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Title: Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source

Abstract

Abstract Sediments and floodplain soils in the East Fork Poplar Creek watershed (Oak Ridge, TN, USA) are contaminated with high levels of mercury (Hg) from an industrial source at the headwaters. Although baseflow conditions have been monitored, concentrations of Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) during high‐flow storm events, when the stream is more hydrologically connected to the floodplain, have yet to be assessed. The present study evaluated baseflow and event‐driven Hg and MeHg dynamics in East Fork Poplar Creek, 5 km upstream of the confluence with Poplar Creek, to determine the importance of hydrology to in‐stream concentrations and downstream loads and to ascertain whether the dynamics are comparable to those of systems without an industrial Hg source. Particulate Hg and MeHg were positively correlated with discharge ( r 2  = 0.64 and 0.58, respectively) and total suspended sediment ( r 2  = 0.97 and 0.89, respectively), and dissolved Hg also increased with increasing flow ( r 2  = 0.18) and was associated with increases in dissolved organic carbon ( r 2  = 0.65), similar to the dynamics observed in uncontaminated systems. Dissolved MeHg decreased with increases in discharge ( r 2  = 0.23) and was not related to dissolved organic carbon concentrations ( p  = 0.56), dynamics comparablemore » to relatively uncontaminated watersheds with a small percentage of wetlands (<10%). Although stormflows exert a dominant control on particulate Hg, particulate MeHg, and dissolved Hg concentrations and loads, baseflows were associated with the highest dissolved MeHg concentration (0.38 ng/L) and represented the majority of the annual dissolved MeHg load. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1386–1400. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work, and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
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  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
OSTI Identifier:
1343524
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1401641
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 35; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0730-7268
Publisher:
SETAC
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Mercury; Methylmercury; Industrial contamination; Stream; Stormflow

Citation Formats

Riscassi, Ami, Miller, Carrie, and Brooks, Scott. Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1002/etc.3310.
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Riscassi, Ami, Miller, Carrie, & Brooks, Scott. Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3310
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Riscassi, Ami, Miller, Carrie, and Brooks, Scott. Tue . "Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3310. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1343524.
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@article{osti_1343524,
title = {Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source},
author = {Riscassi, Ami and Miller, Carrie and Brooks, Scott},
abstractNote = {Abstract Sediments and floodplain soils in the East Fork Poplar Creek watershed (Oak Ridge, TN, USA) are contaminated with high levels of mercury (Hg) from an industrial source at the headwaters. Although baseflow conditions have been monitored, concentrations of Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) during high‐flow storm events, when the stream is more hydrologically connected to the floodplain, have yet to be assessed. The present study evaluated baseflow and event‐driven Hg and MeHg dynamics in East Fork Poplar Creek, 5 km upstream of the confluence with Poplar Creek, to determine the importance of hydrology to in‐stream concentrations and downstream loads and to ascertain whether the dynamics are comparable to those of systems without an industrial Hg source. Particulate Hg and MeHg were positively correlated with discharge ( r 2  = 0.64 and 0.58, respectively) and total suspended sediment ( r 2  = 0.97 and 0.89, respectively), and dissolved Hg also increased with increasing flow ( r 2  = 0.18) and was associated with increases in dissolved organic carbon ( r 2  = 0.65), similar to the dynamics observed in uncontaminated systems. Dissolved MeHg decreased with increases in discharge ( r 2  = 0.23) and was not related to dissolved organic carbon concentrations ( p  = 0.56), dynamics comparable to relatively uncontaminated watersheds with a small percentage of wetlands (<10%). Although stormflows exert a dominant control on particulate Hg, particulate MeHg, and dissolved Hg concentrations and loads, baseflows were associated with the highest dissolved MeHg concentration (0.38 ng/L) and represented the majority of the annual dissolved MeHg load. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1386–1400. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work, and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.},
doi = {10.1002/etc.3310},
journal = {Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry},
number = 6,
volume = 35,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Tue Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Hg isotopes reveal in-stream processing and legacy inputs in East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
    journal, January 2018

    • Demers, Jason D.; Blum, Joel D.; Brooks, Scott C.
    • Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, Vol. 20, Issue 4
    • DOI: 10.1039/c7em00538e

    Source relationships between streambank soils and streambed sediments in a mercury-contaminated stream
    journal, November 2018

    • Dickson, Johnbull O.; Mayes, Melanie A.; Brooks, Scott C.
    • Journal of Soils and Sediments, Vol. 19, Issue 4
    • DOI: 10.1007/s11368-018-2183-0
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