RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes

Mercury, a trace metal, is a persistent environmental pollutant that can be detected even in remote regions, including high-mountain lakes. This study examined mercury concentrations in the sediment of two lakes in the French Pyrenees, the Legunabens and Labant lakes. Sediment samples were collected...

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Main Authors: Cristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda, Luis Roberto Hernández-Angulo, Daniel Tobón-Vélez, Anamaría Franco-Leyva, María Margarita Sierra-Carrillo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Diversity
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/10/627
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author Cristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda
Luis Roberto Hernández-Angulo
Daniel Tobón-Vélez
Anamaría Franco-Leyva
María Margarita Sierra-Carrillo
author_facet Cristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda
Luis Roberto Hernández-Angulo
Daniel Tobón-Vélez
Anamaría Franco-Leyva
María Margarita Sierra-Carrillo
author_sort Cristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda
collection DOAJ
description Mercury, a trace metal, is a persistent environmental pollutant that can be detected even in remote regions, including high-mountain lakes. This study examined mercury concentrations in the sediment of two lakes in the French Pyrenees, the Legunabens and Labant lakes. Sediment samples were collected using a Hon-Kajak Sediment Corer, and mercury concentrations were measured following the EPA 7473 method with a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80). Mercury levels reached up to 283 ng g<sup>−1</sup> in the Legunabens lake and up to 110 ng g<sup>−1</sup> in the Labant lake, possibly linked to the mining history of the Ariège department and atmospheric deposition from distant sources. These findings indicate significant contamination, ranging from an 8% to 42% probability of generating adverse biological effects according to Canadian standards, and approximately 90% higher concentrations compared to average mercury concentrations in other Pyrenean lakes. Such contamination poses potential risks to aquatic life and the environment due to mercury’s toxicity and bioaccumulation in microorganisms.
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spelling doaj-art-ff742037c43d4e4c843daa84dc91ea2c2025-08-20T02:32:44ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-10-01161062710.3390/d16100627RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean LakesCristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda0Luis Roberto Hernández-Angulo1Daniel Tobón-Vélez2Anamaría Franco-Leyva3María Margarita Sierra-Carrillo4Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Santa Marta 470003, ColombiaUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, FranceLaboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31432 Toulouse, FranceFaculty of Engineering, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Santa Marta 470003, ColombiaFaculty of Engineering, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Santa Marta 470003, ColombiaMercury, a trace metal, is a persistent environmental pollutant that can be detected even in remote regions, including high-mountain lakes. This study examined mercury concentrations in the sediment of two lakes in the French Pyrenees, the Legunabens and Labant lakes. Sediment samples were collected using a Hon-Kajak Sediment Corer, and mercury concentrations were measured following the EPA 7473 method with a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80). Mercury levels reached up to 283 ng g<sup>−1</sup> in the Legunabens lake and up to 110 ng g<sup>−1</sup> in the Labant lake, possibly linked to the mining history of the Ariège department and atmospheric deposition from distant sources. These findings indicate significant contamination, ranging from an 8% to 42% probability of generating adverse biological effects according to Canadian standards, and approximately 90% higher concentrations compared to average mercury concentrations in other Pyrenean lakes. Such contamination poses potential risks to aquatic life and the environment due to mercury’s toxicity and bioaccumulation in microorganisms.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/10/627water pollutionmercuryhigh-mountain lakessedimentsheavy metals
spellingShingle Cristian Yoel Quintero-Castañeda
Luis Roberto Hernández-Angulo
Daniel Tobón-Vélez
Anamaría Franco-Leyva
María Margarita Sierra-Carrillo
RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
Diversity
water pollution
mercury
high-mountain lakes
sediments
heavy metals
title RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
title_full RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
title_fullStr RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
title_full_unstemmed RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
title_short RETRACTED: Assessing Mercury Contamination Levels in the Sediments of Two Pyrenean Lakes
title_sort retracted assessing mercury contamination levels in the sediments of two pyrenean lakes
topic water pollution
mercury
high-mountain lakes
sediments
heavy metals
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/10/627
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AT danieltobonvelez retractedassessingmercurycontaminationlevelsinthesedimentsoftwopyreneanlakes
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