Influences of Bioavailability, Trophic Position, and Growth on Methylmercury in Hakes (<i>Merluccius merluccius</i>) from Northwestern Mediterranean and Northeastern Atlantic

Cossa, Daniel; Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille; Mellon-Duval, Capucine; Loizeau, Véronique; Averty, Bernard; Crochet, Sylvette; Chou, Lei; Cadiou, J.-F.

doi:10.1021/es204269w

Cited by 97 publications

(133 citation statements)

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“…In the ocean Hg primarily exists as inorganic Hg(ii) or Hg (0) [5][6][7] . In agreement with these vertical profiles, total Hg (THg) levels in commercially important predatory pelagic fish and their prey increase with median depth of occurrence 8,9 , which is indicative of both foraging depth and habitat utilization. However, the biogeochemical factors controlling the distribution and speciation of Hg in the ocean and the bioaccumulation of MMHg in marine food webs are still not well understood 10 .…”

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confidence: 62%

Methylmercury production below the mixed layer in the North Pacific Ocean

et al. 2013

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Mercury enters marine food webs in the form of microbially generated monomethylmercury. Microbial methylation of inorganic mercury, generating monomethylmercury, is widespread in low-oxygen coastal sediments. The degree to which microbes also methylate mercury in the open ocean has remained uncertain, however. Here, we present measurements of the stable isotopic composition of mercury in nine species of marine fish that feed at different depths in the central North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. We document a systematic decline in δ 202 Hg, 199 Hg and 201 Hg values with the depth at which fish feed. We show that these mercury isotope trends can be explained only if monomethylmercury is produced below the surface mixed layer, including in the underlying oxygen minimum zone, that is, between 50 and more than 400 m depth. Specifically, we estimate that about 20-40% of the monomethylmercury detected below the surface mixed layer originates from the surface and enters deeper waters either attached to sinking particles, or in zooplankton and micronekton that migrate to depth. We suggest that the remaining monomethylmercury found at depth is produced below the surface mixed layer by methylating microbes that live on sinking particles. We suggest that microbial production of monomethylmercury below the surface mixed later contributes significantly to anthropogenic mercury uptake into marine food webs.M ercury (Hg) is a globally distributed atmospheric pollutant that can form monomethyl-Hg (MMHg), which is neurotoxic and bioaccumulative in aquatic food webs. The main pathway for human exposure to MMHg is through consumption of piscivorous marine fish 1 . In the ocean Hg primarily exists as inorganic Hg(ii) or Hg (0) [5][6][7] . In agreement with these vertical profiles, total Hg (THg) levels in commercially important predatory pelagic fish and their prey increase with median depth of occurrence 8,9 , which is indicative of both foraging depth and habitat utilization. However, the biogeochemical factors controlling the distribution and speciation of Hg in the ocean and the bioaccumulation of MMHg in marine food webs are still not well understood 10 .Microbial activity and both dark and photochemical inorganic reactions ultimately control the chemical speciation and subsequent bioavailability of Hg (ref. 2), thus an understanding of the competing processes that produce and degrade MMHg at different depths in the ocean is critical to tracing its bioaccumulation in fish and biomagnification in marine food webs. MMHg typically comprises only a small fraction of THg in North Pacific sea water (<15%; ref. 4) but nearly all of the Hg (>95%) in large marine fish 2,11 and most of the Hg (>80%) in small fish with trophic position (TP) as low as 2.5 (ref. 12). DMHg concentrations are generally small relative to MMHg (refs 3,4,13), although at some (refs 13,14). As DMHg is not bioaccumulated and because its Hg isotopic composition has not been measured, it is not treated in detail here. MMHg production in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of...

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Methylmercury production below the mixed layer in the North Pacific Ocean

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“…To test for bioaccumulation processes across plankton fractions and within the two analyzed pelagic fish species, linear regressions were run between the Log 10 of 210 Po activity concentrations and d 15 N values of plankton fractions and fishes in the western part of the GoL in winter. Because stable isotope ratios of fishes were not performed, we used the mean d 15 N values of sardines (8.69 ± 0.41‰) and anchovies (8.07 ± 0.33‰) given by Costalago et al (2012) for similar size classes of these two fish species collected in winter in the GoL. Statistical analyses were done with Statististica 9.1 software.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This multidisciplinary program aims at studying organic (PCB and PBDE) and inorganic (trace metals, 210 Po and 210 Pb) contaminant transfer within the food webs of two dominant planktivorous teleosts, the sardine, Sardina pilchardus, and the European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, two species that rely entirely on planktonic food resources (Costalago et al, 2012). Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen have been widely used to analyze marine food webs and determine the trophic level of organisms (Fry and Sherr, 1984;Costalago et al, 2012). They represent also a precious tool to investigate contaminant biomagnification along food webs Harmelin-Vivien et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

210 Po and 210 Pb trophic transfer within the phytoplankton–zooplankton–anchovy/sardine food web: a case study from the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Strady

Harmelin-Vivien

Chiffoleau

et al. 2015

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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The transfer of (210)Po and (210)Pb in the food web of small pelagic fishes (from phytoplankton and zooplankton to anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardina pilchardus) is investigated in the Gulf of Lion (GoL). We present original data of (210)Po and (210)Pb activity concentrations, C and N stable isotope ratios, measured (i) from different size classes of phytoplankton and zooplankton during spring and winter in different environments of the GoL, and (ii) in two fish species. Significant spatial patterns based on (210)Po, (210)Pb activity concentrations and (210)Po/(210)Pb ratios in the different plankton size classes are evidenced by hierarchical clustering, both in spring and winter. This variability, also observed for C and N stable isotopes ratios, is connected to local specific pelagic habitats and hydrodynamics. The sampling strategy suggests that (210)Po bioaccumulation in the GoL remains at a constant level from the first (dominated by phytoplankton) to the second trophic level (zooplankton), while (210)Pb bioaccumulation shows an increase in winter. Based on stable N isotope ratios and (210)Po activity concentrations measured in anchovies and sardines, we evidence (210)Po bio-magnification along the trophic food web of these two planktivorous pelagic fishes.

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“…Monomethylmercury (MMHg) is one of the most hazardous Hg species since it bioaccumulates in organisms and biomagnifies along the food chain (Watras and Bloom 1992;Mason et al 1995;Cossa et al 2012) and it is a neurotoxin to humans and wildlife (WHO/IPCS 1990;Clarkson 1993;Harada 1995;Scheulhammer et al 2007;Blank et al 2013). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of a wastewater treatment plant on mercury contamination and sediment characteristics in Vidy Bay (Lake Geneva, Switzerland)

et al. 2013

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Previous direct observations of the sediment surface in Vidy Bay, Lake Geneva (Switzerland), revealed a range of sediment characteristics in terms of colour, texture and morphology. Dives with the MIR submersibles during the éLEMO project permitted the exploration of a large portion of Vidy Bay. It is the most contaminated part of Lake Geneva, due to inputs of treated and untreated waters from a large wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To evaluate the influence of WWTP effluent on mercury contamination and sediment characteristics, 14 sediment cores were retrieved in the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant effluent. Total mercury concentrations in sediments ranged between 0.32 and 10.1 mg/kg. Inorganic mercury and monomethylmercury concentrations in overlying and pore waters were also measured. The total partition coefficients of mercury (logK d ) ranged from 3.6 to 5.8. The monomethylmercury concentration in pore waters of surface sediments was a large proportion of the total mercury concentration (44 ± 25 %). A Spearman test showed a negative correlation between the distance to the wastewater treatment plant outlet and the concentrations of total mercury in sediments and pore waters. Visual observations from the submersible allowed recognizing six different types of sediment. The areal distribution of these different sediment types clearly showed the influence of the wastewater treatment plant outlet on the sediment surface patterns. However, no relationship with mercury concentrations could be established.

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Influences of Bioavailability, Trophic Position, and Growth on Methylmercury in Hakes (Merluccius merluccius) from Northwestern Mediterranean and Northeastern Atlantic

Cited by 97 publications

References 60 publications

Methylmercury production below the mixed layer in the North Pacific Ocean

Methylmercury production below the mixed layer in the North Pacific Ocean

210 Po and 210 Pb trophic transfer within the phytoplankton–zooplankton–anchovy/sardine food web: a case study from the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Influence of a wastewater treatment plant on mercury contamination and sediment characteristics in Vidy Bay (Lake Geneva, Switzerland)

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