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Published on: October 4, 2018
Mercury in moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
Adriana Wojdasiewicz1, Maciej K Mańko2, Julia Kwiatkowska1
1Department of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378, Gdynia, Poland.
Abstract:
Mercury (Hg) is a highly potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies, serves no beneficial function in living organisms, and poses a serious threat to ecosystems when it is present in the environment. Plankton is the foundation of the food web, and its jellyfish representative in the Baltic Sea is Aurelia aurita. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial variability of total mercury (THg) concentration in moon jellyfish A. aurita in the southern Baltic region, examine the relationship between THg concentration and jellyfish size, and to identify the tissue in which Hg accumulates most. Samples were taken from three regions: Puck Lagoon, Gulf of Gdansk, and open waters of the southern Baltic Sea. The highest concentrations were observed in jellyfish from basins under anthropogenic influences (industrial emissions, coal burning). Analysis of individual body parts showed the highest THg concentrations in gonads, suggesting a mechanism of Hg elimination with gametes production. Larger jellyfish had lower Hg concentrations, indicating that growth rate exceeded Hg accumulation. Comparative studies of THg in zooplankton and jellyfish showed an opposite biomagnification trend, with lower Hg concentrations in jellyfish than in their prey.
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