title: The level of mercury contamination in mariculture sites at the estuary of Pearl River and the potential health risk.
abstract: In the present study, the Hg contamination in mariculture sites located at the estuary of Pearl River was to investigate with an attempt to analyse associated health risks of dietary exposure to both total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in cultured fish and shellfish. The highest total mercury concentration (7.037 ± 0.556 ng L-1) of seawater was observed at Zhuhai Estuary. The Hg concentrations of sediment in Guishan Island were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in Daya Bay (away from the Pearl River). Besides, the both THg and MeHg levels in sediment at mariculture sites were higher (p < 0.05) than corresponding reference sites. It was attributed to the fact that mariculture activities increased Hg loading and promoted MeHg production. The vertical distribution of Hg in sediment cores demonstrated that mercury methylation mostly occurred at the sediment-water interface. Results of health risk assessments showed that fish consumption would impose a higher risk to children but less to adults, while shellfish produced in the studied area was safe for consumption.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China.
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Linan, PR China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Linan, PR China.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: minghwong@ied.edu.hk.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Health risks assessment; Mariculture; Methyl mercury; Total mercury