Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS07 Biogeochemical Cycles

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 12:15:00 PM

Location: Cochiti/Taos

Guentzel, J, L, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, USA, jguentze@coastal.edu

Tsukamoto, Y, , Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, USA,

THE GEOCHEMICAL CYCLING AND SPECIATION OF MERCURY IN THE WACCAMAW RIVER-WINYAH BAY ESTUARY, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Essentially all (>95%) of the mercury (Hg) in predatory fish is monomethylmercury (CH3Hg). Human health risks associated with methylmercury poisoning and the occurrence of high levels (>0.5 ppm) of Hg in piscivorous fish from water bodies in South Carolina has resulted in the promulgation of greater than 30 fish consumption advisories throughout the state. Prior to bioconcentration and biomagnification in higher trophic levels, atmospherically deposited inorganic divalent mercury (HgII) must be transformed, via anerobically mediated microbial processes, to organic or methyl mercury. In addition to methylation, Hg(II) can be converted to elemental gaseous mercury and evaded from the water column. Because these processes compete for the pool of available (HgII), investigating the speciation of mercury is essential to understanding the mechanisms responsible for its accumulation in higher tropic levels. We will discuss the distribution and speciation of total mercury and methylmercury in the Waccamaw River-Winyah Bay Estuary. In addition we will assess the contribution of microorganisms (<3 micron) to production rates of elemental Hg in this estuary.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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