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Influence of the flood pulse on mercury accumulation in detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish in Brazilian Amazonia

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Abstract

Hg accumulation in fish is influenced by several factors including seasonality. In the Amazon, ecosystems are marked by strong seasonal variation in precipitation, which leads to drastic changes in the water level of lakes and rivers. The aim of this study was to evaluate Hg levels in muscle of detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish from an Amazon lake (Madeira River Basin, Amazonas, Brazil) over four seasons (rising water, high water, falling water and low water). We hypothesized that total Hg concentration varies during the seasons. The results indicate that total Hg levels in detritivorous fish were higher in rising and low water seasons while in herbivorous and omnivorous fish the total Hg concentration was higher during the rising water season. The hypothesis was supported by the results. Additionally, the study provides evidence that Hg levels in fish with different feeding habits are influenced by the flood pulse of the Amazon region.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) through CNPq/CT-Universal project (Grant no. 458977/2014-4). We are grateful to IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis) for the fish collection license (DIFAP/IBAMA no. 091). We extend special thanks to the fisherman Raimundo Nonato dos Santos. This study was also financed in part by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoa de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil

    Lucas Silva Azevedo, Inácio Abreu Pestana & Cristina Maria Magalhães Souza

  2. Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, CEP: 76815-800, Brazil

    Adriely Ferreira da Costa Nery & Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos

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  1. Lucas Silva Azevedo
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  2. Inácio Abreu Pestana
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  3. Adriely Ferreira da Costa Nery
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  4. Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos
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  5. Cristina Maria Magalhães Souza
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Correspondence to Lucas Silva Azevedo.

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All applicable national guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Fish sampling was approved by Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) (license: DIFAP/IBAMA no. 091).

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Azevedo, L.S., Pestana, I.A., Nery, A.F.d.C. et al. Influence of the flood pulse on mercury accumulation in detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish in Brazilian Amazonia. Ecotoxicology 28, 478–485 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-019-02044-y

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