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Mercury study report to Congress. Volume 5. An ecological assessment of anthropogenic mercury emissions in the United States. Sab review draft

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:285173

In this volume of the draft Mercury Study Report to Congress, an ecological assessment for anthropogenic mercury emissions is developed. The assessment follows the U.S. EPA Framework for Ecological Assessment: problem formulation; presentation of a conceptual model describing airborne mercury accumulation in aquatic biota, biomagnification in the aquatic food chain; and analysis of exposure of wildlife species to methylmercury through consumption of fish and shellfish. Exposures of wildlife species to methylmercury through the aquatic food chain are compared with toxicity data calculated in the development of criteria for the protection of fish-eating avian and mammalian wildlife. Descriptions of mercury impacts on biota are provided in the problem formulation chapter. Estimates are provided of mercury deposition on a local scale in areas near emissions point sources. The distributions of selected fish-consuming wildlife species are overlaid with predicted high mercury areas of high concern (e.g., areas with low-pH surface water) and compared with predicted deposition of anthropogenic mercury emissions.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
OSTI ID:
285173
Report Number(s):
PB--96-184668/XAB; EPA--452/R-96/001E
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English