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Mercury contamination in the riparian ecosystem during the reservoir discharging regulated by a mega dam

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Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is extremely poisonous and can be absorbed through touch, inhalation, or consumption. In the living environment, Hg in contaminated sediment can be transferred into grass by the direct absorption through the roots or shoots. The intake of Hg due to Hg emissions may pose a threat to living bodies especially to human beings. The present study aims to provide a novel insight about total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in a riparian grass (Cynodon dactylon (L).Pers) and sediments during the discharging phase (summertime at 145 m water level) in Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR-China); where C. dactylon is a dominant perennial herb in the riparian zone. Yet, the potential risk of Hg contamination in the riparian ecosystem is not thoroughly assessed in the dam regulated reservoir. This study was conducted in the riparian zones of the reservoir formed by a mega dam (Three Gorge Dam) which regulates the water levels during the summer and winter period in the TGR. Our results showed that riparian sediments were acting as a sink for THg and MeHg. Insignificant correlation of THg and MeHg was found between the amphiphyte C. dactylon and its surrounding sediments in the TGR. Bioconcentration factors values for MeHg were found higher than 1 in all study locations in the riparian zones in TGR, which could be due to action of certain bacteria/purely chemical-based methylation on inorganic form of Hg. Additionally, translocation factor indices also highlighted that the amphiphyte C. dactylon was MeHg accumulator in riparian zones. These results suggested that since riparian sediment was found acting as the sink for THg and MeHg during discharging phase, MeHg contamination in the amphiphyte C. dactylon in riparian zones was not caused by the riparian sediments but by other factors, for instance, the anthropogenic activities in the TGR. Finally, this study leads to conclude that amphiphyte C. dactylon can be used as biomonitoring agent for Hg pollution in the TGR.

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The data that support the findings of the study will be available from the corresponding author upon the request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. B060104). Yaseen Mir was supported by the CAS-TWAS President’s doctoral fellowship for this research work. We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Professor Ahmed Barhoum, Professor Bailian Li, Stefan Lewandowski for the correction of this article. Additionally, we would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Professor Severine Le Faucher for manuscript correction.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. B060104). Yaseen Mir was supported by the CAS-TWAS President’s doctoral fellowship for this research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Reservoir Aquatic Environment, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China

    Yaseen Mir, Shengjun Wu, Maohua Ma, Yiguo Ran, Kai Zhu & Zakaria Ahmed Mirza

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yaseen Mir & Yiguo Ran

  3. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, David Kier Building Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, BT95AG, UK

    Chirangano Mangwandi

Authors
  1. Yaseen Mir
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  2. Shengjun Wu
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  3. Maohua Ma
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  4. Yiguo Ran
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  5. Kai Zhu
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  6. Chirangano Mangwandi
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  7. Zakaria Ahmed Mirza
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Contributions

YM is first author because he helped to design the experiment, process the data and wrote the article. Correspondent, ZAM, also helped to design the experiment, process the data and wrote the article. Others colleagues have helped at different stages. The conflict of interest shows that all of the authors have agreed to this article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zakaria Ahmed Mirza.

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Conflict of interest

Statement refer to said article; Mercury containment in the riparian ecosystem during the reservoir discharging regulated by a mega dam.

Animal research

The ethical statement is appropriate approved by the institutional Animal care and use committee of Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences (Approval ID: ZKCQYO168).

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The article titled “Mercury contamination in the riparian ecosystem during the reservoir discharging regulated by a mega dam” is presented. We used the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) to obtain the primary information about concentrations of THg and MeHg in Cynodon dactylon and sediment in TGR. The evaluation of THg and MeHg was an hour of need to assess the effect of Hg and its form MeHg on the biota in riparian zones of TGR. Therefore, this study was carried by understanding the interrelationship of THg and MeHg in C. dactylon and sediment in the TGR. During the discharging period, C. dactylon regrows in growing season and may result to transfer of Hg from sediment to amphiphyte C. dactylon. Therefore, we hypothesized that during the discharging phase of reservoir, Hg would be released from sediment to vegetation in the TGR. To test the hypothesis, we will ask: (1) what is the correlation between THg and MeHg in amphiphyte species C. dactylon; (2) what is the correlation between THg and MeHg in sediment; (3) What is the correlation between C. dactylon and sediment of THg and MeHg in the TGR. By addressing the questions, the present study provides us information about concentrations of THg and MeHg in roots and shoots of C. dactylon in relation to its surrounding sediment in the TGR. Our intention was also to obtain information about bioconcentration factor BAFs and translocation factor TF in terms of THg and MeHg in roots and shoots of amphiphyte C. dactylon and sediment in riparian zone of TGR. The keys words match the scope and thematic of your journal; which includes total mercury, methyl mercury, TGR, sediment, and grass. The first author is Yaseen Mir, and corresponding author is Dr. Zakaria.A.Mirza.

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Mir, Y., Wu, S., Ma, M. et al. Mercury contamination in the riparian ecosystem during the reservoir discharging regulated by a mega dam. Environ Geochem Health 44, 4405–4422 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-022-01205-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-022-01205-z

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