In marine ecosystems, arsenic (As) and total mercury (T-Hg) represent two of the major pollutants, particularly in fish due to their ecology and the affinity of these metal(loid)s with biological cycles. This study assessed the influence of total length, total weight, relative condition factor, and trophic levels of ten marine fish species from the Colombian Caribbean on As and T-Hg accumulation in muscle tissue, as well as the differentiation in accumulated amounts based on fish habitat type. In this context, Balistes capriscus exhibited the highest As median (7949.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite being one of the most important tropical biomes in the world, the Atrato River basin has experienced a critical ecological deterioration due to gold mining, posing a significant threat to wildlife and human health. In this study, we measured the concentrations of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in sediments at various swamps within the basin. Classical indices were employed to assess the associated ecological and human health risks linked to exposure to these elements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Atrato River basin was protected by Colombian law due to anthropogenic impacts, mainly from illegal gold mining, which triggered a critical environmental health problem. In this study we quantified mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg) and arsenic (As) concentrations in aquatic environmental matrices, and explored for the first-time nuclear degenerations in fish from the Atrato River. The median concentrations (μg/kg) for T-Hg, MeHg and As in fish were 195.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomagnification of trace elements is increasingly evident in aquatic ecosystems. In this review we investigate the drivers of biomagnification of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in aquatic food webs. Despite Hg, As and Se biomagnify in food webs, the biomagnification potential of Hg is much higher than that of As and Se.
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