Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota.
Marine fish and shellfish are primary sources of human exposure to mercury, a potentially toxic metal, and selenium, an essential element that may protect against mercury bioaccumulation and toxicity. Yet we lack a thorough understanding of Hg and Se patterns in common marine taxa, particularly thos...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3760827?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818296314651213824 |
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| author | Roxanne Karimi Michael Frisk Nicholas S Fisher |
| author_facet | Roxanne Karimi Michael Frisk Nicholas S Fisher |
| author_sort | Roxanne Karimi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Marine fish and shellfish are primary sources of human exposure to mercury, a potentially toxic metal, and selenium, an essential element that may protect against mercury bioaccumulation and toxicity. Yet we lack a thorough understanding of Hg and Se patterns in common marine taxa, particularly those that are commercially important, and how food web and body size factors differ in their influence on Hg and Se patterns. We compared Hg and Se content among marine fish and invertebrate taxa collected from Long Island, NY, and examined associations between Hg, Se, body length, trophic level (measured by δ(15)N) and degree of pelagic feeding (measured by δ(13)C). Finfish, particularly shark, had high Hg content whereas bivalves generally had high Se content. Both taxonomic differences and variability were larger for Hg than Se, and Hg content explained most of the variation in Hg:Se molar ratios among taxa. Finally, Hg was more strongly associated with length and trophic level across taxa than Se, consistent with a greater degree of Hg bioaccumulation in the body over time, and biomagnification through the food web, respectively. Overall, our findings indicate distinct taxonomic and ecological Hg and Se patterns in commercially important marine biota, and these patterns have nutritional and toxicological implications for seafood-consuming wildlife and humans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:01:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e46026691de4414a341fada0905fe4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:01:34Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e46026691de4414a341fada0905fe4d2022-12-22T00:00:25ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0189e7469510.1371/journal.pone.0074695Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota.Roxanne KarimiMichael FriskNicholas S FisherMarine fish and shellfish are primary sources of human exposure to mercury, a potentially toxic metal, and selenium, an essential element that may protect against mercury bioaccumulation and toxicity. Yet we lack a thorough understanding of Hg and Se patterns in common marine taxa, particularly those that are commercially important, and how food web and body size factors differ in their influence on Hg and Se patterns. We compared Hg and Se content among marine fish and invertebrate taxa collected from Long Island, NY, and examined associations between Hg, Se, body length, trophic level (measured by δ(15)N) and degree of pelagic feeding (measured by δ(13)C). Finfish, particularly shark, had high Hg content whereas bivalves generally had high Se content. Both taxonomic differences and variability were larger for Hg than Se, and Hg content explained most of the variation in Hg:Se molar ratios among taxa. Finally, Hg was more strongly associated with length and trophic level across taxa than Se, consistent with a greater degree of Hg bioaccumulation in the body over time, and biomagnification through the food web, respectively. Overall, our findings indicate distinct taxonomic and ecological Hg and Se patterns in commercially important marine biota, and these patterns have nutritional and toxicological implications for seafood-consuming wildlife and humans.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3760827?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Roxanne Karimi Michael Frisk Nicholas S Fisher Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. PLoS ONE |
| title | Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. |
| title_full | Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. |
| title_fullStr | Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. |
| title_short | Contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with Hg and Se concentrations in marine biota. |
| title_sort | contrasting food web factor and body size relationships with hg and se concentrations in marine biota |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3760827?pdf=render |
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