Using dissolved organic matter fluorescence to predict total mercury and methylmercury in forested headwater streams, Sleepers River, Vermont USA

Aqueous transport of mercury (Hg) across the landscape is closely linked to dissolved organic matter (DOM). Both quantity and quality of DOM affect Hg mobility, as well as the formation and transport of toxic methylmercury (MeHg), but only a limited number of field studies have investigated Hg and M...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrological processes 2022-05, Vol.36 (5), p.n/a
Main Authors: Shanley, James B., Taylor, Vivien F., Ryan, Kevin A., Chalmers, Ann T., Perdrial, Julia, Stubbins, Aron
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Base flow
Catchment area
Components
Dimethylmercury
Dissolved organic carbon
Dissolved organic matter
DOM quality
Factor analysis
Fluorescence
headwater stream
Headwaters
humic‐like
Mercury
Mercury (metal)
Methyl mercury
Methylmercury
Microorganisms
Organic carbon
PARAFAC
Proteins
protein‐like
Rivers
Sampling
Snowmelt
Solutes
Storms
total mercury
Transport
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Aqueous transport of mercury (Hg) across the landscape is closely linked to dissolved organic matter (DOM). Both quantity and quality of DOM affect Hg mobility, as well as the formation and transport of toxic methylmercury (MeHg), but only a limited number of field studies have investigated Hg and MeHg with respect to specific DOM components. We investigated these interactions at the 41‐ha forested W‐9 catchment at Sleepers River, Vermont, which has a long history of mercury and other biogeochemical research. We examined spatial and temporal patterns of filtered Hg fractions and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, DOM quality, and major solutes at 12 stream sites within W‐9 and the downstream W‐3 gage (837 ha) over five sampling campaigns including a large (79 mm) fall storm, spring snowmelt, and three seasonally contrasting base flow periods. Filtered total Hg (THg), MeHg, and DOC concentrations increased in order base flow < snowmelt < fall storm, except that MeHg remained at baseflow levels during snowmelt. Ranges of median concentrations across sites for the five campaigns were THg,  0.96), and less strongly with protein‐like DOM (0.7 
ISSN:0885-6087
1099-1085
DOI:10.1002/hyp.14572