Can preserved museum specimens be used to reconstruct fish mercury burden and sources through time?

ABSTRACT: To evaluate the utility of preserved fishes for reconstructing historical and spatial patterns of mercury (Hg) exposure, we experimentally tested the stability of Hg concentrations and Hg stable isotope ratios under standard museum practices of specimen preservation. We found that loss of unidentified constituents during preservation increased Hg concentrations in fish muscle. Low-Hg fish reared in the laboratory were susceptible to exogenous contamination with inorganic mercury (iHg) when preservative fluids were intentionally spiked or iHg leached passively from contaminated wild fishes in the same container. This contamination impacted Hg isotope values of total Hg, but the conservative nature of methylmercury allows us to quantitatively correct for iHg contamination. Our findings valid

SUBMITTER: Lepak RF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10866153 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature