High mercury concentrations reflect trophic ecology of three deep-water chondrichthyans.
The relative contributions of proximity to mercury sources and trophic ecology to realized axial muscle mercury concentrations were explored for three deep-water chondrichthyans (Etmopterus princeps, Centroscymnus coelolepis, and Hydrolagus affinis), two species of which are harvested for human consumption. Samples were taken at three North Atlantic Ocean locations: the Azores, the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone, and the Bear Seamount. Despite the long distances between anthropogenic sources and the sampling locations, all species from all locations had muscle mercury concentrations exceeding the United States human health screening value of 0.3 mg/kg wet weight. Proximity to anthropogenic sources was not an obvious determinant of these elevated concentrations. Generally, mercury concentrations appeared to increase with increased dependence on benthic versus pelagic food sources (as indicated by interspecies differences in δ(13)C), and with higher position in the trophic web (as indicated by differences in δ(15)N).
Newman
Michael C
MC
Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062-1346, USA. newman@vims.edu
Xu
Xiaoyu
X
Cotton
Charles F
CF
Tom
Kyle R
KR
D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D018940:Elasmobranchii / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D020387:Food Chain; D008386:Marine Biology; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D014481:United States; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury