Mercury and other trace elements distribution and profiling of microbial community in the surface sediments of East Siberian Sea

Dhiraj Kumar Chaudhary; Hem Prakash Karki; Rishikesh Bajagain; Hwansuk Kim; Tae Siek Rhee; Jong Kuk Hong; Seunghee Han; Young-Gyun Choi; Yongseok Hong

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114319

Mercury and other trace elements distribution and profiling of microbial community in the surface sediments of East Siberian Sea

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Dec;185(Pt A):114319. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114319. Epub 2022 Nov 4.

Authors

Dhiraj Kumar Chaudhary¹, Hem Prakash Karki¹, Rishikesh Bajagain¹, Hwansuk Kim¹, Tae Siek Rhee², Jong Kuk Hong², Seunghee Han³, Young-Gyun Choi⁴, Yongseok Hong⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea.
² Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea.
³ School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon City, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yongseokhong@korea.ac.kr.

PMID: 36343547
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114319

Abstract

In this study, total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), various trace elements, and microbial communities were measured in surface sediments of the East Siberian Sea (ESS). The results showed that the average values of THg and MeHg were 58.8 ± 15.21 μg/kg and 0.50 ± 0.22 μg/kg, respectively. The notable levels of trace elements present in both surface sediment and porewater were Al, Fe, and Mn. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index analyses found that both natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities contributed to elevated concentrations of metals in the ESS. The redox proxy metals, pH, and SO₄^2- were the major factors influencing the THg and MeHg distributions. Microbial profiles were substantially affected by metals and other abiotic factors. Proteobacteria and Thaumarchaeota were the most abundant phyla. Overall, the findings presented here facilitate the understanding of the current status of metal contamination, its influencing factors, and metal-microbiota-interactions in ESS.

Keywords: Arctic; Methylmercury; Microbial communities; Surface sediment; Total mercury; Trace elements.

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring / methods
Geologic Sediments / analysis
Mercury* / analysis
Methylmercury Compounds* / analysis
Microbiota*
Trace Elements* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Mercury
Trace Elements
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Methylmercury Compounds