Concentrations of methylmercury in invertebrates from wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America.
Prairie wetlands may be important sites of mercury (Hg) methylation resulting in elevated methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in water, sediments and biota. Invertebrates are an important food resource and may act as an indicator of MeHg exposure to higher organisms. In 2007-2008, invertebrates were collected from wetland ponds in central Saskatchewan, categorized into functional feeding groups (FFGs) and analyzed for total Hg (THg) and MeHg. Methylmercury and THg concentrations in four FFGs ranged from 0.2-393.5 ng · g(-1) and 9.7-507.1 ng · g(-1), respectively. Methylmercury concentrations generally increased from gastropods with significantly lower average MeHg concentrations compared to other invertebrate taxa. Surrounding land use (agricultural, grassland and organic agricultural) may influence MeHg concentrations in invertebrates, with invertebrate MeHg concentrations being higher from organic ponds (457.5 ± 156.7 ng · g(-1)) compared to those from grassland ponds (74.8 ± 14.6 ng · g(-1)) and ponds on agricultural lands (32.8 ± 6.2 ng · g(-1)).
Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada.
Lara M
LM
Bates
Britt D
BD
Hall
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012525:Saskatchewan; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D053833:Wetlands
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical