Bioaccumulation of Methylmercury versus Inorganic Mercury in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Grain

• DOI: 10.1021/es903565t
• Publication Date: 2010-05-18T11:38:51Z
• Authors: Hua Zhang; Xinbin Feng; Thorjørn Larssen; Lihai Shang; Ping Li
• Keywords: Methylmercury; Mercury; Oryza

Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in aquatic food webs has been much studied, motivated from high Hg levels found many fish species important for human consumption. terrestrial chains have received little attention and assumed to be of minor importance. However, recent studies showed that rice can an pathway methylmercury (MeHg) exposure inhabitants mining areas China. In this study, 59 sampling sites (including 32 "heavily polluted area", 19 "less-impacted area" 8 "control sites") were selected a area China both inorganic (IHg) MeHg determined grain (brown rice) soil samples evaluate grain. Bio-Accumulation Factors (BAFs) IHg ranged 0.00014 0.51 0.71 50 MeHg. BAFs on average more than 800 times higher those (maximum: 40 000 times). This the first time, is intensive bioaccumulator MeHg, but not IHg, which may trapped by roots.