title: Investigations into the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of mercury and other trace metals to the sea cucumber, Sclerodactyla briareus, using in vitro solubilization.
abstract: The in vitro solubilization and bioaccumulation of mercury and other trace metals by the intestinal fluid of the sea cucumber, Sclerodactyla briareus, was investigated. Sediments were incubated with intestinal fluid and the intestinal fluid was analyzed for the in vitro experiments. Experiments examined both procedural effects of in vitro solubilization and bioaccumulation of trace metals by the sea cucumber. Both solubilization and bioaccumulation were compared among the different metals. This comparison revealed that monomethylmercury (MMHg) solubilization and bioaccumulation is greater than Hg(I); Cd solubilization is higher than MMHg and Hg(I); and Cu and Pb solubilization is similar to MMHg and slightly higher than Hg(I). Solubilization and bioaccumulation was found to be very low, except for Cd, which had high relative solubilization but low bioaccumulation. It was concluded that while solubilization could be the rate-limiting step for certain metals, other factors, such as depuration and membrane transport, may influence overall bioaccumulation of the other metals.
authors.affiliation: 5700 Olde Mill Ct. #149, Alexandria, VA 22309, USA. mason@cbl.umces.edu
authors.forename: Kelly Margaret
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McAloon
authors.forename: Robert Peter
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007854:Lead / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008628:Mercury / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012616:Sea Cucumbers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D008628:Mercury