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Dynamics of (total and methyl) mercury in sediment, fish, and crocodiles in an Amazonian Lake and risk assessment of fish consumption to the local population

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Abstract

Increasing concerns have been raised about the toxicity of mercury (Hg) to humans, especially for those that consume a great amount of fish. High Hg concentrations have previously been measured in Amazonian waterbodies, both resulting from natural and anthropogenic sources. However, few studies have been conducted so far in Amazonian lakes that are fished by local populations. In addition, few of those studies included methylmercury (MeHg), the most toxic and bioaccumulative Hg form, and evaluated the influence of physico-chemical conditions and season on Hg dynamics. In the present study, total Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations were measured in bottom sediment as well as in two fish and two crocodile species of the Amazonian Cuniã Lake. Bottom sediment MeHg concentrations were higher in the dry season than in the wet season, which is related to differences in physico-chemical (pH and electrical conductivity) conditions. Diet appeared to be related with animal tissue MeHg concentrations, with the herbivorous fish having lower MeHg levels than the predatory fish and crocodiles. Based on the measured tissue concentrations and published data on local person weight and fish consumption, MeHg risk to Cuniã Lake populations was estimated. Although the MeHg fish tissue concentrations did not exceed national and international standards, a significant risk to the local population is anticipated due to their high fish consumption rates.

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Funding

The authors thank the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for financial support and the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) for collection assistance, especially to the coordinator of the Reserve, Lucas Henrique Sahm, for assistance in the collection of data. The authors also acknowledge the support from the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP) for their financial support (process number 2017/24126-4) through a postdoc grant for the R. Moreira and the Portuguese Government (Foundation for Science and Technology - FCT) through a postdoc grant for the M. Daam (SFRH/BPD/109199/2015) and the research unit CENSE (UID/AMB/04085/2019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luís km 235 - SP-310, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13565-905, Brazil

    Diego Ferreira Gomes & Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos

  2. NEEA/CRHEA/SHS, São Carlos Engineering School, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos, 13560-970, Brazil

    Raquel Aparecida Moreira

  3. Postgraduate Program in Territorial Development and Environment, University of Araraquara, Carlos Gomes, Araraquara, SP, 14801-340, Brazil

    Nathalie Aparecida Oliveira Sanches & Guilherme Rossi Gorni

  4. Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, Resex Lago do Cuniã, Avenida Lauro Sodré, 6500, Porto Velho, RO, 76803-260, Brazil

    Cristiano Andrey do Vale

  5. CENSE, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal

    Michiel Adriaan Daam

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  1. Diego Ferreira Gomes
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Gomes, D.F., Moreira, R.A., Sanches, N.A.O. et al. Dynamics of (total and methyl) mercury in sediment, fish, and crocodiles in an Amazonian Lake and risk assessment of fish consumption to the local population. Environ Monit Assess 192, 101 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-8066-z

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