The relationships between mercury and selenium in plankton and fish from a tropical food web

Background, aim, and scope  Selenium (Se) has been shown to reduce mercury (Hg) bioavailability and trophic transfer in aquatic ecosystems. The study of methylmercury (MeHg) and Se bioaccumulation by plankton is therefore of great significance in order to obtain a better understanding of the estuarine processes concerning Hg and Se accumulation and biomagnification throughout the food web. In the western South Atlantic, few studies have documented trace element and MeHg in fish tissues. No previous study about trace elements and MeHg in plankton has been conducted concerning tropical marine food webs. Se, Hg, and MeHg were determined in two size classes of plankton, microplankton (70–290 μm) and mesoplankton (≥290 μm), and also in muscle tissues and livers of four fish species of different trophic levels (Mugil liza, a planktivorous fish; Bagre spp., an omnivorous fish; Micropogonias furnieri, a benthic carnivorous fish; and Centropomus undecimalis, a pelagic carnivorous fish) from a polluted estuary in the Brazilian Southeast coast, Guanabara Bay. Biological and ecological factors such as body length, feeding habits, and trophic transfer were considered in order to outline the relationships between these two elements. The differences in trace element levels among the different trophic levels were investigated. Materials and methods  Fish were collected from July 2004 to August 2005 at Guanabara Bay. Plankton was collected from six locations within the bay in August 2005. Total mercury (THg) was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. MeHg analysis was conducted by digesting samples with an alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution followed by dithizone-toluene extraction. MeHg was then identified and quantified in the toluene layer by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Se was determined by AAS using graphite tube with Pin platform and Zeeman background correction. Results and discussion  Total mercury, MeHg, and Se increased with plankton size class. THg and Se values were below 2.0 and 4.8 μg g⁻¹ dry wt in microplankton and mesoplankton, respectively. A large excess of molar concentrations of Se in relation to THg was observed in both plankton size class and both fish tissues. Plankton presented the lowest concentrations of this element. In fish, the liver showed the highest THg and Se concentrations. THg and Se in muscle were higher in Centropomus undecimalis (3.4 and 25.5 nmol g⁻¹) than in Micropogonias furnieri (2.9 and 15.3 nmol g⁻¹), Bagre spp (1.3 and 3.4 nmol g⁻¹) and Mugil liza (0.3 and 5.1 nmol g⁻¹), respectively. The trophic transfer of THg and Se was observed between trophic levels from prey (considering microplankton and mesoplankton) to top predator (fish). The top predators in this ecosystem, Centropomus undecimalis and Micropogonias furnieri, presented similar MeHg concentrations in muscles and liver. Microplankton presented lower ratios of methylmercury to total mercury concentration (MeHg/THg) (34%) than those found in mesoplankton (69%) and in the muscle of planktivorous fish, Mugil liza (56%). The other fish species presented similar MeHg/THg in muscle tissue (of around 100%). M. liza showed lower MeHg/THg in the liver than C. undecimalis (35%), M. furnieri (31%) and Bagre spp. (22%). Significant positive linear relationships were observed between the molar concentrations of THg and Se in the muscle tissue of M. furnieri and M. liza. These fish species also showed significant inverse linear relationships between hepatic MeHg and Se, suggesting a strong antagonistic effect of Se on MeHg assimilation and accumulation. Conclusions  Differences found among the concentrations THg, MeHg, and Se in microplankton, mesozooplankton, and fishes were probably related to the preferred prey and bioavailability of these elements in the marine environment. The increasing concentration of MeHg and Se at successively higher trophic levels of the food web of Guanabara Bay corresponds to a transfer between trophic levels from the lower trophic level to the top-level predator, suggesting that MeHg and Se were biomagnified throughout the food web. Hg and Se were positively correlated with the fish standard length, suggesting that larger and older fish bioaccumulated more of these trace elements. THg, MeHg, and Se were a function of the plankton size. Recommendations and perspectives  There is a need to assess the role of selenium in mercury accumulation in tropical ecosystems. Without further studies of the speciation of selenium in livers of fishes from this region, the precise role of this element, if any, cannot be verified in positively affecting mercury accumulation. Further studies of this element in the study of marine species should include liver samples containing relatively high concentrations of mercury. A basin-wide survey of selenium in fishes is also recommended.     

黄河口新生湿地土壤Fe和Mn元素的空间分布特征

2009年5月,在今黄河入海口北部的新生湿地区域,依据植被类型设置9个采样区,研究了不同植物群落下湿地土壤Fe和Mn含量的空间分布特征.结果表明,不同类型湿地土壤的Fe、Mn含量在水平分布上由三棱蔗草-朝天委陵菜湿地到光滩呈波动上升趋势,在垂直分布上则表现为不同的波动变化特征.成土母质决定湿地土壤Fe、Mn含量的空间分布,而海水、植被和土壤细颗粒对其也有重要影响.相关分析表明,Fe、Mn之间以及二者与粉粒、TN、NO-3-N和有机质呈极显著正相关(P<0.01),与黏粒呈显著正相关(P<0.05),说明Fe、Mn与N具有较好的共存性,土壤细颗粒和有机质是影响土壤Fe、Mn分布的主导因素.黄河口新生湿地的Fe含量范围为16.49~33.11 g·kg-1,均值为22.54 g·kg-1,与苏北潮滩湿地,中国黄土高原黄土和中国土壤的背景值相近,但略低于长江口湿地,红树林湿地和内陆湖泊湿地.Mn含量范围为305.87~711.39mg·kg-1,均值为451.09 mg·kg-1,低于中国黄土高原黄土和中国土壤的Mn含量背景值.     

长江口滨岸及近海水体中胶体的分布和理化性质研究

利用切向流超滤技术(CFUF)分离出长江口滨岸及近海水体中的胶体,并对其稳定性和物质组成进行了定量分析.结果表明,XP和WSK胶体的尺寸和Zeta-电位随pH的升高而减小,XP、WSK胶体的等电点分别出现在pH<2、pH=3.8;所采水样的胶体有机碳(COC,M r1×103~1μm)浓度为7.7~35.7μmol·L-1,占总溶解有机碳(DOC)的7.1%~41.7%;三维荧光光谱(3DEEM)分析发现研究区出现类色氨酸荧光峰、类紫外富里酸荧光峰和类腐殖质荧光峰;胶体态Na、Mg、K、Ca、Co、Cr、Cu、Fe、Li、Mn、Ni平均分别占溶解态的0.33%、5.7%、0.975%、1%、7.2%、7%、11.9%、15.7%、5.5%、10.5%、11.3%.Co、Cr、Cu、Fe、Li、Mn、Ni与COC的结合能力大于Na、Mg、K、Ca.相关分析表明,胶体的尺寸、DOC、真溶解有机碳(UOC)与盐度呈负相关,COC与盐度无线性关系,胶体态痕量金属(Co、Cr、Cu、Fe、Li、Mn、Ni)总浓度与COC呈线性关系.     

三峡水库三期蓄水前后长江口硅酸盐分布及其比值变化

河口SiO2--Si浓度的变化直接影响到水体的营养盐结构和生态系统.根据2010年8月、11月和2011年5月的现场调查资料,对长江口区域一个水文年(跨三峡水库三期蓄水)硅酸盐的分布特征和变化趋势进行了分析.结果表明,长江口及其邻近海域硅酸盐分布与盐度分布极其相似,整体呈现近岸高、外海低的特点;截取一断面分析发现存在上升流,硅酸盐等值线有抬升趋势.3个季节硅酸盐平面分布各有其季节性特点,但总体浓度夏季高于秋季,秋季高于翌年春季;在整个调查区域SiO32--Si/DIN值是10月＞8月＞5月,而SiO32--Si/PO43--P值是5月＞8月＞10月;3个季节SiO32--Si浓度与盐度都呈显著负相关关系.与历史资料比较得出,2010-2011年长江口海域营养盐比值小于2004年,也小于1985-1986年,可见三峡工程蓄水对长江口SiO32--Si/DIN、SiO32--Si/PO43--P降低的影响.     

Waste oyster shell as a kind of active filler to treat the combined wastewater at an estuary

Estuaries have been described as one of the most difficult environments on Earth. It is difficult to know how to treat the combined wastewater in tidal rivers at the estuary, where the situation is very different from ordinary fresh water rivers. Waste oyster shell was used as the active filler in this study in a bio-contact oxidation tank to treat the combined wastewater at the Fengtang Tidal River. With a middle-experimental scale of 360 ma/day, the average removal efficiency of COD, BOD, NH3-N, TP and TSS was 80.05%, 85.02%, 86.59%, 50.58% and 85.32%, respectively, in this bio-contact oxidation process. The living microbes in the biofilms on the waste oyster shell in this bio-contact oxidation tank, which were mainly composed of zoogloea, protozoa and micro-metazoa species, revealed that waste oyster shell as the filler was suitable material for combined wastewater degradation. This treatment method using waste oyster shell as active filler was then applied in a mangrove demonstration area for water quality improvement near the experiment area, with a treatment volume of 5 × 10^3 m^3/day. Another project was also successfully applied in a constructed wetland, with a wastewater treatment volume of 1 ×10^3 m^3/day. This technology is therefore feasible and can easily be applied on a larger scale,     

辽宁双台河口湿地生态安全评价

受人类活动强烈干扰,河口湿地的生态安全问题日益严峻。对湿地生态安全的评价研究应遵循"人—湿地"复合系统思想,文章坚持湿地可持续发展的时空观念,突出人为因素,兼顾自然因素,评价了双台河口湿地生态安全的空间状况,具体探讨了湿地核心地带生态安全的演化机理。结果表明:辽河三角洲地区生态安全水平空间差异较大,西市区、站前区为极不安全,鲅鱼圈区为不安全区,盘山县、双台子区、兴隆台区为临界安全区,老边区、大洼县为较安全区。双台河口湿地核心区所在的大洼地区,近7年来生态安全演变态势较好,由生态临界安全上升为较安全,但仍未达到理想安全状态,与周边县区生态安全等级不高有密切关系。最后提出了双台河口湿地生态安全的对策与建议。     

黄河口无机碳输运过程对pH异常增高现象的响应

为研究黄河无机碳的输运过程及有效入海通量,通过对2004年至2006年黄河口汛期和非汛期淡水-海水混合过程中无机碳参数、溶解氧饱和度、叶绿素和NH⁺₄、 PO^3-₄的分析得出,黄河口低盐度区pH出现相对于淡水端异常增高现象,而恰在此区域DIC出现亏损现象,黄河口淡-咸水混合区域pH异常增高现象可以表征无机碳的沉降作用.淡咸水混合初期生物好氧呼吸作用的降低能够导致p_CO2的迅速降低是造成低盐度区pH出现相对于淡水端异常增高现象的主要原因.根据河口溶解物质的保守混合模型,发现混合过程中ΔDIC与ΔTA是1∶1的关系,表明DIC出现亏损是由于HCO^-₃清除造成的,汛期和非汛期黄河口无机碳的沉降作用能够清除输入到河口DIC总量的10%,即黄河口每年可清除1.21×10⁵ t河流输入的溶解无机碳,DIC的有效入海通量约为10.86×10⁵ t,通过评估,黄河流域风化作用吸收的大气CO₂量将有10%左右被河口无机碳沉降作用重新释放到大气中,而流域风化作用固定的CO₂在河口将有2.24×10⁵ t（以CO₂计）重新释放到大气中.     

辽河口湿地沉积物硝化细菌及硝化作用研究

2009年6月和8月,采用现场培养和实验室模拟培养相结合的方法对辽河口湿地表层沉积物硝化细菌数量、硝化速率及影响因素进行了研究.结果表明,辽河口湿地表层沉积物氨氧化细菌(ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)数量6月在0.54×104～5.69×104个.g-1之间,平均值为(2.21±2.32)×104个.g-1,8月在1.90×104～7.90×104个.g-1之间,平均值为(3.61±2.87)×104个.g-1;沉积物潜在硝化速率6月在9.72～16.45 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(12.54±3.14)mmol.(m2.h)-1,8月在14.66～24.62 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(18.71±4.21)mmol.(m2.h)-1;净硝化作用速率6月(S1站)为0.41 mmol.(m2.h)-1,8月在0.20～0.53 mmol.(m2.h)-1之间,平均值为(0.35±0.16)mmol.(m2.h)-1.潜在硝化速率显著高于净硝化速率,AOB数量、净硝化作用速率和潜在硝化作用速率均表现为8月高于6月,芦苇根际效应对硝化作用有促进作用.通过SPSS 13.0软件统计分析,表明影响辽河口湿地表层沉积物硝化作用的主要环境因子有上覆水NH 4+-N浓度和沉积物pH、有机质、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、NH 4+-N含量以及AOB数量(p0.05),其中上覆水NH 4+-N浓度和沉积物总磷(TP)、NH 4+-N含量对硝化作用影响较大,是辽河口湿地硝化作用影响的关键因素.根据研究结果估算辽河口湿地沉积物硝化作用每天可以将1.14×105kg的NH 4+-N转化为NO 3--N,对河口湿地氮的循环具有重要意义.     

大辽河近入海河段水体溶解氧分布特征及低氧成因的初步分析

根据2009年春、夏季大辽河近人海河段的大面站和连续站观测,分析了水体溶解氧(dissolved oxygen,DO)的时空分布规律,并对近人海河段上游低氧区的成因进行了初步探讨.结果表明,水体溶解氧含量在空间分布上呈人海口高、河段上游低,表层高、底层低的趋势;时间分布上呈白天高、夜间低,春季高、夏季低的趋势.夏季溶解...     

闽江河口潮汐沼泽湿地CO_2排放通量特征

以闽江河口区面积最大的鳝鱼滩湿地分布的3种植物沼泽湿地：土著种咸草（Cyperus malaccensis Lam.var.brevifolius Bocklr.）沼泽湿地、芦苇（Phragmites australis）沼泽湿地及外来入侵种互花米草（Spartina alterniflora Loisel.）沼泽湿地...