Assessment of mercury and selenium tissular concentrations and total mercury body burden in 6 Steller sea lion pups from the Aleutian Islands

Mar Pollut Bull. 2014 May 15;82(1-2):175-82. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.022. Epub 2014 Mar 21.

Abstract

Concentrations of total mercury ([THg]) and selenium ([TSe]) were measured in several tissue compartments in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups; in addition we determined specific compartment and body burdens of THg. Compartmental and body burdens were calculated by multiplying specific compartment fresh weight by the [THg] (summing compartment burdens equals body burden). In all 6 pup tissue sets (1) highest [THg] was in hair, (2) lowest [THg] was in bone, and (3) pelt, muscle and liver burdens contributed the top three highest percentages of THg body burden. In 5 of 6 pups the Se:Hg molar ratios among compartments ranged from 0.9 to 43.0. The pup with the highest hair [THg] had Se:Hg molar ratios in 9 of 14 compartments that were ⩽ 0.7 potentially indicating an inadequate [TSe] relative to [THg].

Keywords: Burden; Mercury; Molar ratio; Selenium; Steller sea lions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alaska
  • Animals
  • Body Burden
  • Bone and Bones / chemistry*
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hair / chemistry*
  • Hair / metabolism
  • Liver / chemistry*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mercury / analysis*
  • Mercury / metabolism
  • Muscles / chemistry*
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Sea Lions / metabolism*
  • Selenium / analysis*
  • Selenium / metabolism
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism

Substances

  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Mercury
  • Selenium