Muscle mercury and selenium in fishes and semiaquatic mammals from a selenium-deficient area

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare total mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), and Se:Hg molar ratios in fish muscles (phytophages n=3; benthophages n=32; predators n=5) and semiaquatic carnivores, including piscivores (the European otter n=8, the feral American mink n=7) and the omnivorous...

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Published in:Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2017-02, Vol.136, p.24-30
Main Authors: Kalisinska, Elzbieta, Lanocha-Arendarczyk, Natalia, Kosik-Bogacka, Danuta, Budis, Halina, Pilarczyk, Bogumila, Tomza-Marciniak, Agnieszka, Podlasinska, Joanna, Cieslik, Lukasz, Popiolek, Marcin, Pirog, Agnieszka, Jedrzejewska, Ewa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Carnivora - metabolism
Fish
Fishes - metabolism
Lutrinae
Mercury - metabolism
Muscles - chemistry
Pisces
Piscivorous mammals
Riverine ecosystem
Selenium - metabolism
Selenium Compounds - metabolism
Selenium/mercury molar ratio
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
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Summary:The aim of this study was to investigate and compare total mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), and Se:Hg molar ratios in fish muscles (phytophages n=3; benthophages n=32; predators n=5) and semiaquatic carnivores, including piscivores (the European otter n=8, the feral American mink n=7) and the omnivorous raccoon (n=37) from a riverine European ecosystem in a Se-deficient area. The Hg concentration in fish reached 0.337μg/g dry weight, dw (0.084μg/g wet weight, ww). We found significant differences among Hg levels in tested vertebrate groups (predators vs benthophages: 0.893 vs 0.281μg/g; piscivores vs omnivores: 6.085 vs 0.566μg/g dw). Fish groups did not differ in Se concentrations, with a mean value of 0.653μg/g dw. Significant differences were revealed between Se levels in piscivorous and omnivorous carnivores (0.360 vs 0.786μg/g dw, respectively). Fish Se:Hg molar ratio values were >2.2. Benthophages had higher the ratio than predators but similar to phytophages. Among carnivores, piscivores had much lower the ratio than raccoon (0.14 vs 3.75) but raccoon and fish medians did not significantly differ. We found almost two times higher Se levels in fish and raccoons compared to piscivores, possibly resulting from lower fish Se digestibility by piscivores in contrast to higher absorption of plant Se by many fish and omnivorous raccoons. Considering that a tissue Se:Hg molar ratio 2.0 in fish and raccoon but
ISSN:0147-6513
1090-2414
DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.10.028