Concentrations In Invertebrates Research Articles

Trend of PFAS concentrations and prediction of potential risks in Taihu Lake of China by AQUATOX

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are recognized as emerging environmental pollutants due to their high persistence and toxicities to humans and animals. Understanding the temporal trend of PFAS in the environment is important for their pollution control and making appropriate policies. Many studies have reported the PFAS concentrations in Taihu Lake, the third largest lake in China, while their temporal trend during the years was seldom investigated. This study summarizes the PFAS concentrations in the water, sediment and organisms in Taihu Lake from 2009 to 2020 to depict their temporal trends. Meanwhile, the ecological model of AQUATOX was applied to evaluate and predict the potential risks of PFAS from 2012 to 2030. The results showed that the total PFAS concentrations varied but without distinct increase or decrease in both water and sediment during the years, while PFAS concentrations in organisms significantly decreased. The yearly mean concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the water were 21.7–25.4 ng/L and 9.7–26.5 ng/L respectively, lower than the Standards for Drinking Water Quality of China and the suggested water quality criteria to protect the aquatic organisms. In sediment, PFOA and PFOS concentrations were 0.16–0.69 ng/g and 0.15–0.82 ng/g respectively, much lower than the recommended sediment quality guideline values. Based on the AQUATOX prediction, there will be no major threats caused by PFAS to the growth of biota in Taihu Lake in the near future, while the biomass of some species (e.g. carp) will be affected under the perturbation of PFAS. Both field investigation and AQUATOX simulation showed that PFOS concentrations in invertebrates and fish descend steadily, while no remarkable decrease in PFOA concentrations was expected. This study suggests a decreasing ecological risk of PFAS in Taihu Lake, while highlights the necessity of continuous monitoring of PFAS contamination.

Aquatic macroinvertebrate community responses to pollution of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Can we define threshold body burdens?

The pollution of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environments is a worldwide concern of which the ecological impact is still not well understood. Especially field-based effect studies in aquatic ecosystems are generally lacking, creating a knowledge gap that goes along with monitoring and regulatory challenges. Therefore, this study examined if bioaccumulated PFAS concentrations could be related to ecological responses assessed by changes in the macroinvertebrate community structure. In addition, threshold body burdens that are protective of ecological damage were estimated. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were sampled in 30 streams across Flanders (Belgium) and 28 PFAS target analytes were measured in three resident taxa (Gammarus sp., Asellus sp. and Chironomus sp.) and translocated zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). The macroinvertebrate community structure was assessed by calculating the Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Flanders (MMIF). Primarily long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were detected in both resident taxa (passive biomonitoring) and zebra mussels (active biomonitoring). Based on a 90th quantile regression model, safe threshold body burdens could be calculated for PFTeDA (7.1 ng/g ww) and ΣPFAS (2264 ng/g ww) in Gammarus sp. and for PFOA (5.5 ng/g ww), PFDoDA (1.7 ng/g ww), PFTrDA (0.51 ng/g ww), PFTeDA (2.4 ng/g ww), PFOS (644 ng/g ww) and ΣPFAS (133 ng/g ww) in zebra mussel. An additional threshold value was calculated for most compounds and species using the 95th percentile method. However, although these estimated thresholds are pertinent and indicative, regulatory applicability requires further lines of evidence and validation. Nevertheless, this study offers first-time evidence of associations between accumulated PFAS concentrations in invertebrates and a reduced ecological water quality in terms of macroinvertebrate community structure and highlights the potential of Gammarus sp. and zebra mussels to serve as reliable PFAS biomonitoring species.

Methylmercury dietary pathways and bioaccumulation in Arctic benthic invertebrates of the Beaufort Sea

This study investigated methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in Arctic benthic invertebrates from two shelf sites in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotopes and fatty acids were measured to examine diet influences on MeHg concentrations in 476 individuals from 53 taxa of benthic invertebrates representing three different feeding guilds. Taxonomic identifications were based on DNA-barcoding and traditional taxonomy. MeHg concentrations ranged from 3 to 421 ng/g dry weight and increased over three trophic levels (δ15N range = 4.4–14.2‰). Organic matter sources had small but significant influences on MeHg bioaccumulation in the benthic food web. Carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C, range = −25.5 to −19.8‰) were positively correlated with MeHg concentrations, suggesting greater reliance on benthic carbon contributed to higher concentrations. Sulfur stable isotopes were unrelated to MeHg concentrations. Fatty acids suggested feeding on diatoms versus dinoflagellates, and reliance on benthic resources influenced MeHg concentrations. Higher MeHg concentrations were observed at the site closer to the Mackenzie River mouth than the Cape Bathurst site. This study generated the most taxonomically rich dataset of MeHg concentrations in invertebrates from the Arctic marine benthos to date and provides a basis for future research on food web MeHg dynamics in the Canadian Beaufort Sea.

Ecology and environmental characteristics influence methylmercury bioaccumulation in coastal invertebrates

Quantifying mercury (Hg) concentrations in invertebrates is fundamental to determining risk for bioaccumulation in higher trophic level organisms in coastal food webs. Bioaccumulation is influenced by local mercury concentrations, site geochemistry, individual feeding ecologies, and trophic position. We sampled seven species of invertebrates from five coastal sites in the Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, and determined body concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg), total mercury (THg), and stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C). To evaluate the effects of environmental chemistry on Hg production and bioaccumulation, bulk sediments from all sites were analysed for THg, %Loss on ignition (LOI) (carbon), and sulfur isotopes (δ34S), and concentrations of MeHg, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), sulfate, and sulfide were measured in porewaters. The mean concentration of MeHg in tissues for all invertebrates sampled was 10.03 ± 7.04 ng g−1). MeHg in porewater (mean = 0.22–1.59 ng L−1) was the strongest predictor of invertebrate MeHg, but sediment δ34S (−0.80–14.1‰) was also a relatively strong predictor. δ34S in tissues (measured in three species; Corophium volutator, Ilyanassa obsoleta, and Littorina littorea) were positively related to MeHg in invertebrates (r = 0.55, 0.22, and 0.71 respectively), and when used in combination with δ15N and δ13C values improved predictions of Hg concentrations in biota. Hg concentrations in the amphipod Corophium volutator (mean MeHg = 10.60 ± 1.90 ng g−1) were particularly well predicted using porewater and sediment chemistry, highlighting this species as a useful bioindicator of Hg contamination in sediments of the Bay of Fundy.

The effect of aquatic and terrestrial prey availability on metal accumulation in pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) nestlings

Ingestion of contaminated prey is a major route for metal exposure in terrestrial insectivores. In terrestrial ecosystems adjacent to lakes and streams, emerging aquatic insects can transport metals, accumulated during their larval stage, from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. However, contaminant exposure via aquatic insects has often been ignored in terrestrial environments, despite such insects representing a substantial part of the diet for terrestrial insectivores living close to lakes and streams. In this study, we investigated how dietary lead (Pb) and calcium (Ca) exposure from different aquatic and terrestrial prey types affects Pb accumulation in pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) nestlings living close to a former Pb/zinc (Zn) mine in northern Sweden, which closed in 2001. Stable isotope analysis (δ 13C and δ15N) of nestling blood and different prey types was used to estimate nestlings' diet. Ants, Lepidoptera larvae and Trichoptera were the most common prey types in the nestlings’ diet, in which aquatic prey types (Trichoptera included) accounted for 2.0–96.4%. Ingestion of specific prey groups, such as aquatic insects and ants, were important for Pb accumulation in nestlings, and when access to aquatic prey was low, ants were the predominant source of Pb. The influence of dietary Ca on Pb accumulation was less consistent, but Ca availability was relatively high and often co-occurred with high Pb concentrations in invertebrates. The study shows that both the proportion of different prey and their individual metal concentrations need to be considered when estimating exposure risks for insectivores. Further, it highlights the need to account for metal exposure from emerging aquatic insects for terrestrial insectivores living close to lakes and streams.

Mercury Bioaccumulation in Benthic Invertebrates: From Riverine Sediments to Higher Trophic Levels

Riverine sediments are important sites of mercury methylation and benthic invertebrates may be indicators of Hg exposure to higher organisms. From 2014 to 2018, sediments and invertebrates were collected along a mercury gradient in the Toce River (Northern Italy) and analyzed for THg and MeHg. Concentrations in invertebrates, separated according to taxon and to Functional Feeding Group, ranged from 20 to 253 µg kg−1 dry weight (d.w.) for THg, increasing from grazers (Leuctra, Baetis, Serratella) to predators (Perla). MeHg ranged from 3 to 88 µg kg−1 d.w. in biota, representing 6–53% of THg, while in sediments it was mostly below LOD (0.7 µg kg−1), accounting for ≤3.8% of THg. The Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF, ranging 0.2–4.6) showed an inverse relation to exposure concentrations (THg in sediments, ranging 0.014–0.403 µg kg−1 d.w.) and to organic carbon. THg in invertebrates (up to 73 µg kg−1 wet weight), i.e., at the basal levels of the aquatic trophic chain, exceeded the European Environmental Quality Standard for biota (20 µg kg−1 w.w.), posing potential risks for top predators. Concentrations in adult insects were close to those in aquatic stages, proving active mercury transfer even to terrestrial food chains.

Radiocesium concentrations in invertebrates and their environmental media at two distances from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant during 3–6 years after the 2011 accident

Activity concentrations of the radioactive cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) were investigated in invertebrates at two sites of moderately high and higher air radiation dose rates, 14 km and 11 km distances, respectively, from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) from 2013 to 2016. At a14-km point, the 134+137Cs concentrations of soils in coniferous and broadleaf forests increased from 2013 to 2014, and thereafter declined until 2016. The 134+137Cs concentrations of the phytophagous beetle Anomala cuprea (Hope) rapidly decreased by 76.1% from 2013 to 2014, reflecting reduction in those of broadleaves. The 134+137Cs concentration levels of the carnivorous beetle Dolichus halensis (Schaller) showed a relatively low levels. The 137Cs concentrations of the necrophagous beetle Eusilpha japonica (Motshulsky) and coprophagous beetle Onthophagus lenzii (Harold) remained constant without reduction from 2013 to 2016. Average 134+137Cs concentrations throughout four years were the highest in the geophagous crustacean (Armadillidium vulgare Latreille), followed by necrophagous beetle and coprophagus beetle. The 134+137Cs concentrations in earthworms with gut contents were significantly correlated with those in soils at each habitat from 2014 to 2015 at a14-km point, and the concentration levels at an 11-km point in 2015 were remarkably high (898 kBq kg−1). Transfer factors (TFs) in earthworms ranged from 1.02 to 2.66 at a 14-km point and 0.66 to 5.0 at an11-km point. The transfer and chronological changes of radiocesium in invertebrates were discussed in relation to food habits through trophic levels in woodlands and pasturelands.

Factors affecting MeHg bioaccumulation in stream biota: the role of dissolved organic carbon and diet

The bioaccumulation of the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) in freshwater ecosystems is thought to be mediated by both water chemistry (e.g., dissolved organic carbon [DOC] and dissolved mercury [Hg]) and diet (e.g., trophic position and diet composition). Hg in small streams is of particular interest given their role as a link between terrestrial and aquatic processes. Terrestrial processes determine the quantity and quality of streamwater DOC, which in turn influence the quantity and bioavailability of dissolved MeHg. To better understand the effects of water chemistry and diet on Hg bioaccumulation in stream biota, we measured DOC and dissolved Hg in stream water and mercury concentration in three benthic invertebrate taxa and three fish species across up to 12 tributary streams in a forested watershed in New Hampshire, USA. As expected, dissolved total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations increased linearly with DOC. However, mercury concentrations in fish and invertebrates varied non-linearly, with maximum bioaccumulation at intermediate DOC concentrations, which suggests that MeHg bioavailability may be reduced at high levels of DOC. Further, MeHg and THg concentrations in invertebrates and fish, respectively, increased with δ15N (suggesting trophic position) but were not associated with δ13C. These results show that even though MeHg in water is strongly determined by DOC concentrations, mercury bioaccumulation in stream food webs is the result of both MeHg availability in stream water and trophic position.

Accumulation of Methylmercury in Invertebrates and Masked Shrews (Sorex cinereus) at an Upland Forest-Peatland Interface in Northern Minnesota, USA.

Mercury (Hg) methylation is often elevated at the terrestrial-peatland interface, but methylmercury (MeHg) production at this "hot spot" has not been linked with in situ biotic accumulation. We examined total Hg and MeHg levels in peat, invertebrates and tissues of the insectivore Sorex cinereus (masked shrew), inhabiting a terrestrial-peatland ecotone in northern Minnesota, USA. Mean MeHg concentrations in S. cinereus (71ngg-1) fell between concentrations measured in spiders (mean 70-140ngg-1), and ground beetles and millipedes (mean 29-42ngg-1). Methylmercury concentrations in S. cinereus increased with age and differed among tissues, with highest concentrations in kidneys and muscle, followed by liver and brain. Nearly all Hg in S. cinereus was in the methylated form. Overall, the high proportional accumulation of MeHg in peat at the site (3.5% total Hg as MeHg) did not lead to particularly elevated concentrations in invertebrates or shrews, which are below values considered a toxicological risk.

Element-specific behaviour and sediment properties modulate transfer and bioaccumulation of trace elements in a highly-contaminated area (Augusta Bay, Central Mediterranean Sea)

High sediment contamination in the coastal area of Priolo Bay, adjacent to the highly-polluted Augusta Harbour, poses serious risks for the benthic communities inhabiting the area. Nevertheless, the transfer of trace elements and consequent bioaccumulation in the biota is an overlooked issue. This study aimed to assess the transfer and bioaccumulation patterns of As, Cd, Ni and Hg to the dominant macroalgae and benthic invertebrates of Priolo Bay. Results revealed different patterns among trace elements (TEs), not driven by sediment contamination but rather by element-specific behaviour coupled with sediment physicochemical properties. Specifically, As accumulated in macroalgae but not in invertebrates, indicating bioavailability of dissolved As only, and a lack of effective trophic transfer. Ni was confined to surface sediment and transfer to biota was not highlighted. Cd and Hg showed the highest concentrations in invertebrates and bioaccumulated especially in filter feeders and carnivores, revealing the importance of suspended particulate and diet as transfer pathways. Total organic carbon (TOC), fine-grained sediments and redox potential were the most important sediment features in shaping the sediment contamination spatial patterns as well as those of TE transfer and bioaccumulation. In particular, As and Cd transfer to macroalgae, and especially Hg bioaccumulation in benthic invertebrates was controlled by sediment properties, resulting in limited transfer and accumulation in the most contaminated stations.

Trace elements in invertebrates and fish from Kerguelen waters, southern Indian Ocean

Given the lack of background data on essential and non-essential trace elements in invertebrates and fish known to be the predominant prey of marine mammals and seabirds breeding at the Kerguelen Islands, this study intends to provide these results of great influence for predators in higher trophic levels. To this end, plankton organisms (9 species/4 phyla), mollusks (2 bivalves and 2 squid species) and fishes (8 benthic and 10 pelagic species) from Kerguelen waters were analysed for cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn). Individual concentrations of non-essential elements (particularly Cd) showed larger variation in comparison with essential ones due to homeostasis. Cd ranged over 4 orders of magnitude; however, Hg ranged only 1, without significant correlation to trophic level. Instead, ecological parameters (benthic/mesopelagic habitat and feeding ecology) showed a more important influence on the results. Concerning seashore organisms, bivalves collected inside the Gulf of Morbihan had higher Cd concentrations compared to those from the Kerguelen shelf, suggesting a local source of Cd, such as runoff water from bird colonies. Comparison with literature showed metal concentrations in invertebrates and fishes from Kerguelen Islands somewhat lower than in the Antarctic area, with Hg prevailing in benthic species and Cd in pelagic ones. In contrast to Hg, Cd values of squids, jellyfish and the amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii were significantly higher than all other species. Finally, top predators foraging in this area that can be subject to potentially high Hg and Cd exposure through their diet at Kerguelen are reviewed.

Modeling food web structure and selenium biomagnification in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes.

As a consequence of coal-fired power station operations, elevated selenium concentrations have been reported in the sediments and biota of Lake Macquarie (New South Wales, Australia). In the present study, an ecosystem-scale model has been applied to determine how selenium in a seagrass food web is processed from sediments and water through diet to predators, using stable isotopes (δ(13) C and δ(15) N) to establish the trophic position of organisms. Trophic position, habitat, and feeding zone were examined as possible factors influencing selenium bioaccumulation. Selenium concentrations ranged from 0.2 μg/g dry weight in macroalgae species to 12.9 μg/g in the carnivorous fish Gerres subfasciatus. A mean magnification factor of 1.39 per trophic level showed that selenium is biomagnifying in the seagrass food web. Habitat and feeding zone influenced selenium concentrations in invertebrates, whereas feeding zone was the only significant factor influencing selenium concentrations in fish. The sediment-water partitioning coefficient (Kd ) of 4180 showed that partitioning of selenium entering the lake to particulate organic material (POM) is occurring, and consequently availability to food webs from POM is high. Trophic transfer factors (invertebrate = 1.9; fish = 1.2) were similar to those reported for other water bodies, showing that input source is not the main determinant of the magnitude of selenium bioaccumulation in a food web, but rather the initial partitioning of selenium into bioavailable POM. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:608-617. © 2014 SETAC.

Macroinvertebrate survival during cessation of flow and streambed drying in a lowland stream

Summary The number of perennial low‐order lowland streams likely to experience intermittent flow is predicted to increase in north‐western Europe. To understand the effects of such a change on macroinvertebrates, a field experiment was carried out in a currently perennial sandy lowland stream. Using a before–after control–impact design, the flow regime was manipulated to yield two distinct treatments: stagnation (although with little water loss) and drying of the stream (although artificial remnant pools remained in the bed). There was also an unmanipulated control reach. The two treatments were applied simultaneously in separate, consecutive reaches, resulting in 29 days of stagnation and 25 days of streambed drying with surface water only present in the remnant pools. Changes in macroinvertebrate richness, abundance and community composition were recorded, and we assessed whether these changes could be explained by ecological preferences for flow of the various taxa. Stagnation resulted in only minor changes in community composition. A small number of rheophilic taxa disappeared, while taxa preferring standing waters complemented those already present, increasing total biodiversity. In remnant pools in the otherwise dry reach, richness and abundance peaked after they became isolated, indicating a concentration of invertebrates. A subsequent steep decline in richness coincided with hypoxia and increasing conductivity. Culex pipiens/torrentium colonised the pools and was then dominant. Only a small subset of the assemblage successfully used the dry streambed as a refuge. The effect of a shift from perennial to intermittent flow evidently depends on the degree of habitat change. Environmental conditions after cessation of flow are crucial in determining lowland stream macroinvertebrate persistence during water drawdown.

Radiological impact of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on invertebrates in the coastal benthic food web

Radioactive cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) concentrations in invertebrates of benthic food web (10 taxonomic classes with 46 identified families) collected from wide areas off Fukushima Prefecture (3–500 m depth) were inspected from July 2011, four months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, to August 2013 to elucidate time-series trends among taxa and areas. Cesium-137 was detected in seven classes (77% of 592 specimens). Higher 137Cs concentrations within detected data were often found in areas near or south of the FDNPP, which is consistent with the reported spatial distribution of 137Cs concentrations in highly contaminated seawater and sediments after the FDNPP accident. Overall 137Cs concentrations in invertebrates, the maxima of which (290 Bq kg−1-wet in the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis) were lower than in many demersal fishes, had decreased exponentially with time, and exhibited taxon-specific decreasing trends. Concentrations in Bivalvia and Gastropoda decreased clearly with respective ecological half-lives of 188 d and 102 d. In contrast, decreasing trends in Malacostraca and Polychaeta were more gradual, with longer respective ecological half-lives of 208 d and 487 d. Echinoidea showed no consistent trend, presumably because of effects of contaminated sediments taken into their digestive tract. Comparison of 137Cs concentrations in the invertebrates and those in seawater and sediments suggest that contaminated sediments are the major source of continuing contamination in benthic invertebrates, especially in Malacostraca and Polychaeta.

Selenium Bioaccumulation in Stocked Fish as an Indicator of Fishery Potential in Pit Lakes on Reclaimed Coal Mines in Alberta, Canada

Pit lakes are a common reclamation strategy for open pit mines; however, there is a concern about their water quality and suitability as fish habitat because they are often contaminated by metals or metalloids. This study assessed the exposure of fish and invertebrates to selenium (Se) and other metals and metalloids in pit lakes formed by open pit coal mining in Tertiary (thermal coal) and in Cretaceous (metallurgical coal) bedrock. Juvenile hatchery rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, were stocked into two thermal coal pit lakes (water Se<2μg/L, low water Se) and two metallurgical coal pit lakes (water Se>15μg/L, high water Se). Se accumulation in stocked fish and concentrations in invertebrates were characterized over a period of 2years. In the metallurgical pits, invertebrates had higher Se concentrations and fish accumulated Se to higher levels (exceeding USEPA tissue Se guidelines) than biota in the thermal pits. Rainbow and brook trout accumulated similar concentrations of Se in their muscle and exhibited a similar relationship between whole-body and muscle Se concentrations. These results may be used by resource managers to assess compliance with whole-body tissue Se guidelines and to determine if pit lakes in coal mining areas pose a significant Se risk to wildlife or human health. The high Se exposure in metallurgical coal pits indicates that under the current mining and reclamation strategy, these lakes are not suitable for management as recreational "put and take" fisheries.

Simulation of radioactive cesium transfer in the southern Fukushima coastal biota using a dynamic food chain transfer model

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F NPP) accident occurred on 11 March 2011. The accident introduced 137Cs into the coastal waters which was subsequently transferred to the local coastal biota thereby elevating the concentration of this radionuclide in coastal organisms. In this study, the radioactive cesium levels in coastal biota from the southern Fukushima area were simulated using a dynamic biological compartment model. The simulation derived the possible maximum radioactive cesium levels in organisms, indicating that the maximum 137Cs concentrations in invertebrates, benthic fish and predator fish occurred during late April, late May and late July, respectively in the studied area where the source was mainly the direct leakage of 137Cs effluent from the 1F NPP. The delay of a 137Cs increase in fish was explained by the gradual food chain transfer of 137Cs introduced to the ecosystem from the initial contamination of the seawater. The model also provided the degree of radionuclide depuration in organisms, and it demonstrated the latest start of the decontamination phase in benthic fish. The ecological half-lives, derived both from model simulation and observation, were 1–4 months in invertebrates, and 2–9 months in plankton feeding fish and coastal predator fish from the studied area. In contrast, it was not possible to similarly calculate these parameters in benthic fish because of an unidentified additional radionuclide source which was deduced from the biological compartment model. To adequately reconstruct the in-situ depuration of radiocesium in benthic fish in the natural ecosystem, a contamination source associated with the bottom sediments is necessary.

Concentrations of methylmercury in invertebrates from wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America

Prairie wetlands may be important sites of mercury (Hg) methylation resulting in elevated methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in water, sediments and biota. Invertebrates are an important food resource and may act as an indicator of MeHg exposure to higher organisms. In 2007–2008, invertebrates were collected from wetland ponds in central Saskatchewan, categorized into functional feeding groups (FFGs) and analyzed for total Hg (THg) and MeHg. Methylmercury and THg concentrations in four FFGs ranged from 0.2–393.5 ng·g −1 and 9.7–507.1 ng·g −1, respectively. Methylmercury concentrations generally increased from gastropods with significantly lower average MeHg concentrations compared to other invertebrate taxa. Surrounding land use (agricultural, grassland and organic agricultural) may influence MeHg concentrations in invertebrates, with invertebrate MeHg concentrations being higher from organic ponds (457.5 ± 156.7 ng·g −1) compared to those from grassland ponds (74.8 ± 14.6 ng·g −1) and ponds on agricultural lands (32.8 ± 6.2 ng·g −1).

Low concentrations of selenium in stream food webs of eastern Canada

Herbivorous and predatory invertebrates and two species of fish (brook trout and blacknose dace) were collected from 49 streams in New Brunswick, Canada to determine whether concentrations of selenium (Se) in the biota were affected by a point source (a coal-fired power plant), and stream water chemistry (pH, sulphate, conductivity, and total organic carbon), and to determine the trophic transfer of Se through these food webs. Total Se concentrations in the biota were generally low (0.2 to 4.8 μg g − 1 dry weight) across sites and there was no relationship between distance from the coal-fired power plant and Se concentrations in invertebrates or fishes. Water chemistry was an equally poor predictor of Se concentrations in invertebrates and fish. Trophic position (determined using δ 15N) was a significant predictor of Se concentrations in only five of the stream food webs, and two of these had negative slopes, indicating little or no trophic magnification across most systems; many fishes had lower concentrations than their invertebrate prey and trophic transfer was higher at sites with low invertebrate Se concentrations. Variability in Se concentrations in fishes was explained more by site of capture than microhabitat use within the site (as measured with δ 13C), suggesting among-site differences in geological sources of Se. Because concentrations were below known toxicity thresholds for fish and other consumers, these results suggest that Se is not an environmental issue in New Brunswick streams that do not receive direct inputs from mining activities.

Temporal trends in near-shore sediment contaminant concentrations in the St. Clair River and potential long-term implications for fish tissue concentrations

Near-shore surface sediment of the St. Clair River (Ontario) extending along 9km of waterfront downstream of local industries were contaminated with mercury (Hg), hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene and octachlorostyrene based on data collected in 2006 and 2008. However, unlike Hg, concentrations of organic compounds were low at most stations suggesting improvements in sediment quality since 2001 (post sediment remediation projects). Concentrations of Hg were greater than Provincial Sediment Quality Guidelines and ranged as high as 41μg/g in the surficial 0–5cm sediment. Measured (2001–2004 data) and estimated (2006 data) concentrations of methyl Hg in invertebrates were greater than concentrations in invertebrates collected from upstream reference stations. Predicted methyl Hg concentrations in walleye using food chain multipliers, benthic invertebrate Hg tissue concentrations and current sediment concentrations exceeded human health consumption guidelines and were consistent with measured sport fish data supporting assumptions about Hg biomagnification. Historical data showed that for fish collected from the lower St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair, Hg concentrations have declined since 1978, but have remained stable since the mid 1980s, consistent with the sediment Hg data. The consistency in the sediment and fish datasets and the absence of a known significant local point source of Hg suggests that the sediment may be an important source of Hg to the St. Clair River food-chain.

Carotenoid Composition of Invertebrates Consumed by Two Insectivorous Bird Species

Dietary carotenoids are important pigments, antioxidants, and immune-stimulants for birds. Despite recent interest in carotenoids in bird ecology, we know surprisingly little about the carotenoid content of invertebrates consumed by birds. We compared carotenoid (lutein, beta-carotene, and total) concentrations in invertebrates brought to nestlings by two insectivorous passerines, the great tit, Parus major and the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca. We also compared carotenoid levels between environments that were either polluted by heavy metals or were not polluted, because the carotenoid-based plumage color of P. major nestlings is affected by environmental pollution. Lepidopterans were the most carotenoid-rich food items and contained the largest proportion of lutein. There were no differences in carotenoid concentrations in the food items of the two bird species but P. major nestlings obtained more carotenoids from their invertebrate diet than F. hypoleuca nestlings because the P. major diet had a higher proportion of lepidopteran larvae. In polluted areas, P. major nestlings consumed lower levels of dietary carotenoids than in unpolluted areas because of temporal differences in caterpillar abundance between polluted and unpolluted sites. Our study suggests that pollution-related difference in nestling plumage color in P. major is related to varying dietary proportion of lutein-rich food items rather than pollution-related variation in insect carotenoid levels.