Sand flathead (Platycephalus bassensis), an indicator species for mercury pollution in Tasmanian waters

Ayling, G.M.; Wilson, K.C.; Ratkowsky, D. A.

doi:10.1016/0025-326x(75)90172-1

Cited by 30 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Higher diversity, higher numbers of omnivores, shorter food chains and opportunistic diets also result in less Hg accumulation. There is also no correlation of Hg concentrations with fish size or age (Ayling et al, 1975). The exception is predators that occupy the highest trophic levels such as sharks, tuna, barramundi and stingrays, that grow to large sizes and have long life spans.…”

Section: Bioaccumulation Trophic Transfer and Biomagnificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of Australia's estuaries and nearshore coastal ecosystems have no major sources of Hg. Published studies of Hg concentrations in estuaries and coastal areas with no obvious point sources indicate that most water samples have <0.1 µg/L and sediments range between <0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg (Jardine et al, 2012, Walker, 1982, Langlois et al, 1987, Ayling et al, 1975, McLean et al, 1991. Mercury entering these systems comes from natural weathering, bushfires and non-point source drainage of agricultural land.…”

Section: No Major Hg Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Ratkowsky et al, 1975). Surveys of sand flathead (Platycephalus bassensis) reported Hg concentrations of 0.03-3.1 mg/kg (Jones et al, 2013b, Langlois et al, 1987, Ayling et al, 1975 with 63-100% as MeHg (Jones et al, 2013b). At Ralphs Bay, 2.3% of fish contained >1 mg/kg and with a mean of 0.6 mg/kg (Langlois et al, 1987).…”

Section: Estuaries With Discrete Hg Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mercury cycling in Australian estuaries and near shore coastal ecosystems: Triggers for management

Maher

Krikowa

Ellwood

2020

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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Mercury (Hg) sources to estuaries (natural and anthropogenic) as well as Hg concentrations in Australian nearshore marine environment fish are reviewed herein. The question of whether Australian estuaries have a Hg contamination problem is addressed. The Hg concentrations in fish, excluding sharks, tuna, barramundi and some stingrays, in estuaries and near-shore ecosystems with no discernable pollution sources are typically below 0.5 mg/kg wet weight, the level of health concern. There is no relationship of Hg concentration with fish size or age nor any evidence of biomagnification. In locations with historic large discrete Hg input sources (e.g. Derwent Estuary, Tasmania, Princess Royal Harbour WA, Port Phillip Bay Vic, Sydney sewage outfalls NSW), Hg concentrations in some sediment-dwelling fish such as flatheads exceed the health limit of 0.5 mg/kg. In this paper, we also review, within an Australian context, the biogeochemical processes controlling the formation and accumulation of methyl mercury (MeHg). On entering waterways, Hg rapidly partitions to particulate matter and deposits into sediments. The remobilisation of Hg from sediment is dependent on the formation of MeHg by bacteria and ultimately the interplay of S, Fe and Se cycling. Fish species that move and feed in different areas have Hg concentrations that do not reflect the sediment Hg concentrations where they are caught, i.e. there is an uncoupling of diet and potential Hg exposure. Concluding remarks focus on management interventions: source reduction, preventing eutrophication and promoting system biodiversity and biodiverse diets to mediate the accumulation of Hg in marine organisms and limit the intake of Hg by humans when consuming fish.

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Section: Bioaccumulation Trophic Transfer and Biomagnificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: No Major Hg Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Estuaries With Discrete Hg Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mercury cycling in Australian estuaries and near shore coastal ecosystems: Triggers for management

Maher

Krikowa

Ellwood

2020

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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Total Mercury Levels in Marine Organisms of the Bahia Blanca Estuarine Trophic Web

Marcovecchio

Moreno

Pérez

1988

Metals in Coastal Environments of Latin America

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Effective monitoring of pollution by toxic trace elements in waters, sediment and biota of the Derwent River Estuary, Tasmania, through long-term retention of analytical facilities

Noller¹,

Bloom

Dineen

et al. 1993

Environ Monit Assess

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This study considers the effectiveness of the monitoring of toxic trace elements in various media from a polluted river estuary over a period of 15 years, using the same analytical techniques, facilities and, in some cases, the same operators. It shows that reliable comparisons can be made for monitoring waters, sediment and biota from the Derwent River Estuary between 1975 data and that from 1990. Rigorous studies were undertaken before and during 1975 to ensure that reliable data was achieved at that time. Such studies are reviewed and included the evaluation of digestion techniques for a range of heavy metals, specific attention to the reliability of mercury determination in sediments between laboratories, a comparison of direct calibration and standard addition techniques for metals in seawater, recoveries of an organomercury compound from fish, and sources of error arising from sample preparation of biota for subsequent metal analysis. Comparative results for standard reference materials in both 1975 and 1990 show good agreement and are considered reliable except for lead at low concentrations. The long-term retention of the analytical facilities permits a direct comparison of data from 2 monitoring programmes over the space of 15 years.

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Sand flathead (Platycephalus bassensis), an indicator species for mercury pollution in Tasmanian waters

Cited by 30 publications

References 1 publication

Mercury cycling in Australian estuaries and near shore coastal ecosystems: Triggers for management

Mercury cycling in Australian estuaries and near shore coastal ecosystems: Triggers for management

Total Mercury Levels in Marine Organisms of the Bahia Blanca Estuarine Trophic Web

Effective monitoring of pollution by toxic trace elements in waters, sediment and biota of the Derwent River Estuary, Tasmania, through long-term retention of analytical facilities

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