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This paper presents the activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb in 15 different commercial fish species collected around Gökçeada Island (northern Aegean Sea) in 2016. The distribution of 210Po and 210Pb was investigated in fish tissues and significant differences (P < 0.05) in radionuclide concentrations were noted between muscle, gills, and liver in each species. 210Po activity concentrations in tissues were systematically higher than those of 210Pb and the average values of 210Po/210Pb concentration ratios were calculated at 6.6 ± 1.5, 8.4 ± 3.2, and 10.2 ± 1.6 in muscle, gills, and liver, respectively. The annual effective dose to consumers through 210Po ingestion with fish filet averaged 62 µSv year−1 (range 5.5-160 µSv year−1). This effective dose is in the range of natural radiation doses reported worldwide for humans through ingestion of sea food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure of a tailings dam occurred in January 2013 at the Santa María de Otáez mining region (Mexico) released a spill (~ 300,000 m3) on Los Remedios River, which was transported through the San Lorenzo River, and finally to El Comedero (EC) dam. The concentrations of metal(loid)s in the muscle, liver, gills, and guts of three fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Oreochromis aureus, Micropterus salmoides) collected from EC dam were examined twenty months later to assess the performance of the cleaning operations. The bioaccumulation patterns of the metal(loid)s in the tissues were different in the three fish species. Tilapia had the highest Cd (11.23 ± 8.53 µg g−1) and Cu (871 ± 1261 µg g−1) concentrations in the liver, as well as As concentration (83.6 ± 61.7 µg g−1) in the gut, while the highest Zn concentration (745 ± 356 µg g−1) was measured in the gills of the carp. Such variability can be caused by the variant bioavailability of the metal(loid)s and by the feeding habits of each species; and also by the fact that some metals are essential and better regulated by organisms than other non-essential. Compared to a study of tilapia carried out 90 days after mine spill, a decrease was evident in the liver for As, Cd, Cu, and Zn by 129, 5, 10, and 1.7 times, respectively. This revealed that cleaning operations were more efficient for As. The target hazard quotient and the hazard index were < 1, which indicates there will be no risk of consuming muscle in moderated rations of the three fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have received increasing scientific and political attention in recent years. Several thousand commercially produced compounds are used in numerous products and technical processes. Due to their extreme persistence in the environment, humans and all other life forms are, therefore, increasingly exposed to these substances. In the following review, PFAS will be examined comprehensively. Results: The best studied PFAS are carboxylic and sulfonic acids with chain lengths of C4 to C14, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). These substances are harmful to aquatic fauna, insects, and amphibians at concentrations of a few µg/L or less, accumulate in organisms, and biomagnify in food webs. Humans, as the final link in numerous food chains, are subjected to PFAS uptake primarily through food and drinking water. Several PFAS have multiple toxic effects, particularly affecting liver, kidney, thyroid, and the immune system. The latter effect is the basis for the establishment of a tolerable weekly dose of only 4.4 ng/kg body weight for the sum of the four representatives PFOA, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020. Exposure estimates and human biomonitoring show that this value is frequently reached, and in many cases exceeded. PFAS are a major challenge for analysis, especially of products and waste: single-substance analyses capture only a fragment of the large, diverse family of PFAS. As a consequence, sum parameters have gained increasing importance. The high mobility of per and polyfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids makes soil and groundwater pollution at contaminated sites a problem. In general, short-chain PFAS are more mobile than long-chain ones. Processes for soil and groundwater purification and drinking water treatment are often ineffective and expensive. Recycling of PFAS-containing products such as paper and food packaging leads to carryover of the contaminants. Incineration requires high temperatures to completely destroy PFAS. After PFOA, PFOS and a few other perfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids were regulated internationally, many manufacturers and users switched to other PFAS: short-chain representatives, per- and polyfluorinated oxo carboxylic acids, telomeric alcohols and acids. Analytical studies show an increase in environmental concentrations of these chemicals. Ultra-short PFAS (chain length C1–C3) have not been well studied. Among others, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is present globally in rapidly increasing concentrations. Conclusions: The substitution of individual PFAS recognized as hazardous by other possibly equally hazardous PFAS with virtually unknown chronic toxicity can, therefore, not be a solution. The only answer is a switch to fluorine-free alternatives for all applications in which PFAS are not essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a toxic and harmful global pollutant, mercury (Hg) enters the marine environment through natural sources, and human activities. It bioaccumulates through the food chain and therefore, Hg is of great importance for environmental monitoring. This study aims to answer the question if Hg contamination in fish and sediment from the German Bight follows temporal trends. Therefore, 496 individual female dab (Limanda limanda) were analyzed. The Hg concentrations in the muscle of dab from the German Bight showed significant increase in function of time with an annual percental change of 1.4%, leading to a 41% increase in Hg contamination level within 25 years of monitoring. At the same time, Hg concentrations in sediment—analyzed in 86 samples—significantly decreased in the nearby North Sea environment. This surprising contradiction is shown in the present study and possible causes are discussed. It could be clearly shown that contamination in sediment and biota can follow completely different time courses and therefore, different environmental matrices should be considered in future monitoring studies. Age of the fish turned out to be a biological factor of particular importance for temporal trend analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two fish species reared in aquaculture (pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha and whitefish Coregonus lavaretus) and ten fish species from natural habitats (whitefish C. lavaretus, tugun Coregonus tugun, broad whitefish Coregonus nasus, least cisco Coregonus sardinella, vendace Coregonus albula, boganid charr Salvelinus boganidae, charr Salvelinus alpinus complex, northern pike Esox lucius, sharp-snouted lenok Brachymystax lenok, and taimen Hucho taimen) have been studied. The content of two long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA), in the muscle tissue of the fish and in their food (intestine contents) are compared. In the aquacultures of whitefish and pink salmon, the total content of EPA and DHA is significantly higher in feed than in the muscle tissue of the fish, which indicates losses of PUFA in the two-link food chain of the aquaculture during their transfer to the upper trophic level. EPA and DHA losses in aquaculture, which are confirmed by numerous literature data, mean an inefficient usage of the available sources of PUFAs and the aggravation of the global deficit of these biochemicals in the human diet. A study of natural fish populations reveals the accumulation of EPA and DHA in their biomass compared to food in many cases, although opposite phenomena are also observed. An assumption on the presence of an optimal, physiologically adequate species-specific level of PUFA in the fish muscle tissue has been made based on our data and literature data. If the level of PUFAs in the muscles is lower than optimal, their accumulation (bioaccumulation) from food and/or de novo synthesis are observed. When the optimal level is exceeded, the content of EPA and DHA in biomass approaches maximum species-specific values; however, part of these PUFAs entering from food is not digested or is catabolized. According to the obtained data, the species of the order Salmoniformes have an optimal level of 2 to 6 mg/g of wet weight. It has been found that in aquaculture approaching to maximum values of EPA + DHA content was accompanied by their losses (scattering) in the food chains, while in natural ecosystems the maximum values of PUFA content in the fish biomass are achieved by their accumulation from the lower trophic level. Boganid charr S. boganidae had the highest content of EPA + DHA in the muscle tissue among all known fish species (32.78 mg/g of wet weight). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial variation in mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in urban coastal watersheds reflects complex interactions between Hg sources, land use, and environmental gradients. We examined MeHg concentrations in fauna from the Delaware River estuary, and related these measurements to environmental parameters and human impacts on the waterway. The sampling sites followed a north to south gradient of increasing salinity, decreasing urban influence, and increasing marsh cover. Although mean total Hg in surface sediments (top 4 cm) peaked in the urban estuarine turbidity maximum and generally decreased downstream, surface sediment MeHg concentrations showed no spatial patterns consistent with the examined environmental gradients, indicating urban influence on Hg loading to the sediment but not subsequent methylation. Surface water particulate MeHg concentration showed a positive correlation with marsh cover whereas dissolved MeHg concentrations were slightly elevated in the estuarine turbidity maximum region. Spatial patterns of MeHg bioaccumulation in resident fauna varied across taxa. Small fish showed increased MeHg concentrations in the more urban/industrial sites upstream, with concentrations generally decreasing farther downstream. Invertebrates either showed no clear spatial patterns in MeHg concentrations (blue crabs, fiddler crabs) or increasing concentrations further downstream (grass shrimp). Best-supported linear mixed models relating tissue concentration to environmental variables reflected these complex patterns, with species specific model results dominated by random site effects with a combination of particulate MeHg and landscape variables influencing bioaccumulation in some species. The data strengthen accumulating evidence that bioaccumulation in estuaries can be decoupled from sediment MeHg concentration, and that drivers of MeHg production and fate may vary within a small region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Baikal is located in eastern Siberia in the center of a vast mountain region. Even though the lake is regarded as a unique and pristine ecosystem, there are existing sources of anthropogenic pollution to the lake. In this study, the concentrations of the potentially toxic trace elements As, Cd, Pb, Hg, and Se were analyzed in water, plankton, invertebrates, and fish from riverine and pelagic influenced sites in Lake Baikal. Concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb and Se in Lake Baikal water and biota were low, while concentrations of As were similar or slightly higher compared to in other freshwater ecosystems. The bioaccumulation potential of the trace elements in both the pelagic and the benthic ecosystems differed between the Selenga Shallows (riverine influence) and the Listvenichnyĭ Bay (pelagic influence). Despite the one order of magnitude higher water concentrations of Pb in the Selenga Shallows, Pb concentrations were significantly higher in both pelagic and benthic fish from the Listvenichnyĭ Bay. A similar trend was observed for Cd, Hg, and Se. The identified enhanced bioavailability of contaminants in the pelagic influenced Listvenichnyĭ Bay may be attributed to a lower abundance of natural ligands for contaminant complexation. Hg was found to biomagnify in both benthic and pelagic Baikal food chains, while As, Cd, and Pb were biodiluted. At both locations, Hg concentrations were around seven times higher in benthic than in pelagic fish, while pelagic fish had two times higher As concentrations compared to benthic fish. The calculated Se/Hg molar ratios revealed that, even though Lake Baikal is located in a Se-deficient region, Se is still present in excess over Hg and therefore the probability of Hg induced toxicity in the endemic fish species of Lake Baikal is assumed to be low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earthworm represents a kind of creature in contact with the soil surface and usually exposed to a variety of organic pollutants from human activities. Therefore, it can be considered as an organism of choice for identifying pollution or better understanding the input of contaminants in food chains in particular through the contributions of sludge. Moreover, the use of organisms such as soil invertebrates is to be developed for ecotoxicological risk assessment of pollutants. In this context, a simple, rapid and effective multi-residue method was developed for the determination of 31 compounds including 11 steroids, 14 veterinary antibiotics and 6 human contaminants (paracetamol, sulfamethoxazole, fluvoxamine, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, bisphenol A) in earthworm. The sample preparation procedure was based on a salting-out extraction with acetonitrile (QuEChERS approach) that was optimised with regard to the acetonitrile/water ratio used in the extraction step, the choice of the clean-up and the quantity of the matrix. The optimised extraction method exhibited recoveries that comprised between 44 and 98 % for all the tested compounds. The limits of detection of all compounds were below 14 ng g and the limits of quantification (LOQ) comprised between 1.6 and 40 ng g (wet weight). The method was therefore applied to determine the levels of pharmaceuticals and hormones in six earthworm samples collected in various soils. Concentrations up to 195 ng g for bisphenol A were determined, between a few nanograms per gram and 43.1 ng g (estriol) for hormones and between a few nanograms per gram and 73.5 ng g (florfenicol) for pharmaceuticals. Experiments were also conducted in laboratory conditions to evaluate the accumulation of the target substances by earthworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-nine bacterial isolates representing eight genera from the gastrointestinal tracts of feral brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchell) demonstrated multiple maximal antibiotic resistances and concomitant broad-spectrum mercury (Hg) resistance. Equivalent viable plate counts on tryptic soy agar supplemented with either 0 or 25 μM HgCl verified the ubiquity of mercury resistance in this microbial environment. Mercury levels in lake water samples measured 1.5 ng L; mercury concentrations in fish filets ranged from 81.8 to 1,080 ng g and correlated with fish length. The presence of similar antibiotic and Hg resistance patterns in multiple genera of gastrointestinal microflora supports a growing body of research that multiple selective genes can be transferred horizontally in the presence of an unrelated individual selective pressure. We present data that bioaccumulation of non-point source Hg pollution could be a selective pressure to accumulate both antibiotic and Hg resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic musks are used in many consumer products for their pleasant odor and their binding affinity for fabrics. In the early 1990s, polycyclic musks were reported to occur in air, water, sediment, wildlife, and humans from many European countries. Concentrations of polycyclic musks, particularly 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-cyclopenta-[γ]-2-benzopyran (HHCB) and 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronapthalene (AHTN), have been reported to increase over time in the environment. In this study, concentrations of musks in water, sediment, fish, and mussel were determined from three locations along the upper Hudson River. HHCB and AHTN were detected in water ( n = 5; 3.95-25.8 and 5.09-22.8 ng/L, respectively), sediment ( n = 3; 72.8-388 and 113-544 ng/g, dry weight), fish ( n = 30; <1-125 and <1-32.8 ng/g, lipid weight), and zebra mussel ( n = 4; 10.3-19.3 and 42.2-65.9 ng/g, lipid weight) samples. Bioaccumulation factors of HHCB calculated for white perch, catfish, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass were in the range of 18 to 371, when the concentrations in fish were expressed on a wet weight basis; the factors were in the range of 261 to 12,900, when the concentrations in fish were expressed on a lipid weight basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus and winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus support valuable fisheries along the northeastern United States. The importance of these flatfish as a human dietary resource indicates they are potential sources of mercury (Hg) to fish-consuming citizens. In this study, summer flounder (SF) and winter flounder (WF) were collected from the Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) and were measured for total Hg burden in whole-body or dorsal muscle tissue. Interspecies differences in Hg contamination were analyzed relative to flounder body size, age, and Hg content of preferred prey. Stable isotope signatures were also used to elucidate the effect of trophic processes on Hg accumulation in the estuarine food web. The mean Hg content of SF exceeded concentrations measured in WF across multiple life-history stages (0.039–0.100 and 0.016–0.029 mg Hg/kg wet weight for SF and WF, respectively), and observed values for both species were lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency regulatory threshold of 0.3 mg Hg/kg wet weight. Total Hg concentrations were also positively correlated with flounder age and length, verifying that both flatfish bioaccumulate Hg. SF accumulate Hg at an accelerated rate, however, owing to this species consuming Hg-enriched prey (teleosts, squid, and macrocrustaceans; mean Hg content = 0.023 mg Hg/kg wet weight), whereas WF feed on prey with low Hg levels (amphipods and polychaetes; mean Hg content = 0.013 mg Hg/kg wet weight). The positive correlation observed between mean biota Hg content and stable nitrogen (δ15N) isotope signatures further indicates that Hg is trophically transferred through the food web, and higher trophic level organisms (i.e., enriched δ15N) have increased Hg concentrations. Therefore, results from this study suggest that dietary preference and trophic structure are the main factors affecting Hg bioaccumulation in the estuary. Total Hg concentrations of flatfish from the Narragansett Bay, however, do not necessarily reflect coastwide contamination patterns. This reinforces the importance of having research conducted at sufficiently small spatial scales, including the local assessment of Hg contamination for the purpose of issuing state consumption advisories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is the first to report the total mercury concentration of 37 fish species collected from Wujiang River, which is the largest branch on the southern bank of Yangtze River, China and proposed for hydropower development. Total mercury concentrations varied among the 37 subtropical species examined. We found higher mercury concentrations in carnivorous species demonstrating greater mercury bioaccumulation in species with more predatory feeding habits. There is no significant difference between fish grouped by habitat preference and feeding habit. However, carnivorous species preferring benthic positions had higher total mercury concentrations than others suggesting that mercury accumulation is related to the interaction of feeding habit and habitat preference. In our study, fish that are bottom living and feed on other fish or aquatic animals are more likely at high risk of mercury exposure. Additional mercury contamination and future impoundment may raise mercury concentration in fish in the Wujiang causing concern for human health and ecological impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pantanal is a 140,000 km2 floodplain wetland stretching across western Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. Gold mining with mercury (Hg) amalgamation has thrived since 1980 along its northern rim. We quantified Hg accumulation in sediment cores (N = 5) and food chains in this general region of the northern Pantanal and in a reference region, 200 km deeper into the wetland (Acurizal). Cores were dated with 210Pb and 137Cs using direct gamma-assay. Total Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence using a gold-mesh pre-concentration trap. Average pre-1940 Hg accumulation in cores was not significantly different (N = 5, p= 0.14) between both regions and comparable with rates calculated for global reference sites. Post gold-rush Hg (post-1980) deposition averaged 55 ± 11.3 μg m-2 yr-1 in the northern impacted region and was more than 1.5 times higher than the post-1980 rate in Acurizal, implying a regional Hg effect of gold mining. Post-1980 Hg accumulation in Acurizal, in turn, was 2.1 times the rate reported for a global reference during that time period, suggesting an additional basin-wide effect over such reference sites. By combining our core data with assessments of the size of the impacted area and the amount of Hg released to the region since 1980, we estimated that only 2–8% of this Hg was recovered as a sedimentary signal. The remainder of the Hg was lost to the atmosphere, downstream areas, or stored in biota. Hg concentrations in surface sediments in the northern Pantanal (45.5 ± 5.5 ng gdry-1) were significantly higher than those in our reference region (29.1 ± 0.7 ng gdry-1). Hg levels in primary producers were also elevated in the northern Pantanal. Eichhornia crassipes roots contained 2.7–3.0 times more mercury than shoots in both regions and Salvinia auriculata, suggested as a biological monitor for Hg pollution, contained almost four times more mercury in the northern Pantanal (90.7 ± 9.1 ng gdry-1) than in Acurizal (24.5 ± 3.3 ng gdry-1). Plant grazers and scavengers, such as apple snails ( Pomacea sp.) and adult water beetles (Fam. Hydrophilidae), were low in Hg, confirming previous data showing that the channeling of mercury from lower to higher trophic levels along herbivorous links was inefficient compared to transfer along carnivorous links. Collections of 12–16 individuals of four species of Characidae ( Aphyocharax sp., Tetragonopterus sp., Serrasalmus spiropleura and Pygocentris nattereri) in both regions showed elevated Hg body burdens in both piranhas S. spiropleura and P. nattereri from the northern Pantanal (149.9 ± 84.2 and 302.2 ± 159.1 ng gdry-1, respectively). Fish length for each species was not statistically different between regions. P. nattereri length correlated significantly (p<0.001) with Hg content in both regions, but the slope of the regression in the northern Pantanal was 2.6 times the slope for the Acurizal collection, indicating an elevated rate of biomagnification in the Hg-impacted region. Signals of Hg use in mining can be quantified in sediment core chronologies and biological tissues, although species at different trophic levels show dissimilar impacts. Mechanisms involved in Hg magnification along food chains deserve more attention, particularly in tropical regions where the threat of chronic exposure to this neurotoxin may have the greatest implications for biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]