Multimedia distributions, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer of microcystins in the Geum River Estuary, Korea: Application of compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids

To determine distributions, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer of freshwater cyanobacterial toxins such as microcystins (MCs), surface water, suspended solids, sediments, and coastal organisms were collected from seven stations in inner and outer regions of the estuary dam in the Geum River Estuary in June and July 2017. Concentrations of MC variants (MC-LR, -RR, and -YR) in the multimedia samples were analyzed using a HPLC-MS/MS. Trophic position (TP) of organisms (fish, bivalve, gastropod, decapod, and polychaete) was determined by nitrogen stable isotope analyses of both bulk tissues and amino acids. From July to August 2017, great concentrations of MCs were detected in discharged freshwater ranging from 0.4 to 75 μg L−1. Considerable amounts of MCs are delivered to the Geum River Estuary in summer season. MCs spread far away as dissolved phases (18.7–49.5 ng L−1) in July when large amount of freshwater was discharged during the rainy season. Concentrations of MCs in marine organisms varied among species, ranging from 40 to 870 ng g−1 dw. Bioaccumulated MCs tend to decrease with increasing TP of organisms, suggesting that MCs are biodiluted through the marine food web. Compound-specific isotope analysis (nitrogen of amino acids) provides more reliable TPs compared with those by bulk isotope analysis in a closed estuary (such as the Geum River Estuary) with large fluctuations in the isotope ratio of primary producers. Keywords: Cyanobacterial toxin, Estuary, Coastal organisms, Stable isotope, Trophic position, Biodilution