The concentration and biomagnification of trace metals and metalloids across four trophic levels in a marine food web.

Madgett, Alethea S.; Yates, Kyari; Webster, Lynda; McKenzie, Craig; Moffat, Colin F.

Abstract

To be able to assess progress towards “Good Environmental Status” adopted across European Member States, and by the United Kingdom through its 3-stage Marine Strategy, contaminant concentrations and their biological effects need to be assessed in environmental samples by comparison to assessment criteria. This study examines the variability of concentrations (inter- and intra- species variation) of three priority heavy metals (Hg, Cd and Pb) and six additional trace metals and metalloids (As, Ni, Se, Zn, Cu and Cr) in twenty-three species across four trophic levels from different locations around Scotland. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were calculated using two methods for metals/metalloids possessing a significant trophic relationship (Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn) to refine and improve the application of TMFs to assess and predict biomagnification risk of metals/metalloids to biota in the environment. It was concluded that a reasonable balance in sample numbers of lower- versus higher-trophic level organisms is highly recommended when calculating TMFs and appropriate species selection is vital to ensure TMFs accurately represent the selected ecosystem.

Citation

MADGETT, A.S., YATES, K., WEBSTER, L., MCKENZIE, C. and MOFFAT, C.F. 2021. The concentration and biomagnification of trace metals and metalloids across four trophic levels in a marine food web. Marine pollution bulletin [online], 173, part A, article 112929. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112929

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Sep 14, 2021
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2021
• Deposit Date: Sep 6, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 15, 2022
• Journal: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Print ISSN: 0025-326X
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-3363
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 173
• Issue: part A
• Article Number: 112929
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112929
• Keywords: Metals; Biomagnification; Scotland; Assessment; Trophic; Contamination
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1446767
• Additional Information: The accompanying file contains supplementary material at the end of the full text file.