Non-proportional bioaccumulation of trace metals and metalloids in the planktonic food web of two Singapore coastal marine inlets with contrasting water residence times.
We analyzed the concentrations of trace metals/metalloids (TMs) in the water, sediment and plankton of two semi-enclosed marine coastal inlets located north of Jurong Island and separated by a causeway (SW Singapore; May 2012-April 2013). The west side of the causeway (west station) has residence times of approximately one year, and the east side of the causeway (east station) has residence times of one month. The concentrations of most of the TMs in water and sediment were higher in the west than in the east station. In the water column, most of the TMs were homogeneously distributed or had higher concentrations at the surface. Preliminary evidence suggests that the TMs are primarily derived from aerosol depositions from oil combustion and industry. Analyses of TMs in seston (>0.7μm; mostly phytoplankton) and zooplankton (>100μm) revealed that the seston from the west station had higher concentrations of most TMs; however, the concentrations of TMs in zooplankton were similar at the two stations. Despite the high levels of TMs in water, sediment and seston, the bioaccumulation detected in zooplankton was moderate, suggesting either the presence of effective detoxification mechanisms or/and the inefficient transfer of TMs from primary producers to higher trophic levels as a result of the complexity of marine planktonic food webs. In summary, the TM concentrations in water and seston are not reliable indicators of the bioaccumulation at higher trophic levels of the food web.
Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: acalbet@icm.csic.es.
Albert
A
Calbet
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore.
Claire
C
Schmoker
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore.
Francesca
F
Russo
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore.
Aurore
A
Trottet
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore.
Mohamed-Sofiane
MS
Mahjoub
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore; DHI Water and Environment-Denmark, Agern Allé 5, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark.
Ole
O
Larsen
National Parks Board HQ, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore.
Hor Yee
HY
Tong
DHI-NTU Research Centre and Education Hub, 1 CleanTech Loop, #03-05 CleanTech1, 637141, Singapore.
Guillaume
G
Drillet
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D020387:Food Chain; D058955:Metalloids / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D010839:Phytoplankton; D010933:Plankton / Q000737:chemistry*; D012846:Singapore; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D015048:Zooplankton
D058955:Metalloids; D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals; Plankton; Sediment; Singapore; Trace metals and metalloids