Wetland influence on mercury fate and transport in a temperate forested watershed

The transport and fate of mercury (Hg) was studied in two forest wetlands; a riparian peatland and an abandoned beaver meadow. The proportion of total mercury (THg) that was methyl mercury (% MeHg) increased from 2% to 6% from the upland inlets to the outlet of the wetlands. During the growing seaso...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental pollution (1987) 2008-07, Vol.154 (1), p.46-55
Main Authors: Selvendiran, Pranesh, Driscoll, Charles T., Bushey, Joseph T., Montesdeoca, Mario R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biological and physicochemical phenomena
Carbon - analysis
Continental surface waters
Dissolved organic carbon
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
environmental fate
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Exact sciences and technology
forested watersheds
Freshwater
grasslands
groundwater
Huntington Forest
Mercury
Mercury - analysis
Methyl mercury
methylmercury compounds
Methylmercury Compounds - analysis
Natural water pollution
peatlands
Pollution
Pollution, environment geology
Retention
riparian areas
Season
seasonal variation
Seasons
Soil
soil hydraulic properties
soil pore water
soil transport processes
Solubility
Sulfate
Sulfates - analysis
Trees
water flow
Water Movements
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water treatment and pollution
Wetland
Wetlands
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Summary:The transport and fate of mercury (Hg) was studied in two forest wetlands; a riparian peatland and an abandoned beaver meadow. The proportion of total mercury (THg) that was methyl mercury (% MeHg) increased from 2% to 6% from the upland inlets to the outlet of the wetlands. During the growing season, MeHg concentrations were approximately three times higher (0.27 ng/L) than values during the non-growing season (0.10 ng/L). Transport of Hg species was facilitated by DOC production as indicated by significant positive relations with THg and MeHg. Elevated concentrations of MeHg and % MeHg (as high as 70%) were found in pore waters of the riparian and beaver meadow wetlands. Groundwater interaction with the stream was limited at the riparian peatland due to the low hydraulic conductivity of the peat. The annual fluxes of THg and MeHg at the outlet of the watershed were 2.3 and 0.092 μg/m 2-year respectively. Wetlands are sources of THg and MeHg; the production of MeHg is seasonally dependent and driven by sulfate reduction in wetlands.
ISSN:0269-7491
1873-6424
DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2007.12.005