Experimental evidence for recovery of mercury-contaminated fish populations.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic releases of mercury (Hg)^1-3 are a human health issue⁴ because the potent toxicant methylmercury (MeHg), formed primarily by microbial methylation of inorganic Hg in aquatic ecosystems, bioaccumulates to high concentrations in fish consumed by humans^5,6. Predicting the efficacy of Hg pollution controls on fish MeHg concentrations is complex because many factors influence the production and bioaccumulation of MeHg^7-9. Here we conducted a 15-year whole-ecosystem, single-factor experiment to determine the magnitude and timing of reductions in fish MeHg concentrations following reductions in Hg additions to a boreal lake and its watershed. During the seven-year addition phase, we applied enriched Hg isotopes to increase local Hg wet depo

SUBMITTER: Blanchfield PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8732272 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature