Abstract
Methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations were compared to total mercury (THg) concentrations in a variety of types of aqueous samples collected at the Experimental Lakes Area during 1991 through 1993. In several streams, an experimentally flooded wetland, and peat pore water, there was no relationship between MeHg and THg concentrations. %MeHg (compared to THg) ranged from < 1% to over 90%. In three ELA lakes, as in groups of lakes from other regions, a linear relationship between MeHg and THg concentration was found. However, these relationships differed by a factor of three from one region to another. This study shows that THg inputs and/or concentrations are not very useful in predicting MeHg concentrations, and that factors within ecosystems are very important in controlling MeHg concentrations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous: 1994, Expert Panel on Mercury Atmospheric Processes,EPRI Report No. TR-104214. 24 pp.
Berman, M. and Bartha, R.: 1986, Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.36: 401–404.
Berman, M., Chase, T. Jr., and Bartha, R.: 1990, Appl. Environ. Microbiol.56: 298–300.
Bishop, K., Lee, Y.H., Pettersson, C., and Allard, B.: 1994, Abstract, Presented at the International Conference on Mercury as Global Pollutant, Whistler, British Columbia.
Bloom, N.S.: 1989, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.,46: 1131–1140.
Bloom, N.S. and Crecelius, E.A.: 1983, Mar. Chem.14: 49–59.
Bloom, N.S. and Fitzgerald, W.F.: 1988, Anal. Chim. Acta,209: 151–161.
Bodaly, R.A., Rudd, J.M.W., Fudge, R.J.P., and Kelly, C.A.: 1993, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.50: 980–987.
Choi, S-C, and Bartha, R., 1993, Appl. Environ. Microbiol.59: 290–295.
Driscoll, C.T., Scholfield, C.L. Munson, R. and Holsapple, J.: 1994, Environ. Sci. Technol.,28: 136–143.
Fitzgerald, W.F., Mason, R.P. and Vandal, G.M.: 1991, Water Air Soil Poll.56: 745–767.
Furutani, A., and Rudd, J.W.M.: 1980, App. Environ. Microbiol.40: 770–776.
Gilmour, C.G. and Henry, E.A., 1991, Environ. Pollut.71: 131–169.
Hecky, R.E., Ramsay, D.J., Bodaly, R.A. and Strange, N.B.: 1991. In: Advances in Hg Toxicology (T. Suzukiet al. eds.), Plenum Press, New York.
Horvat, M., Liang, L. and Bloom, N.S.: 1993, Anal. Chim. Acta,282: 153–168.
Hultberg, H., Iverfeldt, A. and Lee, L.H.: in press.
Johnston, T.A., Bodaly, R.A., and Mathias, J.A.: 1991, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.48: 1468–1475.
Kelly, C.A., and Rudd, J.W.M.: 1993. CO2/Climate Report, Env. Canada 92–2:1–2.
Krabbenhoft, D.P., Benoit, J.M., Babiarz, C.L., Hurley, J.P., and Andren, A.W.: This issue.
Lee, Y.H. and Hultberg, H.: 1990, Environ. Toxicol. Chem.9: 833–841.
Lindqvist, O. and Rodhe, H.: 1985, Tellus37B: 136–159.
Linsey, G.A., Schindler, D.W., and Stainton, M.P.: 1987, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 44 Suppl. 1: 206–214.
Parks, J.W., A. Lutz, and J.A. Sutton: 1989, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.46: 2184–2202.
Ramlal, P.S., C.A. Kelly, J.W.M. Rudd, and A. Furutani: 1993, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 50: 979–979.
Rudd, J.W.M., Turner, M.A., Furutani, A., Swick, A., and Townsend, B.E.: 1983, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.40: 2206–2217.
Rudd, J.W.M.: This issue.
StLouis, V.L., Rudd, J.W.M., Kelly, C.A., Beaty, K.G., Bloom, N.S. and Flett, R.J.: 1994. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.51: 1065–1076.
Watras, C.J., Bloom, N.S., Hudson, R.J.M., Gherini, S.A., Wiener, J.G., W.F. Fitzgerald, and Porcella, D.B., in press.
Winfrey, M., and Rudd, J.W.M.: 1990, Environ. Toxicol. Chem.9: 853–869.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 11 of the Experimental Lakes Area Reservoir Project (ELARP).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kelly, C.A., Rudd, J.W.M., St.Louis, V.L. et al. Is total mercury concentration a good predictor of methyl mercury concentration in aquatic systems?. Water Air Soil Pollut 80, 715–724 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189723
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189723