Patterns of total mercury and methylmercury bioaccumulation in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) along the West Antarctic Peninsula ...

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Sontag, Philip T., Steinberg, Debbie K., Reinfelder, John R.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Rutgers University 2019
• Subjects: Mercury; Krill development; Sea ice; Primary and export production; Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctic Krill; Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island; Euphausia superba
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7282/t3-6n5d-9x73; https://scholarship.libraries.rutgers.edu/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/991031549945204646

We examined mercury (Hg) accumulation in juvenile and adult subpopulations of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) collected west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Samples were collected along a northern cross-shelf transect beginning near Anvers Island and farther south near the sea ice edge in the austral summers of 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Regardless of geographical position,mean concentrations of total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg), the form of Hg that biomagnifies in marine food webs, were significantly higher in juvenile than adult krill in all years. In 2013, juvenile Antarctic krill collected along the coast near Anvers Island had significantly higher MeHg concentrations than krill collected farther offshore, and in 2013 and 2014, coastal juvenile krill exhibited some of the highest MeHg concentrations of all subpopulations sampled. Across all sampling years, collection in northern (sea ice-free) or southern (sea ice edge) transects did not affect MeHg concentrations of juvenile or adult krill, suggesting ...