What are the toxicological effects of mercury in Arctic biota?

Abstract

► Unpublished and published data were compiled for Arctic fish, birds, and mammals. ► These data were compared to available toxicological threshold limits. ► Toothed whales, polar bears, and some bird and fish species exceeded the limits. ► Increasing mercury concentrations are observed for some Arctic species. ► These exceeded thresholds and increasing Hg trends are of concern. a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o This review critically evaluates the available mercury (Hg) data in Arctic marine biota and the Inuit population against toxicity threshold values. In particular marine top predators exhibit concentrations of mercury in their tissues and organs that are believed to exceed thresholds for biological effects. Species whose concentrations exceed threshold values include the polar bears (Ursus maritimus), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), pilot whale (Globicephala melas), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), a few seabird species, and landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Toothed whales appear to be one of the most vulnerable groups, with high concentrations Science of the Total Environment 443 (2013) [775][776][777][778][779][780][781][782][783][784][785][786][787][788][789][790]

Heavy metal concentrations in female wild mink (Neovison vison) in Sweden: Sources of variation and associations with internal organ weights

“…In the present study, a significant positive association between liver weight and concentration of Hg was found. As discussed in a review by Dietz et al [54], liver weight could possibly serve as a preliminary indicator for persistent organic pollutants and Hg exposure because of the ability to cause oxidative stress in cell membranes and subsequent enlargement of the liver. An accumulation of lipid in the liver has been observed in both mink [33] and ferrets [55] after administration of MeHg.…”

Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats

“…Jenssen pointed out that pollutants with endocrine-disruptive properties are the second most serious anthropogenic threat in the Arctic, after climate change, and that the combination of these two stressors may be a ''worst-case combination for Arctic marine mammals and birds'' (Jenssen 2006: 79). Dietz, Basu et al (2013) stated that different contaminants (for example, various POPs and heavy metals) can act together, making it difficult to determine the effect of an individual compound in free-ranging animals. Further, they noted that confounding factors such as age, sex, reproductive status, body condition and diseases or other stressors further complicates analyses.…”

“…Further, they noted that confounding factors such as age, sex, reproductive status, body condition and diseases or other stressors further complicates analyses. They suggested nevertheless that increasing trends of mercury (Hg) in polar bears from north-east Canada and East Greenland might represent a health risk to the most susceptible animals when stress from climate change, shifts in pathogen organisms, decreased access to food and other contaminants are simultaneously taken into account (Dietz, Basu et al 2013).…”

“…In 1975, concern was raised for the first time regarding high levels of pollutants found in polar bear tissues (Bowes & Jonkel 1975). Contaminants continue to be a significant threat to polar bear health Obbard et al 2010;Sonne 2010;Dietz, Basu et al 2013;) and recent findings regarding effects on immune responses and metabolism highlight the complexity of this issue (Braathen et al 2004;Lie et al 2004Lie et al , 2005Villanger et al 2011). Today, polar bears are included in several monitoring programmes because they are seen as indicators of the environmental condition of the Arctic and because of international obligations: MOSJ (Sander et al 2005), Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (Nilsson & Huntington 2009) and Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (Vongraven & Peacock 2011;Vongraven et al 2012).…”

Estratégias metaloproteômicas na investigação de biomarcadores de mercúrio em amostras de tecido muscular de tucunarés

“…Contudo, a maioria não analisa a influência do clima, as características pedológicas, atual dinâmica biogeoquímica e idade da cobertura dos solos (ROULET et al, 1998). Roulet et al (1998Roulet et al ( , 1999 Entretanto, mesmos os elementos essenciais, se ingeridos em excesso ou quando se associam a outros elementos, podem causar efeitos deletérios ao homem (CORTECCI, 2003;LEMIRE et al, 2011;STEIGER, 1998 o cádmio é potencialmente perigoso por causar a calcificação nos rins, deformação óssea, disfunção renal, câncer e doenças cardiovasculares; e o mercúrio, que em sua forma orgânica possui afinidade com os tióis proteicos presentes no cérebro e por essa razão é extremamente nocivo ao sistema nervoso central (DIETZ et al, 2013;GRIESBAUER, 2007;HONDA et al, 2006;ROULET et al, 1998;TAYLOR et al, 2014 (BASTOS & LACERDA, 2004;BOISCHIO & BARBOSA, 1993;DIETZ et al, 2013;JACOB-FERREIRA et al, 2011;MICARONI et al, 2000).…”