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The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
09:33

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

Published on: December 17, 2018

Mercury bioaccumulation in a stream network.

Martin Tsz Ki Tsui1, Jacques C Finlay, Edward A Nater

  • 1Graduate Program in Water Resources Science, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA. tsuix010@umn.edu

Environmental Science & Technology
|October 8, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mercury contamination in streams increases with drainage area, with algae like Cladophora potentially driving methylmercury production in flowing waters, unlike in wetlands.

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Published on: December 19, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Stream Ecology

Background:

  • Mercury (Hg) contamination is prevalent in aquatic ecosystems.
  • Factors influencing Hg cycling in rivers are less understood than in lakes and wetlands.
  • Aquatic insect larvae are key indicators of Hg bioaccumulation in stream food webs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate spatial patterns of methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic insect larvae.
  • To identify factors controlling MeHg concentrations in a network of northern California streams.
  • To explore the role of in-stream processes in MeHg production.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of dominant aquatic insect larvae groups across streams with varying drainage areas (0.5–150 km²).
  • Analysis of methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in larvae and water.
  • Assessment of total mercury (%MeHg) fractions in water, sediment, and algae.

Main Results:

  • MeHg concentrations in most invertebrate groups increased significantly with stream drainage area.
  • The South Fork Eel River exhibited higher aqueous MeHg than upstream tributaries.
  • A filamentous alga, Cladophora glomerata, showed a high fraction of total Hg as MeHg (50–100%).

Conclusions:

  • In-stream processes, particularly the role of autotrophs like Cladophora, can be significant hotspots for MeHg production in streams.
  • Unlike in other regions where wetland abundance dominates, in-stream factors drive Hg bioaccumulation in wetland-poor stream networks.
  • This study highlights the importance of considering in-stream habitats for understanding Hg cycling in riverine ecosystems.