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Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World
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Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2020) | Viewed by 18839

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Claudia Cosio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chaire écotoxicologie Aquasurv
Université Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
Interests: water quality; environmental analysis; environmental microbiology; environmental toxicology; aquatic pollution; bioaccumulation; sediment pollution; mercury
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human past and current activities play a predominant role in the emission and mobilization of mercury (Hg) in the environment. Elemental Hg (Hg0) and inorganic Hg (IHg) emitted in the environment are constantly cycled and recycled through the Hg biogeochemical cycle, among which bioconversion by microorganisms into mono-methyl-Hg (MMHg), bioaccumulation (MMHg and IHg), and biomagnification (MMHg) in food webs are critical aspects for Hg toxicity to biota as well as humans. In 2013, various nations around the world agreed on the first global treaty to mitigate the many deleterious health outcomes associated with Hg release into the environment and MMHg exposure. The same year, a two-gene cluster (hgcA and hgcB) involved in Hg methylation in microorganisms was identified. Subsequently, in recent years, important advances in the understanding of Hg biogeochemical cycle have been made.

This Special Issue invites critical reviews and research papers providing innovative insights into Hg in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. We particularly invite contributions concerning various aspects of Hg delivery into ecosystems, environmental toxicology at different levels of biological organization, and relating laboratory results to field observations. Notably, the specific emphasis is on (i) the drivers and mechanisms by which MMHg is produced; (ii) bio-uptake and mode-of-action of IHg and MMHg; (iii) food chain transfer and ecological effects on populations and communities; (iv) combined action of Hg and environmental stressors; (v) tools and models to predict Hg methylation rates in different systems; and (vi) models supporting risk assessment to assess the current fate and impact of historical sources of Hg.

Prof. Claudia Cosio
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Mercury methylation and demethylation
  • Toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic approaches
  • Adverse outcome pathways
  • Food web transfer
  • Modeling approaches
  • Environmental risk assessment
  • Mercury and environmental stressors effects

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue on Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World
by Claudia Cosio
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(18), 6548; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10186548 - 19 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1527
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is recognized as a persistent global chemical contaminant that accumulates in biota, thus being an ecological hazard, as well as a health risk to fish consumers [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

19 pages, 3932 KiB  
Article
Soil Hg Contamination Impact on Earthworms’ Gut Microbiome
by Jeanine Brantschen, Sebastian Gygax, Adrien Mestrot and Aline Frossard
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2565; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10072565 - 8 Apr 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3418
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and is known for its persistence in the environment and potential to accumulate along the food chain. In many terrestrial polluted sites, earthworms are in direct contact with Hg contamination by ingesting large [...] Read more.
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and is known for its persistence in the environment and potential to accumulate along the food chain. In many terrestrial polluted sites, earthworms are in direct contact with Hg contamination by ingesting large quantities of soil. However, little is known about the impact of Hg soil pollution on earthworms’ gut microbiome. In this study, two incubation experiments involving earthworms in soils from a long-term Hg-polluted site were conducted to assess: (1) the effect of soil Hg contamination on the diversity and structure of microbial communities in earthworm, cast and soil samples; and (2) how the gut microbiome of different digestive track parts of the earthworm responds to soil Hg contamination. The large accumulation of total Hg and methyl-Hg within the earthworm tissues clearly impacted the bacterial and fungal gut community structures, drastically decreasing the relative abundance of the dominating gut bacterial class Mollicutes. Hg-tolerant taxa were found to be taxonomically widespread but consistent along the different parts of the earthworm digestive tract. This study revealed that although Hg might not directly affect the health of macro-organisms in the food-web such as earthworms, their metabolism and legacy in the soil might be impacted through changes in their gut microbiome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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10 pages, 3029 KiB  
Article
Imaging Differential Mercury Species Bioaccumulation in Glass Eels Using Isotopic Tracers and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
by Mathilde Monperrus, Christophe Pécheyran and Valérie Bolliet
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2463; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10072463 - 3 Apr 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2244
Abstract
Dramatic increases in global mercury pollution require a deeper understanding of specific toxicity mechanisms for mercury compounds in organisms. Despite numerous studies addressing mercury toxicity, the detailed mechanisms underlying its transport and accumulation in fish remain unclear. The aim of this study was [...] Read more.
Dramatic increases in global mercury pollution require a deeper understanding of specific toxicity mechanisms for mercury compounds in organisms. Despite numerous studies addressing mercury toxicity, the detailed mechanisms underlying its transport and accumulation in fish remain unclear. The aim of this study was to unravel differential uptake pathways for mercury compounds, metabolisation, and sequestration mechanisms in glass eels using techniques able to localize at the tissue and organ levels. A multi isotope image mapping procedure was developed to simultaneously study the uptake and distribution of both mercury compounds MeHg and Hg(II) within the organs of the whole organism. The use of isotopically labelled Hg species (methylmercury Me201Hg and inorganic mercury 199Hg(II)) and image based on isotope ratio instead of elemental signals allowed to visualize spatially and with time the differential Hg species uptake, transport, and sequestration routes. The results showed a preferential uptake of the MeHg counterpart and a dynamic transport of MeHg within different organs. The gills were the main target organs for MeHg uptake, whereas the skeletal muscle was the final MeHg storage tissue. Hg(II) was found to mainly transit by the gills and the olfactory bulbs with a very low transfer and storage in the other organs and a rapid depuration. No significant internal demethylation and methylation was observed during this experimentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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Graphical abstract

25 pages, 1281 KiB  
Article
Mercury in Juvenile Solea senegalensis: Linking Bioaccumulation, Seafood Safety, and Neuro-Oxidative Responses under Climate Change-Related Stressors
by Carolina Camacho, Ana Luísa Maulvault, Marta T. Santos, Vera Barbosa, Fabíola H. S. Fogaça, Pedro Pousão-Ferreira, M. Leonor Nunes, Rui Rosa and António Marques
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 1993; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10061993 - 14 Mar 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3531
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is globally recognized as a persistent chemical contaminant that accumulates in marine biota, thus constituting an ecological hazard, as well as a health risk to seafood consumers. Climate change-related stressors may influence the bioaccumulation, detoxification, and toxicity of chemical contaminants, such [...] Read more.
Mercury (Hg) is globally recognized as a persistent chemical contaminant that accumulates in marine biota, thus constituting an ecological hazard, as well as a health risk to seafood consumers. Climate change-related stressors may influence the bioaccumulation, detoxification, and toxicity of chemical contaminants, such as Hg. Yet, the potential interactions between environmental stressors and contaminants, as well as their impacts on marine organisms and seafood safety, are still unclear. Hence, the aim of this work was to assess the bioaccumulation of Hg and neuro-oxidative responses on the commercial flat fish species Solea senegalensis (muscle, liver, and brain) co-exposed to dietary Hg in its most toxic form (i.e., MeHg), seawater warming (ΔT°C = +4 °C), and acidification (pCO2 = +1000 µatm, equivalent to ΔpH = −0.4 units). In general, fish liver exhibited the highest Hg concentration, followed by brain and muscle. Warming enhanced Hg bioaccumulation, whereas acidification decreased this element’s levels. Neuro-oxidative responses to stressors were affected by both climate change-related stressors and Hg dietary exposure. Hazard quotient (HQ) estimations evidenced that human exposure to Hg through the consumption of fish species may be aggravated in tomorrow’s ocean, thus raising concerns from the seafood safety perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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Graphical abstract

19 pages, 1364 KiB  
Article
Testing the Use of Standardized Laboratory Tests to Infer Hg Bioaccumulation in Indigenous Benthic Organisms of Lake Maggiore (NW Italy)
by Davide A.L. Vignati, Roberta Bettinetti, Angela Boggero and Sara Valsecchi
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(6), 1970; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10061970 - 13 Mar 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2236
Abstract
The chronic toxicity of mercury essentially derives from its strong tendency to biomagnify along food webs. For this reason, the European regulatory framework establishes an environmental quality standard for Hg based on the total Hg concentration in prey fish to protect top predators. [...] Read more.
The chronic toxicity of mercury essentially derives from its strong tendency to biomagnify along food webs. For this reason, the European regulatory framework establishes an environmental quality standard for Hg based on the total Hg concentration in prey fish to protect top predators. A considerable part of the Hg burden of prey fish can come from the ingestion of benthic organisms that, in the presence of contaminated sediments, may remobilize substantial amounts of Hg towards the pelagic food webs. The present study evaluated whether Hg accumulation in assemblages of indigenous chironomids and oligochaetes could be predicted using standardized laboratory bioaccumulation tests with Chironomus riparius and Lumbriculus variegatus. Indigenous chironomids and oligochaetes were recovered at different sites in a lake suffering from legacy Hg pollution and analyzed for total Hg content. Sediment aliquots from the same sites were used to assess Hg bioaccumulation using laboratory-reared C. riparius and L. variegatus. Mercury concentrations in indigenous versus laboratory organisms showed a good correlation (p < 0.05; Spearman correlation test) only in the case of C. riparius versus indigenous chironomids, suggesting the possibility of using linear regressions to predict Hg accumulation by these benthic invertebrates. Further research needs and caveats as to the applicability of the present results to other aquatic systems are identified and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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16 pages, 1402 KiB  
Article
Influence of Macrophyte and Gut Microbiota on Mercury Contamination in Fish: A Microcosms Study
by Sophie Gentès, Mathilde Monperrus, Alexia Legeay, Claire Gassie, Régine Maury-Brachet, Jean-Marc André and Rémy Guyoneaud
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(4), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10041500 - 22 Feb 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2865
Abstract
The freshwater lakes of southwestern France are subject to the development of invasive macrophytes which are associated with mercury (Hg) contamination of the food web. The aim of this study was to determine the bioavailability of methylmercury (MeHg) produced by plant roots in [...] Read more.
The freshwater lakes of southwestern France are subject to the development of invasive macrophytes which are associated with mercury (Hg) contamination of the food web. The aim of this study was to determine the bioavailability of methylmercury (MeHg) produced by plant roots in aquatic ecosystems. A microcosm experiment was performed using isotopically enriched inorganic Hg at environmental concentrations (1 µg 199IHg·L−1). For all conditions, total Hg in fish as well as Hg species associated with different compartments (water, sediments, plant roots, fish) were analyzed by gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS). In addition, sediment, plants, and fish gut microbiota were studied by MiSEQ sequencing. Some strains were isolated and tested for their ability to methylate Hg. The results revealed 199MeHg production in plant roots and the presence of this form in fish (tissues and gut), highlighting a MeHg trophic transfer. Moreover, methylator bacteria were identified from the gut contents of the fish when they were in the presence of plants. Some of them were related to bacteria found in the plant roots. On the basis of these results, the transfer of MeHg and bacteria from plants to fish is highlighted; in addition, Hg methylation is strongly suspected in the fish gut, potentially increasing the Hg bioaccumulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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Review

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12 pages, 580 KiB  
Review
Inorganic Mercury and Methyl-Mercury Uptake and Effects in the Aquatic Plant Elodea nuttallii: A Review of Multi-Omic Data in the Field and in Controlled Conditions
by Claudia Cosio
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(5), 1817; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10051817 - 6 Mar 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2483
Abstract
(1) Background: Mercury is a threat for the aquatic environment. Nonetheless, the entrance of Hg into food webs is not fully understood. Macrophytes are both central for Hg entry in food webs and are seen as good candidates for biomonitoring and bioremediation; (2) [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Mercury is a threat for the aquatic environment. Nonetheless, the entrance of Hg into food webs is not fully understood. Macrophytes are both central for Hg entry in food webs and are seen as good candidates for biomonitoring and bioremediation; (2) Methods: We review the knowledge gained on the uptake and effects of inorganic Hg (IHg) and methyl-Hg (MMHg) in the macrophyte Elodea nuttallii found in temperate freshwaters; (3) Results: E. nuttallii bioaccumulates IHg and MMHg, but IHg shows a higher affinity to cell walls. At the individual level, IHg reduced chlorophyll, while MMHg increased anthocyanin. Transcriptomics and metabolomics in shoots revealed that MMHg regulated a higher number of genes than IHg. Proteomics and metabolomics in cytosol revealed that IHg had more effect than MMHg; (4) Conclusions: MMHg and IHg show different cellular toxicity pathways. MMHg’s main impact appears on the non-soluble compartment, while IHg’s main impact happens on the soluble compartment. This is congruent with the higher affinity of IHg with dissolved OM (DOM) or cell walls. E. nuttallii is promising for biomonitoring, as its uptake and molecular responses reflect exposure to IHg and MMHg. More generally, multi-omics approaches identify cellular toxicity pathways and the early impact of sublethal pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioconversion, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Mercury in a Changing World)
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