LEVEL OF MERCURY IN FISH FROM THE ETHIOPIAN RIFT VALLEY LAKES: ITS IMPLICATIONS IN DIETARY EXPOSURE
Keywords:
Fish consumption, Fish species, Hg, Rift Valley Lakes.
Abstract
Environmental contaminants in fish pose a potential human health hazard. The level of mercury (Hg) was investigated in three fish
species, i.e., Labeobarbus intermedius, Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus, from Lake Koka and Lake Ziway, Ethiopia. The concentrations
of Hg found in C. gariepinus and O. niloticus from Lake Koka and Lake Ziway were, in general, lower than the International Marketing Limit (IML)
(0.5 μg g -1 ) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (0.2 μg g -1 ) for consumption. This finding is, in general, in agreement with most studies conducted in other African lakes. However, of the total fish samples for each species, 67% of L. intermedius from Lake Koka and 27% of L. intermedius from Lake Ziway showed Hg concentrations that exceeded WHO guidelines (0.2 μg g -1 ) for consumption. Species variation in total Hg (THg) accumulation is attributed to trophic position, and therefore, consumption of fish from a high trophic level may represent a potential health hazard. Consumption of L. intermedius from both lakes may pose a special health risk to children and pregnant women. However, L. intermedius has a low preference as a food fish, and is therefore not widely used by the local people.
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References
Alemayehu Esayas, Skipperud, L., Rosseland, B.O., Zinabu Gebremariam, Meland, S., Teien, H.-C. and Salbu, B. (2011). Speciation of selected trace elements in three Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes (Koka, Ziway, and Awassa) and their major inflows. Sci. Total Environ. 409: 3955–3970.
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Boening, D.W. (2000). Ecological effects, transport, and fate of mercury: A general review. Chemosphere 40: 1335–1351.
Campbell, L.M., Osano, O., Hecky, R.E. and Dixon, D.G. (2003a). Mercury in fish from three rift valley lakes (Turkana, Naivasha and Baringo), Kenya, East Africa. Environ. Pollut. 125: 281–286.
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Campbell, L.M., Balirwa, J.S., Dixon, D.G., Hecky, R.E. (2004). Biomagnification of mercury in fish from Thruston Bay, Napoleon Gulf, Lake Victoria (East Africa). Afr. J. Aquat. Sci. 29:91–96.
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Campbell, L., Verburg, P., Dixon, D.G. and Hecky, R.E. (2008). Mercury biomagnification in the food web of Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, East Africa). Sci. Total Environ. 402: 184–191.
Carrasco, L., Barata, C., Garcia-Berthou, E., Tobias, A., Bayona, J.M. and Diez, S. (2011). Patterns of mercury and methylmercury bioaccumulation in fish species. Chemosphere 84: 1642–1649.
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Ermias Deribe, Rosseland, B.O., Borgstrøm, R., Salbu, B., Zinabu Gebremariam, Elias Dadebo, Norli, H.R. and Eklo, O.M. (2011). Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish species from Lake Koka, Ethiopia: The influence of lipid content and trophic position. Sci. Total Environ. 410–411: 136–145.
Ermias Deribe, Alemayehu Esayas, Peder, A.G., Sir, B., Rosseland, B.O., Borgstrøm, R.,Elias Dadebo, Zinabu Gebremariam, Eklo, O.M., Skipperud, L. and Salbu, B. (2014). Bioaccumulation of mercury in fish species from the Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes. Int. J. Environ. Prot. 4 (1): 15–22.
Fitzgerald, W.F., Engstrom, D.R., Mason, R.P. and Nater, E.A. (1998). The case for atmospheric mercury contamination in remote areas. Environ. Sci. Technol. 32: 1–7.
Grandjean, P., Budtz-Jørgensen, E., White, R.F., Jørgensen, P.J., Weihe, P., Debes, F. and Keding, N. (1999). Methylmercury exposure biomarkers as indicators of neurotoxicity in children aged 7 years. Am. J. Epidemiol. 150: 301–305.
Hollamby, S., Afema-Azikuru, J., Sikarskie, J.G., Kaneene, J.B., Bowerman, W.W.,Fitzgerald, S.D., Cameron, K., Gandolf, A.R., Hui, G.N., Dranzoa, C. and
Rumbeiha, W.K. (2004). Mercury and persistent organic pollutant concentrations in African fish eagle, marabou storks, and Nile tilapia in Uganda. J. Wildlife Dis.40: 501–514.
Kidd, K.A., Bootsma, H.A., Hesslein, R.H., Lyle Lockhart, W. and Hecky, R.E. (2003). Mercury concentrations in the food web of Lake Malawi, East Africa. J. Great Lakes Res. 29, Suppl. 2: 258–266.
Kidd, K.A., Stern, G. and Lemoalle, J. (2004). Mercury and other contaminants in fish from Lake Chad, Africa. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 73:249–256.
Morel, F.M.M., Kraepiel, A.M.L. and Amyot, M. (1998). The chemical cycle and bioaccumulation of mercury. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 29: 543–566.
Nguetseng, R., Fliedner, A., Knopf, B., Lebreton, B., Quack, M. and Rüdel, H. (2015). Retrospective monitoring of mercury in fish from selected European freshwater and estuary sites. Chemosphere 134:427–434.
Ninomiya, T., Imamura, K., Kuwahata, M., Kindaichi, M., Susa, M. and Ekino, S. (2005). Reappraisal of somatosensory disorders in methylmercury poisoning. Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 27: 643–653.
Rosseland, B.O., Massabuau, J.C., Grimalt, J., Hofer, R., Lackner, R., Rognerud, S. and Lien, L. (1999). The ecophysiology and ecotoxicology of fishes as a tool for monitoring and management strategy of high mountain lakes and rivers in acidified areas. Zoology 102(2–3): 90–100.
Rosseland, B.O., Massabuau, J.C., Grimalt, J., Lackner, R.H., Raddum, R. G., Rognerud, S. and Vives, I. (2001). Fish ecotoxicology, The EMERGE fish sampling manual for live fish. The EMERGE Project (European Mountain Lake Ecosystems: Regionalisation, diagnostic and socio-economic
evaluation) (http://www.mountain-lakes.org/emerge/methods/29.pdfl).
Rudd, J.W.M. (1995). Sources of methyl mercury to freshwater ecosystems: A review. Water Air Soil Poll. 80: 697–713.
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Bloom, N.S. (1992). On the chemical form of mercury in edible fish and marine invertebrate tissue. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 1010–1017.
Boening, D.W. (2000). Ecological effects, transport, and fate of mercury: A general review. Chemosphere 40: 1335–1351.
Campbell, L.M., Osano, O., Hecky, R.E. and Dixon, D.G. (2003a). Mercury in fish from three rift valley lakes (Turkana, Naivasha and Baringo), Kenya, East Africa. Environ. Pollut. 125: 281–286.
Campbell, L., Dixon, D.G. and Hecky, R.E. (2003b). A review of mercury in Lake Victoria,East Africa: Implications for human and ecosystem health. J. Toxicol. Env. Heal. B 6: 325–356.
Campbell, L.M., Hecky, R.E., Muggide, R., Dixon, D.G. and Ramlal, P.S. (2003c). Variation and distribution of total mercury in water, sediment and soil from northern Lake Victoria, East Africa. Biogeochemistry 65: 195–211.
Campbell, L.M., Hecky, R.E., Nyaundi, J., Muggide, R. and George, D.D. (2003d). Distribution and food-web transfer of mercury in Napoleon and Winam Gulfs, Lake Victoria, East Africa. J. Great Lakes Res. 29, Suppl. 2: 267–282.
Campbell, L.M., Balirwa, J.S., Dixon, D.G., Hecky, R.E. (2004). Biomagnification of mercury in fish from Thruston Bay, Napoleon Gulf, Lake Victoria (East Africa). Afr. J. Aquat. Sci. 29:91–96.
Campbell, L., Hecky, R.E., Dixon, D.G. and Chapman, L.J. (2006). Food web structure and mercury transfer in two contrasting Ugandan highland crater lakes (East Africa). Afr. J. Ecol. 44:337–346.
Campbell, L., Verburg, P., Dixon, D.G. and Hecky, R.E. (2008). Mercury biomagnification in the food web of Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, East Africa). Sci. Total Environ. 402: 184–191.
Carrasco, L., Barata, C., Garcia-Berthou, E., Tobias, A., Bayona, J.M. and Diez, S. (2011). Patterns of mercury and methylmercury bioaccumulation in fish species. Chemosphere 84: 1642–1649.
Counter, S.A. and Buchanan, L.H. (2004). Mercury exposure in children: A review. Toxicol. Appl. Pharm. 198: 209–230. Downs, S.G., MacLeod, C.L. and Lester, J.N. (1998). Mercury in precipitation and its relation to bioaccumulation in fish: A literature review. Water Air Soil Poll. 108:149–187.
Durrieu, G., Maury-Brachet, R. and Boudou, A. (2005). Goldmining and mercury contamination of the piscivorous fish Hoplias aimara in French Guiana (Amazon basin). Ecotox. Environ. Safe. 60: 315–323.
Ermias Deribe, Rosseland, B.O., Borgstrøm, R., Salbu, B., Zinabu Gebremariam, Elias Dadebo, Norli, H.R. and Eklo, O.M. (2011). Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish species from Lake Koka, Ethiopia: The influence of lipid content and trophic position. Sci. Total Environ. 410–411: 136–145.
Ermias Deribe, Alemayehu Esayas, Peder, A.G., Sir, B., Rosseland, B.O., Borgstrøm, R.,Elias Dadebo, Zinabu Gebremariam, Eklo, O.M., Skipperud, L. and Salbu, B. (2014). Bioaccumulation of mercury in fish species from the Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes. Int. J. Environ. Prot. 4 (1): 15–22.
Fitzgerald, W.F., Engstrom, D.R., Mason, R.P. and Nater, E.A. (1998). The case for atmospheric mercury contamination in remote areas. Environ. Sci. Technol. 32: 1–7.
Grandjean, P., Budtz-Jørgensen, E., White, R.F., Jørgensen, P.J., Weihe, P., Debes, F. and Keding, N. (1999). Methylmercury exposure biomarkers as indicators of neurotoxicity in children aged 7 years. Am. J. Epidemiol. 150: 301–305.
Hollamby, S., Afema-Azikuru, J., Sikarskie, J.G., Kaneene, J.B., Bowerman, W.W.,Fitzgerald, S.D., Cameron, K., Gandolf, A.R., Hui, G.N., Dranzoa, C. and
Rumbeiha, W.K. (2004). Mercury and persistent organic pollutant concentrations in African fish eagle, marabou storks, and Nile tilapia in Uganda. J. Wildlife Dis.40: 501–514.
Kidd, K.A., Bootsma, H.A., Hesslein, R.H., Lyle Lockhart, W. and Hecky, R.E. (2003). Mercury concentrations in the food web of Lake Malawi, East Africa. J. Great Lakes Res. 29, Suppl. 2: 258–266.
Kidd, K.A., Stern, G. and Lemoalle, J. (2004). Mercury and other contaminants in fish from Lake Chad, Africa. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 73:249–256.
Morel, F.M.M., Kraepiel, A.M.L. and Amyot, M. (1998). The chemical cycle and bioaccumulation of mercury. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 29: 543–566.
Nguetseng, R., Fliedner, A., Knopf, B., Lebreton, B., Quack, M. and Rüdel, H. (2015). Retrospective monitoring of mercury in fish from selected European freshwater and estuary sites. Chemosphere 134:427–434.
Ninomiya, T., Imamura, K., Kuwahata, M., Kindaichi, M., Susa, M. and Ekino, S. (2005). Reappraisal of somatosensory disorders in methylmercury poisoning. Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 27: 643–653.
Rosseland, B.O., Massabuau, J.C., Grimalt, J., Hofer, R., Lackner, R., Rognerud, S. and Lien, L. (1999). The ecophysiology and ecotoxicology of fishes as a tool for monitoring and management strategy of high mountain lakes and rivers in acidified areas. Zoology 102(2–3): 90–100.
Rosseland, B.O., Massabuau, J.C., Grimalt, J., Lackner, R.H., Raddum, R. G., Rognerud, S. and Vives, I. (2001). Fish ecotoxicology, The EMERGE fish sampling manual for live fish. The EMERGE Project (European Mountain Lake Ecosystems: Regionalisation, diagnostic and socio-economic
evaluation) (http://www.mountain-lakes.org/emerge/methods/29.pdfl).
Rudd, J.W.M. (1995). Sources of methyl mercury to freshwater ecosystems: A review. Water Air Soil Poll. 80: 697–713.
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Published
2014-10-11
Section
Articles