MERCURY IN NEW JERSEY S DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS (Malaclemys terrapin) Natalie Sherwood, Meiyin Wu, Peddrick Weis

MERCURY IN NEW JERSEY S DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS (Malaclemys terrapin) Natalie Sherwood, Meiyin Wu, Peddrick Weis

Why Mercury? Causes detrimental human health effects Over 35% of US freshwaters have consumption advisories In NJ 54% of all assessed river and stream miles are impaired due to mercury contamination The EPA s mercury analysis of market purchased fish resulted in mean concentrations ranging from 0.005 ppm to 0.42ppm New Jersey self-caught fish had higher concentrations ranging from 0.05ppm to 0.6ppm

Fish Consumption Advisory

Human Impacts Neurotoxin Low doses: cardiovascular effects, ataxia, visual evoked changes High doses: damage the central nervous system, impaired speech and gait, deafness, blindness, coma and even death Source: http://whatculture.com/wp-content/ uploads/2008/09/mad-hatter-1.jpg

Human Impacts Infants can suffer of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and severe developmental delays In the United States 1 in 10 women of childbearing age has elevated blood mercury levels

Mercury Threshold NJ sensitive population~ 0.18ppm EPA ~ 0.3ppm FDA ~ 1ppm

Northern Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin Only brackish water turtle in the US Lower Risk/near threatened Special concern species in NJ Long life span Sexually Dimorphic High tolerance to pollutants

Diamondback Terrapin Characteristics Sexual maturity between ages 8-10 Lay 4 to 20 oval eggs High mortality rates of eggs, hatchlings and juveniles For unpredated nest, 20 to 45% of eggs hatch Chance of surviving to sexual maturity is about 2%

Diamondback Terrapin Diet Omnivorous They eat shrimp, clams, crabs, mussels, and other marine invertebrates, especially periwinkle snails

Diamondback Terrapin Harvest Prior to 2016 the open season for terrapins: November 1 to March 31 In July 2016 the legislation voted to remove terrapins from the game list In 2016, another status review recommended a Special Concern status for this species within the state, but no formal rule proposal has been filed to date.

U.S. Export Of Diamondback Terrapins 14,220 Diamondback Terrapins were exported from the US in 2014. 14 being exported to Japan, 40 exported to Thailand, 126 to China, 210 to Taiwan, 13,956 exported to Hong Kong

Aquatic Food Chain Source: http:// www.usgs.gov/themes/ factsheet/146-00/

Objectives Determine if terrapins are safe for human consumption Examine mercury concentrations variation among study sties and sexes

Distribution And Study Site Meadowlands Cape May

Sample Collection Carapace Muscle Blood 24 terrapins from Cape May 13 terrapins from Meadowlands Mercury concentration were analyzed by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry Statistical Analysis using ANOVA

Results 3.5 Cape May 3.5 Meadowlands Mercury Concentration, ppm 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0-0.5 Mercury Concentration, ppm 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0-1 Carapace Blood Muscle -0.5 Carapace Blood Muscle Male Female Male Female

Mean Hg Concentrations In Terrapins (ppm) Male & Female Cape May Hackensack Meadowlands Carapace 2.084 ±0.555 (N=24) 0.957 ±0.114 (N=13) Blood 0.347 ±0.152 (N=16) 0.165 ±0.036 (N=8) Muscle 0.260 ±0.042 (N=22) 0.284 ±0.069 (N=11)

Mean Hg Concentrations In Female Terrapins (ppm) Female Cape May Hackensack Meadowlands Carapace 2.363 ±0.801 (N=16) 1.032 ±0.241 (N=4) Blood 0.449 ±0.195 (N=12) 0.227 ±0.073 (N=3) Muscle 0.268 ±0.053 (N=15) 0.282 ±0.208 (N=4)

Mean Hg Concentrations In Male Terrapins (ppm) Male Cape May Hackensack Meadowlands Carapace 1.524 ±0.461 (N=8) 0.923 ±0.134 (N=9) Blood 0.044 ±0.014 (N=4) 0.128 ±0.033 (N=5) Muscle 0.245 ±0.072 (N=7) 0.287 ±0.010 (N=7)

Site Variation There were no statistical significant difference in mercury concentrations between the two sites Site Carapace (ppm) Blood (ppm) Muscle (ppm) Cape May 2.084 ±0.555 0.347 ±0.152 0.260 ±0.042 Meadowlands 0.957 ±0.114 0.165 ±0.036 0.284 ±0.069

Sex Variation There were no statistical significant difference in mercury concentrations between male and female Source: http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/ 01glance/symbols/html/reptile.html Carapace (ppm) Blood (ppm) Muscle (ppm) Female 2.097 ±0.649 0.404 ±0.157 0.270 ±0.060 Male 1.206 ±0.233 0.091 ±0.024 0.266 ±0.035

Muscle Mercury Concentrations There was no statistical significant difference in muscle mercury concentrations Study Site Male (ppm) Female (ppm) Male & Female (ppm) Cape May 0.245 ±0.071 0.268 ±0.053 0.260 ±0.042 Meadowlands 0.287 ±0.010 0.282 ±0.208 0.284 ±0.069 All 0.266 ±0.035 0.271 ±0.057 0.268 ±0.035

% of terrapins above thresholds General Populations/ 0.3ppm High Risk Populations/ 0.18ppm 100% 100% 80% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% All Female Male 0% All Female Male Cape May Meadowlands Cape May Meadowlands

% Of Terrapin Muscle Samples Over Thresholds Sensitive EPA FDA CM HM CM HM CM HM All Muscle 50% 73% 28% 46% 0% 0% Female Muscle Male Muscle 50% 25% 25% 25% 0% 0% 38% 100% 25% 57% 0% 0%

Conclusion There were no statistical significant differences in mercury concentrations between study sites or sexes 27% of Cape May terrapins and 46% of Meadowlands terrapins surpassed the general population/0.3ppm threshold 50% of Cape May terrapins and 73% of Meadowlands terrapins surpassed the high risk population/0.18ppm threshold For the general population, based on mercury concentration, terrapins should not be consumed more than 3 times a month

Acknowledgements The Wetlands Institute Drs. Roger Wood and Patrick Baker Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute Mr. Brett Bargain

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