A Comparison of Metal Accumulation in Arctic and Temperate Marine Organisms

主要研究员将比较北极和温带三种生物种群对金属和核废物相关放射性核素的生物累积。 在陆地和水生生物中经常观察到高浓度的重金属和放射性核素，而这些生物是当地人口生计的关键。 因此，这些元素在北极可能有很大的来源和/或北极食物链对金属和环境的有效积累。 在爱尔兰海、北大西洋和俄罗斯北极地区大规模有控制地排放放射性物质，引起了人们对敏感的商业和自给性渔业所受影响的关切。 对北极地区人为放射性核素和重金属构成的危险进行风险评估的一个基本假设是，在温带条件下对温带生物进行的生物累积和营养转移研究适用于北极地区。 本研究将直接和systemic.Standard放射性示踪剂的方法评估金属的积累将被用来比较三个物种的金属吸收：蛤，Macoma balthica;贻贝; Myacomedulis;和棕色的，墨角藻vesiculosus。 这些物种要么被人类或对当地饮食很重要的生物吃掉，要么被广泛用于生物监测计划。 将使用六种放射性同位素：137 Cs，241 Am，109 Cd，203 Hg，65 Zn和110 mAg。 它们要么是放射性废料的成分（131 Cs、241 Am、110 mAg和65 Zn），要么是在北极和其他地方的生物体软组织中发现的高含量金属（Ag、Zn、Cd、Hg）。 这些金属在颗粒反应性、与蛋白质的结合和生物功能方面也有很大的范围。将直接比较每一物种的北极种群和温带种群对整个生物体的放射性核素吸收和损失的温度依赖性，这项研究的结果将有三个应用：1）北极生物体对金属和放射性核素的吸收和损失将改善对人为金属和放射性核素对当地种群构成的危险的评估：2）研究结果将促进对目标生物组织中地理变异性的解释; 3）研究结果将有助于建立一个基线，以提高我们对温度和适应对海洋生物中金属积累影响的机制的理解。

Abstract OPP-9986069FisherThe Principal Investigator will compare the bioaccumulation of metals and nuclear-waste associated radionuclides by Arctic and temperate populations of three organisms. High concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides are often observed in terrestrial and aquatic organisms that are key to the livelihood of native human populations. Thus, there may be large sources for these elements in the Arctic and/or efficient accumulation of metals and from the environment by Arctic food chains. The large scale controlled discharge of radioactive materials in the Irish Sea, the North Atlantic, and the Russian Arctic has generated concern about impacts on sensitive commercial and subsistence fisheries. A fundamental assumption behind risk assessments of the danger posed by anthropogenic radionuclides and heavy metals in the Arctic is that bioaccumulation and trophic transfer studies conducted on temperate organisms under temperate conditions are applicable to the Arctic. This study will address this assumption directly and systematically.Standard radiotracer methods of assessing metal accumulation will be used to compare uptake of metals into three species: clams, Macoma balthica; mussels; Mytilis edulis; and brown alga, Fucus vesiculosus. These species are either eaten by humans or organisms important to native diets, or are used extensively in biomonitoring programs. Six radioisotopes will be used: 137Cs, 241Am, 109Cd, 203Hg, 65Zn, and 110mAg. They represent either components of radioactive waste material (131Cs, 241Am, 110mAg and 65Zn) or metals which are found at high levels in the soft tissues of organisms in the Arctic and elsewhere (Ag, Zn, Cd, Hg). These metals also span a wide range in particle reactivity, association with proteins and biological function. The temperature dependence of radionuclide uptake and loss in whole organisms will be directly compared between Arctic and temperate populations of each species.The results of this study will have three applications: 1) the uptake and loss of metals and radionuclides from Arctic organisms will improve assessments of the danger posed to native populations by anthropogenic metals and radionuclides: 2) the results will advance the interpretation of geographic variability in target organism tissues; and 3) the results will help establish a baseline that will improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind the effects of temperature and adaptation on the accumulation of metals in marine organisms.