title: Mercury speciation in plankton from the Cabo Frio Bay, SE--Brazil.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) is considered a global pollutant, and the scientific community has shown great concern about its toxicity as it may affect the biota of entire systems, through bioaccumulation and bioamplification processes of its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), along food web. However, few research studies deal with bioaccumulation of Hg from marine primary producers and the first-order consumers. So, this study aims to determine Hg distribution and concentration levels in phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Cabo Frio Bay, Brazil, a site influenced by coastal upwelling. The results from Hg speciation analyses show that inorganic mercury Hg(II) was the predominant specie in plankton from this bay. The annual Hg species distribution in plankton shown mean concentration of 2.00 ± 1.28 ng Hg(II) g(-1) and 0.15 ± 0.08 ng MeHg g(-1) wet weight (phytoplankton) and 2.5 ± 2.03 ng Hg(II) g(-1) and 0.25 ± 0.09 ng MeHg g(-1) wet weight (zooplankton). Therefore, upwelling zones should be considered in the Hg biogeochemical cycle models as a process that enhances Hg(II) bioaccumulation in plankton, raising its bioavailability and shelf deposition.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Geoquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro São João Batista s/n, 24020-141, Niterói, RJ, Brazil, emmanoelvieirasilvafilho@id.uff.br.
authors.forename: Emmanoel V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Silva-Filho
authors.forename: Vinicius T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Kütter
authors.forename: Thiago S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tessier
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Olivier F X
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Donard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D020387:Food Chain; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010933:Plankton / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury