Evaluation of mercury bioavailability and phytoaccumulation by means of a DGT technique and of submerged aquatic plants in an aquatic ecosystem situated in the vicinity of a cinnabar mine. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pelcová, Pavlína; Kopp, Radovan; Ridošková, Andrea; Grmela, Jan; Štěrbová, Dagmar
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 288:Part 2(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Correlation -- Phytoremediation -- Cinnabar mine -- DGT -- Mercury bioavailability -- Submerged plants; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132545
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: The ability of submerged aquatic plants ( Elodea canadensis, Myriophyllum spicatum, Ceratophyllum demersum ) and a natant plant ( Eichhornia crassipes ) to bioaccumulate mercury was evaluated in a laboratory experiment as well as in a real aquatic ecosystem situated in the vicinity of a cinnabar mine. Moreover, the ability of the diffusive gradients in the thin films technique (DGT) to predict mercury bioavailability for selected aquatic plants was tested. The submerged plants had sufficient bioaccumulation capacity for long-term phytoaccumulation of mercury in a real aquatic ecosystem. The determined bioaccumulation factor was greater than 1000. On average, the submerged plant leaves accumulated 13 times more mercury than the leaves of the natant aquatic plants. Chlorides at concentrations up to 200 mg/L had no statistically significant effect on mercury accumulation, nevertheless, the presence of humic acid in the water environment resulted in its significant (p < 0.002) decrease. A strong positive correlation (r > 0.66) was determined between mercury concentration in the input parts (leaves and/or roots) of the aquatic plants and the flow of mercury into DGT units. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Mercury phytoaccumulation into aquatic plants near cinnabar mines was evaluated. The bioaccumulation factor for the submerged plants was greater than 1000. The Ceratophyllum demersum was the best for mercury phytoaccumulation. Humic acids significantly decreased mercury accumulation by the aquatic plants. A strong correlation between Hg concentration in the plants and flow into DGT units.