Publication detail

Interaction of Naturally Occurring Phytoplankton with the Biogeochemical Cycling of Mercury in Aquatic Environments and Its Effects on Global Hg Pollution and Public Health

GOJKOVIC, Ž. ŠIMANSKÝ, S. SANABRIA, A. MÁROVÁ, I. GARBAYO NORES, I. VÍLCHEZ, C.

Original Title

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

The biogeochemical cycling of mercury in aquatic environments is a complex process driven by various factors, such as ambient temperature, seasonal variations, methylating bacteria activity, dissolved oxygen levels, and Hg interaction with dissolved organic matter (DOM). As a consequence, part of the Hg contamination from anthropogenic activity that was buried in sediments is reinserted into water columns mainly in highly toxic organic Hg forms (methylmercury, dimethylmercury, etc.). This is especially prominent in the coastal shallow waters of industrial regions worldwide. The main entrance point of these highly toxic Hg forms in the aquatic food web is the naturally occurring phytoplankton. Hg availability, intake, effect on population size, cell toxicity, eventual biotransformation, and intracellular stability in phytoplankton are of the greatest importance for human health, having in mind that such Hg incorporated inside the phytoplankton cells due to biomagnification effects eventually ends up in aquatic wildlife, fish, seafood, and in the human diet. This review summarizes recent findings on the topic of organic Hg form interaction with natural phytoplankton and offers new insight into the matter with possible directions of future research for the prevention of Hg biomagnification in the scope of climate change and global pollution increase scenarios.

Keywords

mercury cycling; phytoplankton; Hg toxicity; aquatic environments

Authors

GOJKOVIC, Ž.; ŠIMANSKÝ, S.; SANABRIA, A.; MÁROVÁ, I.; GARBAYO NORES, I.; VÍLCHEZ, C.

Released

14. 9. 2023

Publisher

MDPI

Location

BASEL

ISBN

2076-2607

Periodical

Microorganisms

Year of study

Number

State

Swiss Confederation

Pages from

Pages to

Pages count

URL

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/8/2034

Full text in the Digital Library

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/245055

BibTex

@article{BUT185014,
  author="Živan {Gojkovic} and Samuel {Šimanský} and Alain {Sanabria} and Ivana {Márová} and Ines {Garbayo Nores} and Carlos {Vílchez}",
  title="Interaction of Naturally Occurring Phytoplankton with the Biogeochemical Cycling of Mercury in Aquatic Environments and Its Effects on Global Hg Pollution and Public Health",
  journal="Microorganisms",
  year="2023",
  volume="11",
  number="8",
  pages="1--15",
  doi="10.3390/microorganisms11082034",
  issn="2076-2607",
  url="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/8/2034"
}