Linking Cellulose Fiber Sediment Methyl Mercury Levels to Organic Matter Decay and Major Element Composition.
(2014) In Ambio: a Journal of the Human Environment 43(7). p.878-890- Abstract
- Methylation of mercury (Hg) to highly toxic methyl Hg (MeHg), a process known to occur when organic matter (OM) decomposition leads to anoxia, is considered a worldwide threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. We measured temporal and spatial variations in sediment MeHg, total Hg (THg), and major elements in a freshwater lagoon in Sweden polluted with Hg-laden cellulose fibers. Fiber decomposition, confined to a narrow surface layer, resulted in loss of carbon (C), uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), and increased MeHg levels. Notably, fiber decomposition and subsequent erosion of fiber residues will cause buried contaminants to gradually come closer to the sediment-water interface. At an adjacent site where... (More)
- Methylation of mercury (Hg) to highly toxic methyl Hg (MeHg), a process known to occur when organic matter (OM) decomposition leads to anoxia, is considered a worldwide threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. We measured temporal and spatial variations in sediment MeHg, total Hg (THg), and major elements in a freshwater lagoon in Sweden polluted with Hg-laden cellulose fibers. Fiber decomposition, confined to a narrow surface layer, resulted in loss of carbon (C), uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), and increased MeHg levels. Notably, fiber decomposition and subsequent erosion of fiber residues will cause buried contaminants to gradually come closer to the sediment-water interface. At an adjacent site where decomposed fiber accumulated, there was a gain in C and a loss of S when MeHg increased. As evidenced by correlation patterns and vertical chemical profiles, reduced S may have fueled C-fixation and Hg methylation at this site. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4291497
- author
- Regnell, Olof LU ; Elert, Mark ; Höglund, Lars Olof ; Falk, Anna Helena and Svensson, Anders
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Mercury, Methylation, Cellulose fiber, Decomposition, Major element cycles
- in
- Ambio: a Journal of the Human Environment
- volume
- 43
- issue
- 7
- pages
- 878 - 890
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:24420263
- wos:000343659300006
- scopus:84910107426
- pmid:24420263
- ISSN
- 0044-7447
- DOI
- 10.1007/s13280-013-0487-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 710b3358-653f-4a08-8697-94bb0403045e (old id 4291497)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:03:30
- date last changed
- 2024-01-07 07:24:29
@article{710b3358-653f-4a08-8697-94bb0403045e, abstract = {{Methylation of mercury (Hg) to highly toxic methyl Hg (MeHg), a process known to occur when organic matter (OM) decomposition leads to anoxia, is considered a worldwide threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. We measured temporal and spatial variations in sediment MeHg, total Hg (THg), and major elements in a freshwater lagoon in Sweden polluted with Hg-laden cellulose fibers. Fiber decomposition, confined to a narrow surface layer, resulted in loss of carbon (C), uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), and increased MeHg levels. Notably, fiber decomposition and subsequent erosion of fiber residues will cause buried contaminants to gradually come closer to the sediment-water interface. At an adjacent site where decomposed fiber accumulated, there was a gain in C and a loss of S when MeHg increased. As evidenced by correlation patterns and vertical chemical profiles, reduced S may have fueled C-fixation and Hg methylation at this site.}}, author = {{Regnell, Olof and Elert, Mark and Höglund, Lars Olof and Falk, Anna Helena and Svensson, Anders}}, issn = {{0044-7447}}, keywords = {{Mercury; Methylation; Cellulose fiber; Decomposition; Major element cycles}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{7}}, pages = {{878--890}}, publisher = {{Springer}}, series = {{Ambio: a Journal of the Human Environment}}, title = {{Linking Cellulose Fiber Sediment Methyl Mercury Levels to Organic Matter Decay and Major Element Composition.}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-013-0487-2}}, doi = {{10.1007/s13280-013-0487-2}}, volume = {{43}}, year = {{2014}}, }