Planktonic organisms, which have direct contact with water, serve as the entry point for mercury (Hg), into the marine food web, impacting its levels in higher organisms, including fish, mammals, and humans who consume seafood. This study provides insights into the distribution and behavior of Hg within the Baltic Sea, specifically the Gulf of Gdańsk, focusing on pelagic primary producers and consumers. Phytoplankton Hg levels were primarily influenced by its concentrations in water, while Hg concentrations in zooplankton resulted from dietary exposure through suspended particulate matter and phytoplankton consumption. Hg uptake by planktonic organisms, particularly phytoplankton, was highly efficient, with Hg concentrations four orders of magnitude higher than those in the surrounding water. However, unlike biomagnification of Hg between SPM and zooplankton, biomagnification between zooplankton and phytoplankton was not apparent, likely due to the low trophic position and small size of primary consumers, high Hg elimination rates, and limited absorption.

中文翻译：

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波罗的海南部格但斯克湾中上层食物网底部的汞动态

与水直接接触的浮游生物是汞 (Hg) 进入海洋食物网的入口，影响其在高等生物（包括鱼类、哺乳动物和食用海鲜的人类）中的含量。这项研究深入了解波罗的海（特别是格但斯克湾）内汞的分布和行为，重点关注远洋初级生产者和消费者。浮游植物的汞含量主要受其在水中的浓度影响，而浮游动物中的汞浓度则由悬浮颗粒物和浮游植物消耗的膳食暴露造成。浮游生物，特别是浮游植物对汞的吸收效率很高，汞浓度比周围水中的汞浓度高四个数量级。然而，与SPM和浮游动物之间的汞生物放大作用不同，浮游动物和浮游植物之间的汞生物放大作用并不明显，这可能是由于初级消费者的营养位置较低且尺寸较小、汞消除率较高且吸收有限。