Mercury in the food chain of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 88(1-2): 194-206, 2014 Nov 15.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25287224
ABSTRACT
Sediments and biota samples were collected in a restricted area of the Lagoon of Venice and analysed for total mercury, monomethyl mercury (MMHg), and nitrogen and carbon isotopes. Results were used to examine mercury biomagnification in a complex food chain. Sedimentary organic matter (SOM) proved to be a major source of nutrients and mercury to primary consumers. Contrary to inorganic mercury, MMHg was strongly biomagnified along the food chain, although the lognormal relationship between MMHg and δ(15)N was less constrained than generally reported from lakes or coastal marine ecosystems. The relationship improved when logMMHg concentrations were plotted against trophic positions derived from baseline δ(15)N estimate for primary consumers. From the regression slope a mean MMHg trophic magnification factor of 10 was obtained. Filter-feeding benthic bivalves accumulated more MMHg than other primary consumers and were probably important in MMHg transfer from sediments to higher levels of the food chain.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Contaminantes Químicos del Agua
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Cadena Alimentaria
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Organismos Acuáticos
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Mercurio
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mar Pollut Bull
Año:
2014
Tipo del documento:
Article