title: Effects of environmental temperature change on mercury absorption in aquatic organisms with respect to climate warming.
abstract: Because of global warming, the quantity of naturally generated mercury (Hg) will increase, subsequently methylation of Hg existing in seawater may be enhanced, and the content of metal in marine products rise which consequently results in harm to human health. Studies of the effects of temperatures on Hg absorption have not been adequate. In this study, in order to observe the effects of temperature changes on Hg absorption, inorganic Hg or methylmercury (MeHg) was added to water tanks containing loaches. Loach survival rates decreased with rising temperatures, duration, and exposure concentrations in individuals exposed to inorganic Hg and MeHg. The MeHg-treated group died sooner than the inorganic Hg-exposed group. The total Hg and MeHg content significantly increased with temperature and time in both metal-exposed groups. The MeHg-treated group had higher metal absorption rates than inorganic Hg-treated loaches. The correlation coefficients for temperature elevation and absorption were significant in both groups. The results of this study may be used as basic data for assessing in vivo hazards from environmental changes such as climate warming.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Public Health Science , Graduate School, Korea University , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Chul
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Pack
authors.forename: Seung Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chun Huem
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chae Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Dea Gwan
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Mee Hye
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Dal Woong
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Suhng Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003531:Cypriniformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury