Quantification of total mercury in liver and heart tissue of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) from Alaska USA (original) (raw)

Abstract

This study quantified the Hg levels in the liver (n ¼ 98) and heart (n ¼ 43) tissues of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) (n ¼ 102) harvested from Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island Alaska. Mercury tissue dry weight (dw) concentrations in the liver ranged from 1.7 to 393 ppm dw, and in the heart from 0.19 to 4.99 ppm dw. Results of this study indicate liver and heart tissues' Hg ppm dw concentrations significantly increase with age. Male Harbor Seals bioaccumulated Hg in both their liver and heart tissues at a significantly faster rate than females. The liver Hg bioaccumulation rates between the harvest locations Kodiak Island and Prince William Sound were not found to be significantly different. On adsorption Hg is transported throughout the Harbor Seal's body with the partition coefficient higher for the liver than the heart. No significant differences in the bio-distribution (liver:heart Hg ppm dw ratios (n ¼ 38)) values were found with respect to either age, sex or geographic harvest location. In this study the age at which Hg liver and heart bioaccumulation levels become significantly distinct in male and female Harbor Seals were identified through a Tukey's analysis. Of notably concern to human health was a male Harbor Seal's liver tissue harvested from Kodiak Island region. Mercury accumulation in this sample tissue was determined through a Q-test to be an outlier, having far higher Hg concentrarion (liver 392 Hg ppm dw) than the general population sampled.

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

References (23)

  1. AMAP, 2009. AMAP Assessment 2009: Human Health in the Arctic. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), Oslo, Norway, 256 pp.
  2. Ariya, P.A., Dastoor, A.P., Amyot, M., Schroeder, W.H., Barrie, L., Anlauf, K., Raofie, F., Ryzhkov, A., Davignon, D., Lalonde, J., Steffen, A., 2004. The Arctic: a sink for mercury. Tellus (B Chem. Phys. Meterol.) 56B, 397-403.
  3. Arnold, S.M., and Middaugh, J.P. 2004. Use of traditional foods in a healthy diet in Alaska: Risks in perspective, Second Edition: vol. 2 Mercury. Section of Epidemiology, Alaska Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services, State of Alaska, 48 pp.
  4. Bargagli, R., Monaci, F., Sanchez-Hernandez, J.C., Cateni, D., 1998. Biomagnification of mercury in an Antarctic marine coastal food web. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 169, 65-76.
  5. Barron, M.G., Heintz, R., Krahn, M.M., 2003. Contaminant exposure and effects in pinnipeds: implications for Steller Sea Lion declines in Alaska. Sci. Total Environ. 311, 111-133.
  6. Braune, B.M., Outridge, P.M., Fisk, A.T., Muir, D.C.G., Helm, P.A., Hobbs, K., Hoekstra, P.F., Kuzyk, Z.A., Kwan, M., Letcher, R.J., Lockhart, W.L., Norstrom, R.J., Stern, G.A., Stirling, I., 2005. Persistent organic pollutants and mercury in marine biota of the Canadian Arctic: an overview of spatial and temporal trends. Sci. Total Environ. 351-351, 4-56.
  7. Dehn, L.A., Follmann, E.H., Thomas, D.L., Sheffield, G.G., Rosa, C., Duffy, L.K., O'Hara, T.M., 2006. Trophic relationships in an Arctic food web and implications for trace metal transfer. Sci. Total Environ. 362, 103-123.
  8. Egeland, G.M., Middaugh, J.P., 1997. Balancing fish consumption benefits with mercury exposure. Science 278, 1904-1905.
  9. Frost, K., Lowry, L.F., Ver Hoef, J.M., 1999. Monitoring the trend of Harbor Seals in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Mar. Mammal Sci. 15 (2), 494-506.
  10. Haynes, T.L. and Wolfe, R.J. (eds),. 1999. Ecology, Harvest, and use of Harbor Seals and Sea Lions: Interview materials from Alaska Native hunters. Technical Paper No 249. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence, Juneau, Alaska, 369 pp.
  11. Johansen, P., Pars, T., Bjerregaard, P., 2000. Lead, cadmium, mercury and selenium intake by Greenlanders from local marine food. Sci. Total Environ. 245, 187-194.
  12. Kim, K.C., Chu, R.C., Barron, G.P., 1974. Mercury in tissues and lice of Northern Fur Seals. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 11 (3), 281-284.
  13. Miles, A.K., Calkins, D.C., Coon, N.C., 1992. Toxic elements and organochlorines in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi), Kodiak, Alaska, USA. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 48, 727-732.
  14. Muckle, G., Ayotte, Pierre, Dewailly, E ´ric, Jacobson, Sandra W., Jacobson, Joseph L., 2001. Determinants of polychlorinated biphenyls and methyl mercury exposure in Inuit women of childbearing age. Environ. Health Perspect. 109 (9), 957-963.
  15. Pitcher, K.W., 1990. Major decline in number of Harbor Seals, Phoca vitulina richardsi, on Tugidak Island, Gulf of Alaska. Mar. Mammal Sci. 6 (2), 121-134.
  16. Reijnders, P.J.H., 1980. Organochlorine and heavy metal residues in Harbour Seals from the Wadden Sea and the possible effects on reproduction. Neth. J. Sea Res. 14 (1), 30-65.
  17. Riget, F., Muir, D., Kwan, M., Savinova, T., Nyman, M., Woshner, V., O'Hara, T., 2005. Circumpolar pattern of mercury and cadmium in ringed seals. Sci. Total Environ. 351-352, 312-322.
  18. Small, R.J., Pendleton, G.W., Pitcher, K.W., 2003. Trends in abundance of Alaska Harbor Seals, 1983-2001. Mar. Mammal Sci. 19, 96-114.
  19. Stabeno, P.J., Bond, N.A., Hermann, A.J., Kachel, N.B., Mordy, C.W., Overland, J.E., 2004. Meterology and oceanography of the Northern Gulf of Alaska. Conti. Shelf Res. 24, 859-897.
  20. Stillings, B.R., Lagally, H., Bauersfield, P., Soares, J., 1974. Effect of cystine, selenium, and fish protein on the toxicity and metabolism of methylmercury in rats. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 30, 243-254.
  21. USA EPA (2007a). Mercury Health Effects. US Environmental Protection Agency. /http://www.epa.gov/mercury/effects.htmS.
  22. USA EPA (2007b). Method 7437. /http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/testmethods/ sw846/pdfs/7473.pdfS.
  23. Wolkers, H., Lydersen, C., Kovacs, K.M., 2004. Accumulation and lactational transfer of PCBs and pesticides in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) from Svalbard. Norw. Sci. Total Environ. 319, 137-146.