Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in seafood. Co-occurrence of selenium (Se) may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of MeHg in organisms. Here we report the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) and Se in 17 teleost fish species (n = 8459) sampled during 2006–2015 f...
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ftunivbergen:oai:bora.uib.no:1956/20812 2023-05-15T15:27:50+02:00 Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities Azad, Atabak Mahjour Frantzen, Sylvia Bank, Michael Nilsen, Bente Merete Duinker, Arne Madsen, Lise Måge, Amund 2019-06-05T11:51:17Z application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/1956/20812 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 eng eng Elsevier urn:issn:1879-1026 urn:issn:0048-9697 https://hdl.handle.net/1956/20812 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 cristin:1693111 Attribution CC BY https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Copyright 2018 The Authors Science of the Total Environment Mercury Selenium Marine Norway Seafood safety Peer reviewed Journal article 2019 ftunivbergen https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 2023-03-14T17:39:49Z Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in seafood. Co-occurrence of selenium (Se) may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of MeHg in organisms. Here we report the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) and Se in 17 teleost fish species (n = 8459) sampled during 2006–2015 from the North East Atlantic Ocean (NEAO) and evaluate species variation and effects of geography. Mean Hg concentration ranged from 0.04 mg kg−1 ww in Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) to 0.72 mg kg−1 ww in blue ling (Molva dypterygia). Se concentrations were less variable and ranged from 0.27 mg kg−1 ww in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to 0.56 mg kg−1 ww in redfish (Sebastes spp.). The mean Se:Hg molar ratio ranged from 1.9 in blue ling to 43.3 in mackerel. Pelagic species had the lowest Hg concentrations and the highest Se:Hg ratios, whereas demersal species had the highest Hg concentrations and the lowest Se:Hg ratios. Se and Hg concentrations were positively correlated in 13 of the 17 species. Hg concentrations increased from the North to South in contrast to the Se:Hg molar ratio which exhibited the opposite trend. Fish from fjord and coastal areas had higher concentrations of Hg and lower Se:Hg molar ratios compared to fish sampled offshore. All species had average Se:Hg molar ratios >1 and Hg concentrations were largely below the EU maximum level of 0.5 mg kg−1 ww with few exceptions including the deep water species tusk (Brosme brosme) and blue ling sampled from fjord and coastal habitats. Our results show that two fillet servings of tusk, blue ling or Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) exceeded the tolerable weekly intake of MeHg although the surplus Se may possibly ameliorate the toxic effects of MeHg. However, some individuals with selenium deficiencies may exhibit greater sensitivity to MeHg. publishedVersion Article in Journal/Newspaper atlantic cod Gadus morhua Molva dypterygia North East Atlantic Northeast Atlantic University of Bergen: Bergen Open Research Archive (BORA-UiB) Norway Science of The Total Environment 652 1482 1496 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Bergen: Bergen Open Research Archive (BORA-UiB) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivbergen |
language |
English |
topic |
Mercury Selenium Marine Norway Seafood safety |
spellingShingle |
Mercury Selenium Marine Norway Seafood safety Azad, Atabak Mahjour Frantzen, Sylvia Bank, Michael Nilsen, Bente Merete Duinker, Arne Madsen, Lise Måge, Amund Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
topic_facet |
Mercury Selenium Marine Norway Seafood safety |
description |
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in seafood. Co-occurrence of selenium (Se) may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of MeHg in organisms. Here we report the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) and Se in 17 teleost fish species (n = 8459) sampled during 2006–2015 from the North East Atlantic Ocean (NEAO) and evaluate species variation and effects of geography. Mean Hg concentration ranged from 0.04 mg kg−1 ww in Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) to 0.72 mg kg−1 ww in blue ling (Molva dypterygia). Se concentrations were less variable and ranged from 0.27 mg kg−1 ww in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to 0.56 mg kg−1 ww in redfish (Sebastes spp.). The mean Se:Hg molar ratio ranged from 1.9 in blue ling to 43.3 in mackerel. Pelagic species had the lowest Hg concentrations and the highest Se:Hg ratios, whereas demersal species had the highest Hg concentrations and the lowest Se:Hg ratios. Se and Hg concentrations were positively correlated in 13 of the 17 species. Hg concentrations increased from the North to South in contrast to the Se:Hg molar ratio which exhibited the opposite trend. Fish from fjord and coastal areas had higher concentrations of Hg and lower Se:Hg molar ratios compared to fish sampled offshore. All species had average Se:Hg molar ratios >1 and Hg concentrations were largely below the EU maximum level of 0.5 mg kg−1 ww with few exceptions including the deep water species tusk (Brosme brosme) and blue ling sampled from fjord and coastal habitats. Our results show that two fillet servings of tusk, blue ling or Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) exceeded the tolerable weekly intake of MeHg although the surplus Se may possibly ameliorate the toxic effects of MeHg. However, some individuals with selenium deficiencies may exhibit greater sensitivity to MeHg. publishedVersion |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Azad, Atabak Mahjour Frantzen, Sylvia Bank, Michael Nilsen, Bente Merete Duinker, Arne Madsen, Lise Måge, Amund |
author_facet |
Azad, Atabak Mahjour Frantzen, Sylvia Bank, Michael Nilsen, Bente Merete Duinker, Arne Madsen, Lise Måge, Amund |
author_sort |
Azad, Atabak Mahjour |
title |
Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
title_short |
Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
title_full |
Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
title_fullStr |
Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in Northeast Atlantic marine fish communities |
title_sort |
effects of geography and species variation on selenium and mercury molar ratios in northeast atlantic marine fish communities |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1956/20812 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
atlantic cod Gadus morhua Molva dypterygia North East Atlantic Northeast Atlantic |
genre_facet |
atlantic cod Gadus morhua Molva dypterygia North East Atlantic Northeast Atlantic |
op_source |
Science of the Total Environment |
op_relation |
urn:issn:1879-1026 urn:issn:0048-9697 https://hdl.handle.net/1956/20812 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 cristin:1693111 |
op_rights |
Attribution CC BY https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Copyright 2018 The Authors |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.405 |
container_title |
Science of The Total Environment |
container_volume |
652 |
container_start_page |
1482 |
op_container_end_page |
1496 |
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1766358236283273216 |