Accumulation of total mercury and methyl mercury in insect larvae of hydroelectric reservoirs

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 832-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Tremblay ◽  
M Lucotte
Keyword(s):  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Flooded Soils ◽  
Hydroelectric Reservoirs ◽  
Natural Lakes ◽  
Suspended Particulate ◽  
Total Variability ◽  
Total Hg

Mean total mercury (Hg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations in insect larvae from hydrolelectric reservoirs were 3-5 times (up to 10 times) higher than in their counterparts from natural lakes. Taxonomic differences, which may be related to feeding behavior, and substrate type (lake sediment or flooded soils) together explained a large part of the total variability of total Hg (r2 = 0.64) and MeHg (r2 = 0.79) concentrations in insects. MeHg concentrations in flooded soils increased from 0.3-2 ng Hg cdot g dry weight-1 after 1-2 years of flooding to 15-2 ng Hg cdot g dry weight-1 after 16 years of impoundment. Total Hg and MeHg concentrations in insect larvae followed a similar pattern, but only weak correlations of both total Hg and MeHg concentrations were found between flooded soils and insect larvae, suggesting that factors other than MeHg content of flooded soils also affect the accumulation of these compounds in insects. Our results indicate that suspended particulate matter eroded from flooded soils by wave and ice action and bacterial activity enhanced by the release of labile carbon and nutrients from the flooded soils may indirectly transfer MeHg from flooded soils to insect larvae.

Contribution of suspended particulate matter and zooplankton to MeHg contamination of the food chain in midnorthern Quebec (Canada) reservoirs

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 821-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Plourde ◽  
M Lucotte ◽  
P Pichet
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Suspended Particulate Matter ◽  
Continuous Flow ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Flooded Soils ◽  
Natural Lakes ◽  
Suspended Particulate ◽  
Organic Particles

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) retained by continuous-flow centrifugation, suspended matter of 20-150 mu m diameter, and zooplankton exceeding 150 mu m were sampled in the LG-2 and LA-1 reservoirs and in four natural lakes in northern Quebec during June, August, and September 1992 and 1993. Inorganic Hg concentrations in the three compartments did not differ significantly between the reservoirs and natural lakes, but methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations in SPM (mean of 0.05 ppm) and zooplankton (up to 0.84 ppm) from LG-2 were 7 and 5 times higher, respectively, than in the natural lakes. The MeHg bioamplification factors between SPM and zooplankton ranged from 4 to 9 in the reservoirs and natural lakes. MeHg concentrations in SPM reached a maximum during August and were positively correlated with organic matter content. High MeHg concentrations were observed in the SPM and zooplankton sampled in August in a small impoundment separated from LA-1 by the LA-40 dike, which had been flooded for about 1 year. These data suggest that methylation and transfer of MeHg from flooded soils to SPM and zooplankton are rapidly accomplished. The process involves the bioaccumulation of MeHg by phytoplankton and (or) the ingestion of suspended soil-derived organic particles by zooplankton.

Relationships between total mercury in sediments and methyl mercury in the freshwater gastropod prosobranch Bithynia tentaculata in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (S1) ◽  
pp. 164-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Désy ◽  
J -F Archambault ◽  
B Pinel-Alloul ◽  
J Hubert ◽  
P GC Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Freshwater Gastropod ◽  
Bithynia Tentaculata ◽  
Total Hg ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
St Lawrence River

Total Hg concentrations in sediment and methyl mercury (MeHg) levels in the gastropod species Bithynia tentaculata were evaluated at 21 stations in the fluvial corridor of the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada). In the sediments (n = 21), total Hg concentrations ranged from 34 to 2790 ng·g dry weight-1. In the gastropods, MeHg concentrations varied from 15 to 290 ng·g dry weight-1 in undepurated gastropods (n = 20) and from 41 to 420 ng·g dry weight-1 in depurated gastropods (n = 13; without gut contents). The southern sector of Lake St. Louis, located near the Îles-de-la-Paix, had significantly higher Hg concentrations than any other sectors under study, both for total Hg in the sediments and MeHg in the gastropods. We established linear models to describe the relationships between Hg contamination in sediments and molluscs for the fluvial corridor of the St. Lawrence River and for the Lake St. Louis sector. Total Hg in sediments and MeHg in gastropods were highly correlated for all pooled stations (r = 0.83), and the relationship was even stronger for the Lake St. Louis stations (r = 0.92). Our study suggests that the gastropod B. tentaculata is a promising biomonitor species for assessing Hg contamination in the fluvial corridor and lakes of the St. Lawrence River.

Bioavailability of sediment-associated mercury toHexageniamayflies in a contaminated floodplain river

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1092-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa J Naimo ◽  
James G Wiener ◽  
W Gregory Cope ◽  
Nicolas S Bloom
Keyword(s):  
Food Chain ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Contaminated Sediments ◽  
Floodplain River ◽  
Test Water ◽  
Benthic Food

We examined the bioavailability of mercury in sediments from the contaminated Sudbury River (Massachusetts, U.S.A.). Mayfly nymphs (Hexagenia) were exposed in four 21-day bioaccumulation tests to contaminated and reference sediments (treatments) from reservoirs, flowing reaches, palustrine wetlands, and a riverine lake. Mean total mercury (ΣHg) ranged from 880 to 22 059 ng·g dry weight-1in contaminated sediments and from 90 to 272 ng·g-1in reference sediments. Mean final concentrations of methyl mercury (MeHg) in test water were greatest (8-47 ng Hg·L-1) in treatments with contaminated wetland sediments, which had mean ΣHg ranging from 1200 to 2562 ng·g-1. In mayflies, final mean concentrations of MeHg were highest in treatments with contaminated wetland sediments (122-183 ng Hg·g-1), intermediate in treatments with contaminated sediments from reservoirs, flowing reaches, and a riverine lake (75-127 ng Hg·g-1), and lowest in treatments with reference sediments (32-41 ng Hg·g-1). We conclude that the potential entry of MeHg into the benthic food chain was greater in contaminated palustrine wetlands than in the contaminated reservoirs, which had the most contaminated sediments.

Geochemistry of Mercury in Two Hydroelectric Reservoirs in Quebec, Canada

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Louchouarn ◽  
Marc Lucotte ◽  
Alfonso Mucci ◽  
Pierre Pichet
Keyword(s):  
Close Association ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Depth Interval ◽  
Flooded Soils ◽  
Hydroelectric Reservoirs ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Natural Lakes ◽  
Mechanical Erosion ◽  
Atmospheric Inputs

Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron oxyhydroxide profiles were used to explain the retention of Hg in sediments of natural lakes and flooded soils in Quebec. In lake sediments, Hg levels increased from background concentrations of approximately 100 ng/g beneath the 10- to 16-cm depth interval to 150–490 ng/g near the surface. This increase was attributed to atmospheric inputs to the environment. In forest soils, the close association of Hg with the surficial organic horizon appears to be a potential source of contamination for the aquatic system through the transport of particulate matter by surface runoff. High organic matter content observed in the flooded soil of LG-2 Reservoir suggests that postsedimentation biodegradation is a slow process. In contrast, at Cabonga Reservoir, an 80% reduction in C, N, and Hg concentrations was observed between the flooded and the adjacent forest soil. Mechanical erosion processes (marling, waves, ice) rather than biodegradation seem responsible for the observed loss in C, N, and Hg. We propose that suspension of the humic horizon from flooded soils could constitute a significant source of Hg contamination to the overlying waters and biota until the exposed littoral zone stabilizes.

Mercury in the Sudbury River (Massachusetts, U.S.A.): pollution history and a synthesis of recent research

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1053-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G Wiener ◽  
Pamela J Shields
Keyword(s):  
Contaminated Soils ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Sediment Cores ◽  
Inorganic Mercury ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Mercury Accumulation ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Pollution History ◽  
Industrial Operations

We review the transport, fate, and bioavailability of mercury in the Sudbury River, topics addressed in the following five papers. Mercury entered the river from an industrial complex (site) that operated from 1917 to 1978. Rates of mercury accumulation in sediment cores from two reservoirs just downstream from the site decreased soon after industrial operations ended and have decreased further since capping of contaminated soils at the site in 1991. The reservoirs contained the most contaminated sediments (some exceeding 50 μg Hg·g dry weight-1) and were depositional sinks for total mercury. Methyl mercury concentrations in biota did not parallel concentrations of total mercury in the sediments to which organisms were exposed, experimentally or as residents. Contaminated wetlands within the floodplain about 25 km downstream from the site produced and exported methyl mercury from inorganic mercury that had originated from the site. Natural burial processes have gradually decreased the quantity of sedimentary mercury available for methylation within the reservoirs, whereas mercury in the lesser contaminated wetlands farther downstream has remained more available for transport, methylation, and entry into food webs.

scholarly journals Coupling of methyl and total mercury in a minerotrophic peat bog in southeastern Sweden

2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 2014-2023 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Regnell ◽  
T Hammar
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Bulk Water ◽  
Peat Bog ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Discharge Water ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Total Hg

During most of an annual cycle, we studied the temporal variation of total mercury (HgT) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in unfiltered and filtered (0.45 µ) peat water from a minerotrophic peat bog in southeastern Sweden. MeHg in bulk water ([MeHgT]) and total Hg in filtered water in discharge water from the peat bog ([HgD]) were an order of magnitude higher than in upland runoff water entering the peat bog. At the discharge end, peat-water [HgD] and [MeHgD] ranged from 8 to 54 pmol·L–1 and from 1 to 32 pmol·L–1, respectively. Whereas the variation of [MeHgT] was explained by changes in [MeHgD], the variation of inorganic HgT [IHgT] = [HgT] – [MeHgT] was explained by changes in particle-bound IHg [IHgP] = [IHgT] – [IHgD]. Filterable organic matter and sulfide in the water both correlated poorly with [HgD]. Neither did the amount of HgT in precipitation and upland runoff water correlate well with the estimated discharge of HgD from the peat bog. However, there was a strong correlation between [HgD] and [MeHgT] in the peat water (r = 0.96). Furthermore, a significant fraction of HgD was MeHg (mean 28%; range 8–60%). These results suggest that methylation increased the mobility of Hg.

scholarly journals Effect of Industrial Wastewater on Fish in Karoon River

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
Zahra Khoshnood ◽  
Reza Khoshnood
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Wastewater ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Industrial Site ◽  
Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix ◽  
Karoon River ◽  
Muscle Tissues ◽  
Barbus Grypus ◽  
Standard Values ◽  
Total Hg

Abstract In 2009, 36 fish were sampled from two stations in the Karoon River near an industrial site. Two species of fish, Barbus grypus and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix were analyzed for total mercury (Hg) concentration in liver and muscle tissues. The average concentrations of total Hg in liver of B. grypus were 18.92 and 10.19 μg.g-1 in stations 1 and 2 respectively. The corresponding values for total Hg in edible muscle of Barbus grypus were 8.47 and 0.08 μg.g-1. The average concentrations of Hg in the liver of H. molitrix were 25.49 and 12.52 μg.g-1 in stations 1 and 2 respectively. The values for H. molitrix were 11.88 and 3.2 μg.g-1 in station 1 and station 2 respectively. The results showed that the bioavailability of Hg has increased considerably after industrialization and that these values were higher than the standard values as a result of anthropogenic activities in the region.

Influence of Eutrophication on the Distribution of Total Mercury and Methylmercury in Hydroelectric Reservoirs

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1624-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Meng ◽  
X. B. Feng ◽  
C. X. Chen ◽  
G. L. Qiu ◽  
J. Sommar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Total Mercury ◽  
Hydroelectric Reservoirs

scholarly journals Determination of methyl mercury and total mercury in sediment samples collected from canals in HoChiMinh city

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 123-136
Author(s):  
Hien Thai Hoang ◽  
Dong Van Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Reference Material ◽  
Analytical Method ◽  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Inorganic Mercury ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Internal Reference ◽  
Atomic Fluorescence ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Cold Vapour

In this study, the analysis of methyl mercury (MeHg) and total mercury (T-Hg) was studied using gas chromatographic separation/atomic fluorescence spectrometric detection and cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry respectively. MeHg was extracted from sediment matrix using HNO3/KCl/CuSO4 into dichloromethane followed ethylation with NaB(C2H5)4 in hexane. Total mercury was digested using three different procedures: EPA 245.1, AOAC 971.21 and our proposed one. The reliability of the analytical method for MeHg was evaluated by the use of the certified reference material ERM CC-580. In addition, the analytical method for total merury was evaluated using a fresh water sediment as an internal reference material, spiked with inorganic mercury, methyl mercury and phenyl mercury. The method detection limits for MeHg and total mercury were 0.08 and 0.15 ng/g (as Hg), respectively. The established analytical methods were applied to analyse MeHg and total mercury in sediment samples collected from canals and rivers in Hochiminh City. The concentrations of methyl mercury and total mercury in sediment samples were 0.08–2.87 ng/g và 14 – 623 ng/g (as Hg, dw). [MeHg]/Σ[Hg] respectirely were in a range of 0.1–2.3 %, which was in good agreement with the published ratios in sediment samples. A good correlation between the concentration of MeHg with total mercury and total organic carbon contents in the studied sediment samples was found.

A Comparison of Mercury Contamination in Mussel and Ammocoete Filter Feeders

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie B. Bettaso ◽  
Damon H. Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Methyl Mercury ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Mercury Contamination ◽  
Teleost Fishes ◽  
Trinity River ◽  
Longitudinal Gradients ◽  
History Of ◽  
Filter Feeders ◽  
The Trinity ◽  
Mercury Mining

Abstract The Trinity River, California, has an extensive history of gold and mercury mining, and recent studies demonstrated uptake of legacy mercury contamination by teleost fishes. We investigated mercury concentrations of larval lampreys (ammocoetes; Entosphenus spp.) and western pearlshell mussels (Margaritifera falcata) in the Trinity River to determine whether these two long-lived and sedentary filter feeders show site-specific differences in uptake of this contaminant. We analyzed ammocoetes from four sites in the Trinity River and one reference site in the Mad River for total mercury and mussels from three of the Trinity River sites for total and methyl mercury. We identified longitudinal gradients in ammocoete total mercury levels and methyl mercury in mussels. We found a 70% increase in total mercury in ammocoetes between two of the sample sites, suggesting a potential point source of contamination. Ammocoetes contained levels of mercury 12 to 25 times those of mussels from the same site. Our data indicate that ammocoetes may be a preferred organism to sample for mercury contamination and ecological effects compared with mussels in the Trinity River.

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