[Total and methyl mercury contents in arthropods].
We researched mercury contents in plants and arthropods collected from the river banks in mercury polluted areas. The results show that total mercury (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (Me-Hg) in Locusta migratoria manilensis and Acrida chinensis are 0.032 - 0.402 mg x kg(-1), 0.023 - 0.362 mg x kg(-1) and 0.003 - 0.031 mg x kg(-1), 0.004 - 0.015 mg x kg(-1) while the proportion of Me-Hg to T-Hg are 3.5% - 49.7% and 2.0% - 44.4%. T-Hg in arthropods is higher than that a magnitude in non-polluted areas. As primary consumers, mercury contents in Locusta migratoria manilensis and Acrida chinensis are lower than plants they eat. That is not consistent with the non-polluted areas. Paratenodera sinensis is the second consumer and there is an obvious mercury accumulation in it. For Locusta migratoria manilensis, T-Hg decreased with the body length while for Acrida chinensis that increased following a decreasing. But Me-Hg in both increased with body length. Mercury contents in tissues of arthropods are significantly different. The order is abdomen > thorax > head. Mercury and methyl mercury contents in arthropods would lead wild birds, fowls and amphibians in the ecologic risk condition.
Zheng
Dong-Mei
DM
Northeast Institution of Geography and Agroecology,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130012, China. zhengdm126@163.com
Wang
Qi-Chao
QC
Zhang
Zhong-Sheng
ZS
Zheng
Na
N
Zhang
Xiu-Wu
XW
D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury