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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
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Low and declining mercury in arctic Russian rivers
Leandro Castello1, Alexander V Zhulidov, Tatiana Yu Gurtovaya
1Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|December 24, 2013
Summary
Mercury levels in Russian Arctic burbot are lower and declining, unlike in Canada where they are increasing. This highlights regional differences in mercury dynamics across the Arctic watershed.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Arctic Research
Background:
- Mercury (Hg) dynamics in the Arctic are under increasing scrutiny.
- Research in the Russian Arctic watershed, which is largely understudied, is critical for a pan-Arctic understanding.
- Burbot (Lota lota) serve as a key indicator species for mercury contamination in Arctic freshwater ecosystems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mercury concentrations and trends in burbot from the Lena and Mezen Rivers in the Russian Arctic.
- To compare these findings with burbot from other Arctic river systems, particularly the Mackenzie River Basin.
- To identify potential factors driving observed differences in mercury dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mercury concentrations in burbot muscle tissue from the Lena and Mezen Rivers.
- Statistical analysis of mercury trends over time.
- Comparison of data with existing datasets from other Arctic river basins, including the Mackenzie River Basin.
Main Results:
- Mercury concentrations in burbot from the Lena and Mezen Rivers were generally lower than in 23 other studied locations, predominantly in the Mackenzie River Basin.
- Mercury concentrations in Russian Arctic burbot showed an annual decline of 2.3%.
- In contrast, mercury concentrations in the Mackenzie River Basin showed an annual increase of 2.2% to 5.1% during a similar period.
Conclusions:
- Significant geographic heterogeneity exists in mercury dynamics across the pan-Arctic.
- Contrasting mercury trends in burbot suggest differing influences of factors such as riverine particulate loads, atmospheric deposition, postdepositional processes, and climate change.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex mercury cycling in the Russian Arctic.
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