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Mercury concentrations in wetlands associated with coal-fired power plants

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Abstract

There have been contradictory reports of the relative proportion of mercury from coal-fired power plants that deposits locally. Our objective was to determine any local effect of coal-fired power plants on total mercury concentrations in wetland sediment and tadpole samples. Four power plants and 45 wetlands were selected for study. Total mercury concentrations were determined in 75 sediment samples (range: 8–82 ng/g dry weight) and 100 bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana) and green frog (Lithobates clamitans) tadpoles (range: 5–318 ng/g wet weight). Tadpole and sediment total mercury did not significantly vary by power plant or distance from the plant. Only one power plant had a significantly greater concentration of total mercury in sediment downwind compared to upwind wetlands. A similar (but non-significant) trend was found for tadpole total mercury surrounding the same plant. Tadpole total mercury was negatively correlated with both tadpole weight and total length. Tadpole and sediment total mercury concentrations were not significantly correlated with one another. The results of the current study suggest that coal-fired power plants are not significantly affecting mercury concentrations in surrounding wetlands.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (#HWR06199). We would like to thank Gary Bordson, Brent Panno, and the rest of the metals group at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center for their assistance in sediment mercury analysis. We wish to thank Matt Whiles for input regarding initial methods, and Tricia Trimble and Dawn Fallacara for laboratory assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Scott M. Weir

  2. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA

    Richard S. Halbrook & Donald W. Sparling

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  1. Scott M. Weir
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Correspondence to Scott M. Weir.

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Weir, S.M., Halbrook, R.S. & Sparling, D.W. Mercury concentrations in wetlands associated with coal-fired power plants. Ecotoxicology 19, 306–316 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-009-0413-3

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