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Distinct dynamics in mountain watersheds: Exploring mercury and microplastic pollution—Unraveling the influence of atmospheric deposition, human activities, and hydrology

Environmental Research 2023 5 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Helena Guasch, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Helena Guasch, Radhouan El Zrelli, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Helena Guasch, Jeroen E., Sonke, Radhouan El Zrelli, Radhouan El Zrelli, Radhouan El Zrelli, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Sophia V. Hansson, Sophia V. Hansson, Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Delfina Cornejo, Delfina Cornejo, Gaël, Le Roux Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Gaël, Le Roux Anna Vila‐Gispert, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Sophia V. Hansson, Sophia V. Hansson, Sophia V. Hansson, Gaël, Le Roux Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Anna Vila‐Gispert, Delfina Cornejo, Delfina Cornejo, Delfina Cornejo, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Sophia V. Hansson, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Sophia V. Hansson, Jeroen E., Sonke, Jeroen E., Sonke, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Linda Chouache, Henar Margenat, Delfina Cornejo, Linda Chouache, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Delfina Cornejo, Delfina Cornejo, Helena Guasch, Sophia V. Hansson, Jeroen E., Sonke, Henar Margenat, Eugènia Martı́, Delfina Cornejo, Helena Guasch, Delfina Cornejo, Anna Vila‐Gispert, Jeroen E., Sonke, Sophia V. Hansson, Gaël, Le Roux Sophia V. Hansson, Gaël, Le Roux Jeroen E., Sonke, Radhouan El Zrelli, Gaël, Le Roux Gaël, Le Roux Laure Laffont, Eugènia Martı́, Jeroen E., Sonke, Sophia V. Hansson, Henar Margenat, Henar Margenat, Eugènia Martı́, Eugènia Martı́, Sophia V. Hansson, Gaël, Le Roux

Summary

Researchers investigated mercury and microplastic co-contamination in mountain freshwater ecosystems, analyzing brown trout, biofilm, and sediment to assess geospatial distribution and identify pollution sources in high-altitude environments.

Study Type Environmental

The intensification of human activities all around the globe has led to the spread of micropollutants in high-mountain freshwater environments. We therefore aimed to assess the geospatial distribution and determine the potential sources of (total-) mercury (THg) and microplastics (MPs) in mountain freshwater ecosystems. To do so, we analyzed THg and MP concentrations in brown trout, biofilm, and sediments from lotic and lentic ecosystems in the Pyrenees - all subjected to different types of human pressure. Additionally, we assessed the potential impacts of these pollutants on fish, and explored the bioindication capacity of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) and biofilm regarding THg and MP pollution. For the first time, we measured concentrations of MPs trapped in the matrix of freshwater biofilm. Our results suggest that THg in the Pyrenees might be explained by both legacy (regional) and distant sources, in combination with environmental characteristics such as the presence of peatlands or streamwater physicochemistry, while MPs in fish are linked to recent local pollution sources such as single-use plastics. In contrast, MPs in biofilm matrix and sediments indicate a combination of distant (i.e., atmospheric deposition) and recent local pollution sources. Moreover, hydrodynamics and plastic density likely control MP distribution in rivers. Based on Fulton's condition factor, we also found that higher THg concentrations caused a negative impact on fish health (K < 1), while no impact of MPs could be seen. Therefore, we suggest that brown trout and biofilm can serve as bioindicators of atmospheric deposition of THg in high-altitude lakes and that biofilm is a reliable bioindicator to assess MP pollution in remote environments. Brown trout may also act as a bioindicator of MP pollution, but only efficiently in more polluted areas.

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