a case study examining mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification
TRANSCRIPT
A Case Study Examining Mercury Bioaccumulation and
Biomagnification
Tuna for Lunch? A Case Study Examining MercuryBioaccumulation and
Biomagnification By Caralyn B. Zehnder Department of Biological and
Environmental Sciences Georgia College and State University,
Milledgeville, GA Coal-burning power plants are the most common
source of mercury pollution.
Coal contains mercury naturally, and when it is burned, the mercury
travels up the smokestack and is released into the air.
Methyl-mercury (MeHg)
Mercury Methylation Bacteria convert inorganic mercury (Hg) to the
organic form methylmercury (MeHg) Hg in emissions (smoke) Hg -
Deposited on land and into water 50-75% from anthropogenic (human)
sources Bacteria Methyl-mercury (MeHg) Methylmercury (MeHg) Highly
toxic Gets into the food web Snail
Largemouth bass Phytoplankton (algae) Herbivorous fish Zooplankton
Small fish Methyl-mercury (MeHg)
Hg in emissions (smoke) Hg - Deposited on land and into water
50-75% from anthropogenic (human) sources Bacteria Methyl-mercury
(MeHg) MeHg Zooplankton Large fish MeHg MeHg Small fish MeHg
Phytoplankton (algae) Report Objectives: Describe the nationwide
occurrence and distribution of mercury in fish tissue. Evaluate
mercury in streambed (bed) sediment and stream water. Scudder,
B.C., Chasar, L.C., Wentz, D.A., Bauch, N.J., Brigham, M.E., Moran,
P.W., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2009, Mercury in fish, bed sediment,
and water from streams across the United States, 19982005: U.S.
Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 20095109, 74 p.
Methods Fish Sediment Water
A plastic scoop was used to remove the upper 2 to 4 cm of bed
sediment from 5 to 10 depositional areas; samples were composited
into a single sample for each site. Each sample was homogenizedand
mercury levels were measured. Stream-water samples were collected
by dipping Teflon or PETG (Nalgene) bottles in the centrer of
streamflow by use of trace-metal clean techniques. Samples analyzed
for mercury. 291 fish from streams nationwide. Largemouth bass were
targeted for collection; but 34 different fish species were
collected. Fish caught by electrofishing, rod & reel, and gill
nets. Fish fillet analyzed for mercury Figure 1: Mercury
concentrations (ug/g) found in fish tissues of commonly sampled
fish species.
US EPA criterion for human health. Concern level for piscivorous
mammals Each and every fish tested from nearly 300 water streams in
the U. S
Each and every fish tested from nearly 300 water streams in the
U.S. was found to contain mercury. Hg concentrations in fish were
several orders of magnitude higher than in stream water.
Bioaccumulation: the buildup of substances, such as pesticides or
heavy metals, in an organism. Bioaccumulation occurs when an
organism absorbs a substance faster than it excretes it.
Bioaccumulation results in the organism having a higher
concentration than the surrounding environment. Mercury out Mercury
in Where in the U.S. were the highest concentrations of mercury in
fish found?
EPA Fish Advisories The relationship between trophic position and
mercury in the food web of Lake Washington. Methods collect fish,
crustaceans, & zooplankton and measure methylmercury
levels.
Mysid Daphnia (zooplankton) Crayfish Stickleback Pikeminnow Trout
Caddisfly Smallmouth bass Sockeye salmon (fry) Table 3 *Arthropods
are organisms with segmented bodies, hard exoskeletons and multiple
pairs of jointed legs.Aquatic examples include shrimp, crayfish,
crabs, and insect larvae including caddisflies. Algae
(phytoplankton)
Smallmouth bass Trout Pikeminnow Stickleback Mysid Sockeye salmon
(fry) Crayfish Daphnia (zooplankton) Caddisfly Algae
(phytoplankton) Algae (phytoplankton)
Daphnia (zooplankton) Stickleback Trout Caddisfly Crayfish Mysid
Sockeye salmon (fry) Smallmouth bass Pikeminnow Hg Hg Hg
Biomagnification: An increase in concentration of a pollutant from
one link in a food chain to another. If a substance can biomagnify,
then animals (predators) at the top of the food chain will have
higher concentrations than animals lower on the food chain. Even
small concentrations of chemicals in the environment can find their
way into organisms in high enough dosages to cause problems. Image
credits Licensed photo of school of tuna: Tommy Schultz |
Fotolia.com, # Coal fired power plant: Bacteria: : Water sampling:
Largemouth bass: Herbivorous fish: Fish electroshocking: Lake
Washington: .: Sockeye salmon fry: Daphnia magma: Signal crayfish:
Mysid shrimp: reefkeeping.com/issues/ /rs/index.php Stickleback:
pond.dnr.cornell.edu/.../stickleback.html Cutthroat trout: Northern
pikeminnow: fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/fishingplanner/ht...
Smallmouth bass: pond.dnr.cornell.edu/.../smallmouth_bass.html
Caddisfly larvae: Mercury biomagnification: pubs.water.usgs.gov/fs
Vermont mercury fish advisory: