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Fish and Shellfish Program
NEWSLETTER
August 2017
EPA 823-N-17-008
in This Issue
Recent Advisory News	1
EPA News	2
Other News	3
Recently Awarded Research... 12
Recent Publications	15
Upcoming Meetings
and Conferences	18
This issue of the Fish and Shellfish Program Newsletter generally focuses on mercury.
Recent Advisory News
Updates to Utah's Mercury Fish Consumption
Advisory List
Three new locations were added to Utah's Mercury Fish Consumption Advisory list in
January 2017. The advisories were issued after state officials found elevated levels of
mercury in fish tissue in these waterways.
The new advisories include the following:
Water body
Species
N umber of meals per month
Pregnant women and
children under 6 years
old
(4-ounee
meals/month)
Women of child-bearing
age and children 6-16
years old
(8-ounce
meals/month)
Adult women past
child-bearing age and
men >16 years old
(8-ounce
meals/month)
Big Sand Wash
Reservoir
(Duchesne County)
Walleye
0
1
5
Smallmouth Bass
0
1
3
Yellow Perch
0
1
5
Millsite Reservoir
(Emery County)
Splake Trout
1
2
7
Pineview Reservoir
(Weber County)
Smallmouth Bass
1
2
8
This newsletter provides information
only. This newsletter does not
impose legally binding requirements
on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), states, tribes, other
regulatory authorities, or the
regulated community. The Office of
Science and Technology, Office of
Water, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has approved this newsletter
for publication. Mention of trade
names, products, or services does
not convey and should not be
interpreted as conveying official EPA
approval, endorsement, or
recommendation for use.
h ttps: //www, epa. go v/fish -tech
For a complete list of all Utah Mercury Fish Consumption Advisories, visit
www.fishadvisories.utah.gov.
An eight-ounce serving of fish is equivalent to the size of two decks of playing cards.
According to an analysis completed by the Utah Department of Health, eating more than
the amounts noted in the advisories over a long period of time could result in an intake of
mercury that exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health
recommendations.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be transformed into methylmereury, a
toxic form found in some natural waters. Those most vulnerable to the effects of mercury
toxicity include women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and
young children. Chronic exposure to low concentrations of methylmereury may result in
neurological effects in the developing fetus and children.
This newsletter provides a monthly summary of news about fish and shellfish

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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
August 2017
Any health risks associated with eating fish from the fish advisory areas are based on long-term consumption and
are not tied to eating fish occasionally. Eating fish remains an important part of a healthy diet. The American Heart
Association recommends that individuals eat at least two fish or seafood meals weekly.
There is no health risk associated with mercury in the water for other uses of the waterways, such as swimming,
boating, and waterskiing.
After testing hundreds of water bodies, health officials have found that fewer than 10 percent of Utah's tested waters
have fish with elevated levels of mercury in their tissue.
Not all water bodies have been tested, and further testing may result in additional advisories. Utah fish
consumption advisories are issued in partnership between the Utah Department of Health, the Utah Department of
Environmental Quality, and the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
For more detailed information, please visit the Utah Fish Advisories website or contact Amy Dickey at
ADickev@utah.gov.
Sources: https://documents.deci.utah.gov/communication-off1ce/press-releases/2017-01-12-utah-mercurv-fish-
consumption-advisorv-list.pdf: https://deq.utah.gOv/fishadvisories/index.htm#millsite.
EPA News
EPA Approves Limits on Mercury in California Waters
On July 18, 2017, EPA announced the approval of new water quality criteria for mercury in California waters. The
new rules, developed by the State Water Resources Control Board, set mercury limits in fish tissue to protect human
health and aquatic-dependent wildlife. New protections also have been added for tribal cultural use and subsistence
fishing.
In California, Gold Rush era mining operations released millions of pounds of naturally occurring mercury, a potent
neurotoxin, into state waterways. Once there, the toxic metal builds up in fish tissue and is consumed by people and
wildlife. To address that risk, the state's new criteria set maximum mercury limits in fish tissue for various species
caught for sport, subsistence, and cultural practices.
"We commend the State Water Resources Control Board for working with numerous tribes and dischargers to
develop and adopt water quality standards for protecting human health and wildlife throughout the state from the
harmful effects of mercury," said Alexis Strauss, EPA's Acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "By
focusing on mercury concentrations in fish tissue, these rules will have a direct and positive impact on public health
and the environment."
The state's new rules set five new water quality criteria for mercury in fish tissue for tribal subsistence fishing,
general subsistence fishing, prey fish, sport fish, and for fish commonly consumed by the protected California Least
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Tern. The new criteria will help protect and inform the public about levels of mercury in popular sport fish like
salmon, bass, sturgeon, and trout.
"Salmon, bass, sturgeon, and other popular fish like trout are sought after as a key food source by California Native
American tribes, and other groups that depend on fish for sustenance, but are often contaminated by mercury.
Mercury is found in many fresh water bodies in California, and is largely a legacy of the Gold Rush era, and difficult
to deal with, but cannot be ignored," said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus. "This approval is an important
step in focusing attention on what can be done to limit exposures."
The new mercury criteria will apply to inland surface waters, enclosed bays, and estuaries of the state, except for
water bodies where approved site-specific objectives already exist, such as San Francisco Bay and Delta, Clear Lake,
and portions of Walker Creek, Cache Creek, and Guadalupe River watersheds.
For more information on the health effects of exposures to mercury, please visit:
https://www.epa.gov/mercurv/health-effects-exposures-mercurv.
To view a copy of the approval letter and standards, please visit:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water issues/programs/mercurv/docs/ca hg approval letter with enclosures
signed 07i4.i7.pdf.
For more information, contact Soledad Calvino at Calvino.Maria@epa.gov.
Source: https: //www.epa. gov/newsreleases/us-epa-approves-limits-mercurv-california-waters.
Other News
The 13th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant
The 13th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP) took place July 16-21, 2017 in
Providence, Rhode Island. The theme of the 2017 conference was understanding the multiple factors that accelerate
and attenuate recovery of mercury contamination in response to environmental inputs on local to global scales.
Mercury science and management are the focus of attention worldwide. The Minamata Convention, a global treaty
on mercury, is now being ratified and requires that countries around the world control both new and existing
sources and monitor the effectiveness of those controls. In many countries, the use of mercury in artisanal gold
mining is under investigation, as the magnitude of associated mercury releases and effects may have been
underestimated. At the same time, uncertainty remains in the levels of exposure linked to a range of effects of
mercury on wildlife and human health. Globally, many local efforts are in progress to remediate mercury
contaminated sites. While these initiatives are important steps to mitigate mercury contamination, the extent and
rate of potential recovery is unclear because of uncertainties in our understanding of mercury transport, cycling,
and trophic transfer.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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The 13th ICMGP fostered wide-ranging discussion among participants across issues spanning environmental
media, biogeochemical processes, disciplines, types of mercury contamination and remediation, exposure and
effects on wildlife and human health, temporal and spatial scales, societal issues, and outreach activities. The
conference was a broadly based program that included the following: plenary, invited, and contributed oral
presentations; poster presentations; small group meetings; workshops; opportunities for student mentoring;
demonstrations by instrument vendors, industry, and research groups; and networking. The plenary sessions will
result in four published papers on mercury processes and management at the global scale, mercury process and
management at the local scale, mercury exposure to humans and wildlife, and mercury management through the
Minamata Convention. The technical program reflected the latest advances, highlighted critical understanding, and
promoted active discussion of the science of mercury and innovative strategies for its management.
Source: http://mercurv2017.com/program/overview/.
Mercury Exposure from Fish Consumption in Subsistence Fishers in
Rural Oklahoma
The Grand Lake watershed in northeastern Oklahoma is downwind and downstream from several major mercury
pollution sources. Grand Lake is heavily fished by local recreational and subsistence anglers. Researchers from the
Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Oklahoma's Health Sciences Center collaborated with
Local Environmental Action Demanded. Inc. CLF.AD1 to quantify mercury contamination in this watershed and to
address community concerns about the safety of the fish. This partnership sought to reduce exposure to mercury
from contaminated fish while protecting the cultural practices of American Indian subsistence fishers.
Exposure to the neurotoxin, methylmercury, through consumption of fish is a major public health concern,
especially among children and women of childbearing age. American Indians, who often rely on subsistence fishing
practices, consume up to 20 times more fish than the general U.S. population. However, unique rates of fish
consumption, species consumed, and food preparation techniques typical of American Indians and other ethnic
populations are often not considered in risk assessment frameworks.
The partners involved in this project were interested in finding out whether people who regularly catch and
consume fish from Grand Lake watershed (particularly members of the area's American Indian, Hispanic, and
Micronesian populations) have higher body burdens of mercury compared to other residents of the same
community who do not frequently consume local fish, as well as the general U.S. population.
The project partners:
•	Found that, in contrast to the general U.S. population, freshwater species contributed the majority of fish
consumption (69 percent) and dietary mercury exposure (60 percent) among study participants, despite
relatively low mercury concentrations in local fish.
•	Observed that hair mercury levels increased with fish consumption, age, and education, and were higher
among male participants and the lowest in winter.
•	Saw significant variations in fish mercury levels among locations in Grand Lake and Lake Hudson, although
overall mercury levels were relatively low compared to other reservoirs in Oklahoma.
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•	Found that fish in local farm ponds—commonly used in the agricultural regions for raising game fish—had
2 to 17 times higher mercury levels than fish of similar length in nearby reservoirs.
•	Observed that pH, water color, rainfall, and nutrients were the best predictors of fish mercury levels across
systems, which partially explains the relatively low mercury levels in fish in Grand Lake and Lake Hudson.
The researchers' findings suggest that future studies involving anglers should consider seasonality in fish
consumption and mercury exposure, and include household members who share their catch, particularly women
and children. Efforts to evaluate benefits of reducing mercury emissions should consider dietary patterns among
consumers of fish from local freshwater bodies, and keep in mind that small water bodies, such as farm ponds, may
be especially enriched in mercury.
This partnership promoted safe subsistence fishing practices in a contaminated watershed by educating community
members on ways to reduce the amount of mercury ingested. The partnership also empowered community
members with information to work with state and regional agencies to develop consumption advisories and
promote reduction of mercury emissions.
Study Citations:
Dong, Z., RA Lynch, and L.A Schaider. 2016. Key contributors to variations in fish mercury within and among
freshwater reservoirs in Oklahoma, USA. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts 18(2) 1222-236. doi:
10.103Q/C-
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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"We know that neurodevelopment is a delicate process that is especially sensitive to methylmercury and other
environmental toxins, but we are still discovering the lifelong ripple effects of these exposures," said Gwen Collman,
PhD., director of the NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training. "This research points to adult cognitive
function as a new area of concern."
The 197 study participants are from the Faroe Islands, 200 miles north of England, where fish is a major
component of the diet. Their health has been followed since they were in the womb in the late 1980s. At age 22, this
subset of the original 1,022 participants took part in a follow-up exam that included estimating the participants'
VO2 max, or the rate at which they can use oxygen, which increases with aerobic fitness. Also, a range of cognitive
tests were performed related to short-term memory, verbal comprehension and knowledge, psychomotor speed,
visual processing, long-term storage and retrieval, and cognitive processing speed.
Overall, the researchers found that higher VO2 max values were associated with better neurocognitive function, as
expected based on prior research. Cognitive efficiency, which included cognitive processing speed and short term
memory, benefitted the most from increased VO2 max.
But when the researchers divided the participants into two groups based on the methylmercury levels in their
mothers while they were pregnant, they found that these benefits were confined to the group with the lowest
exposure. Participants with prenatal methylmercury levels in the bottom 67 percent, or levels of less than 35
micrograms per liter in umbilical cord blood, still demonstrated better cognitive efficiency with higher VO2 max.
However, for participants with higher methylmercury levels, cognitive function did not improve as VO2 max
increased.
"We know that aerobic exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but these findings suggest that early-life
exposure to pollutants may reduce the potential benefits," added Collman. "We need to pay special attention to the
environment we create for pregnant moms and babies."
In addition to NIH funding, the research was supported by the Danish Council for Strategic Research, Programme
Commission on Health, Food, and Welfare.
For more information, contact Virginia Guidry at Virginia.Guidrv@nih.gov.
Reference: Oulhote, Y., F. Debes, S. Vestergaard, P. Weihe, and P. Grandjean. 2017. Aerobic fitness and
neurocognitive function scores in young Faroese adults and potential modification by prenatal methylmercury
exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives 125(4) 1677-683.
Source: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsroom/releases/2016/september16/index.cfm.
Comprehensive Study Finds Widespread Mercury Contamination
Across Western North America
An international team of scientists led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), recently documented widespread
mercury contamination in air, soil, sediment, plants, fish, and wildlife at various levels across western North
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America. They evaluated potential risk from mercury to human, fish, and wildlife health, and examined resource
management activities that influence this risk.
"Mercury is widespread in the environment, and under certain
conditions poses a substantial threat to environmental health and
natural resource conservation," said Collin Eagles-Smith, USGS
ecologist and team lead. "We gathered decades of mercury data
and research from across the West to examine patterns of mercury
and methylmercury in numerous components of the western
landscape. This effort takes an integrated look at where mercury
occurs in western North America, how it moves through the
environment, and the processes that influence its movement and
transfer to aquatic food chains."
"The movement of mercury through the western landscape-
traveling between the air, ground, and water to plants, animals, and ultimately humans, is extremely complex," said
Eagles-Smith. "This series of articles helps further our understanding of the processes associated with that
complexity in western North America, highlights where knowledge gaps still exist, and provides information to
resource managers that will help with making informed, science-based management and regulatory decisions."
"This effort provides critical information on mercury pathways to
humans and wildlife that government regulators, lawmakers, and
the public can use to make decisions," adds David Evers, Executive
Director of Biodiversity Research Institute and co-organizer of the
effort. "It builds upon the Northeastern and Great Lakes regional
efforts that collected and analyzed environmental mercury data
that were often separated by sample type."
Key findings of the report include the following:
•	Methylmercury contamination in fish and birds is common
in many areas throughout the West, and climate and land
cover are some important factors influencing mercury
contamination and availability to animals.
•	Fish and birds in many areas were found to have mercury concentrations above levels that have been
associated with toxic effects.
•	Patterns of methylmercury exposure in fish and wildlife across the West differed from patterns of inorganic
mercury on the landscape.
•	Some ecosystems and species are more sensitive to mercury contamination, and local environmental
conditions are important factors influencing the creation and transfer of methylmercury through the food
web.
7

Wetland habitats, such as the Great Salt Lake wetlands,
provide critical feeding areas for many fish and wildlife
species. (Image courtesy of USGS, Collin Eagles-Smith)
Vegetation patterns affect both soil moisture and the amount
of sunlight that reaches the soils, two factors associated with
mercury release from soils. (Image courtesy of U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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•	Forest soils typically contain more inorganic mercury than soils in semi-arid environments, yet the highest
levels of methylmercury in fish and wildlife occurred in semi-arid areas.
•	Vegetation patterns strongly influence the amount of mercury emitted to the atmosphere from soils.
•	Forested areas retain mercury from the atmosphere, whereas less vegetated areas tend to release mercury
to the atmosphere.
•	Land disturbances, such as urban development, agriculture, and wildfires, are important factors in
releasing inorganic mercury from the landscape, potentially making it available for biological uptake.
•	Land and water management activities can strongly influence how methylmercury is created and
transferred to fish, wildlife, and humans.
Mercury and Methylmercury
Methylmercury is created from inorganic mercury in aquatic ecosystems by bacteria. This is a complex process that
only occurs under the right conditions for the bacteria to thrive. Therefore, the movement of inorganic mercury
from the atmosphere or land to the water does not always result in equivalent levels of methylmercury in fish and
wildlife unless the environmental condition is favorable for methylmercury production.
Sources, Storage, Transport, and Re-release
In the West, the distribution of mercury is a reflection of the diversity of sources combined with a landscape defined
by extremes in climate, land cover, and habitat type. These characteristics of the western landscape influence
mercury storage, chemical transformation, and buildup through the food chain.
Mercury enters the landscape from the atmosphere, natural geologic
sources, historic mining activities, and re-released mercury stored in
vegetation and soils. Atmospheric mercury sources are primarily direct
natural emissions, such as volcanic eruptions; direct man-made
emissions, such as fossil fuel emissions; and re-release from plants and
soils. Mercury from the atmosphere makes its way back to earth
through precipitation, dust particles, or direct uptake by plants through
their leaves.
Densely forested areas, such as those found along the Pacific coastal
mountain ranges, collect substantial amounts of mercury because they
receive high amounts of precipitation. The deposited mercury easily
binds to vegetation and rich forest soils. Soil mercury concentrations in
these forests are on average 2.5 times higher than those in dry semi-arid
environments. Similarly, water bodies located in these forests have
among the highest concentrations of inorganic mercury in their
sediments.
v ftfe.
mm
SOB
The western landscape is defined by extremes in
climate, land cover, and habitat type. (Image courtesy
ofUSGS)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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Mercury Released from Soils
Soil-bound mercury can also move in the opposite direction, from land to the atmosphere. Much of the mercury
emitted from the soil is re-released from previously deposited or "old" mercury. The amount of mercury released
from soils varies across the region and is dependent upon vegetation patterns, which are important because these
patterns affect both soil moisture and the amount of sunlight that reaches the soil—two factors associated with
mercury release from soils.
In drier regions with less plant cover, the amount of mercury deposited from the atmosphere is similar to the
amount released from soils, suggesting that these areas do not store mercury. In contrast, densely forested areas
receive several times more mercury through atmospheric deposition than what is re-emitted to the atmosphere. As
a result, western forests tend to provide long-term storage for inorganic mercury whereas much of the mercury
deposited across the vast areas of sparsely vegetated semi-arid lands throughout the West either returns back into
the atmosphere or becomes available for transport to aquatic ecosystems.
Mercury Released from Wildfires
Wildfire is one of the largest sources of re-released soil mercury to the
atmosphere. The amount of mercury released during a wildfire
depends on the size of the burned area, the amount of mercury stored
in plants and soil, and the severity of burning. High severity fires, or
fires that cause greater physical change in an area, release greater
amounts of mercury than low severity fires because they burn more
fuel and make the soil hotter. Although high severity fires release
more stored mercury into the atmosphere, lower severity fires may
leave behind mercury in soils in a form that can more easily be moved
to aquatic ecosystems and converted to methylmercury. With the
increasing rate and severity of wildfires in the West associated with a
changing climate, there could be an increase in movement of mercury
that has been stored for centuries.
Legacy Mining in the West
The West has rich geologic deposits of naturally occurring mercury, as well as gold and silver, where mercury was
historically used to extract these valuable elements from rock formations. Historical mining and ore processing for
these metals released extensive amounts of mercury into the environment, contaminating lake and river sediments
downstream of mining operations. As a result, many of the highest levels of sediment mercury concentrations
across the West are associated with legacy gold, silver, and mercury mines. However, the influence of mining on
downstream mercury concentrations is most noticeable in small watersheds, because the amount of mercury from
mining in larger watersheds is a fraction of what is contributed by other sources and processes such as atmospheric
deposition, land disturbance, and erosion of less contaminated soils.
Land Use and Development
Agriculture and urban land development are more widespread across the West than mining, and those land uses
have a large influence on the amount of mercury released from soils. As a result, lakes receiving runoff from
agricultural or urbanized watersheds show higher rates of mercury accumulation in their sediments than lakes in
Wildfire is one the largest sources of re-released
mercury to the atmosphere and a component to the
widespread movement of inorganic mercury to aquatic
sediments. (Public domain)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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undisturbed areas. The accumulation rate of mercury in lake sediments, calculated from sediment cores dated from
to 1800-2010, showed the highest rate during the last decade (2000-2010) than at any time since the industrial
revolution, and approximately five times higher than during pre-industrial times (1800-1850).
Landscape disturbances, such as wildfires, resource extraction, and land development, are major components to the
widespread movement of inorganic mercury to aquatic sediment throughout water bodies of the West. However,
mercury levels in fish and wildlife do not always match the levels of inorganic mercury because of the requirement
for inorganic mercury to be converted to methylmercury before accumulating up the food chain.
"Methylmereury production is a complex microbial process that requires specific environmental conditions," said
Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, USGS microbiologist and co-organizer of the synthesis. "Only a small amount of the
inorganic mercury is available to be made into methylmercury by bacteria, and under the right conditions even this
small amount can result in methylmercury levels that pose a threat to fish, aquatic birds, and human health."
As a result, sediment inorganic mercury concentrations alone often do not accurately indicate how much mercury
makes its way into the animals living in the associated environment and ultimately, into humans who may consume
those animals.
Managing Mercury Risk to Wildlife and Humans
Western North America supports many fish and wildlife communities, several of
which are threatened by habitat loss or other factors, including exposure to
methylmercury. Fish are indicators of methylmercury contamination because
they are an important link in the food chain for both wildlife and humans. Fish
and wildlife also are indicators of methylmercury availability over many months
to years in the food chain. Mercury contamination of fish and birds is widespread
across the West, but the patterns of exposure do not fully match patterns of
inorganic mercury distribution in soils and sediments. Although the highest
levels of inorganic mercury in soil are found in forested areas, the highest levels
of methylmercury in fish and wildlife tend to occur in more arid regions of the
West such as the Great Basin. Many existing guidelines and regulations around
mercury focus on inorganic mercury in soils and sediments. The combination of
inorganic mercury movement, methylmercury creation, and how long mercury
stays in the food chain are some of the challenges to managing methylmercury
risk to animals and humans.
More than half of the land, lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands in the West are publicly owned or managed, much
by the federal government. Natural resource management for both conservation and resource extraction can have a
particularly strong influence on how mercury is transported over land, through water, and transferred to fish,
wildlife, and humans.
Water and its management is a defining characteristic of the western landscape. It is among the continent's most
complex and widespread resource management challenges and has greatly influenced land use, development, and
Fish are indicators of methylmercury
contamination because they are an
important link in the food chain for both
wildlife and humans. (Image courtesy of
U.S. Forest Service)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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natural resource conservation. The need to store and transport water for shared ecological, agricultural, and human
needs has resulted in complex networks of dams and man-made waterways that have transformed the western
landscape and dramatically changed the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of river systems, and in
some cases influenced the movement of mercury through these systems.
Wetlands, lakes, and rivers can all promote the creation of
methylmereury, and seasonal flow and flood patterns of the West
result in numerous locations where methylmereury can be created.
These habitats are also often important environments that are
critical feeding areas for many fish and wildlife species.
Management of water flows and storage throughout the West can
influence methylmereury creation in these aquatic habitats and can
have a strong impact on the degree of mercury exposure
throughout local food webs.
"We found mercury contamination of birds was common in many
areas throughout western North America, some at levels above
what is considered toxic to birds," said Josh Ackerman, USGS
wildlife biologist and lead author of one of the articles on bird mercury exposure. "Certain ecological characteristics,
such as the type of habitat the birds live in, and their diet were important factors influencing bird mercury
concentrations and their risk to mercury toxicity."
This body of work was conducted as part of the Western North America Mercury Synthesis Working Group and
supported by the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. The Working Group is comprised
of partners from other United States and Canadian federal, state, and provincial agencies, as well as academic
institutions and non-governmental organizations. Primary funding support was provided by the USGS,
National Park Sendee, and EPA with additional support from the individual authors' organizations.
More Information;
•	USGS Environmental Health Science Feature
•	University of Michigan News Release
•	Biodiversity Research Institute News Release
Study Citation:
Eagles-Smith, C.A., J.G. Wiener, C.S. Eekley, J.J. Willacker, D.C. Evers, M. Marvin-DiPasquale, D. Obrist, JA.
Fleck, G.R. Aiken, J.M. Lepak, A.K. Jackson, J.P. Webster, A.R. Stewart, J.A. Davis, C.N. Aplers, and J.T. Ackerman.
2016. Mercury in western North America: A synthesis of environmental contamination, fluxes, bioaccumulation,
and risk to fish and wildlife. Science of The Total Environment 568:1213-1226.
doi: io.ioi6/j.scitotenv.2Qi6.0f;.OQ4-.
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/news/comprehensive-studv-finds-widespread-mercurv-contamination-across-
western-north-america?qt-news science products=p.#qt-news science products.
Management of water flows and storage through structures
such as Foster Dam in Oregon can influence methylmereury
creation in aquatic habitats. (Image courtesy of U.S. Amy
Corps of Engineers)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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Recently Awarded Research
The National Science Foundation Awardees
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the following projects related to mercury and methylmercury.
Collaborative Research: Investigation of the Effects of Organic Matter and Sulfur in the
Environmental Fate of Mercury
Professor Kathyryn Nagy of the University of Illinois at Chicago was awarded $224,698 on July 25, 2017, by the
Division of Earth Sciences at the NSF.
Mercury is responsible for more than 80 percent of the fish consumption advisories in fresh waters of the United
States. Most of this mercury is released by the combustion of coal and is deposited from the atmosphere near and
far from the sources. Once deposited, the threat of mercury to food webs depends on the extent to which ionic
mercury is converted to (1) methylmercury, the form of mercury that is accumulated from plankton to fish and
ultimately to humans, and (2) elemental mercury, the form of mercury that is removed from aquatic systems by
volatilization. Mercury is converted to methylmercury mainly by sulfate-reducing bacteria that thrive in aquatic
environments deprived of oxygen. The ability of these bacteria to methylate mercury depends on the form of the
ionic mercury—whether or not its availability to sulfate-reducing bacteria is limited by its association with organic
matter or its precipitation as mercuric sulfide minerals. Mercury is converted to elemental mercury by reduction by
a variety of processes for which the influence of organic matter association and precipitation as mercuric sulfide is
not well known. The goal of this research is to assess the role of organic matter and sulfur in influencing the
conversion of ionic mercury to methylmercury, the first step in making mercury available to aquatic organisms.
The focus of this research is to improve understanding of the interactions between mercury, sulfur, and organic
matter. The research is driven by two main hypotheses that investigate the role of sulfur cycling and redox
conditions on the reactivity of organic matter to mercury. The first hypothesis examines the abiotic incorporation of
sulfide into organic matter as a function of organic matter composition, and the role of metals on the stability of the
newly incorporated organic sulfur to oxidation. The second hypothesis addresses the effects of the composition and
redox state of organic matter on the reduction of mercury from Hg(II) to Hg(o), and inhibition of the reduction of
Hg(II) by complexation to reduced sulfur groups in organic matter and inorganic sulfide. The hypotheses will be
tested by (1) examining sulfide incorporation into organic matter and reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(o) by organic
matter using laboratory experiments and field studies at sites in the Florida Everglades and interior Alaska that
represent a range of sulfur and organic matter conditions and (2) characterizing sulfur and mercury in these
materials by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. These efforts will be enhanced by the use
of electrochemistry to study coupled metal-organic matter redox reactions and high energy-resolution XANES
spectroscopy to resolve sulfur functionality.
For more information, contact Kathyryn Nagy at klnagy@uic.edu.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD ID=i628Q56&HistoricalAwards=false.
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Hurricane-mediated Alteration of Microbial Mercury Methylation in Coastal Wetlands
Professors Tsui, Rublee, Bao, and Chow of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, were awarded $49,826 on
March 31, 2017, by the Division of Earth Sciences at the NSF.
Forested wetlands in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States are important sinks of atmospheric
mercury but also represent active sites of mercury methylation and production of highly toxic methylmercury,
which can contaminate regional water bodies. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew had a final landfall that
resulted in torrential rain and extensive flooding in a short period of time. This extreme weather event flooded an
extensive area of the coastal plain, inundating the coastal wetland for a prolonged period that could potentially have
stimulated many oxygen-deficient processes including microbial mercury methylation. This research will
investigate if and how microbial mercury methylation is stimulated during the prolonged flooding period in these
coastal wetlands. This study will raise the awareness of the impacts of extreme weather events on toxic mercury
cycling in low-lying coastal areas in the southeastern United States.
This Grants for Rapid Response research is aimed at examining the influences of Hurricane Matthew on the
dynamics of microbial mercury methylation in coastal forested wetlands near Winyah Bay, South Carolina.
Specifically, this study will integrate field sampling and laboratory experiments to investigate the impacts of this
extreme weather event on microbial methylation of mercury in the coastal wetland soils over the course of variation
in flooding levels. To evaluate the immediate impacts of Hurricane Matthew on mercury cycling, surface water and
wetland soil samples have been collected by the research team since October 10, 2016 near Winyah Bay, South
Carolina, where Hurricane Matthew had a final landfall on October 8, 2016. The sampling sites represent transects
along with different degrees of seawater intrusion and flood severity impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Samples will
be quantified for total mercury and methylmercury, and the abundance of mercury methylation genes (hgcA)
associated with the wetland surface soils over time, to examine the temporal and spatial variations of mercury
methylation and abundance of mercury methylation genes. Results will be used to evaluate the formation of hot
spots and hot moments of mercury methylation in these wetland soils under prolonged inundation. Moreover,
controlled laboratory experiments will be employed to examine the effects of different environmental factors on
microbial methylation of mercury in these wetland soils, including duration of inundation, addition of fresh litter,
increase of water salinity, and a combination of these factors. The proposed work will provide a better
understanding of how microbial mercury methylation, the key biogeochemical step making mercury toxic, is
impacted in coastal wetlands by extreme weather events.
For more information, contact Martin Tsui at TMTsui@uncg.edu.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD ID=i7ii642&HistoricalAwards=false.
Examining the Role of Nanoparticles in the Formation and Degradation of Methylated Mercury in
the Ocean
Professors Robert Mason and Jing Zhao of the University of Connecticut were awarded $330,000 on August 19,
2016, by the Environmental Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division at the NSF.
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In this project, Mason and Zhao will examine the role of nanoparticles in controlling the reactions between various
forms of mercury in the ocean. Specifically, in contrast to freshwater environments, dimethylmercury is found in all
ocean waters where measurements have been made. There is little information on its formation mechanisms. The
investigators have preliminary evidence to indicate that it maybe formed by reactions that involve nanoparticles
and other surfaces. It is known that methylmercury, an organic form of mercury found in the ocean, is mostly
formed by bacteria that react with inorganic mercury. Reactive surfaces are also be important in the degradation of
methylmercury. The investigators will incorporate the research into ongoing outreach programs.
The investigators will conduct laboratory experiments with both commercially manufactured and natural
nanomaterials to examine the potential importance of metal nanoparticles in forming metallic and organic forms of
mercury under conditions applicable to the ocean. Techniques used in these experiments include UV-visible and
fluorescence spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry. Mercury analyses require instruments that
are specifically designed for measurement of the different forms of mercury at low concentrations. The results of
this research will enhance our understanding of the processes that form methylated mercury in the ocean which,
when bioaccumulated into seafood, is an important human health concern.
For more information, contact Robert Mason at Robert.Mason@uconn.edu.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD ID=i6o7Qi3&HistoricalAwards=false.
Collaborative Research: Transformations and Mercury Isotopic Fractionation of Methylmercury by
Marine Phytoplankton
Professor Reinfelder of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, was awarded $229,752 on August 2, 2016, by the
Division of Ocean Sciences at the NSF.
The accumulation of mercury in seafood is a public health concern. The presence of mercury in seafood depends to
a large degree on the air-sea exchange of mercury, with atmospheric deposition leading to accumulation of mercury
in the ocean. The pathways to seafood start with the uptake of mercury by phytoplankton from seawater where it
has always been assumed to accumulate to be eaten by grazers and then passed on to larger organisms. This project
challenges this assumption with preliminary data that suggest certain phytoplankton species can transform
mercury to volatile forms (mercury vapor and dimethylmercury) that are lost to the atmosphere, a process that
removes mercury from the ocean rather than simply concentrating it into the ecosystem and seafood. This process,
which has not been studied before, could dramatically alter our view of the mercury cycle in the ocean. The
researchers will look for the specific phytoplankton species that are capable of volatilizing mercury and quantify the
rates at which they do so.
Biogeochemical cycling of mercury in the ocean may be more complex than previously assumed. New evidence has
challenged the idea that methylmercury merely accumulates in phytoplankton and undergoes little to no
transformation before being passed into the food web. This project aims to more fully elucidate the mechanisms
behind the intracellular transformation of methylmercury to volatile mercury and dimethylmercury that can be lost
to the atmosphere, as well as to evaluate the range of algal taxa that can perform this transformation using directed
culture work. Additionally, the principal investigators will investigate evidence that thiols, organic selenium
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compounds, and sulfides are required to facilitate these reactions within the phytoplankton, and specific pathways
will be investigated and quantified through this research. Stable mercury isotopic data has been used to track
mercury sources and pathways in marine systems and its fractionation during these methylmercury
transformations will also be quantified for future field study of marine mercury. The investigators hypothesize that
coccolithophorids and other haptophytes capable of these intracellular reactions may account for a significant
portion of the production of volatile mercury in the ocean. If this turns out to be the case, understanding and
quantifying these volatilization processes may significantly alter the current understanding of the overall
biogeochemical cycling of mercury in the ocean.
For more information, contact John Reinfelder atReinfelder@envsci.rutgers.edu.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD ID=i6rui54&HistoricalAwards=false.
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
The list below provides a selection of research articles focusing on mercury.
Human Dietary Exposure
~	Mercutv in marine fish, mammals, seabirds. and human hair in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic
Beldowska, M„ and L. Falkowska. 2016. Mercury in marine fish, mammals, seabirds, and human hair in the coastal zone of the
southern Baltic. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 227:52.
~	Persistent DNA methylation changes associated with prenatal mercutv exposure and cognitive performance during childhood
Cardenas, A., S.L. Rifas-Shiman, G. Agha, M.F. Hivert, A. A. Litonjua, D.L DeMeo, X. Lin, C.J. Amarasiriwardena, E. Oken, M.W.
Gillman, and A.A. Baccarelli. 2017. Persistent DNA methylation changes associated with prenatal mercury exposure and cognitive
performance during childhood. Scientific Reports 7:288.
~	Mercutv distribution in organs offish species and the associated risk in traditional subsistence villagers of the Pantanal wetland
Ceccato, A.P.S., M.C. Testoni, A.R.A. Ignacio, M. Santos-Filho, 0. Malm, and S. Dfez. 2016. Mercury distribution in organs offish
species and the associated risk in traditional subsistence villagers of the Pantanal wetland. Environmental Geochemistry and
Health 38(3):713-722.
~	Mercutv in western North America: Asvnthesis of environmental contamination, fluxes, bioaccumulation. and riskto fish and wildlife
Eagles-Smith, C.A., J.G. Wiener, C.S. Eckley, J.J. Willacker, D.C. Evers, M. Marvin-DiPasquale, D. Obrist, J.A. Fleck, G.R. Aiken, J.M.
Lepak, A.K. Jackson, J.P. Webster, A.R. Stewart, J.A. Davis, C.N. Alpers, and J.T. Ackerman. 2016. Mercury in western North
American: A synthesis of environmental contamination, fluxes, bioaccumulation, and risk to fish and wildlife. Science of the Total
Environment 568:1213-1226.
~	Mercutv exposure and heart diseases
Genchi, G., M.S. Sinicropi, A. Carocci, G. Lauria, and A. Catalano. 2017. Mercury exposure and heart diseases. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14(1): 74.
~	Parental whole life cvcle exposure to dietatv methvlmercutv inzebrafish (Panto mM affects the behauior of offspring
Mora-Zamorano, F.X., R. Klingler, C.A. Murphy, N. Basu, J. Head, and M.J. Carva III. 2016. Parental whole life cycle exposure to
dietary methylmercury in zebrafish (Danio rerio) affects the behavior of offspring Environmental Science & Technology
50(9):4808-4816.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
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~	Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function score in voung Faroese adults and potential modification bv prenatal methylmercury exposure
Oulhote, Y., F. Debes, S. Vestergaard, P. Weihe, and P. Grandjean. 2016. Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function score in
young Faroese adults and potential modification by prenatal methylmercury exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives
125(4):677-683.
~	Global sources and pathways of mercutv in the context of human health
Sundseth, K., J.M. Pacyna, E.G. Pacyna, N. Pirrone, and R.J. Thorne. 2017. Global sources and pathways of mercury in the context
of human health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14(1): 105.
~	Methyl mercutv exposure and neurodeuelopmental outcomes in the Seychelles Child Development Study Main cohort at age 22 and 24 years
van Wijngaarden, E., S.W. Thurston, G.J. Myers, D. Harrington, D.A. Cory-Slechta, J.J. Strain, G.E. Watson, G. Zareba, T. Love, J.
Henderson, C.F. Shamlaye, and P.W. Davidson. 2017. Methyl mercury exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the
Seychelles Child Development Study Main cohort at age 22 and 24 years. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 59:35-42.
Concentrations in Fish and Shellfish
~	Prediction offish and sediment mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining
Alpers, C.N., J.L. Yee, J.T. Ackerman, J.L. Orlando, D.G. Slotton, and M.C. Marvin-DiPasquale. 2016. Prediction offish and sediment
mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining Science of the Total Environment 571:364-379.
~	Mercutv and methylmercury dynamics in sediments on a protected area of Tagus Estuary (Portugal)
Cesario, R., C.E. Monteiro, M. Nogueira, N.J. O'Driscoll, M. Caetano, H. Hintelmann, A.M. Mota, and J. Canario. 2016. Mercury and
methylmercury dynamics in sediments on a protected area of Tagus Estuary (Portugal). Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 227:475.
~	Critical perspectives on mercury toxicity reference values for protection offish
Fuchsman, P.O., M.H. Henning M.T. Sorensen, L.E. Brown, M.J. Bock, C.D. Beals, J.L. Lyndall, and V.S. Magar. 2016. Critical
perspectives on mercury toxicity reference values for protection of fish. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 35(3):529-549.
~	Climate and physiography predict mercury concentrations in game fish species in Quebec lakes betterthan anthropogenic disturbances
Lucotte, M„ S. Paquet, and M. Moingt. 2016. Climate and physiography predict mercury concentrations in game fish species in
Quebec lakes betterthan anthropogenic disturbances. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 70(4):710-723.
~	Evidence of mercury biomagnification in the food chain of the cardinal tetra Paracheirodon aKStotf/tOsteichthves: Characidae) in the Rio Negro,
central Amazon. Brazil
Marshall, B.G., B.R. Forsberg M. Thome-Souza, R. Peleja, M.Z. Moreira, and C.E.C. Freitas. 2016. Evidence of mercury
biomagnification in the food chain of the cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi (Osteichthyes: Characidae) in the Rio Negro, central
Amazon, Brazil. Journal of Fish Biology 89(1):220-240.
~	Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of mercutv and methvlmercutv infoursvmpatric coastal sharks in a protected subtropical lagoon
Matulik, A.G., D.W. Kerstetter, N. Hammerschlag T. Divoll, C.R. Hammerschmidt, and D.C. Evers. 2017. Bioaccumulation and
biomagnification of mercury and methylmercury in four sympatric coastal sharks in a protected subtropical lagDon. Marine
Pollution Bulletin 116(l-2):357-364.
~	Bioaccumulation of mercutv in fish as indicator of water pollution
Moiseenko, T.I., and N.A. Gashkina. 2016. Bioaccumulation of mercury in fish as indicator of water pollution. Geochemistry
International 54(6):485-493.
~	Recent advances in the study of mercury methvlation in aquatic systems
Paranjape, A.R., and B.D. Halla. 2017. Recent advances in the study of mercury methylation in aquatic systems. FACETS 2:85-
119.
~	Geographic and temporal patterns of variation in total mercury concentrations in blood of harlequin ducts and blue mussels from Alaska
Savoy, L„ P. Flint, D. Zwiefelhofer, H. Brant, C. Perkins, R. Taylor, 0. Lane, J. Hall, D. Evers, and J. Schamber. 2017. Geographic and
temporal patterns of variation in total mercury concentrations in blood of harlequin ducks and blue mussels from Alaska. Marine
Pollution Bulletin 117(1-2):178-183.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter	August 2017
~	Mercury temporal trends in top predatorfish of the Laurentian Great Lakes from 2004 to 2015: Are concentrations still decreasing?
Zhou, C., M.D. Cohen, B.A. Crimmins, H. Zhou, T.A. Johnson, P.K. Hopke, and T.M. Holsen. 2017. Mercury temporal trends in top
predatorfish of the Laurentian Great Lakes from 2004 to 2015: Are concentrations still decreasing? Environmental Science &
Technology 51(13):7386-7394.
Other
~	Evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention on mercury: Principles and recommendations for next steps
Evers, D.C., S.E. Keane, N. Basu, and D. Buck. 2016. Evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention on mercury:
Principles and recommendations for next steps. Science of the Total Environment 569-570:888-903.
~	Spatial-temporal dynamics and sources of total Hg in a hydroelectric reservoir in the Western Amazon. Brazil
Pestana, I A, W.R. Bastos, M.G. Almeida, D.P. de Carvalho, C.E. Rezende, and C.M.M. Souza. 2016. Spatial-temporal dynamics and
sources of total Hg in a hydroelectric reservoir in the Western Amazon, Brazil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research
23(10) :9640-9648.
~	Eutrophication increases phvtoplankton methyl mercury concentrations in a coastal sea-A Baltic Sea case study
Soerensen, A.L., A.T. Schartup, E. Gustafsson, B.G. Gustafsson, E. Undeman, and E. Bjorn. 2016. Eutrophication increases
phytoplankton methylmercuty concentrations in a coastal sea—A Baltic Sea case study. Environmental Science & Technology
50(21):11787-11796.
~	Total mercury and methvlmercurv response in water, sediment, and biota to destratification of the Great Salt Lake. Utah. United States
Valdes, C., F.J. Black, B. Stringham, J.N. Collins, J.R. Goodman, H.J. Saxton, C.R. Mansfield, J.N. Schmidt, S. Yang, and W.P.
Johnson. 2017. Total mercury and methylmercury response in water, sediment, and biota to destratification of the Great Salt Lake,
Utah, United States. Environmental Science & Technology 51(9):4887-4896.
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Upcoming Meetings and Conferences
71st Annual Shellfish Conference &Tradeshow
September 19-21, 2017
Welches, Oregon
8th International Conference on Fisheries & Aauaculture
October 2-4, 2017
Toronto, Canada
2017 Organization of Fish & Wildlife Infoimation
Managers
October 1-5, 2017
Chattanooga, Tennessee
10th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference
October 2-6, 2017
Tahiti, French Polynesia
Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference 2017 Biennial
Meeting
October 14-19, 2017
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2017 State of Lake Michigan Conference
November 7-10, 2017
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Aauaculture Europe 2017
October 17-20, 2017
Dubrovnik, Croatia
9th U.S. Symposium on Haimftil Algae
November 11-17, 2017
Baltimore, Maryland
The Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology Annual
Meeting 2018
January 3-7, 2018
San Francisco, CA
9th International CharrSymposium
June 18-21, 2018
Duluth, Minnesota
Aauaculture American
February 19-22, 2018
Las Vegas, Nevada
Additional Information
This monthly newsletter highlights current infoimation about fish and shellfish.
For more infoimation about specific advisories within the state, teiritoiy, or tribe, contact the appropriate
state agency listed on EPA's National Listing of Fish Advisories website at https://fishadvisorvonline.epa.gov/Contacts.aspx.
For more information about this newsletter, contact Sharon Frey (Frev.Sharon@epa.gov. 202-566-1480).
Additional information about advisories and fish and shellfish consumption can be found at https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech.
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