Impacts of Mercury on Freshwater Fish-Eating Wildlife and Humans

Abstract

This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the toxic effects of mercury on fish-eating birds, mammals, and humans associated with freshwater ecosystems, including new information on the relative risk of elevated methyl Hg exposure for fish-eating birds inhabiting aquatic ecosystems impacted by mining/smelting activities and areas characterized by high geological sources of Hg. The influence of various environmental conditions such as lake pH, DOC, and chemical speciation of Hg, on fish-Hg concentrations and Hg exposure in fish-eating wildlife, are discussed. Although a continuing global effort to decrease the release of this nonessential metal into the environment is warranted, Hg methylation and biomagnification may be limited in some environments due to chemical speciation of mercury in soils and sediments (e.g., HgS) and water quality conditions (e.g., high alkalinity and pH) that do not facilitate high methylation rates. We have shown such limitations for a lake where historic Hg mining greatly increased sediment-Hg loadings, yet Hg increases in small fish of various species are currently lower than expected, and top predators (bald eagles), despite having elevated concentrations of Hg in their blood compared with individuals from nearby lakes, exhibit no Hg-related reproductive impairment or other signs of MeHg intoxication. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that fish-eating human populations may be exposed to Hg sufficient to cause significant developmental effects. However, for humans, we conclude that the current USEPA reference dose for MeHg may be too restrictive, particularly for the less sensitive adult. The health status of indigenous peoples relying on the subsistence harvest of wild foods may be negatively affected by such restrictions.