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Total mercury concentrations in Steller sea lion bone: Variability among locations and elements
Mary Keenan1, Nicole Misarti2, Lara Horstmann3
1Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska, 1764 Tanana Loop, PO Box 75 5910, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska, 2150 Koyukuk Drive, PO Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
Marine Pollution Bulletin
|May 16, 2024
Summary
Pup Steller sea lion bones contain higher mercury levels than adults. Mercury concentration in bone varies by bone type and location within the bone, impacting contaminant studies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Marine Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Mercury is a persistent global contaminant biomagnifying in marine predators.
- Steller sea lions (SSL) are long-lived marine mammals susceptible to mercury bioaccumulation.
- Bone is a valuable archive for historical mercury exposure, but its variability is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution and variability of total mercury ([THg]) concentrations in Steller sea lion bones.
- To assess how mercury levels differ based on age, bone type, and location within bones.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of total mercury ([THg]) concentrations in various bone elements (long bones, ribs, phalanges) from Steller sea lions of different ages.
- Comparison of [THg] between pup and adult samples.
- Examination of longitudinal [THg] variation within individual long bones.
Main Results:
- Pup bones exhibited significantly higher [THg] (31.4 ppb) compared to adult bones (7.9 ppb).
- [THg] was more variable and higher near the epiphyses than the mid-diaphysis of long bones.
- Spongy bone in pup ribs showed the highest [THg] (62.7 ppb) compared to long bones and phalanges.
Conclusions:
- Bone composition, growth, and turnover rates influence mercury distribution within Steller sea lion bones.
- Understanding bone mercury variability is crucial for accurate historical exposure assessments.
- Standardized bone sampling protocols are needed for reliable mercury trend analysis in marine predators.
