Mercury in bottom sediment and aquatic invertebrates, Carson and Truckee River Basins, Nevada and California
Conference
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OSTI ID:49504
- Geological Survey, Carson City, NV (United States)
Bottom sediment and aquatic invertebrates were sampled for trace-element analyses at 11 sites in the Carson and Truckee River Basins during September 1 992 as part of the US Geological Survey`s National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Composite bottom-sediment samples from inundated depositional areas were wet-sieved through a 63-micrometer nylon mesh and composite aquatic invertebrate samples were allowed to depurate prior to analyses. In the Carson River Basin, mercury concentrations increased downstream from 0.24 microgram per gram, dry weight ({mu}g/g), in both bottom sediment and western crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) samples from the East Fork Carson River near Markleeville, Calif., to 5.9 {mu}g/g in bottom sediment in the Carson River near Fallon, Nev., and to 48 {mu}g/g in western crayfish in the river near Fort Churchill, Nev. Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea) from the Carson River at Fort Churchill and near Fallon had 6.1 and 1.4 {mu}g/g of mercury, respectively. In the Truckee River Basin, mercury concentrations increased downstream from 0.02 {mu}g/g in bottom sediment and 0.17--0.21 {mu}g/g in western crayfish at sites upstream of Reno, Nev., to 0.58 {mu}g/g in bottom sediment and 0.49 {mu}g/g in western crayfish at Clark, Nev. Downstream patterns of mercury concentration in bottom sediment and western crayfish are similar. Possible sources of mercury include historical gold and silver ore-milling activities, acid mine drainage, mineral deposits, and urban activities.
- OSTI ID:
- 49504
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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