Assessment of Hg Pollution Released from a WWII Submarine Wreck (U-864) by Hg Isotopic Analysis of Sediments and Cancer pagurus Tissues.
Hg pollution released from the U-864 submarine sunk during WWII and potential introduction of that Hg into the marine food chain have been studied by a combination of quantitative Hg and MeHg determination and Hg isotopic analysis via cold vapor generation multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (CVG-MC-ICP-MS) in sediment and Cancer pagurus samples. The sediment pollution could be unequivocally linked with the metallic Hg present in the wreck. Crabs were collected at the wreck location and 4 nmi north and south, and their brown and claw meat were analyzed separately. For brown meat, the δ202Hg values of the individuals from the wreck location were shifted toward the isotopic signature of the sediment and, thus, the submarine Hg. Such differences were not found for claw meat. The isotope ratio results suggest direct ingestion of metallic Hg by C. pagurus but do not offer any proof for any other introduction of the submarine Hg into the marine food chain.
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Ana
A
Rua-Ibarz
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Eduardo
E
Bolea-Fernandez
National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway.
Amund
A
Maage
National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway.
Sylvia
S
Frantzen
National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Strandgaten 229, 5002 Bergen, Norway.
Stig
S
Valdersnes
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University , Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Frank
F
Vanhaecke
D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005740:Gases; D007554:Isotopes / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury
D005740:Gases; D007554:Isotopes; D008628:Mercury