The level of mercury contamination in mariculture sites at the estuary of Pearl River and the potential health risk

H C Tao; K Y Zhao; W Y Ding; J B Li; P Liang; S C Wu; M H Wong

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.067

The level of mercury contamination in mariculture sites at the estuary of Pearl River and the potential health risk

Environ Pollut. 2016 Dec:219:829-836. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.067. Epub 2016 Oct 1.

Authors

H C Tao¹, K Y Zhao¹, W Y Ding¹, J B Li¹, P Liang², S C Wu², M H Wong³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China.
² School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Linan, PR China.
³ Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, PR China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: minghwong@ied.edu.hk.

PMID: 27707601
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.067

Abstract

In the present study, the Hg contamination in mariculture sites located at the estuary of Pearl River was to investigate with an attempt to analyse associated health risks of dietary exposure to both total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in cultured fish and shellfish. The highest total mercury concentration (7.037 ± 0.556 ng L^-1) of seawater was observed at Zhuhai Estuary. The Hg concentrations of sediment in Guishan Island were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in Daya Bay (away from the Pearl River). Besides, the both THg and MeHg levels in sediment at mariculture sites were higher (p < 0.05) than corresponding reference sites. It was attributed to the fact that mariculture activities increased Hg loading and promoted MeHg production. The vertical distribution of Hg in sediment cores demonstrated that mercury methylation mostly occurred at the sediment-water interface. Results of health risk assessments showed that fish consumption would impose a higher risk to children but less to adults, while shellfish produced in the studied area was safe for consumption.

Keywords: Health risks assessment; Mariculture; Methyl mercury; Total mercury.

MeSH terms

Animals
China
Environmental Monitoring
Estuaries*
Fisheries*
Fishes / metabolism*
Mercury / analysis*
Methylmercury Compounds / analysis
Risk Assessment
Rivers*
Seawater / chemistry*
Shellfish / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Methylmercury Compounds
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Mercury