Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Selenium:Mercury Molar Ratios in Freshwater Fish from Tennessee: Individual, Species, and Geographical Variations have Implications for Management

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
EcoHealth Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Vertebrates, including humans, can experience adverse effects from mercury consumed in fish. Humans often prefer large predatory fish that bioaccumulate high mercury levels. Recent attention has focused on the role of selenium countering mercury toxicity, but there is little research on the selenium:mercury molar ratios in freshwater fish. We examine selenium:mercury molar ratios in freshwater fish from Tennessee at Poplar Creek which receives ongoing inputs of mercury from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Y-12 facility. Our objective was to determine variation of the ratios within species that might affect the protectiveness of selenium against mercury toxicity. Within species, the ratio was correlated significantly and positively with fish length only for two species. There was great individual variation in the selenium:mercury molar ratio within each species, except striped bass. The lack of a clear relationship between the selenium:mercury molar ratio and fish length, and the intraspecific variation, suggests that it would be difficult to use the molar ratio in predicting either the risk from mercury toxicity or in devising consumption advisories.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson PD, Wiener JB (1995) Eating fish In: Graham JD, Wiener JB, editors. Risk versus risk: tradeoffs in protecting health and the environment. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Univ Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2003) Toxicological Profile:selenium. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp92-p.pdf. Accessed Mar 24, 2012

  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2007) CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances that will be the subject of toxicological profiles and support documentations. ATSDR and EPA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, GA

  • Berry MJ, Ralston NV (2008) Mercury toxicity and the mitigating role of selenium. Ecohealth 5:456-459

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beyrouty P, Chan HM (2006) Co-consumption of selenium and vitamin E altered the reproductive and developmental toxicity of methylmercury in rats. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 28: 49-58

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bienenfeld LS, Golden AL, Garland EJ (2003) Consumption of fish from polluted waters by WIC participants in East Harlem. Journal of Urban Health 80:349-358

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Birge WJ, Price DJ, Shaw JR, Spromberg JA, Wigginton C, Hogstrand C (2000) Metal body burden and biological sensors as ecological indicators. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19:1199-1212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J (2009) Risk to consumers from mercury in bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) from New Jersey: size, season and geographical effects. Environmental Research 109:803-811

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J. (2012) Selenium: mercury molar ratios in fish from the Savannah River: implications for risk management. Journal of Risk Research 2012:1-18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Campbell (2004) Species differences in contaminants in fish on and adjacent to the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee. Environmental Research 96:145-155

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Campbell KR (2008) Fishing and consumption patterns of anglers adjacent to the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee: higher income anglers ate more fish and are more at risk. Journal Risk Research 11:335-350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Gochfeld M (2011) Mercury and selenium levels in 19 species of salt water fish from New Jersey as a function of species, size and season. Science total Environment 409:1418-1429

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Gaines KF, Gochfeld M (2001a) Ethnic differences in risk from mercury among Savannah River fishermen. Risk Analysis 21:533-544

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Gaines KF, Boring CS, Stephens Jr WL, Snodgrass J, Gochfeld M (2001b) Mercury and selenium in fish from the Savannah River: species, trophic level, and locational differences. Environmental Research 87:108-118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Fleischer J, Gochfeld M (2003) Fish, shellfish, and meat meals of the public in Singapore. Environmental Research 93:254-261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Stern AH, Gochfeld M (2005) Mercury in commercial fish: optimizing individual choices to reduce risk. Environmental Health Perspectives 113:266-271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Gochfeld M, Jeitner C, Burke S, Stamm T, Snigaroff R, et al. (2007) Mercury levels and potential risk from subsistence foods from the Aleutians. Science of the Total Environment 384:93-105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabanero AJ, Carvalho C, Madrid Y, Batoreu C, Camara C (2004) Quanitification and speciation of mercury and selenium in fish samples of high consumption in Spain and Portugal. Biological Trace Element Research 101:1-19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabanero, A.I., Y. Madrid, Camara C (2007) Mercury-selenium species ratio in representative fish samples and their bioaccessibility by an in vitro digestion method. Biological Trace Element Research 119: 195-211

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell KR, Dickey RJ, Sexton R, Burger J (2002) Fishing along the Clinch River arm of Watts Bar Reservoir adjacent to the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee: behavior, knowledge and risk perception. Science Total Environment 299:145-161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cappon CJ, Smith, JC (1981) Mercury and selenium content and chemical form in fish muscle. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 10: 305-319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho CML, Chew EH, Hashemy LI, Lu J, Holmgren A (2008) Inhibition of the human thiore-doxin system: a molecular mechanism of mercury toxicity. Journal of Biology and Chemistry 283: 11913-11923

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi AL, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Jorgensen PJ, Salonen JT, Tuomainen T, Murata K, et al (2009) Methylmercury exposure and adverse cardiovascular effects in Faroese whaling men. Environmental Health Perspectives 117:367-372

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dalton C, Bird P (2003) Risk assessment for the consumption of fish with elevated selenium levels. NSW Public Health Bulletin 14: 174-176

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Daviglus M, Sheeshka J, Murkin E (2002) Health benefits from eating fish. Comments on Toxicology 8:345-374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorea JG, Moreira MB, East G, Barbosa AC (1998) Selenium and mercury concentrations in some fish species of the Madeira River, Amazon Basin, Brazil. Biological Trace Element Research 65: 211-220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Downs SG, Macleod CL, Lester JN (1998) Mercury precipitation and its relation to bioaccumulation in fish: a literature review. Water Air Soil Pollution 108:149-187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisler R (1987) Mercury hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. Report 85 (1.10) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Washington, DC

  • Eisler R (2000) Selenium. Handbook of Chemical Risk Assessment: Health Hazards to Humans, Plants, and Animals, Vol. 3. CRC Press, Boca Raton

  • Federal Register (2012) Environmental Protection Agency: National Priorities List, final rule No. 53. Accessed Mar 15, 2012

  • Frederick P, Jayasena N (2010) Altered pairing behaviour and reproductive success in white ibises exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of methylmercury. Proceedings of the Royal Society. doi:10:1098/rspb.2010.2189

  • Freire C, Ramos R, Lopez-Expinosa M, Diez S, Vioque J, Ballester F, et al. (2010) Hair mercury levels, fish consumption, and cognitive development in preschool children from Granada, Spain. Environmental Research 110:96-104

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilmour C, Henry E (1991) Mercury methylation in aquatic systems affected by acid deposition. Environmental Pollution 71: 131-169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gochfeld M, Burger J (2005) Good fish/bad fish: a composite benefit-risk by dose curve. Neurotoxicology 26:511-520

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grandjean P, Weihe P, White RF, Debes F, Araki S, Yokoyama K, et al (1997) Cognitive deficit in 7-year old children with prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 19:418-428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guallar E, Sanz-Gallardo MI, van’t Veer P, Bode P, Aro A, Gómez-Aracena J, et al (2002) Heavy Metals and Myocardial Infarction Study Group. New England Medical Journal 28:1747-1754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris SG, Harper BL (2000) Using eco-cultural dependency webs in risk assessment and characterization of risks to tribal health and cultures. Environmental Science and Policy Research 2:91-100

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz GH, Hoffman DJ, Klimstra JD, Stebbins KR. (2012) A comparison of the teratogenicity of methylmercury and selenomethionine injected into bird eggs. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 62: 519–528

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henry CJ, Hill EF, Hoffman DJ, Spalding MG, Grove RA (2002) Nineteenth century mercury: hazard to wading birds and cormorants of the Carson River, Nevada. Ecotoxicology 11:213-231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hightower JM, Moore D (2003) Mercury levels in high-end consumers of fish. Environmental Health Perspectives 111:604-608

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hsiao H, Ullrich SM, Tanton TW (2011) Burdens of mercury in residents of Temirtau, Kazakhstan. 1: hair mercury concentrations and factors of elevated hair mercury levels. Science of the Total Environment 409:2272-2280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hylander L, Pinto F, Guimaraes J, Meili M, Oliveira L, Castro E (2000) Fish mercury concentration in the Alto Pantanal, Brazil: influence of season and water parameters. Science of the Total Environment 261: 9-20

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2006) Seafood Choices: Balancing benefits and risks. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • JECFA Joint FAO/WHO Expert committee on food additives (2003) www.who.int/pcs/jecfa/jecra-htm. Accessed March 2005

  • Kaneko JJ, Ralston NV (2007) Selenium and mercury in pelagic fish in the central north Pacific near Hawaii. Biological Trace Element Research 119: 242-254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kari T, Kauranen P (1978) Mercury and selenium contents of seals from fresh and brackish waters in Finland. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 19: 273-280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ (2002) Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Circulation 106:2747-2757

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lemire M, Fillion M, Frenette B, Mayer A, Philbert A, Passos CJC, Guimaraes JRD, Barbosa Jr F, Mergler D (2010) Selenium and mercury in the Brazilian Amazon: opposing influences on age-related cataracts. Environmental Health Perspectives 118: 1584-1589

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowenstein JH, Burger J, Jeitner CW, Amato G, Kolokotronis SO, Gochfeld M (2010) DNA barcodes revewal species-specific mercury levels in tuna sushi that pose a health risk to consumers. Biology Letters 6: 692-695

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luten JB, Ruiter A, Ritskes MM, Rauchbaar AB, Riekwel-Body G (1980) Mercury and selenium in marine and freshwater fish. Journal of Food Science 45:416-419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindh U, Johansson E (1987) Protective effects of selenium against mercury toxicity as studied in the rat and kidney by nuclear analytical techniques. Biological Trace Element Research 12:109-120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu YZ, Yan BX, Wang MJ, Guo LY (2008) The evolution rule and ecology risk assessment of mercury in fish of Gonghua River. Journal of Agro-Environmental Science 27:2430-2433

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mozaffarian D (2009) Fish, mercury, selenium and cardiovascular risk: current evidence and unanswered questions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 6(6):1894–1916.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council (NRC) (2000) Toxicological effects of methylmercury. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols AC, Murray TP, Richardson TD (2002) Mercury accumulation in catfish (Ictalurus furcatus and I. punctatus) from southwestern Tennessee River Valley. Southeast Naturalist 1:159-168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oken E, Radesky JS, Wright RO, Bellinger DC, Amarasiriwardena CJ, Kleinman KP, et al. (2008) Maternal fish intake during pregnancy, blood mercury levels, and child cognition at age 3 years in a US cohort. American Journal of Epidemiology 167:1171-1181

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ORR (Oak Ridge Reservation) (2011) Annual Site Environmental Report. Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, TN

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson J (2002) Introduction—comparative dietary risk: balance the risks and benefits of fish consumption. Comments in Toxicology 8:337-344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson MJ, Efroymson RA, and Adams SM. 2011. Long-term biological monitoring of an impaired stream: synthesis and environmental management implications. Environmental Management 47:1125-1140

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson SA, Ralston NV, Peck DV, Van Sickle J, Robertson JD, Spate VL, Morris JS.(2009a). How might selenium moderate the toxic effects of mercury in stream fish of the western U.S.? Environmental Science and Technolology. 43:3919-25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson SA, Ralston NVC, Whanger PD, Oldfield JE, Mosher WD (2009b) Selenium and mercury interactions with emphasis on fish tissue. Environmental Bioindicators 4: 318-334

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pinheiro MCN, de Nascimento JLM, Silveira LCL, daRocha JBT, Aschner M (2009) Mercury and selenium – a review on aspects related to the health of human populations in the Amazon. Environmental Bioindicators 4: 222-245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ralston NV (2008) Selenium health benefit values as seafood safety criteria. Eco-Health 5:442-455

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ralston NV (2010) Mercury in canned tuna: the importance of selenium. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 29:2133-4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ralston NV, Raymond LJ (2010) Dietary selenium’s protective effects against methylmercury toxicity. Toxicology 278:112-23

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ralston NV, Blackwell JL 3rd, Raymond LJ (2007) Importance of molar ratios in selenium-dependent protection against methylmercury toxicity. Biological Trace Element Research119:255-68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ralston NVC, Ralston CR, Blackwell III JL, Raymond LJ (2008) Dietary and tissue selenium in relation to methylmercury toxicity. Neurotoxicology 29: 802-811

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramel A, Martinez JA, Kiely M, Bandarra NM, Thorsdottir I (2010) Moderate consumption of fatty fish reduces diastolic blood pressure in overweight and obese European young adults during energy restriction. Nutrition 26:168-174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raymond LJ, Ralston NVC (2004) Mercury:selenium interactions and health implications. Seychelles Medical and Dental Journal. 17:72-77

    Google Scholar 

  • Reash RJ (2012) Selenium, arsenic, and mercury in fish inhabiting a fly ash exposure gradient: inter-specific bioaccumulation patterns and elemental associations. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 31:739–747

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice G, Swartout J, Mahaffey K, Schoeny R (2000) Derivation of U.S. EPS’s oral Reference Dose (RfD) for methylmercury. Drug and Chemical Toxicology 23:41–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roman HA, Walsh TL, Coull BA, Dewailly É, Guallar E, Hattis D, Mariën K, Schwartz J, Stern AH, Virtanen JK, Rice G (2011) Evaluation of the cardiovascular effects of methylmercury exposures: current evidence supports development of a dose-response function for regulatory benefits analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives 119:607–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan MG (2011) Recovery of fish communities in a warm water stream following pollution abatement. Environmental Management 47:1096-1111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snodgrass JW, Jagoe CH, Bryan Jr AL, Burger J (2000) Effects of trophic status, and wetland morphology, hydroperiod and water chemistry on mercury concentrations in fish. Canadian Journal of Fish Aquatic Science 57: 171-180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Southworth GR, Peterson MJ, Roy WK, and Mathews TJ (2011) Monitoring fish contaminant responses to abatement actions: factors that affect recovery. Environmental Management 47:1064-1076

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steuerwald U, Weihe P, Jorgansen PJ, Bjerve K, Brock J, Heinzow B, et al. (2000) Maternal seafood diet, methylmercury exposure, and neonatal neurological function. Journal of Pediatrics 136:599-605

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trasande L, Landrigan PJ, Schechter C (2005) Public health and economic consequences of methylmercury toxicity to the developing brain. Environmental Health Perspectives 113:590– 596

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turner RR, Southworth GR (1999) Mercury-contaminated industrial and mining sites in North America: an overview of selected case studies. In Ebinghaus R, Turner RR (eds) Mercury contaminated sites. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 89-112

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2009) The National Listing of Fish Advisories. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/fishshellfish/fishadvisories/

  • Virtanen JK, Mozaffarian D, Chiuve SE, Rimm EB (2008) Fish consumption and risk of major chronic disease in men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 88:1618-1625

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh PM (1990) The use of seabirds as monitors of heavy metals in the marine environment. Pp 1830204 in Furness RW, Rainbow PS (eds) Heavy Metals in the Marine Environment. Boca Raton Florida, CRC Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe C, Yoshida K, Kasanuma Y, Satoh H (1999) In utero methylmercury exposure differentially affects the activities of selenoenzymes in the fetal mouse brain. Environmental Research 80: 208-214

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (1989) Mercury-environmental aspects. WHO, Geneva Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors especially thank D. Mergler, A. Stern, R. Schoeny, M. Lemire, M. Peterson, E. Pierce, and N. Ralston for valuable discussions about selenium and mercury interactions. Several people contributed to the initial study examining contaminant levels in fish from Oak Ridge Reservation, including K.R. Campbell, T.S. Campbell, R.J. Dickey, and R. Sexton. This research was funded by the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP) through the Department of Energy (AI # DE-FC01-95EW55084, DE-FG 26-00NT 40938, DE-FC01-06EW07053), NIEHS (P30ES005022), and EOHSI. The results, conclusions, and interpretations presented in this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors, and should not in any way be interpreted as representing the funding agencies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8082, USA

    Joanna Burger

  2. Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, and Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    Joanna Burger, Michael Gochfeld, C. Jeitner, M. Donio & T. Pittfield

  3. Environmental and Occupational Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    Michael Gochfeld

  4. Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    Joanna Burger & Michael Gochfeld

Authors
  1. Joanna Burger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Gochfeld
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Jeitner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Donio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Pittfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanna Burger.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Jeitner, C. et al. Selenium:Mercury Molar Ratios in Freshwater Fish from Tennessee: Individual, Species, and Geographical Variations have Implications for Management. EcoHealth 9, 171–182 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0761-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0761-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation