Photochemical reactions between mercury (Hg) and dissolved organic matter decrease Hg bioavailability and methylation

Luo, Hong-Wei; Yin, Xiangping; Jubb, Aaron M.; Chen, Hongmei; Lu, Xia; Zhang, Weihua; Lin, Hui; Yu, Han-Qing; Liang, Liyuan; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Gu, Baohua

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.099

Title: Photochemical reactions between mercury (Hg) and dissolved organic matter decrease Hg bioavailability and methylation

Journal Article · Wed Nov 09 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Environmental Pollution

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.099· OSTI ID:1343495

Luo, Hong-Wei ^[1]; Yin, Xiangping ^[2]; Jubb, Aaron M. ^[2]; Chen, Hongmei ^[2]; Lu, Xia ^[2]; Zhang, Weihua ^[3]; Lin, Hui ^[2]; Yu, Han-Qing ^[4]; Liang, Liyuan ^[5]; Sheng, Guo-Ping ^[4];

^[2]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division; Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China). Dept. of Chemistry
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division; Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou (China). School of Environmental Science and Engineering
Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China). Dept. of Chemistry
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division; Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab.

Atmospheric deposition of mercury (Hg) to surface water is one of the dominant sources of Hg in aquatic environments and ultimately drives methylmercury (MeHg) toxin accumulation in fish. It is known that freshly deposited Hg is more readily methylated by microorganisms than aged or preexisting Hg; however the underlying mechanism of this process is unclear. Here we report that Hg bioavailability is decreased by photochemical reactions between Hg and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water. Photo-irradiation of Hg-DOM complexes results in loss of Sn(II)-reducible (i.e. reactive) Hg and up to an 80% decrease in MeHg production by the methylating bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA. Loss of reactive Hg proceeded at a faster rate with a decrease in the Hg to DOM ratio and is attributed to the possible formation of mercury sulfide (HgS). Lastly, these results suggest a new pathway of abiotic photochemical formation of HgS in surface water and provide a mechanism whereby freshly deposited Hg is readily methylated but, over time, progressively becomes less available for microbial uptake and methylation.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1343495

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1397819

Journal Information:: Environmental Pollution, Vol. 220, Issue PB; ISSN 0269-7491

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 37 works

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Title: Photochemical reactions between mercury (Hg) and dissolved organic matter decrease Hg bioavailability and methylation

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