Mercury environmental quality standard for biota in Europe: Opportunities and challenges

Vignati, Davide A.L.; Polesello, Stefano; Bettinetti, Roberta; Bank, Michael S.

doi:10.1002/ieam.1379

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Considering that sediments represent a major repository for many persistent chemicals introduced into aquatic systems, it is important to understand to what extent sediment-bound Hg is potentially available for remobilization via benthic organisms [8]. Indeed, from a risk-assessment point of view, mercury requires an approach based on establishing its bioaccumulative potential in resident biota rather than the typical toxicity-based approach commonly used for other trace elements [9,10]. Data from low trophic levels (i.e., plankton and benthic invertebrates) are necessary to estimate the trophic magnification factors (TMF) for a given food web to fulfil e.g., European regulatory requirements for bioaccumulative chemicals [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Use of Standardized Laboratory Tests to Infer Hg Bioaccumulation in Indigenous Benthic Organisms of Lake Maggiore (NW Italy)

et al. 2020

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The chronic toxicity of mercury essentially derives from its strong tendency to biomagnify along food webs. For this reason, the European regulatory framework establishes an environmental quality standard for Hg based on the total Hg concentration in prey fish to protect top predators. A considerable part of the Hg burden of prey fish can come from the ingestion of benthic organisms that, in the presence of contaminated sediments, may remobilize substantial amounts of Hg towards the pelagic food webs. The present study evaluated whether Hg accumulation in assemblages of indigenous chironomids and oligochaetes could be predicted using standardized laboratory bioaccumulation tests with Chironomus riparius and Lumbriculus variegatus. Indigenous chironomids and oligochaetes were recovered at different sites in a lake suffering from legacy Hg pollution and analyzed for total Hg content. Sediment aliquots from the same sites were used to assess Hg bioaccumulation using laboratory-reared C. riparius and L. variegatus. Mercury concentrations in indigenous versus laboratory organisms showed a good correlation (p < 0.05; Spearman correlation test) only in the case of C. riparius versus indigenous chironomids, suggesting the possibility of using linear regressions to predict Hg accumulation by these benthic invertebrates. Further research needs and caveats as to the applicability of the present results to other aquatic systems are identified and discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing the Use of Standardized Laboratory Tests to Infer Hg Bioaccumulation in Indigenous Benthic Organisms of Lake Maggiore (NW Italy)

et al. 2020

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Spatially valid data of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and nitrogen derived by moss surveys for pollution risk assessments of ecosystems

Schröder

Nickel

Schönrock

et al. 2016

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The NERC and CEH trademarks and logos ('the Trademarks') are registered trademarks of NERC in the UK and other countries, and may not be used without the prior written consent of the Trademark owner. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 For analysing element input into ecosystems and associated risks due to atmospheric deposition, element concentrations in 51 moss provide complementary and time-integrated data at high spatial resolution every five years since 1990. The paper 52 reviews (1) minimum sample sizes needed for reliable, statistical estimation of mean values at four different spatial scales 53(European and national level as well as landscape-specific level covering Europe and single countries); (2) trends of heavy 54 metal (HM) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in moss in Europe (1990Europe ( -2010; (3) correlations between concentrations of HM in 55 moss and soil specimens collected across Norway (1990Norway ( -2010; and (4) canopy drip-induced site-specific variation of N 56 concentration in moss sampled in seven European countries . While the minimum sample sizes on the European 57 and national level were achieved without exception, for some ecological land classes and elements the coverage with 58 sampling sites should be improved. The decline in emission and subsequent atmospheric deposition of HM across Europe 59 has resulted in decreasing HM concentrations in moss between 1990 and 2010. In contrast, hardly any changes were 60 observed for N in moss between 2005, when N was included into the survey for the first time, and 2010. In Norway, both, the 61 moss and the soil survey data sets were correlated, indicating a decrease of HM concentrations in moss and soil. At the site 62 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 71other manufacturing industries and construction (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb), electricity and heat production (e.g. Hg, Ni), road 72 transportation (Cu and Sb from brake wear, Pb from petrol, Zn from tires), petroleum refining (Ni, V), and phosphate 73 fertilisers in agricultural areas (Cd) (Harmens et al. 2011 a). N emissions and relateted deposition are due to technical 74 processes and agriculture. Pollutants which were emitted into and transported through the atmosphere finally come down at 75Earth´s surface as wet (rain, snow), occult (fog, mist, rime) or dry (gases, particles) deposition where they accumulate in 76 biota and sediments of terrestrial and subsequently of aquatic ecosystems. 78In Germany, less than 10 % of the HM load of aquatic environments is emitted from industries. More than 80 % of policyclic (Harmens et al. 2015). In contrast to measurements with tec...

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Accumulation of Selected Trace Elements in Shads from Three Lakes: First Insights from Italian Pre-Alpine Area

Boldrocchi

Monticelli

Mazzoni

et al. 2021

Biol Trace Elem Res

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Mercury environmental quality standard for biota in Europe: Opportunities and challenges

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Testing the Use of Standardized Laboratory Tests to Infer Hg Bioaccumulation in Indigenous Benthic Organisms of Lake Maggiore (NW Italy)

Testing the Use of Standardized Laboratory Tests to Infer Hg Bioaccumulation in Indigenous Benthic Organisms of Lake Maggiore (NW Italy)

Spatially valid data of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and nitrogen derived by moss surveys for pollution risk assessments of ecosystems

Accumulation of Selected Trace Elements in Shads from Three Lakes: First Insights from Italian Pre-Alpine Area

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