Total Mercury in Sediments, Macrophytes, and Fish from a Shallow Steppe Lake in Eastern Austria

Abstract

During summer 2011, samples of sediment, macrophytes, and fish tissues from the shallow, slightly alkaline Lake Neusiedl, Austria, were evaluated for their total Hg content. This is the first report of Hg levels from this lake. Sediments displayed Hg contents between 0.025 and 0.113 μg g(-1) dw (dry weight), significantly correlating with the proportion of organic components pointing to a small anthropogenic impact on the lake's Hg content. Hg Levels in plants and fish were unexpectedly high: both investigated submerged plant species, Potamogeton pectinatus and Myriophyllum spicatum, showed mean values of 0.245 ± 0.152 and 0.298 ± 0.115 μg g(-1) dw, respectively. Biomagnification was evident when comparing muscle samples of the planktivorous fish species rudd Scardinus erythrophthalmus (n = 10, mean = 0.084 μg g(-1) ww (wet weight)) with the piscivorous perch Perca fluviatilis (n = 21, mean = 0.184 μg g(-1) ww) or pike-perch Sander lucioperca (n = 9, mean = 0.205 μg g(-1) ww). Significantly lower values were found in the muscle of the piscivorous pike Esox lucius (n = 25, mean = 0.135 μg g(-1) ww), pointing to a specific Hg metabolism of this fish, presumably under the particular physicochemical properties of the lake. Hg Concentrations in fish could pose a risk to piscivorous birds in this protected wetland system.

Mercury accumulation in muscle and liver tissue and human health risk assessment of two resident freshwater fish species in Flanders (Belgium): a multilocation approach

“…In perch, higher concentrations were found in the muscle tissue compared to liver tissue, even after correcting for lipid content. This is in line with existing literature on perch (Svobodová et al, 1999;Voigt, 2007;Jirsa et al, 2014). These results confirm the high affinity of (methyl)mercury for muscle tissue.…”

“…Other studies, based on data from the Eel Pollution Network of Flanders, reported concentrations between 0.005 and 1.2 µg g -1 ww in eel muscle tissue (Maes et al, 2005;Belpaire and Goemans, 2007b;Maes et al, 2008). Comparable results were found in other European studies, with concentrations in muscle tissue ranging from 0.03 to 1.4 µg g -1 ww for perch (Svobodová et al, 1999;Szefer et al, 2003;Dusek et al, 2005;Petkovšek et al, 2012;Noël et al, 2013;Jirsa et al, 2014;Foekema et al, 2016;Łuczyńska et al, 2016) and from 0.001 to 0.79 µg g -1 ww for eel (Downs et al, 1999;Edwards et al, 1999;Eira et al, 2009;Has-Schön et al, 2006;Has-Schön et al, 2008;Noël et al, 2013;Genç and Yilmaz, 2017). A very elaborate Canadian study reported median Hg concentrations of 0.32 and 0.14 µg g -1 ww in American eel (Anguilla rostrata)…”

“…Furthermore, in the present study, liver concentrations were found to be between 0.02 and 0.77 µg g -1 dw (0.003-0.19 µg g -1 ww) for perch and between 0.08 and 1.38 µg g -1 dw (0.02-0.29 µg g -1 ww) for eel. European studies on freshwater systems reported liver concentrations between 0.03 and 1.03 µg g -1 ww in perch (Svobodová et al, 1999;Petkovšek et al, 2012;Jirsa et al, 2014) and between 0.007 and 2.23 µg g -1 ww in eel (Downs et al, 1999;Has-Schön et al, 2006;Has-Schön et al, 2008;Eira et al, 2009;Genç and Yilmaz, 2017).…”

Fate of nutrients and trace contaminants in a large shallow soda lake. Spatial gradients and underlying processes from the tributary river to the reed belt

“…22,23 In the framework of a study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of external sources of articial water dotation to the lake, 24 examined the occurrence and concentration level of approximately 20 organic chemicals in the estuary of the Wulka river (the main tributary) and at one spot in the open lake, in which they detected different substances at quantiable levels. 25,26 shed light on the processes behind the accumulation and distribution of mercury in sediments, macrophytes and sh. Despite their relevance, such studies build a fragmented and insufficient knowledge basis to understand the fate of the noteworthy loads of pollutants transported into the lake by the Wulka river.…”

Hg Concentrations in Muscles and Gills of Fish from Shallow Lakes of Different Trophic Status (Eastern Poland)

“…Previous studies of Hg content in fish have mainly dealt with Scandinavian ecosystems [12][13][14], marine environments [15][16] or the large ecosystems of American and African lakes [17][18][19][20][21]. Considerably fewer studies have dealt with Hg contamination of fish in shallow lakes in the temperate zone [22]. Only a few of these have taken into account the effect of fish size and trophic group on the content of this element in tissues [23][24][25].…”