Work

The formation of bioavailable Hg in a pipeline: An initial investigation into Hg bioaccumulation resulting from oil and gas decommissioning

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) released during offshore pipeline decommissioning may pose ecological risks, yet little is known about its chemical form and biological impact. We examined how Hg 0 can react on and subsequently be released from laboratory-generated steel pipeline material to interact with marine algae, focusing on chemical speciation, transformation, and cellular uptake. Laboratory exposures of the marine algae, Isochrysis galbana , to pipeline-derived Hg showed accumulation up to 109 mg kg −1 dry weight, as determined by cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV-AFS). Single-cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SC ICP-MS) confirmed substantial cell-associated Hg, with bimodal distributions suggesting distinct uptake or surface-association pathways. Although classical growth and photosynthetic parameters did not consistently reveal toxicity, Hg exposure altered cell populations and aggregation behaviour, indicating sublethal but ecologically relevant effects. Our findings demonstrate that through interactions with pipeline material Hg 0 can be transformed into species which have an increased likelihood of bioaccumulation.

Source: The Science of The Total Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181526

Authors: Lhiam Paton, Sandra Kiesel, Matthias Elinkmann, David Clases, Fernando Fernandez-Mendoza, Jörg Feldmann

Institutions: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, University of Graz, Graz University of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Mercury impact and mitigation studies

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,250

Funders: Austrian Science Fund, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz