Abstract
Mercury has been considered as one of the most important pollutants in coastal and estuarine areas. Efforts have been made to detect, as early as possible, the effects of this and other metals in several species. Macroalgae, particularly Fucus spp., have been widely used as biomonitors of metal pollution. In this study, three Fucus species (F. spiralis, F. vesiculosus and F. ceranoides) were collected from several sampling sites in Portugal. The concentrations of mercury were determined in three structural parts (holdfast, stipe and receptacles). Two different techniques were used to determine mercury concentrations. Almost all mercury concentrations (in sediments and in water) were below national and international standards. Mercury concentration in the specimens (0.012–0.061 μg g−1 for receptacles, 0.028–0.221 μg g−1 for stipe and 0.029–0.287 μg g−1 for holdfast) was always higher that those obtained for the sediment (0.001–0.112 μg g−1). With few exceptions the contrary was found for receptacles. In general, a good agreement between concentrations of mercury in sediment and Fucus was found. The results indicate that Fucus accumulate mercury and may be a suitable species for use in risk assessment for coast and estuarine areas, by providing valuable information regarding the levels of mercury that will be available for the consumers of Fucus spp.
References
Abreu SN, Pereira E, Vale C, Duarte AC (2000) Accumulation of mercury in Sea Bass from a contaminated Lagoon (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Mar Poll Bull 40:293–297
Alves E, Santos MA (2000) Recursos hídricos superficiais na bacia hidrográfica do rio Minho
Barreiro R, Picado L, Real C (2002) Biomonitoring heavy metals in Estuaries: a field comparison of two brown algae species inhabiting upper estuarine reaches. Environ Monit Assess 75: 121–134
Berger R, Malm T, Kautsky L (2001) Two reproductive strategies in Baltic Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophycea). Eur J Phycol 36:265–273
Caçador I, Vale C, Catarino F (1996) Accumulation of Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni in sediments between roots of the Tagus Estuary Salt Marshes, Portugal. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 42:393–403
Cairrão E, Couderchet M, Soares AMVM, Guilhermino L (2004) Glutathione-S-transferase activity of Fucus spp. as a biomarker of environmental contamination. Aquat Toxicol 70:277–286
Coelho JP, Pereira ME, Duarte A, Pardal MA (2005) Macroalgae response to a mercury contamination gradient in a temperate coastal lagoon (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 65:492–500
Coquery M, Carvalho FP, Azemard S, Bachelez M, Horvat M (2000) Certification of trace and major elements and methylmercury concentrations in a macroalgae (Fucus sp.) reference material, IAEA-140. Fresenius J Anal Chem 366:792–801
Costa C, Jesus-Rydin C (2001) Site investigation on heavy metals contaminated ground in Estarreja–Portugal. Eng Geol 60:39–47
Ferrat L, Gnassia-Barelli M, Pergent-Martini C, Roméo M (2003) Mercury and non-protein thiol compounds in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Comp Biochem Physiol Part C 134:147–155
Geiszinger A, Goessler W, Pedersen SN, Francesconi KA (2001) Arsenic biotransformation by the brown macroalgae Fucus serratus. Environ Toxicol Chem 20: 2255–2262
Hurd CL (2000) Water motion, marine macroalgal physiology, and production. J Phycol 36:453–472
Hurd CL, Dring MJ (1990) Phosphate uptake by intertidal algae in relation to zonation and season. Mar Biol 107:281–289
INAG (2000) Planos das bacias Hidrográficas dos rios Luso–Espanhóis—Síntese. Caracterização e Diagnostico. Instituto da Água, Direcção de serviços de recursos Hídricos, Divisão de recursos Subterrâneos, 398 pp
Karez R, Chapman ARO (1998) A competitive hierarchy model integrating roles of physiological competence and competitive ability does not provide a mechanistic explanation for the zonation of three intertidal Fucus species in Europe. OIKOS 81:471–494
Lee WY, Wang WX (2001) Metal accumulation in the green macroalga Ulva fasciata: effects of nitrate, ammonium and phosphate. Sci Total Environ 278:11–22
Lobban CS, Harrison PJ (1997) Seaweed ecology and physiology. Cambrige University Press, Cambrige
MacFarlane GR (2002) Leaf biochemical parameters in Avicennia marina (Forst.) Vierh as potential biomarkers of heavy metal stress in estuarine ecosytems. Mar Pollut Bull 44:244–256
Martin MH, Nickless G, Stenner RD (1997) Concentrations of Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Nickel and Zinc in the alga Fucus serratus in the Severn estuary from 1971 to 1995. Chemosphere 43:325–334
Martí MCB, García TG, Garreta AG, Pérez-Ruzafa IM, Siguan MAR, Lluch JR (2001) Flora Phycologica Iberica, vol I. Garreta AG (ed) Fucales. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia
Myklestad S, Eide I, Melson S (1978) Exchange of heavy metals in Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. in situ by means of transplanting experiments. Environ Pollut 19:277–284
Pereira ME, Duarte AC, Millward GE, Abreu S, Vale C (1998a) An estimation of industrial mercury stored in sediments of a confined area of the Lagoon of Aveiro (Portugal). Water Sci Technol 37:125–130
Pereira ME, Duarte AC, Millward GE, Vale C, Abreu S (1998b) Tidal export of particulate mercury from the most contaminated area of Aveiro’s Lagoon, Portugal. Sci Total Environ 213:157–163
Pereira ME, Duarte AC, Millward GE (1995) Seasonal variability in mercury inputs into the Ria de Aveiro, Portugal. Neth J Aquat Ecol 29:291–296
Pearson GA, Davison IR (1994) Freezing stress and osmotic dehydration in Fucus distichus (Phaeophyta): evidence for physiological similarity. J Phycol 30:257–267
Ramalhosa E, Monterroso P, Abreu S, Pereira E, Vale C, Duarte A (2001) Storage and export of mercury from a contaminated bay (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Wetl Ecol Manage 9:311–316
Scott GW, Hull SL, Hornby SE, Hardy FG, Owens NJP (2001) Phenotypic variation in Fucus spiralis (Phaeophycea): morphology, chemical phenotype and their relationship to the environment. J. Phycol 36:43–50
Thompson-Roberts ES, Pick FR, Hall GEM (1999) Total Hg in water, sediment, and four species of aquatic macrophytes in the St. Lawrence river, near Corwall, Ontario J Great Lakes Res 25:294–304
USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency (2002) Great Lakes toxics reduction background informations on mercury sources and regulations
USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency (1997) Mercury study report to congress
Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis, 3rd edn. Pretice Hall, London
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) through project CONTROL (contract PDCTM/C/MAR/15266/1999).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cairrão, E., Pereira, M.J., Pastorinho, M.R. et al. Fucus spp. as a Mercury Contamination Bioindicator in Costal Areas (Northwestern Portugal). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 79, 388–395 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9257-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9257-9