Nunes Neto Osvaldo Gato, Dias Salatiel Ribeiro, Albuquerque Fábio Edir Amaral, Miranda Marta, Lopez-Alonso Marta, Oliveira Ricardo Bezerra, Pinto Diana, Minervino Antonio Humberto Hamad
Laboratory of Animal Health, LARSANA, Federal University of Western Pará, UFOPA, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, CEP 68040-255, Santarém, PA, Brazil; Ph.D. Program in Society, Nature and Development, PPGSND, Federal University of Western Pará, UFOPA, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, CEP 68040-255, Santarém, PA, Brazil.
Laboratory of Animal Health, LARSANA, Federal University of Western Pará, UFOPA, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, CEP 68040-255, Santarém, PA, Brazil; Department of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002, Lugo, Spain.
Chemosphere. 2024 Mar;351:141146. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141146. Epub 2024 Jan 9.
Recent ecotoxicological studies have indicated mercury (Hg) contamination in aquatic ecosystems in the Amazon Basin. Although Hg contamination can be associated with small-scale gold mining, the soils of the Amazon region have naturally high Hg concentrations, and can be transported to aquatic ecosystems via deforestation and mining activities. Biomagnification of Hg can pose risks to the local human population; therefore, its concentration in fish tissues must be monitored consistently. Fast and sensitive Hg determination is required for continuously monitoring ecosystems impacted by mineral exploration. The direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80) is widely used for determining total Hg levels in tissue samples; it is fast and cost-effective, without requiring sample preparation. Here, we determined the sensitivity and specificity of Hg detection accomplished using DMA-80, and whether these results are reliable compared to those obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), which is the gold standard. We obtained 106 paired dried samples of muscle tissue from fish species occupying different trophic levels in the Lower Amazon region, and analyzed them using both equipment (DMA-80 and ICP-MS). The results obtained using DMA-80 had an overall Hg mean of 1.90 ± 0.18 mg/kg which was higher (p < 0.05) than the mean of those obtained using ICP-MS (1.55 ± 0.13 mg/kg). Linear regression analysis comparing the Hg levels obtained using both devices was within the 95% prediction interval, and a high coefficient of correlation showed agreement between the devices (r = 0.979; 0.069 to 0.986, 95% CI). Bland-Altman analysis showed that DMA-80 had a positive bias of 6.5% in relation to ICP-MS, which is more evident in samples with high Hg concentrations. DMA-80 was efficient in determining whether the Hg levels exceeded the maximum allowed levels required by the European Union, USA, and Brazil, showing a specificity and sensitivity of above 95%.
近期的生态毒理学研究表明，亚马逊河流域的水生生态系统存在汞（Hg）污染。虽然汞污染可能与小规模金矿开采有关，但亚马逊地区的土壤天然汞含量就很高，并且可通过森林砍伐和采矿活动传输至水生生态系统。汞的生物放大作用会对当地人口构成风险；因此，必须持续监测鱼类组织中的汞浓度。对于持续监测受矿产勘探影响的生态系统而言，需要快速且灵敏地测定汞含量。直接测汞仪（DMA - 80）被广泛用于测定组织样本中的总汞含量；它速度快且经济高效，无需进行样本制备。在此，我们测定了使用DMA - 80进行汞检测的灵敏度和特异性，以及与作为金标准的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（ICP - MS）所获结果相比，这些结果是否可靠。我们从亚马逊河下游地区不同营养级的鱼类物种中获取了106对干燥的肌肉组织样本，并使用这两种设备（DMA - 80和ICP - MS）对其进行分析。使用DMA - 80所获结果的汞总体均值为1.90±0.18毫克/千克，高于使用ICP - MS所获结果的均值（1.55±0.13毫克/千克）（p < 0.05）。比较两种设备所获汞含量水平的线性回归分析在95%预测区间内，且高相关系数表明两种设备之间具有一致性（r = 0.979；0.069至0.986，95%置信区间）。布兰德 - 奥特曼分析表明，与ICP - MS相比，DMA - 80有6.5%的正偏差，在汞浓度高的样本中更为明显。DMA - 80在确定汞含量是否超过欧盟、美国和巴西规定的最大允许水平方面效率很高，特异性和灵敏度均高于95%。
