The accumulation of metals and methylmercury in Nerita lineata and the relation to intertidal surface sediment concentrations

Hazzeman Haris; Ahmad Zaharin Aris; Mazlin Bin Mokhtar; Ley Juen Looi

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125590

The accumulation of metals and methylmercury in Nerita lineata and the relation to intertidal surface sediment concentrations

Chemosphere. 2020 Apr:245:125590. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125590. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

Authors

Hazzeman Haris¹, Ahmad Zaharin Aris², Mazlin Bin Mokhtar³, Ley Juen Looi⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, USM, Penang, Malaysia; Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: hazzeman@usm.my.
² Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: zaharin@upm.edu.my.
³ Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: mazlin@ukm.my.
⁴ Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: leyjuenlooi@upm.edu.my.

PMID: 31874324
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125590

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the reliability of Nerita lineata as a bioindicator for metals in sediment and the factors influencing the accumulation of metals and methylmercury in its soft tissue. The two matrices were analyzed for Co, Cr, Cu, THg, MeHg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The metal concentrations in N. lineata were comparable to previously reported results with the exception of Ni which was higher. Cu, Mn, and Pb in N. lineata were significantly (p < 0.05) positively correlated with the respective elements in the sediment, while the biota-sediment accumulation factor showed that Cu, THg, MeHg, and Ni were bioconcentrated in N. lineata. This suggests that N. lineata has the potential to be a bioindicator for Cu, THg, MeHg, Mn, Ni, and Pb. The results also suggest an indirect relationship between THg in the sediment and the MeHg concentration in N. lineata in which periphyton might play a role. The affinity of Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn with Mn (oxides) in sediment was also found to be a factor influencing their accumulation in N. lineata.

Keywords: Bioindicator; Biota-sediment accumulation factor; Gastropod; Metals in mollusks; Methylmercury; Sediment.

MeSH terms

Animals
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Geologic Sediments / analysis*
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
Methylmercury Compounds / analysis*
Reproducibility of Results
Snails / metabolism*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Methylmercury Compounds
Water Pollutants, Chemical