Mercury Levels in Sediment, Water and Selected Organisms Collected in a Coastal Contaminated Environment: The Marano and Grado Lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant capable of bioaccumulates/biomagnifies along the trophic chain and posing concerns for organisms and humans. The historical mining in Idrija (NW Slovenia) and the more recent activity of a chlor-alkali plant (CAP) sited in Torviscosa (NE Italy) causes diffuse Hg contamination in the Marano and Grado Lagoon (MGL, northern Adriatic Sea, Italy). Despite the importance of fishing and aquaculture for local inhabitants, knowledge of the Hg content of MGL fish is still scarce and fragmentary. This paper reports the results obtained from the collection of sediments, water, and biota during the implementation of the WFD/2000/60/CE. The solid phase is characterised by high Hg concentrations (up to 7.4 mg kg−1) with a net positive gradient moving eastward, but chemical speciation suggests the prevalence of cinnabar (not mobile) species. The scarce mobility of Hg is attested to by the low concentrations found in surface waters. Hg in fish often exceeds the limit set for commercialization (0.5 mg kg−1 ww), especially in the Grado basin, but its content is variable depending on the size and habits of species. Although there was a significant linear relationship between THg content in sediment and tissues of Chelon auratus, the values of the biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF), which were always less than one, suggest that the Hg bioavailable for transfer from sediment to biota is low. Additionally, the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) calculated on C. auratus’s daily consumption showed that adverse effects on human health are out of the question at least for the Marano basin.