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Trophic Transfer of Radioactive Micronutrients in a Shallow Benthic Food Web
Author(s) -
Holmerin Isak,
Kiel Jensen Louise,
Hevrøy Tanya,
Bradshaw Clare
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5023
Subject(s) - fucus vesiculosus , trophic level , food web , biota , eutrophication , benthic zone , primary producers , environmental chemistry , ecology , lichen , environmental science , phytoplankton , chemistry , algae , nutrient , biology
Abstract The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world, with widespread eutrophication and radionuclide contamination. Using key species of the Baltic Sea, the effects of eutrophication on uptake and trophic transfer of the radioactive micronutrients commonly found in nuclear power plant effluents were investigated experimentally using the brown macroalgae Fucus vesiculosus and the grazers Idotea balthica and Theodoxus fluviatilis in a controlled environment. Rapid uptake of 54 Mn, 57 Co, and 65 Zn from water was observed in all biota; and eutrophication combined with grazing pressure strongly influenced the uptake in F. vesiculosus . Uptake of 54 Mn, 57 Co, and 65 Zn to I. balthica and T. fluviatilis grazing on F. vesiculosus were also observed. The results indicate that ecosystems could be open for further trophic transfer as radionuclides accumulate quickly in the producers and are transferred to primary consumers. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1694–1705. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.