Distribution of mercury in the deep sea water
A study was performed to determine why deep sea fish and shellfish contain a large percentage of mercury. The material selected for study consisted of sediments, corals, seaweeds, and seawater. Total mercury was determined by ultraviolet atomic absorption, and methylmercury was analyzed via gas chromatography. The sediments of the Japan Sea bed contained low (0.001-0.011 ppm) amounts of total mercury. Methylmercury was not detected in the sediments. In corals, total mercury varied according to age; there was a tendency for the accumulation to be larger in the modern living coral than in the old corals. Mercury concentrations in seaweeds varied from none to 0.032 ppm. Methylmercury was not detected in seaweeds. The concentrations detected in this study cannot explain the high levels found in fish and shellfish. The authors speculate that a food chain transfer is operating, its structure being phytoplankton-based. 3 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Akita Univ. School of Medicine, Japan
- OSTI ID:
- 5666489
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-740505-
- Journal Information:
- Congress International Del Mercurio; (), Vol. 1:2; Conference: 1. international mercury congress conference, Barcelona, Spain, 6 May 1974
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
METHYLMERCURY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOOD CHAINS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
SEAWATER
SEAWEEDS
SEDIMENTS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
WATER
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560303 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
560304 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Invertebrates- (-1987)