Variability and loading of mercury in a small prairie river

A study was conducted on the Moose Jaw river, Saskatchewan , during spring 1979, the objectives of which were to investigate the magnitude and variability of mercury in this river during a high flow period. Based on the literature, the natural mercury burden of uncontaminated suspended sediments mig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1980-10, Vol.25 (4), p.530-536
Main Author: Gummer, W D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Fresh Water - analysis
Mercury - analysis
Particle Size
Saskatchewan
Water Pollutants - analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
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Summary:A study was conducted on the Moose Jaw river, Saskatchewan , during spring 1979, the objectives of which were to investigate the magnitude and variability of mercury in this river during a high flow period. Based on the literature, the natural mercury burden of uncontaminated suspended sediments might conservatively be estimated as 0.15 ug per g; samples showed levels of 0.31 ug per g in this study. It is hypothesized that active erosion of contaminated sediments in a tributary, Thunder Creek , resulted in the high levels of particulate mercury observed. The findings lend support to this theory. Another facet is the periods of unexplainably high dissolved mercury levels. Estimates of the anthropogenic input of mercury are made.
ISSN:0007-4861
1432-0800
DOI:10.1007/BF01985567