Mercury biomagnification in a contaminated estuary food web: Effects of age and trophic position using stable isotope analyses |
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| Institution: | 1. Akvaplan-niva. Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway;2. Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Research, University of Hamburg, Germany;3. University of Tromsø, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway;4. Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway;5. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway;6. Department of Biosciences, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern 0316, Oslo, Norway;7. Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway;8. University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway;1. College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China;2. Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China;3. Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China;1. Canadian Rivers Institute and Biology Department, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5, Canada;2. Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada;3. Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada;1. Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA;2. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA;3. Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA;4. Vermont Center for Ecostudies, Norwich, VT, USA;5. Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA;6. Institute of Marine Research, Postboks 1870, Nordnes 5817, Bergen, Norway |
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| Abstract: | The main aim of this study was to ascertain the biomagnification processes in a mercury-contaminated estuary, by clarifying the trophic web structure through stable isotope ratios. For this purpose, primary producers (seagrasses and macroalgae), invertebrates (detritivores and benthic predators) and fish were analysed for total and organic mercury and for stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures. Trophic structure was accurately described by δ15N, while δ13C reflected the carbon source for each species. An increase of mercury levels was observed with trophic level, particularly for organic mercury. Results confirm mercury biomagnification to occur in this estuarine food web, especially in the organic form, both in absolute concentrations and fraction of total mercury load. Age can be considered an important variable in mercury biomagnification studies, and data adjustments to account for the different exposure periods may be necessary for a correct assessment of trophic magnification rates and ecological risk. |
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