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Mercury Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification in Great Salt Lake Ecosystems

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Great Salt Lake Biology

Abstract

Historic and ongoing mercury (Hg) contamination of Great Salt Lake (GSL) has resulted in concern of Hg toxicity for both humans and wildlife. Although Hg levels in GSL surface waters are below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s aquatic life standard, anoxic waters of the deep brine layer at the bottom of the stratified south arm of GSL contain some of the highest concentrations of methylmercury ever measured for a natural water body. High Hg concentrations in muscle from three species of ducks at GSL exceeded EPA screening levels and resulted in the world’s first waterfowl consumption advisory due to Hg. Because the greatest concerns of Hg toxicity at GSL are its potential negative impacts to birds and hunters who target waterfowl, Hg research in this ecosystem has focused on birds and their common prey (brine shrimp and brine flies). Hg concentrations in brine shrimp and brine fly larvae pose a low to moderate toxicity risk for birds, but GSL has been identified as an avian Hg hotspot with Hg blood levels commonly exceeding toxicity benchmarks. Hg in waterfowl increases as they feed higher on the food chain.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Abigail F. Scott & Frank J. Black

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  1. Great Salt Lake Institute, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Bonnie K. Baxter

  2. Great Salt Lake Institute, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Jaimi K. Butler

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Scott, A.F., Black, F.J. (2020). Mercury Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification in Great Salt Lake Ecosystems. In: Baxter, B., Butler, J. (eds) Great Salt Lake Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40352-2_14

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