Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in high altitude lakes and fish (Arctic charr) from the French Alps related to watershed characteristics

Marusczak, Nicolas; Larose, Catherine; Dommergue, Aurélien; Paquet, Serge; Beaulne, Jean-Sébastien; Maury-Brachet, Régine; Lucotte, Marc; Nedjaï, Rachid; Ferrari, Christophe

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.02.015

Cited by 24 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…They found large variations of the THg concentration in the fish (303 ± 187 ng g –1 of wwt) and suggested that elevation was better than age, trophic position, and growth rate to explain the difference. Marusczak et al measured Hg concentrations in 67 Arctic charr from 4 high-altitude lakes situated in the French Alps, where low methylation rate and poor food quality were suspected to be responsible for the low fish Hg levels (95–226 ng g –1 of wwt). Jenssen et al also attributed the low Hg concentrations (14–160 ng g –1 of wwt) in the mountain fish brown trout (Salmo trutta) and minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) to their diets of low trophic level.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in Wild Fish from High-Altitude Aquatic Ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau

Zhang

Pan

Kang

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Our understanding of the biogeochemistry of mercury (Hg) in high-altitude aquatic environments remains limited. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is one of the Earth's most significant continental-scale high lands, yet much remains unknown about the Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification in these pristine ecosystems. In this study, 166 wild fish samples of 13 species were collected from 13 rivers and lakes across the southern TP. Total Hg (THg) and methyl-Hg (MeHg) concentrations in the axial muscle of fish ranged from 25.1 to 1218 ng g(-1) of wet weight (median ± average deviation of 100.5 ± 149.2 ng g(-1)) and from 24.9 to 1196 ng g(-1) of wet weight (median ± average deviation of 90.7 ± 137.0 ng g(-1)), respectively. Hg concentrations varied greatly within and between species. The fish Hg concentrations were then linked to the limited available environmental Hg data and special geochemical characteristics in the region, such as Hg loading, pH, low temperature, and high ultraviolet (UV). The long lifespan and slow growth of the fish under the low-productivity environments may be the major biological factors that help to build up the fish Hg levels comparable to those observed in wild fish growing in human-impacted areas. δ(13)C signals suggested that pelagic fish had higher Hg concentrations, but no relationship was found between the Hg concentrations and the trophic levels. Zooplankton and benthic amphipods had typically higher percentages of MeHg compared to the previously reported values, suggesting the efficient transfer of MeHg from the base of the aquatic food web. This study sheds some light on the geochemical and biological controls of Hg bioaccumulation in fish and biomagnification in the aquatic food web in arid high-altitude environments.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in Wild Fish from High-Altitude Aquatic Ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau

Zhang

Pan

Kang

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Another French study of total mercury in eight shark species indicated that 5 out of 91 samples exceeded the ML of 1 000 µg/kg, ranging from 2 430 to 4 780 µg/kg (Velge et al, 2010). In 67 fish (Artic charr) from four lakes located in the French Alps, total mercury muscle concentrations did not exceed 500 µg/kg (Marusczak et al, 2011).…”

Section: Occurrence In Fish and Other Seafoodmentioning

confidence: 95%

Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food

2012

EFS2

452

160

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EFSA was asked by the European Commission to consider new developments regarding inorganic mercury and methylmercury toxicity and evaluate whether the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) provisional tolerable weekly intakes for methylmercury of 1.6 µg/kg body weight (b.w.) and of 4 µg/kg b.w. for inorganic mercury were still appropriate. In line with JECFA, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for inorganic mercury of 4 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury. For methylmercury, new developments in epidemiological studies from the Seychelles Child Developmental Study Nutrition Cohort have indicated that n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish may counteract negative effects from methylmercury exposure. Together with the information that beneficial nutrients in fish may have confounded previous adverse outcomes in child cohort studies from the Faroe Islands, the Panel established a TWI for methylmercury of 1.3 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury. The mean dietary exposure across age groups does not exceed the TWI for methylmercury, with the exception of toddlers and other children in some surveys. The 95 th percentile dietary exposure is close to or above the TWI for all age groups. High fish consumers, which might include pregnant women, may exceed the TWI by up to approximately six-fold. Unborn children constitute the most vulnerable group. Biomonitoring data from blood and hair indicate that methylmercury exposure is generally below the TWI in Europe, but higher levels are also observed. Exposure to methylmercury above the TWI is of concern. If measures to reduce methylmercury exposure are considered, the potential beneficial effects of fish consumption should also be taken into account. Dietary inorganic mercury exposure in Europe does not exceed the TWI, but inhalation exposure of elemental mercury from dental amalgam is likely to increase the internal inorganic mercury exposure; thus the TWI might be exceeded. This opinion focuses only on the risks related to dietary inorganic mercury and methylmercury exposure and does not assess the nutritional benefits linked to certain foods (e.g. fish and other seafood).A call for annual collection of chemical contaminant occurrence data in food and feed, including mercury, was issued by EFSA in December 2010. In response, EFSA received 59 820 results on mercury in food from 20 European countries, mainly covering the period from 2004 to 2011. A total number of 59 650 results were described with sufficient detail to be used in the statistical analysis of the respective food groups; 98.2 % of the samples were for total mercury, 1.8 % for methylmercury and three samples for inorganic mercury.All the 20 food groups available at the first level of FoodEx were covered in the current data collection. The food groups 'Fish and other seafood' and 'Meat and meat products' dominated the food product coverage with 36.8 % and 17.6 % respectively. These were followed by 'Grain and grain-based products' at 7.8 % and 'Vegetables an...

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“…Because of its importance for human health, Hg cycling has been studied in different aquatic systems (oceans, lakes, lagoons, rivers, and wetlands). Hg reactivity and transformation in lake and wetland ecosystems is well documented (Hintelmann 2010), but few studies have investigated Hg reactivity in extreme high-altitude ecosystems (Marusczak et al 2011;Qianggong et al 2014;Ribeiro Guevara et al 2008). Aquatic ecosystems located in the South American Altiplano region at 3800 m exhibit extreme thermal and solar irradiance diurnal variability including intense UV radiations (Blumthaler et al 1997;Zaratti et al 2003), contrasted seasonal hydrological cycles, as well as intense primary production (Aguirre et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diurnal variability and biogeochemical reactivity of mercury species in an extreme high-altitude lake ecosystem of the Bolivian Altiplano

Alanoca

Amouroux

Monperrus

et al. 2015

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Methylation and demethylation represent major transformation pathways regulating the net production of methylmercury (MMHg). Very few studies have documented Hg reactivity and transformation in extreme high-altitude lake ecosystems. Mercury (Hg) species concentrations (IHg, MMHg, Hg°, and DMHg) and in situ Hg methylation (M) and MMHg demethylation (D) potentials were determined in water, sediment, floating organic aggregates, and periphyton compartments of a shallow productive Lake of the Bolivian Altiplano (Uru Uru Lake, 3686 m). Samples were collected during late dry season (October 2010) and late wet season (May 2011) at a north (NS) and a south (SS) site of the lake, respectively. Mercury species concentrations exhibited significant diurnal variability as influenced by the strong diurnal biogeochemical gradients. Particularly high methylated mercury concentrations (0.2 to 4.5 ng L(-1) for MMHgT) were determined in the water column evidencing important Hg methylation in this ecosystem. Methylation and D potentials range were, respectively, <0.1-16.5 and <0.2-68.3 % day(-1) and were highly variable among compartments of the lake, but always higher during the dry season. Net Hg M indicates that the influence of urban and mining effluent (NS) promotes MMHg production in both water (up to 0.45 ng MMHg L(-1) day(-1)) and sediment compartments (2.0 to 19.7 ng MMHg g(-1) day(-1)). While the sediment compartment appears to represent a major source of MMHg in this shallow ecosystem, floating organic aggregates (dry season, SS) and Totora's periphyton (wet season, NS) were found to act as a significant source (5.8 ng MMHg g(-1) day(-1)) and a sink (-2.1 ng MMHg g(-1) day(-1)) of MMHg, respectively. This work demonstrates that high-altitude productive lake ecosystems can promote MMHg formation in various compartments supporting recent observations of high Hg contents in fish and water birds.

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Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in high altitude lakes and fish (Arctic charr) from the French Alps related to watershed characteristics

Cited by 24 publications

References 41 publications

Mercury in Wild Fish from High-Altitude Aquatic Ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau

Mercury in Wild Fish from High-Altitude Aquatic Ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau

Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food

Diurnal variability and biogeochemical reactivity of mercury species in an extreme high-altitude lake ecosystem of the Bolivian Altiplano

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