Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia)
Past and present gold mining operations scattered throughout the Kharaa River basin, Mongolia, have been identified as a major source of heavy metal and metalloid contamination. However, the potential accumulation of toxic contaminates including Cr, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Cu, Ni and Pb in the resident fish...
Published in: | Regional Environmental Change |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Springer
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17434 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 |
id |
ftufz:oai:ufz.de:17434 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftufz:oai:ufz.de:17434 2024-01-07T09:44:45+01:00 Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) Kaus, Andrew Schäffer, Michael Karthe, Daniel Büttner, Olaf von Tümpling, Wolf Borchardt, Dietrich 2016-05-07 application/pdf https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17434 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 en eng Springer Regional Environmental Change 17 (7);; 2023 - 2037 https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17434 https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess ISSN: 1436-3798 Brachymystax lenok Thymallus baicalensis Heavy metal bioaccumulation Gold mining contamination Kharaa Rive r Mongolian fish info:eu-repo/semantics/article https://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text 2016 ftufz https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 2023-12-10T23:27:05Z Past and present gold mining operations scattered throughout the Kharaa River basin, Mongolia, have been identified as a major source of heavy metal and metalloid contamination. However, the potential accumulation of toxic contaminates including Cr, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Cu, Ni and Pb in the resident fish fauna and the subsequent human health risks associated with their consumption have previously not been quantified. In the current study, contaminates in water, sediment and five consumed fish species (Leuciscus baicalensis, Thymallus baicalensis, Brachymystax lenok, Lota lota and Silurus asotus) were examined. The results indicated that concentrations of As and Hg exceeded the national permissible limits for drinking water in the Gatsuurt tributary of 10 μg L-1 and 0.05 μg L-1 respectively, while Hg contents detected in the sediment of the Boroo tributary were highly elevated (0.78 μg g-1). Heavy metal and arsenic accumulation was evident in all five fish species sampled across the basin, with maximum muscle contents of Cr, As, Hg and Pb detected in several species caught in the middle and lower river reaches, while Zn was highly elevated in B. lenok collected in the upper tributaries. Elevated median contents of Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb increased with trophic level, with Hg accumulation posing the greatest threat to humans as 10.7 % of all fish sampled in the study exceeded the internationally recommended threshold for Hg in consumable fish tissue. Although recreational fishing is rapidly growing throughout Mongolia, the overall level of fish capture and consumption remains relatively low. However, increasing pollution and accumulation in resident fish species could lead to chronic heavy metal intoxication in people who consume them regularly from the most polluted regions of the basin, while additionally being exposed to other sources of contamination. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lota lota lota UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) Regional Environmental Change 17 7 2023 2037 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftufz |
language |
English |
topic |
Brachymystax lenok Thymallus baicalensis Heavy metal bioaccumulation Gold mining contamination Kharaa Rive r Mongolian fish |
spellingShingle |
Brachymystax lenok Thymallus baicalensis Heavy metal bioaccumulation Gold mining contamination Kharaa Rive r Mongolian fish Kaus, Andrew Schäffer, Michael Karthe, Daniel Büttner, Olaf von Tümpling, Wolf Borchardt, Dietrich Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
topic_facet |
Brachymystax lenok Thymallus baicalensis Heavy metal bioaccumulation Gold mining contamination Kharaa Rive r Mongolian fish |
description |
Past and present gold mining operations scattered throughout the Kharaa River basin, Mongolia, have been identified as a major source of heavy metal and metalloid contamination. However, the potential accumulation of toxic contaminates including Cr, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Cu, Ni and Pb in the resident fish fauna and the subsequent human health risks associated with their consumption have previously not been quantified. In the current study, contaminates in water, sediment and five consumed fish species (Leuciscus baicalensis, Thymallus baicalensis, Brachymystax lenok, Lota lota and Silurus asotus) were examined. The results indicated that concentrations of As and Hg exceeded the national permissible limits for drinking water in the Gatsuurt tributary of 10 μg L-1 and 0.05 μg L-1 respectively, while Hg contents detected in the sediment of the Boroo tributary were highly elevated (0.78 μg g-1). Heavy metal and arsenic accumulation was evident in all five fish species sampled across the basin, with maximum muscle contents of Cr, As, Hg and Pb detected in several species caught in the middle and lower river reaches, while Zn was highly elevated in B. lenok collected in the upper tributaries. Elevated median contents of Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb increased with trophic level, with Hg accumulation posing the greatest threat to humans as 10.7 % of all fish sampled in the study exceeded the internationally recommended threshold for Hg in consumable fish tissue. Although recreational fishing is rapidly growing throughout Mongolia, the overall level of fish capture and consumption remains relatively low. However, increasing pollution and accumulation in resident fish species could lead to chronic heavy metal intoxication in people who consume them regularly from the most polluted regions of the basin, while additionally being exposed to other sources of contamination. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kaus, Andrew Schäffer, Michael Karthe, Daniel Büttner, Olaf von Tümpling, Wolf Borchardt, Dietrich |
author_facet |
Kaus, Andrew Schäffer, Michael Karthe, Daniel Büttner, Olaf von Tümpling, Wolf Borchardt, Dietrich |
author_sort |
Kaus, Andrew |
title |
Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
title_short |
Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
title_full |
Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
title_fullStr |
Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the Kharaa River basin (Mongolia) |
title_sort |
regional patterns of heavy metal exposure and contamination in the fish fauna of the kharaa river basin (mongolia) |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17434 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 |
genre |
Lota lota lota |
genre_facet |
Lota lota lota |
op_source |
ISSN: 1436-3798 |
op_relation |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17434 https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0969-4 |
container_title |
Regional Environmental Change |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
2023 |
op_container_end_page |
2037 |
_version_ |
1787426170780778496 |