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Mercury in the sediments of freshwater lakes in Ny-Ålesund, Arctic

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Abstract

Mercury and its speciation in aquatic ecosystems have been assessed globally. Even though previous studies were limited to Arctic freshwater lakes, they are highly significant in the context of the changing climate. The present study is based on sediment samples collected from three Arctic freshwater lakes over a period of 4 years (2015–2018). The samples were analysed for total mercury (THg), methyl mercury (MHg), and various mercury fractions. The observed mean THg and MHg concentrations were 22.23 ng/g and 0.41 ng/g respectively; these values were comparable with those for other Arctic freshwater lakes. The mercury content significantly varied among the years as well as among the lakes. Changes in snowdrift and meltwater inputs, which are the major sources of water for the lakes, may have influenced the sediment mercury content along with geographical location and increased productivity. The results of MHg indicated the susceptibility of lake sediments to methylation. The major fractions observed were the organo-chelated form of mercury, followed by the elemental and water-soluble forms. These results indicate the availability of mercury for methylation. Hence, it is necessary to conduct more studies on the influence of climate change, mercury release through permafrost melting, and atmospheric deposition.

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Funding

We would like to thank the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Department of Science and Technology (DST) PURSE & FIST programs for their financial support to our work and DST-INSPIRE for the research fellowship to the first author. Moreover, we are grateful to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), MoES, Government of India for its logistical and financial support through Arctic Expedition and PACER-POP Project.

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  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686560, India

    V. G. Gopikrishna, V. M. Kannan, M. B. Binish, M. Abdul Shukkur & Mahesh Mohan

  2. National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Vasco da Gama, Goa, 403802, India

    K. P. Krishnan

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  1. V. G. Gopikrishna
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  2. V. M. Kannan
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  3. M. B. Binish
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  4. M. Abdul Shukkur
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  5. K. P. Krishnan
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  6. Mahesh Mohan
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Correspondence to Mahesh Mohan.

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Gopikrishna, V.G., Kannan, V.M., Binish, M.B. et al. Mercury in the sediments of freshwater lakes in Ny-Ålesund, Arctic. Environ Monit Assess 192, 538 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08511-y

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