Title: Mercury uptake by fish and biomethylation mechanisms.
Abstract: the 1950's and the ornithological di saster in Sweden in the 1960's, the health hazard imposed by environmental mercury pollution has received international atten tion. It seems that the form of mercury discharged into the environment is unim portant, because any form of mercury may be converted to methylmercury by micro organisms. Numerous studies have been directed toward delineating the sources of mercury contamination, its movement in the environment, and the route through which mercury reaches human beings. The general physical-chemical properties of mercury have been studied since the days of alchemy; however, a paucity of data exists concerning mercury's dynamic properties. These include the mechanisms by which mercury is released, mobilized, and subsequently transformed into methyl mercury in the water environment and the external environmental factors affecting these transformations. Several studies have been conducted in volving the biomethylation occurring in sediments and the subsequent fish uptake of the methylmercury produced. Unfortu nately, the majority of these studies were conducted without proper consideration of environmental factors such as temperature, degree of organic pollution, chloride ion concentration, mercury concentration, and pH. Furthermore, no known experiments have varied these factors in a single study. It is obvious that the methylation of mer cury contained in sediments needs quantifi cation in terms of different environmental conditions, and those factors affecting methylmercury uptake by fish require eluci dation. Objectives The objectives of these studies were (a) to examine the dynamic properties of in organic mercury and methylmercury, (b) to determine the uptake rates of methyl mercury biosynthesized in sediment by fish and the effects on the uptake rates of varying environmental conditions, and (c) to observe the effects of varying environ mental parameters on the overall methyla tion activities of microorganisms. In addi tion, an estimate of the retention time of mercury in contaminated sediments was to be ascertained. Methodology
Publication Year: 1976
Publication Date: 1976-03-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['pubmed']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 32
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