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Mercury paper - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry vol 22:7 2003


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#1 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 17 January 2007 - 10:33 PM

Discuss.

I found this paper interesting because most of the studies in toxicology I have read looked at the physical effects of the toxicant, such as mortality or damage to the reproductive system. Changes in the predator avoidance behavior due to mercury exposure would seem to accelerate the biomagnification process leading to higher bioacculumation in the predators.

#2 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 18 January 2007 - 10:06 AM

Discuss.

I found this paper interesting because most of the studies in toxicology I have read looked at the physical effects of the toxicant, such as mortality or damage to the reproductive system. Changes in the predator avoidance behavior due to mercury exposure would seem to accelerate the biomagnification process leading to higher bioacculumation in the predators.


I don't have the paper in front of me; one thing I'm unclear of is the difference in biological effects of methyl mercury (the common form in food webs) vs. that of uncomplexed mercury. Concentration values for both forms were reported, and apparently the methyl mercury concentration is the one they pay attention to for comparative purposes to "natural" pollution levels? In terms of fish behavior they seem to have found a clear, key difference in mercury-exposed fish in terms of their inability to quickly re-shoal after predator exposurel leaving them more vulnerable to being picked off. I didn't notice any glaring experimental design problems in my one serious read of the paper.

#3 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 18 January 2007 - 12:12 PM

From what I remember, looking at uncomplexed mercury we find Hg^0, Hg^+, and Hg^2+. Both Hg^0 and Hg^2+ are considered pretty much non toxic. Hg^2+ exposure induces metallothionein production. It will non-selectively bind to the SH-group (sulfhydryl) of proteins, which may lead to the production of reactive oxygen species such as O2-, H2O2, or OH-.



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