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Mercury speciation in plankton from the Cabo Frio Bay, SE - Brazil

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Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is considered a global pollutant, and the scientific community has shown great concern about its toxicity as it may affect the biota of entire systems, through bioaccumulation and bioamplification processes of its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), along food web. However, few research studies deal with bioaccumulation of Hg from marine primary producers and the first-order consumers. So, this study aims to determine Hg distribution and concentration levels in phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Cabo Frio Bay, Brazil, a site influenced by coastal upwelling. The results from Hg speciation analyses show that inorganic mercury Hg(II) was the predominant specie in plankton from this bay. The annual Hg species distribution in plankton shown mean concentration of 2.00 ± 1.28 ng Hg(II) g−1 and 0.15 ± 0.08 ng MeHg g−1 wet weight (phytoplankton) and 2.5 ± 2.03 ng Hg(II) g−1 and 0.25 ± 0.09 ng MeHg g−1 wet weight (zooplankton). Therefore, upwelling zones should be considered in the Hg biogeochemical cycle models as a process that enhances Hg(II) bioaccumulation in plankton, raising its bioavailability and shelf deposition.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT-TMCOcean 573601/20089), CAPES (PNPD 2378/2011). We would like to thank the Geochemistry Network from PETROBRAS/CENPES, the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), Brazil (grant 0050.004388.08.9), within the scope of the Upwelling Project (Projeto Ressurgência), and the Instituto de Pesquisa da Marinha Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM). D.Sc. Eliane Gonzalez-Rodriguez gave valuable support for the execution of this work. E. V. Silva-Filho and Carlos E. Rezende are senior researchers from the National Council for Research and Development (CNPq, Brazil) and of the Foundation for Research Support of the Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geoquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro São João Batista s/n, 24020-141, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

    Emmanoel V. Silva-Filho, Vinicius T. Kütter, Thiago S. Figueiredo & Daniel C. Teixeira

  2. Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Helioparc 2 Av. du Président Angot, 64000, Pau, France

    Emmanuel Tessier & Olivier F. X. Donard

  3. Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil

    Carlos E. Rezende

  4. Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Av. Beira Mar, 3250, Caixa Postal 44, 49025-040, Aracaju, SE, Brazil

    Carlos A. Silva

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  1. Emmanoel V. Silva-Filho
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  2. Vinicius T. Kütter
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  3. Thiago S. Figueiredo
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  4. Emmanuel Tessier
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  5. Carlos E. Rezende
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  6. Daniel C. Teixeira
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  7. Carlos A. Silva
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  8. Olivier F. X. Donard
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Correspondence to Emmanoel V. Silva-Filho.

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Silva-Filho, E.V., Kütter, V.T., Figueiredo, T.S. et al. Mercury speciation in plankton from the Cabo Frio Bay, SE - Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 186, 8141–8150 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3992-2

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