Why Monitor for Mercury?Why Monitor for Mercury?An Overview of Bioaccumulation,An Overview of Bioaccumulation,Concentrations, Fish AdvisoriesConcentrations, Fish Advisories

and Criteria in NJand Criteria in NJ

Gary A. Buchanan, Ph.D.Gary A. Buchanan, Ph.D.NJDEPNJDEP

Division of Science, Research &Division of Science, Research &TechnologyTechnology

Mercury - PBTMercury - PBT

PersistentPersistent

BioaccumulativeBioaccumulative

ToxicToxic

Inorganic Hg Inorganic Hg ⇒⇒ MethylmercuryMethylmercury

Food Chain BiomagnificationFood Chain Biomagnification

BioaccumulationBioaccumulationAccumulation from food, waterAccumulation from food, waterBioaccumulation Factors (Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFsBAFs):):–– Total Hg Total Hg (EPA, 1995)(EPA, 1995)

TL 3 - 27,900 L/KgTL 3 - 27,900 L/KgTL 4 - 140,000TL 4 - 140,000 L/KgL/Kg

–– Methyl Hg Methyl Hg (EPA, 1997)(EPA, 1997)

TL 3 - 1.6 x 10 TL 3 - 1.6 x 10 6 6 L/KgL/KgTL 4 - 6.8 x 10 TL 4 - 6.8 x 10 6 6 L/KgL/Kg

BiomagnificationBiomagnification(Illustrative Example)(Illustrative Example)

Trophic Level Concentration of MercuryWater 1 ng/L = 1 pptBacteria andphytoplankton

10 pg/g of water

Protozoan/zooplankton 100 pg/g

Insect larvae 1 ng/g = 1 ppbFish fry 10 ng/gMinnows 100 ng/gMedium-sized fish 1 µg/g = 1 ppmLarge predators (fish,birds, humans)

10 µg/g

Acute Toxicity Acute Toxicity (EPA)(EPA)

SSppeecciieessTToottaall HHgg

LLCC5500ss ((µµgg//LL))MMeetthhyyll HHgg

LLCC5500ss ((µµgg//LL))FFrreesshhwwaatteerrOOrrggaanniissmmss 22..22 ttoo 22,,000000 11..22 ttoo 335500

RRaaiinnbboowwTTrroouutt 115555 2244

SSaallttwwaatteerrOOrrggaanniissmmss

33..55 ttoo 11,,770000 55 ttoo 22,,449900

SSttrriippeedd BBaassss 9900 --KKiilllliiffiisshh -- 55..33 ((1100 dd))

Chronic Toxicity Chronic Toxicity (EPA)(EPA)

SSppeecciieessTToottaall HHgg

EECC5500ss ((µµgg//LL))MMeetthhyyll HHgg

EECC5500ss ((µµgg//LL))RRaaiinnbbooww TTrroouutt((6644 dd))

-- 00..0044((ggrroowwtthh))

CChhiirroonnoommuuss((4488 hhrr))

2299 --

CCooppeeppoodd -- 00..11 -- 11SSeeaa UUrrcchhiinn((4488 hhrr))

77..88 --

Effects based on Body BurdenEffects based on Body Burden((Jarvinen Jarvinen & & AnkleyAnkley, 1999), 1999)

Brook Trout: 5 - 7 µg/gBrook Trout: 5 - 7 µg/g–– Mortality, Mortality, ⇓⇓ growth growth, deformities, deformities

Walleye: Walleye: 1.7 - 3.1 µg/g1.7 - 3.1 µg/g–– Reduced weight, length and GSIReduced weight, length and GSI

Fathead Minnow:Fathead Minnow:–– 1.3 µg/g = Reduced wt and length1.3 µg/g = Reduced wt and length–– 4.5 µg/g = No spawning4.5 µg/g = No spawning

WildlifeWildlife

Top of the Food Chain - greatestTop of the Food Chain - greatestexposure = Piscivorous avian andexposure = Piscivorous avian andmammalian speciesmammalian speciesNeurotoxicityNeurotoxicityTeratogenTeratogen, , mutagenmutagenEmbryocidalEmbryocidal, , CytochemicalCytochemical & &Histopathological effects Histopathological effects ((EislerEisler, 1987), 1987)

Human EffectsHuman EffectsExposure primarily through fishExposure primarily through fishconsumptionconsumptionUnborn and Young ChildrenUnborn and Young Children–– Central Nervous SystemCentral Nervous System

Learning & Developmental DelaysLearning & Developmental Delays

Older Children and AdultsOlder Children and Adults–– Subtle neurological effectsSubtle neurological effects–– Neurological damageNeurological damage

Mercury in NJ WatersMercury in NJ Waters

Ambient Stream Monitoring Network:Ambient Stream Monitoring Network:–– Mostly Mostly NDs NDs in the 1990’sin the 1990’s–– Detection limits were above Aquatic WQCDetection limits were above Aquatic WQC

Clean TechniquesClean Techniques

Method 1631Method 1631

0.1

1

10

100

1000

10000

Mer

cury

(ng/

L)

CurrentAcute

ProposedAcute

CurrentChronic

ProposedChronic

CurrentHumanHealth

ProposedHumanHealth

WildlifeValue

245.1 DL 245.1 QL 1631 DL 1631 QL

Freshwater WQC and Analytical Limits

Current and ProposedNJ Mercury Surface Water Quality Criteria

MercuryCriterion

FreshWater:Current(µg/L)

FreshWater:

Proposed(µg/L)

Saltwater:Current(µg/L)

Saltwater:Proposed

(µg/L)AcuteAquaticLife

2.1 1.4 1.8 1.8

ChronicAquaticLife

0.012 0.770 0.025 0.940

HumanHealth

0.144 0.050 0.146 0.051

MercuryMercury in Surface Water - NJ Lake in Surface Water - NJ Lake

Date LocationTotal

Diss. Hg(ng/L)

DissolvedMethyl Hg

(ng/L)Impacted 1.59 0.062

Reference 1.32 0.066AprilBrook 56.6 0.104

Impacted 10.3 0.280

Reference 1.3 0.030AugustBrook 103 0.307

0.01

0.10

1.00

10.00

100.00

1000.00

Mer

cury

(ng/

L)

Mercury (Total) Mercury(Dissol.)

Methyl-Hg(Total)

Methyl-Hg(Dissol.)

Average Mercury in NJ's Tidal Waters

POTW (ng/L)CSO (ng/L)SWO (ng/L)Passaic River

Hackensack RiverRaritan River

Surface WaterSurface WaterWildlife CriterionWildlife Criterion

Developed by NJDEP, USFWS, EPADeveloped by NJDEP, USFWS, EPA

Used Great Lakes Water Quality InitiativeUsed Great Lakes Water Quality InitiativeConcern for Piscivorous Wildlife: BaldConcern for Piscivorous Wildlife: BaldEagle, Peregrine Falcon, OspreyEagle, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey

Accounts for PBT characteristicsAccounts for PBT characteristicsTest Dose = 0.078 mg/kg - dayTest Dose = 0.078 mg/kg - day

Wildlife CriterionWildlife Criterion

Total mercury criterion for theTotal mercury criterion for theprotection of wildlife = 0.00053 µg/Lprotection of wildlife = 0.00053 µg/L

0.530.53 ng ng/L/L

530 pg/L530 pg/L

NJ Fish ConsumptionNJ Fish ConsumptionAdvisoriesAdvisories

First NJ Hg Advisories - 1994First NJ Hg Advisories - 1994–– Largemouth Bass and Chain PickerelLargemouth Bass and Chain Pickerel–– Statewide and Pinelands AdvisoriesStatewide and Pinelands Advisories–– 28 Water Body-Specific Advisories28 Water Body-Specific Advisories

Background (Background (contcont.).)

Nationwide (EPA, 2004):Nationwide (EPA, 2004):–– 45 States have Hg Advisories (2,436)45 States have Hg Advisories (2,436)–– 39 have PCB Advisories (873)39 have PCB Advisories (873)–– 21 States have Statewide Hg Advisories for21 States have Statewide Hg Advisories for

freshwatersfreshwaters–– 12 with Coastal Hg Advisories12 with Coastal Hg Advisories

Average Hg Concentrations inAverage Hg Concentrations inFreshwater Fish in NJFreshwater Fish in NJ

Statewide:Statewide:–– 0.36 µg/g (26 Species; range ND - 8.9)0.36 µg/g (26 Species; range ND - 8.9)–– 0.35 µg/g (14 freshwater species; n>20)0.35 µg/g (14 freshwater species; n>20)

Pinelands: 0.80 µg/g (5 species)Pinelands: 0.80 µg/g (5 species)–– Range 0.05-Range 0.05-8.98.9 µg/g µg/g

Non-Pinelands: 0.23 µg/g (5 species)Non-Pinelands: 0.23 µg/g (5 species)–– Range 0.01-Range 0.01-3.93.9 µg/g µg/g

Nationwide: All Fish: 0.26 µg/gNationwide: All Fish: 0.26 µg/g

Average Mercury in Fish from Pinelands and Non-Pinelands Waters

0.00.5

1.01.5

2.0

LargemouthBass

Chain Pickerel YellowBullhead

BrownBullhead

"Sunfish"

Mer

cury

(ug/

g)

Pinelands Water Bodies Non-Pinelands Water Bodies National Average

Statewide Average Mercury Concentrations in NJ Fish

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

Chain pick

erel

Largemouth bassYellow Perch

Yellow bullhead

BluefishStrip

ed BassWhite

Perch

Smallmouth

bass"Sunfish

"Americ

an eelCha

nnel catfis

hWhite

Catfish

Black Crappie

Brown bullhead

BluegillCarp

Species

Hg

(ug/

g)

Geometric Mean (ppm)

Mean (ppm)95% UCL (ppm)

One Meal Per Week

Do Not Eat (High-Risk Ind.)

Statewide Mercury Advisory forStatewide Mercury Advisory forFreshwater Recreational FishFreshwater Recreational Fish

General PopulationGeneral Population–– Eat No More Than One Meal Per WeekEat No More Than One Meal Per Week

High-risk IndividualHigh-risk Individual–– Eat No More Than One Meal Per MonthEat No More Than One Meal Per Month

Conclusions:Conclusions:Mercury Monitoring is Needed!Mercury Monitoring is Needed!

BioaccumulatesBioaccumulatesFood Chain BiomagnificationFood Chain BiomagnificationConcerns with Impacts on Fish andConcerns with Impacts on Fish andWildlifeWildlifeConcerns with Human HealthConcerns with Human HealthFish AdvisoriesFish AdvisoriesControl Efforts Reducing Hg?Control Efforts Reducing Hg?

Additional InformationAdditional Information

New Jersey Fish Consumption Advisories:New Jersey Fish Consumption Advisories:–– www.FishSmartEatSmartNJ.orgwww.FishSmartEatSmartNJ.org

NJ Mercury Task Force Report:NJ Mercury Task Force Report:–– www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/mercury_task_force.www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/mercury_task_force.htmhtm

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsNJDEP/DSRTNJDEP/DSRT–– B. Ruppel, A. Stern, J. B. Ruppel, A. Stern, J. PecchioliPecchioli, T., T. Belton Belton

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia -Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia -–– R.R. Horwitz Horwitz, J. Ashley, D., J. Ashley, D. Velinsky Velinsky, P., P. Overbeck Overbeck and and

P.P. Kiry Kiry

NJDEP Division of Fish & WildlifeNJDEP Division of Fish & WildlifeNJ Toxics in Biota CommitteeNJ Toxics in Biota Committee–– NJDEPNJDEP–– NJ Department of Health & Senior ServicesNJ Department of Health & Senior Services–– NJ Department of AgricultureNJ Department of Agriculture