Multi-decadal trends in mercury and methylmercury concentrations in the brown watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota)

Haskins, David L.; Brown, M. Kyle; Qin, Chongyang; Xu, Xiaoyu; Pilgrim, Melissa A.; Tuberville, Tracey D.

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116722

Multi-decadal trends in mercury and methylmercury concentrations in the brown watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota)

Journal Article · Mon Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2021 · Environmental Pollution

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116722· OSTI ID:1848960

Haskins, David L. ^[1]; Brown, M. Kyle ^[2]; Qin, Chongyang ^[3]; Xu, Xiaoyu ^[3]; Pilgrim, Melissa A. ^[4]; Tuberville, Tracey D. ^[3]

Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)
Univ. of South Carolina, Spartanburg, SC (United States). Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that poses a threat to aquatic systems globally. Temporal evaluations of Hg contamination have increased in recent years, with studies focusing on how anthropogenic activities impact Hg bioavailability in a variety of aquatic systems. While it is common for these studies and ecological risk assessments to evaluate Hg bioaccumulation and effects in wildlife, there is a paucity of information regarding Hg dynamics in reptiles. The goal of this study was to investigate temporal patterns in total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations across a 36-year period, as well as evaluate relationships among and between destructive (kidney, liver, muscle) and non-destructive (blood, tail) tissue types in a common watersnake species. To accomplish this, we measured THg and MeHg concentrations in multiple tissues from brown watersnakes (Nerodia taxispilota) collected from Steel Creek on the Savannah River Site (SRS; Aiken, SC, USA) from two time periods (1983–1986 and 2019). We discovered significant and positive relationships between tail tips and destructive tissues. In both time periods, THg concentrations varied significantly by tissue type, and destructive tissues exhibited higher but predictable THg values relative to tail tissue. Methylmercury concentrations did not differ among tissues from the 1980s but was significantly higher in muscle compared to other tissues from snakes collected in 2019. Percent MeHg of THg in N. taxispilota tissues mirrored patterns reported in other reptiles, although the range of % MeHg in liver and kidney differed between time periods. Both THg and MeHg concentrations in N. taxispilota declined significantly from the 1980s to 2019, with average values 1.6 to 4-fold lower in contemporary samples. Overall, our data add further evidence to the utility of watersnakes to monitor Hg pollution in aquatic environments and suggest attenuation of this contaminant in watersnakes in our study system.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)

Grant/Contract Number:: EM0004391

OSTI ID:: 1848960

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1777584

Journal Information:: Environmental Pollution, Journal Name: Environmental Pollution Journal Issue: C Vol. 276; ISSN 0269-7491

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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