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Environmental mercury concentrations in cultured low-trophic-level fish using food waste-based diets

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Abstract

In this study, different types of food wastes were used as the major source of protein to replace the fish meal in fish feeds to produce quality fish (polyculture of different freshwater fish). During October 2011–April 2012, the concentrations of Hg in water, suspended particulate matter, and sediment of the three experimental fish ponds located in Sha Tau Kok Organic Farm were monitored, and the results were similar to or lower than those detected in commercial fish ponds around the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region (by comparing data of previous and present studies). Health risk assessments indicated that human consumption of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), a herbivore which fed food waste feed pellets would be safer than other fish species: mud carp (Cirrhina molitorella), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), and largemouth bass (Lepomis macrochirus). Due to the lower species diversity and substantially shorter food chains of the polyculture system consisting of only three fish species, the extent of Hg biomagnification was significantly lower than other polyculture ponds around PRD. Furthermore, the use of food waste instead of fish meal (mainly consisted of contaminated trash fish) further reduced the mercury accumulation in the cultured fish.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from Environmental and Conservation Fund (37/2009), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41373090) and the Start-up Research Grant for Newly Recruited Professors/(Research) Chair Professors, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (RG24/13-14R) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Zhang Cheng & Ming Hung Wong

  2. College of Resources and Environment, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China

    Zhang Cheng

  3. Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Bon Man & Ming Hung Wong

  4. Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

    Zhang Cheng, Wing Yin Mo, Yu Bon Man, Cheung Lung Lam, Wai Ming Choi & Ming Hung Wong

  5. Institute of the Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, People’s Republic of China

    Xiang Ping Nie

  6. Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510380, People’s Republic of China

    Yi Hui Liu

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  1. Zhang Cheng
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  2. Wing Yin Mo
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  3. Yu Bon Man
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Correspondence to Ming Hung Wong.

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Cheng, Z., Mo, W.Y., Man, Y.B. et al. Environmental mercury concentrations in cultured low-trophic-level fish using food waste-based diets. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 495–507 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3333-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3333-6

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