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GESAMP: Arsenic, Mercury and Selenium in the Marine Environment

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GESAMP: Arsenic, Mercury and Selenium in the Marine Environment GESAMP: Arsenic, mercury and selenium in the marine environment UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies No. 92 GESAMP Reports and Studies No. 28 Prepared in co-operation with UnitedNations FA0 UNESCO WHO WMO IMO IAEA UNEP 1988 PREFACE GESAMP, the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution, was established in 1969 and is today co-sponsored by the International Maritime Organ; zation ( IfW), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United at ions Educational, Scientific and Cul tural Organization (UNESCO), Wrld Meteorological organization (MI, World Health Organizaton (HMO), International Atanic Energy Agency (IAEA) , Uni ted at ions (UN) and United Nations Enviromnt Programne (UNEP). According to its present tern of reference, the functions of GESW are: - to provide advice relating to the scientific aspects of marine pollutioni'; and - to prepare periodic reviews of the state of themarine enviromnt as regards marine pollution and to identify problem areas requiring special attention. Since its beginning GESANP involved a large nunber of experts as members of GESAW or GESAMP Working Groups and produced, at the request of the sponsoring organizations, nwrous reports?. The developnt of this revieu document was carried out by the GESAMP Mrking Group on the revieu of potentially hannful substances which was organized by Mi0 in collaboration with FA0 and UNEP. Under the chairmanship of Professor L. Friberg draft evaluations uere prepared as follows: Arsenic. The marine aspects of arsenic uere covered by Dr. J.S. Ehonds whereas Dr. Vahter dealt with the hwn health aspects; Mercury. The first review of mercury was prepared by the Monitoring and Assessment Research Centre of Chelsea College, London. The marine part of mercury was subsequently reviewed by Dr. M. Bernhard, and the human health aspects by Dr. T. Clarkson; Seleniun. The evaluation of selenium was based on drafts prepared by Dr. A.V. Holden for marine aspects and by Dr. O.A. Levander as concerns hmn health. Editorial review of the entire docunent was undertaken by Dr. A.V. Holden and Dr. L. Magos. The efforts of all those mentioned above, as well as of those scientists who assisted in revieuing and cmnting on the various drafts were mst appreciated. GESW gratefully acknowledges their participation and dedication so necessary for the revieu of the three substances covered by this report. -11 GESW defined marine pollution as uintroduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine enviromnt (including estuaries) resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine activities including fishing, impairment of quality for use of iea-uater, and reduction of amenities." g/ V. Pravdic: GESAMP, The First Dozen Years. UNEP, 1981. CONTENTS PAGE 1 . INTRODUCTION 1 . BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................ 1.1 Scope and purpose ........................ 1.2 Evaluation mechanisms ...................... 1.3 Working procedures of the group ................. 1.4 Quality of data base ...................... 1.4.1 Analytical quality control ................ 1.4.2 Ecotoxicological quality aspect ............. 1.4.3 Quality of human toxicological data base ......... 2 . DIETARY INTAKE CONSIDERATIONS .................... 2.1 Basis for total dietary intake estimates ............ 2.2 Seafood consumption patterns ................... 2.2.1 Overall intake and individual variability of consumption 2.2.2 Review of selected data on high-consumption populations 3 . REFERENCES ............................. I1 . ARSENIC 1 . ARSENIC INTHEMARINE ENVIRONMENT .................. 1.1 Reference documentation ..................... 1.2 Generalfacts .......................... 1.3 Sources ............................. 1.4 Transport. transformation and bioaccumulation ......... 1.4.1 Transport ........................ 1.4.2 Transformation ...................... 1.4.3 Bioaccumulation ..................... 1.5 Arsenic in sea water. sediments and marine biota ........ 1.5.1 Seawater ........................ 1.5.2 Sediments ........................ 1.5.3 Marinebiota ....................... 2. EFFECTS ON MARINE BIOTA ....................... 2.1 Reference documentation ..................... 2.2 Effects on marine biota ..................... 3 . HUMANHEALTHASPECTS ......................... 3.1 Introduction and reference documentation ............ 3.2 Toxicokinetic properties .................... 3.2.1 Absorption ........................ 3.2.2 Biotransformation .................... 3.2.3 Tissue distribution ................... 3.2.4 Excretion and biological half-time ............ 3.2.5 Indicators of exposure .................. 3.3 Health effects ......................... 44 3.3.1 Inorganic arsenic compounds ............... 44 3.3.2 Organic arsenic compounds ................ 46 3.4 Total exposure to arsenic .................... 46 3.4.1 Air ........................... 47 3.4.2 Drinkin? water and beverages .............. 47 3.4.3 Food .......................... 47 3.4.4 Totaldailyintake ................... 48 3.5 Contribution of arsenic from marine food ............ 49 3.6 Evaluation of potential health effects ............. SO 4 . CONCLUSIONS ON ARSENIC ....................... 51 4.1 Potential harm to living resources ............... 51 4.2 Potential hazard to human health ................ 52 5 . REFERENCES ............................. 54 111 . MERCURY 1 . MERCURY IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT .................. 74 1.1 Reference documentation .................... 74 1.2 Generalfacts ......................... 74 1.3 Sources ............................ 74 1.4 Transport. transformation and bioaccmulation .......... 77 1.4.1 Transport ........................ 77 1.4.2 Transformation ..................... 78 1.4.3 Bioaccumulation ..................... 80 1.5 Mercury in atmosphere seawater. sediments and marine biota ... 83 1.5.1 Hercury concentrations in the atmosphere ........ 83 1.5.2 Mercury concentrations in sea water ........... 83 1.5.3 Mercury concentrations in sediments ........... 86 1.5.4 Mercury concentrations in marine biota ......... 86 2 . EFFECTS OF MERCURY ON MARINE BIOTA ................. 97 2.1 Reference documentation .................... 97 2.2 Methodology for studying effects ................ 97 2.3 Effects on marine biota .................... 98 3 . HLJMAN HEALTH ASPECTS ........................ 102 3.1 Reference documentation .................... 102 3.2 Toxicokinetics ......................... 102 3.3 Health effects ......................... 103 3.4 Total exposure to mercury compounds .............. 104 3.5 Contribution of mercury from marine food ............ 104 3.5.1 Primary route - descriptive data ............ 104 3.5.2 Primary route - calculation of intake .......... 108 3.5.3 Secondary routes .................... 108 3.6 Evaluation of potential health effects ............. 109 4 . CONCLUSIONSONMERCURY ....................... 4.1 Potential harm to living resources .............. 4.2 Potential hazards to human health ............... 5. REFERENCES ............................ IV . SELENIUM 1 . SELENIUM IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT ................. 1.1 Reference documentation .................... 1.2 Generalfacts ......................... 1.3 Sources ............................ 1.4 Transport. transformation and bioaccumulation ......... 1.4.1 Transport ....................... 1.4.2 Transformation ..................... 1.4.3 Bioaccumulation .................... 1.5 Selenium in sea water. sediments and marine biota ....... 1.5.1 Seawater ....................... 1.5.2 Sediments ....................... 1.5.3 Marine biota ...................... 1.5.4 Selenium/mercury correlation .............. 1.5.5 Other correlations ................... 2 . EFFECTS ON MARINE BIOTA ...................... 2.1 Reference Documentation .................... 2.2 Effects on marine biota .................... 3 . HUW HEALTH ASPECTS ....................... 3.1 Introduction and reference documentation ........... 3.2 Metabolismof selenium .................... 3.2.1 Absorption ....................... 3.2.2 Excretion and clearance half times ........... 3.2.3 Metabolic pathways ................... 3.2.4 Selenium in blood ................... 3.2.5 Gluthathione peroxidase ................ 3.3 Health effects ........................ 3.3.1 Selenium deficiency .................. 3.3.2 Selenium toxicity ................... 3.3.2.1 Occupational exposure ............. 3.3.2.2 Self medication ................ 3.3.2.3 Dietary exposure in seleniferous areas ..... 3.4 Total exposure to selenium .................. 3.5 Contribution of selenium from marine food ........... 3.6 Evaluation of potential health effects ............ 3.6.1 Seafood as a source of nutritionally desirable selenium levels .................... 3.6.2 Seafood as a source of potentially hazardous levels of selenium intake . 156 3.6.3 Carcinogenecity and human reproduction . 156 3.6.4 Interaction of selenium with other elements . 157 4. CONCLUSIONS ON SELENIUM . 157 4.1 Potential harm to living resources . 157 4.2 Potential hazards to human health . 158 5. REFERENCES ............................ 158 ANNEXES ANNEX 1. Second session of the GESAMP Working Group on the Review of Potentially Harmful Substances, London, 30 January - 3 February 1984 . .. 169 ANNEX 2. Fifth session of the GESAMP Working Group on the Review of Potentially Harmful Substances, Geneva, 4-8 November 1985 . 170 ANNEX 3. GESAMP Reports and Studies Publications . 171 I. INTRODUCTION
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