Mercury concentration and speciation in benthic organisms from Isfjorden, Svalbard. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Korejwo, Ewa; Saniewska, Dominika; Bełdowski, Jacek; Balazy, Piotr; Saniewski, Michał
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 184(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Mercury -- Arctic -- Methylmercury -- Benthos -- Fractionation -- SCUBA; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114115
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Polar regions are an important part of the global mercury cycle and interesting study sites due to different possible mercury sources. The full understanding of mercury transformations in the Arctic is difficult because this region is the systems in transition –where the effects of the global climate change are the most prominent. Benthic organisms can be valuable bioindicators of heavy metal contamination. In July 2018, selected benthic organisms: macroalgae, brittle stars, sea urchins, gastropods, and starfish were collected in Isfjorden, Spitsbergen. Two of the sampling stations were located inside the fjord system and one at the entrance to the fjord. The results showed that the starfish were the most contaminated with mercury. Total mercury concentrations in these organisms were at least 10 times higher than in other organisms. However, they effectively deal with mercury by transporting it to hard tissue. The dominant form of mercury was the labile form. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Mercury enters the foodchain via benthic link and undergoes biomagnification. Starfish are the most contaminated with mercury. The dominant fraction of Hg was the one that can be incorporated into tissues.