Airborne mercury deposition and watershed characteristics in relation to mercury concentrations in water, sediments, plankton, and fish of eighty northern Minnesota lakes

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Environmental Science and Technology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00081a015· OSTI ID:6293526

Sorenson, J A; Schmidt, K W; Huber, J K; Rapp, Jr, G R ^[1]; Glass, G E ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis (USA)
2. Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN (USA)

In light of increasing fish consumption advisories in several states, a comprehensive multimedia database was created to answer a variety of questions. Mercury concentrations in precipitation, lake water and sediment, zooplankton, and fish were measured and analyzed together with extensive watershed and lake chemistry data for 80 lake watersheds in the study region of northeastern Minnesota including the Superior National Forest, Voyageurs National Park, and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Atmospheric deposition of mercury, transport, water column lifetimes, and sedimentation in lakes are determined. The factors relating mercury concentrations within the lake watershed components are analyzed and discussed. The notable correlates with mercury residue levels in northern pike of a standard length and weight (55 cm, 1.0 kg) were mercury concentrations in zooplankton and water, total organic carbon concentration, and pH. The primary source of mercury was found to be of atmospheric origin.

• OSTI ID: 6293526
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA) Vol. 24:11; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
COMPILED DATA
DATA
DEPOSITION
ELEMENTS
FISHES
INFORMATION
MERCURY
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANKTON
POLLUTION
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SEDIMENTS
SPECTROSCOPY
VERTEBRATES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATERSHEDS