury Stable Isotopes in Ornithogenic Deposits As Tracers of Historical Cycling of Mercury in Ross Sea, Antarctica

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