IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-42463-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dissolved organic matter thiol concentrations determine methylmercury bioavailability across the terrestrial-marine aquatic continuum

Author

Listed:
  • Emily Seelen

    (University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences
    University of Southern California, Earth Sciences)

  • Van Liem-Nguyen

    (Umeå University, Department of Chemistry)

  • Urban Wünsch

    (National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Oceans and Arctic)

  • Zofia Baumann

    (University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences)

  • Robert Mason

    (University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences)

  • Ulf Skyllberg

    (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Ecology and Management Umeå)

  • Erik Björn

    (Umeå University, Department of Chemistry)

Abstract

The most critical step for methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in aquatic food webs is phytoplankton uptake of dissolved MeHg. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been known to influence MeHg uptake, but the mechanisms have remained unclear. Here we show that the concentration of DOM-associated thiol functional groups (DOM-RSH) varies substantially across contrasting aquatic systems and dictates MeHg speciation and bioavailability to phytoplankton. Across our 20 study sites, DOM-RSH concentrations decrease 40-fold from terrestrial to marine environments whereas dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the typical proxy for MeHg binding sites in DOM, only has a 5-fold decrease. MeHg accumulation into phytoplankton is shown to be directly linked to the concentration of specific MeHg binding sites (DOM-RSH), rather than DOC. Therefore, MeHg bioavailability increases systematically across the terrestrial-marine aquatic continuum as the DOM-RSH concentration decreases. Our results strongly suggest that measuring DOM-RSH concentrations will improve empirical models in phytoplankton uptake studies and will form a refined basis for modeling MeHg incorporation in aquatic food webs under various environmental conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily Seelen & Van Liem-Nguyen & Urban Wünsch & Zofia Baumann & Robert Mason & Ulf Skyllberg & Erik Björn, 2023. "Dissolved organic matter thiol concentrations determine methylmercury bioavailability across the terrestrial-marine aquatic continuum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42463-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42463-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-42463-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-42463-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James E. Bauer & Wei-Jun Cai & Peter A. Raymond & Thomas S. Bianchi & Charles S. Hopkinson & Pierre A. G. Regnier, 2013. "The changing carbon cycle of the coastal ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 504(7478), pages 61-70, December.
    2. Carl H. Lamborg & Chad R. Hammerschmidt & Katlin L. Bowman & Gretchen J. Swarr & Kathleen M. Munson & Daniel C. Ohnemus & Phoebe J. Lam & Lars-Eric Heimbürger & Micha J. A. Rijkenberg & Mak A. Saito, 2014. "A global ocean inventory of anthropogenic mercury based on water column measurements," Nature, Nature, vol. 512(7512), pages 65-68, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fabian Quichimbo-Miguitama & David Matamoros & Leticia Jiménez & Pablo Quichimbo-Miguitama, 2022. "Influence of Low-Impact Development in Flood Control: A Case Study of the Febres Cordero Stormwater System of Guayaquil (Ecuador)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Cossarini, G. & Querin, S. & Solidoro, C., 2015. "The continental shelf carbon pump in the northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea): Influence of wintertime variability," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 314(C), pages 118-134.
    3. Katrina L Poppe & John M Rybczyk, 2021. "Tidal marsh restoration enhances sediment accretion and carbon accumulation in the Stillaguamish River estuary, Washington," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Luisetti, Tiziana & Turner, R. Kerry & Andrews, Julian E. & Jickells, Timothy D. & Kröger, Silke & Diesing, Markus & Paltriguera, Lucille & Johnson, Martin T. & Parker, Eleanor R. & Bakker, Dorothee C, 2019. "Quantifying and valuing carbon flows and stores in coastal and shelf ecosystems in the UK," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 67-76.
    5. Jane A. Parkin Kullmann & Roger Pamphlett, 2018. "A Comparison of Mercury Exposure from Seafood Consumption and Dental Amalgam Fillings in People with and without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): An International Online Case-Control Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Jiang, Long & Xia, Meng, 2017. "Wind effects on the spring phytoplankton dynamics in the middle reach of the Chesapeake Bay," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 363(C), pages 68-80.
    7. Wei-Jen Huang & Kai-Jung Kao & Li-Lian Liu & Chi-Wen Liao & Yin-Lung Han, 2018. "An Assessment of Direct Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Injection to the Coastal Region: A Model Result," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-10, April.
    8. Hao Su & Shuo Yang, 2022. "Spatio-Temporal Urban Land Green Use Efficiency under Carbon Emission Constraints in the Yellow River Basin, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-28, October.
    9. Dong Liu & Kun Shi & Peng Chen & Nuoxiao Yan & Lishan Ran & Tiit Kutser & Andrew N. Tyler & Evangelos Spyrakos & R. Iestyn Woolway & Yunlin Zhang & Hongtao Duan, 2024. "Substantial increase of organic carbon storage in Chinese lakes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    10. Tom Rippeth & Sijing Shen & Ben Lincoln & Brian Scannell & Xin Meng & Joanne Hopkins & Jonathan Sharples, 2024. "The deepwater oxygen deficit in stratified shallow seas is mediated by diapycnal mixing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    11. Schofield, Keith, 2017. "Mercury emission control: Phase II. Let’s now go passive," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 311-318.
    12. KHAN Shohel & MOUSUMI Israth Jahan & BILLAH Mohammad Maruf, 2022. "Crop Production Fluctuation And Agricultural Transformation: Impacts Of Constructing A Closure Dam," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 30-35, June.
    13. Liang Chen & Zhengxin Yin & Meng Tang & Tuanjie Li & Dong Xu, 2022. "Distribution and Genesis of Organic Carbon Storage on the Northern Shelf of the South China Sea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Feng, Jing-Chun & Sun, Liwei & Yan, Jinyue, 2023. "Carbon sequestration via shellfish farming: A potential negative emissions technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    15. Miguel Motas & Silvia Jerez & Marta Esteban & Francisco Valera & José Javier Cuervo & Andrés Barbosa, 2021. "Mercury Levels in Feathers of Penguins from the Antarctic Peninsula Area: Geographical and Inter-Specific Differences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    16. Shasha Song & Isaac R. Santos & Huaming Yu & Faming Wang & William C. Burnett & Thomas S. Bianchi & Junyu Dong & Ergang Lian & Bin Zhao & Lawrence Mayer & Qingzhen Yao & Zhigang Yu & Bochao Xu, 2022. "A global assessment of the mixed layer in coastal sediments and implications for carbon storage," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    17. Miho Ishizu & Yasumasa Miyazawa & Tomohiko Tsunoda & Xinyu Guo, 2019. "Development of a Biogeochemical and Carbon Model Related to Ocean Acidification Indices with an Operational Ocean Model Product in the North Western Pacific," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-28, May.
    18. Kunshan Bao & Ji Shen & Guoping Wang & Chuanyu Gao, 2015. "Anthropogenic Black Carbon Emission Increase during the Last 150 Years at Coastal Jiangsu, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    19. Jiang Wu & Nan Xu & Yichu Wang & Wei Zhang & Alistair G. L. Borthwick & Jinren Ni, 2021. "Global syndromes induced by changes in solutes of the world’s large rivers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    20. Laurel Ballanti & Kristin B. Byrd & Isa Woo & Christopher Ellings, 2017. "Remote Sensing for Wetland Mapping and Historical Change Detection at the Nisqually River Delta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-32, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42463-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.