Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Marine Biology Station, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia.
Sci Total Environ. 2019 May 1;663:297-306. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.241. Epub 2019 Jan 25.
Mercury (Hg) is one of the primary health concerns in natural and urbanised environments due to past and present natural and anthropogenic emissions. Its environmental cycle is driven by redox reactions, microbial metabolism and organic matter (OM) interactions, which may all lead to formation of bioaccumulative organic Hg species; methylmercury (MeHg), with damaging consequences for human and ecosystem health. Hence, Hg lability and bioavailability has been the focus of many investigations and assessed with a variety of chemical proxies in order to improve understanding of the conditions that lead to enhanced bioavailability of Hg and its species. We investigated Hg labile species with Diffusive Gradient in Thin-film technique (DGT) in the water column and sediment of Zenne River (Brussels, Belgium) and Gulf of Trieste (North Adriatic). They represent two contemporary important Hg-impacted areas; the former by anthropogenic urban pollution, and the latter by historic pollution from Hg mining. Hg speciation of labile inorganic and methylmercury in these two environments was not yet investigated using DGT technique. The results show labile Hg species changing with season in the water column of Zenne River, while the sediments are the source of bioavailable MeHg to the water column that is transported further creating a halo effect in the region. Values of labile Hg species for water column and sediments in Gulf of Trieste differ from previous research, highlighting the need for more investigation into Hg bioavailability. MeHg/THg ratios were compared to other sampling methods for labile Hg species.
汞（Hg）是自然和人为排放造成的主要健康隐患之一，无论是在自然环境还是城市环境中都需要加以关注。汞的环境循环受氧化还原反应、微生物代谢和有机物（OM）相互作用的驱动，所有这些都会导致生物累积性有机汞物种的形成；甲基汞（MeHg）会对人类和生态系统健康造成损害。因此，Hg 的不稳定性和生物可利用性一直是许多研究的重点，并使用多种化学示踪剂进行了评估，以更好地了解导致 Hg 及其物种生物可利用性增强的条件。我们利用薄膜扩散梯度技术（DGT）研究了泽纳河（比利时布鲁塞尔）和的里雅斯特湾（亚得里亚海北部）水层和沉积物中的 Hg 活性形态。这两个地区都是当前 Hg 污染的重要区域；前者受到人为城市污染的影响，后者则受到 Hg 采矿造成的历史污染的影响。这两个环境中，使用 DGT 技术对活性无机汞和甲基汞的 Hg 形态进行了研究。研究结果表明，泽纳河的水层中，活性 Hg 物种会随季节而变化，而沉积物则是向水层提供生物可利用的 MeHg 的源头，这些 MeHg 进一步被输送，在该地区形成了一个晕圈效应。的里雅斯特湾的水层和沉积物中的活性 Hg 物种值与之前的研究不同，这突显了对 Hg 生物可利用性进行更多研究的必要性。MeHg/THg 比值与其他活性 Hg 物种的采样方法进行了比较。
