Marc Lucotte

Recovery of Mercury-Contaminated Fisheries

Abstract In this paper, we synthesize available information on the links between changes in ecosystem loading of inorganic mercury (Hg) and levels of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish. Although it is widely hypothesized that increased Hg load to aquatic ecosystems leads to increases in MeHg in fish, there is limited quantitative data to test this hypothesis. Here we examine the available evidence from a range of sources: studies of ecosystems contaminated by industrial discharges, observations of fish MeHg responses to changes in atmospheric load, studies over space and environmental gradients, and experimental manipulations. A summary of the current understanding of the main processes involved in the transport and transformation from Hg load to MeHg in fish is provided. The role of Hg loading is discussed in context with other factors affecting Hg cycling and bioaccumulation in relation to timing and magnitude of response in fish MeHg. The main conclusion drawn is that changes in Hg loading (increase or decrease) will yield a response in fish MeHg but that the timing and magnitude of the response will vary depending of ecosystem-specific variables and the form of the Hg loaded.

Effects of Recent Human Colonization on the Presence of Mercury in Amazonian Ecosystems

Three Hg sources were characterised and mass balance calculations were used to determine their relative contributions to the contamination of the Amazonian environment. About an order of magnitude more Hg is emitted to the atmosphere by goldmining activity than by the burning of forest biomass. However, anthropogenic atmospheric Hg cannot account for the high Hg burdens found in terrestrial ecosystems: deposition of Hg from goldmining sources is estimated to account for less than 3% of the Hg present in the surface horizons of soils. We propose that erosion of deforested soils following human colonization constitutes a major disturbance of the natural Hg cycle. Deforestation thus increases soil Hg mobilisation by runoff, which may explain the increase of Hg burdens in Amazonian aquatic ecosystems in newly colonized watersheds.

The geochemistry of mercury in central Amazonian soils developed on the Alter-do-Chão formation of the lower Tapajós River Valley, Pará state, Brazil.

In an oxisol-spodosol system developed on the terrestrial surface of the lower Tapajós Valley, the determination of total mercury (Hg), organic carbon (C), iron and aluminum oxy-hydroxide (Fe(cdb) and Al(cdb)) concentrations in the surface soil horizons are used to characterise the geochemical processes controlling the accumulation of Hg in soils under natural vegetation cover and in deforested and cultivated sites. Oxisols from the plateau have homogeneous and relatively high background Hg contents and burdens constituting an important natural reservoir of Hg for the region (90-210 ng/g dry wt. and 19-33 mg/m2 for the first 20 cm). The Fe(cdb) and Al(cdb) contents associated with the fine fraction (< 63 microns) of the soil suggest that oxy-hydroxides and, particularly Al-substituted Fe oxy-hydroxides, control the Hg concentrations observed in all of the soils of the study region. Consequently, the geochemistry of these minerals along the slopes governs the accumulation or the release of the Hg according to the natural evolution of the soil cover and/or following the degradation of soils by erosion after deforestation and cultivation. These observations have important implications for the interpretation of Hg contamination patterns observed in Amazonian aquatic systems that could be linked to different drainage sources of Hg from the terrestrial surface. The sandification and podzolisation that is characteristic of the evolution of numerous pedological systems in the equatorial Amazon could be responsible for exportation of the naturally accumulated Hg, as for other metals, by acidic complexation and migration to the black waters of the Amazon. In the central Amazon region, as a result of the fragility of the soil cover, deforestation and cultivation, affecting principally the superficial soil, promote the selective erosion of fine particles enriched in oxides and Hg. The erosion of soil could be responsible for an important release of Hg, transported in particulate form by drainage waters.

Production of the greenhouse gases CH4 and CO2 by hydroelectric reservoirs of the boreal region

The emission fluxes and the distribution of dissolved methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were determined for 11 sampling stations in two hydroelectric reservoirs (flooded since 1978 and 1993) located in the James Bay territory of northern Quebec. The measured benthic fluxes for the two greenhouse gases were found to be either higher or similar to those determined at the water-air interface during the ice-free sampling periods. For the 2 year duration of the study, emission fluxes of CH4 to the atmosphere generally varied between 5 and 10 mg m−2 d−1, while those for CO2 ranged from 500 to 1100 mg m−2 d−1. Furthermore, through the use of static chambers at the water-air interface, we determined that the emission fluxes for the gases are controlled by molecular diffusion. Our calculated fluxes have been separated into two groups: (1) regular emission fluxes and (2) above-average emission fluxes. The first type comprises the majority of fluxes measured during the sampling periods (i.e., 88% for CH4 and 87% for CO2). The second group reflects unusual sampling conditions (e.g., strong winds, water column depths of less than 1 m, or flooded peatland mats floating at the surface). Although data for this group are limited, our preliminary results suggest that they may be an important component in an atmospheric emissions budget for large reservoirs. Concentration profiles for CH4 and CO2 dissolved in the water column clearly show that oxidation and/or horizontal advection of these gases are controlling factors in their subsequent release to the atmosphere. Most of the CH4 is oxidized within the first 25 cm above the flooded soil-water interface. Consequently, neither benthic emissions of CH4 and CO2 nor the type of flooded soil appear to control atmospheric emissions of these gases from hydroelectric reservoirs.

Sequential analysis of hair mercury levels in relation to fish diet of an Amazonian population, Brazil.

Several studies in the Amazonian Basin have shown that riverine populations are exposed to methylmercury through fish consumption. It has been suggested that seasonal variations in hair mercury observed through sequential analyses may be related to the changes in fish species ingested by the local communities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between fish-eating practices and seasonal variation in mercury exposure. A group of 36 women from a village located on the banks of the Tapajós River, a major tributary of the Amazon, comprised the present study population. An interview-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on socio-demographic characteristics, fish-eating practices and other relevant information. The women also provided hair samples of at least 24 cm in length for mercury analysis. Hair total and inorganic mercury concentration was measured using a cold vapor atomic absorption analytical method. Trigonometric regression analysis was done to assess the seasonal variation of total mercury levels. Variations in inorganic mercury were examined by repeated measures analysis of variance, and analysis of contrast variable with a polynomial transformation. The results showed that hair mercury levels varied with the season. Higher levels were observed in months corresponding to the dry season, with lower levels in the rainy season. Herbivorous fish predominated the diet for 47.2% of the women during the dry season, but this rose to 72.2% during the rainy season. Those who reported eating fish daily had higher mercury levels in hair compared to those who only ate fish a few times per week. Retrospective mercury analyses, evaluated by the quantity of mercury present in each centimeter of hair, indicate that mean mercury level of the population decreased over the 2 years prior to the study. The percentage of inorganic mercury over the total mercury in hair increased towards the extremities of the hair strand. Higher percentages of inorganic mercury were found for the group who ate more fish (on a daily consumption basis). These results support the assumption that there are seasonal variations in methylmercury exposure and also a relationship between type of fish species consumed and the resulting hair mercury levels.

Deforestation modifying terrestrial organic transport in the Rio Tapajos, Brazilian Amazon

The concentration and biomarker compositions of sedimentary organic matter (OM) as well as fine and coarse sus- pended particles were analysed to identify the impact of deforestation on the transport of terrigenous organic matter (OM) in the Rio Tapajos, a major tributary to the Amazon. Substantial shifts in the concentration and composition of recently deposited sedimentary OM suggest that intensive deforestation over the last few decades has considerably modified the natural inputs of sedimentary materials to the aquatic ecosystems by disrupting the terrigenous fluxes of humus and soil materials from the drainage basin. The observed compositional changes of bulk OM and land derived biomarkers (e.g. lignin) in recent sediments illustrate a sedimentary enrichment in OM from soil horizons that, under normal forest cover, tend to be retained in the drainage basin. On average, the recently accumulated OM is nitrogen- rich ((C/N)a=12-15) and more highly degraded ((Ac/Al)v=0.4-0.6 and DHBA/V=0.15-0.20) than deep materials ((C/N)a=20-30, (Ac/Al)v=0.25-0.4, and DHBA/V=0.05-0.10), showing that this recently accumulated material is more humified than original inputs to the aquatic system, and consistent with increased exportation of fine eroded mineral and organic particles from surface soils along river banks. The present study illustrates the relevance of using OM oxidation products in sediment profiles to evaluate deforestation impacts on aquatic ecosystems and to characterize the nature of eroded soil materials, complementing studies on mineral/metal cycling. # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eating tropical fruit reduces mercury exposure from fish consumption in the Brazilian Amazon

This study aimed to examine the influence of the consumption of traditional foods on the relationship between fish consumption and mercury (Hg) exposure. A 12-month prospective dietary survey was carried out with 26 adult women from a fish-eating community in the Brazilian Amazon. Food ingestion was determined using a daily food diary, and total hair Hg levels were assessed for each month through sequential analyses using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Simple and multiple regression analyses showed that the strong relationship between fish consumption and Hg exposure was significantly modified by fruit consumption: for the same number of fish meals, those who ate more tropical fruits had lower hair mercury levels. The findings of this study indicate different ways of maintaining fish consumption while reducing Hg exposure in the Amazon. A number of phytochemicals and nutritional fibers present in fruits might be interacting with Hg in several ways: absorption and excretion, transport, binding to target proteins, metabolism, and sequestration. More studies are required on larger populations to further elucidate the extent and public health implications of the use of fruits to counteract the toxic action of methylmercury.

Cytogenetic damage related to low levels of methyl mercury contamination in the Brazilian Amazon

The mercury rejected in the water system, from mining operations and lixiviation of soils after deforestation, is considered to be the main contributors to the contamination of the ecosystem in the Amazon Basin. The objectives of the present study were to examine cytogenetic functions in peripheral lymphocytes within a population living on the banks of the Tapajós River with respect to methylmercury (MeHg) contamination, using hair mercury as a biological indicator of exposure. Our investigation shows a clear relation between methylmercury contamination and cytogenetic damage in lymphocytes at levels well below 50 micrograms/gram, the level at which initial clinical signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning occur. The first apparent biological effect with increasing MeHg hair level was the impairment of lymphocyte proliferation measured as mitotic index (MI). The relation between mercury concentration in hair and MI suggests that this parameter, an indicator of changes in lymphocytes and their ability to respond to culture conditions, may be an early marker of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in humans and should be taken into account in the preliminary evaluation of the risks to populations exposed in vivo. This is the first report showing clear cytotoxic effects of long-term exposure to MeHg. Although the results strongly suggest that, under the conditions examined here, MeHg is both a spindle poison and a clastogen, the biological significance of these observations are as yet unknown. A long-term follow-up of these subjects should be undertaken.

Historical and geographical variations of sources and transport of terrigenous organic matter within a large-scale coastal environment

Abstract Elemental and molecular analyses indicate that the sources and inputs of terrigenous organic matter (OM) to the upper St. Lawrence system have been influenced by increased discharges of industrial solid organic wastes from the pulp and paper industry following its expansion in the 1920–1940s. Moderately altered lignin-rich particles from a combination of natural and anthropogenic sources predominate within recent sediments of this system, with anthropogenic fractions ranging 10–70% and 2–30% for the Fjord and the Lower Estuary, respectively. Compositional and isotopic signatures of sedimentary OM show that the sediments within the Lower Estuary are dominated by inputs of allochthonous OM (60–80%), whereas terrigenous OM inputs are minor (15–30%) sources of OM to the Gulf/Shelf sediments. In this latter environment, the terrigenous OM pool is composed exclusively of highly altered lignin-poor soil OM with no substantial influence from anthropogenic lignin. A global mass balance calculation suggests that about half of the global annual riverine flux is degraded, leaving only the remaining half to accumulate predominantly (98%) within shelf and slope sediments. This estimate suggests that lignin does not behave conservatively within the marine environment but supports some sort of organic matter degradation.

Greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs of the western United States

= 0.81; p < 0.0001). All other correlations between GHG diffusivefluxes and independent variables tested were weak and/or not significant. Finally,while attempting to resolve the spatial variability in diffusive fluxes, we were able tocluster reservoirs neither according to geological nor ecological criteria.