TY - JOUR TI - A Model of Mercury Distribution in Tuna from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean: Influence of Physiology, Ecology and Environmental Factors AU - Houssard, Patrick AU - Point, David AU - Tremblay-Boyer, Laura AU - Allain, Valerie AU - Pethybridge, Heidi AU - Mashou, Jeremy AU - Ferriss, Bridget E. AU - Baya, Pascale A. AU - Lagane, Christelle AU - Menkes, Christophe E. AU - Letourneur, Yves AU - Lorrain, Anne T2 - Environmental Science & Technology AB - Information on ocean scale drivers of methylmercury levels and variability in tuna is scarce, yet crucial in the context of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) inputs and potential threats to human health. Here we assess Hg concentrations in three commercial tuna species (bigeye, yellowfin, and albacore, n = 1000) from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Models were developed to map regional Hg variance and understand the main drivers. Mercury concentrations are enriched in southern latitudes (10 degrees S-20 degrees S) relative to the equator (0 degrees-10 degrees S) for each species, with bigeye exhibiting the strongest spatial gradients. Fish size is the primary factor explaining Hg variance but physical oceanography also contributes, with higher Hg concentrations in regions exhibiting deeper thermoclines. Tuna trophic position and oceanic primary productivity were of weaker importance. Predictive models perform well in the Central Equatorial Pacific and Hawaii, but underestimate Hg concentrations in the Eastern Pacific. A literature review from the global ocean indicates that size tends to govern tuna Hg concentrations, however regional information on vertical habitats, methylmercury production, and/or Hg inputs are needed to understand Hg distribution at a broader scale. Finally, this study establishes a geographical context of Hg levels to weigh the risks and benefits of tuna consumption in the WCPO. DA - 2019/02/05/ PY - 2019 DO - 10.1021/acs.est.8b06058 DP - Web of Science VL - 53 IS - 3 SP - 1422 EP - 1431 J2 - Environ. Sci. Technol. LA - English SN - 0013-936X ST - A Model of Mercury Distribution in Tuna from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean UR - http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b06058 KW - ACL KW - DISCOVERY KW - IRD KW - MERTOX_ ANR-17-CE34-0010 KW - Pacific Ocean KW - SUD KW - Tuna KW - albacares KW - bigeye tuna KW - bioaccumulation KW - ecotoxicology KW - marine fish KW - methylation KW - methylmercury KW - pelagic fishes KW - thunnus-obesus KW - trophic position KW - yellowfin ER -