Mercury translocation as mediated by metabiosis

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:5088977

Parsons, J E

The mercury burden found in water columns of Lake Erie's western basin is particle associated; whether inorganic or organic in nature, the load carried by individual particles is directly related to their density. Through the use of a model lake, it has been theorized that mercury translocation within the underlying bed sediments is cyclical in nature, i.e., the concomitant methylation of inorganic mercury in aerobic conditions and demethylation of methylmercury compounds where the oxygen level is low or depleted, and the result of microbial initiation in the benthos. Translocation of mercury in the model lake bed sediments was expressed mathematically. Observations on the time interval required to translocate mercury by biocenosis are suggestive of either sociological adaptation or plasmid mediated resistance. Mercury translocation mediated via organic particulates in the model's water column--be it active or passive--was a surface related phenomenon largely due to their high surface to volume ratio. X-ray microanalysis verified the presence of particulates having a surface-associated mercury burden among the constituents of the model's biomass. Mercury concentration was observed as the element moved from lower to higher levels of a typical food chain (procaryotes ..-->.. eucaryotes ..-->.. gastropods and/or fish).

• OSTI ID: 5088977
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BENTHOS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAMINATION
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FOOD CHAINS
GREAT LAKES
LAKE ERIE
LAKES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MERCURY
METALS
METHYLATION
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSLOCATION
WATER POLLUTION