US EPA

747719 

Journal Article 

Inorganic and methylmercury: Do they transfer along a tropical coastal food web? 

Kehrig, HA; Seixas, TG; Baêta, AP; Malm, O; Moreira, I 

2010 

1 

Marine Pollution Bulletin
ISSN: 0025-326X
EISSN: 1879-3363 

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 

OXFORD 

60 

12 

2350-2356 

English 

20951393 

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.08.010 

WOS:000285735700034 

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0025326X10003863
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Methylmercury (MeHg) and inorganic mercury (Hg(inorg)) were evaluated in the water of a Brazilian estuary, with two size classes of plankton and seven fish species of different feeding habits. Water partition coefficients (PCs) in microplankton were fourfold higher for MeHg than for Hg(inorg); and water PCs in mesoplankton were 26 times higher for MeHg than Hg(inorg). Difference between microplankton and mesoplankton MeHg bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was higher (0.60 log units) than Hg(inorg) BAF (0.24 log units), indicating that trophic transfer of MeHg between planktonic organisms is more efficient than Hg(inorg) transference. MeHg concentrations, proportion of mercury as MeHg and its biotransference factors (BTFs) in the microplankton, mesoplankton and fish increased with increasing trophic level while biotic concentrations of Hg(inorg) and proportion of mercury as Hg(inorg) decreased thus indicating that MeHg was indeed the biomagnified species of mercury. MeHg reflected the vertical trophic guilds distribution, due to the fact that the top predator fish presented the highest concentration (0.77 μg g(-1)d.w.), followed by the less voracious species (0.43 μg g(-1)d.w.); while planktivorous fish presented the lowest concentrations (0.044 μg g(-1)d.w.). Hg(inorg) did not present the same behavior. Results suggest that feeding habits and trophic guild are important parameters, influencing biotransference and biomagnification processes. 

Biomagnification; Tropical ecosystem; Water; Aquatic biota; Vertical trophic guilds; Trophic transfer 

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN