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

Pranesh Selvendiran, Charles T. Driscoll, Joseph T. Bushey, Mario R. Montesdeoca

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

91 Scopus citations

Abstract

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/m2-year respectively.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)46-55
Number of pages10
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume154
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2008

Keywords

  • Dissolved organic carbon
  • Huntington Forest
  • Mercury
  • Methyl mercury
  • Retention
  • Season
  • Sulfate
  • Wetland

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology
  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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