Atmospheric mercury uptake and accumulation in forests dependent on climatic factors.

The environmental and climatic factors dictating atmospheric mercury (Hg) uptake by foliage and accumulation within the forest floor are evaluated across six mountain sites, South Korea, using Hg concentration and Hg stable isotope analyses. The isotope ratios of total gaseous Hg (TGM) at six mountains are explained by local anthropogenic Hg emission influence and partly by mountain elevation and wind speed. The extent to which TGM is taken up by foliage is not dependent on the site-specific TGM concentration, but by the local wind speed, which facilitates TGM passage through dense deciduous canopies in the Korean forests.

Ecological Traits of Fish for Mercury Biomonitoring: Insights from Compound-Specific Nitrogen and Stable Mercury Isotopes.

We coupled compound-specific isotopic analyses of nitrogen (N) in amino acids (δN, δN) and mercury stable isotopes (δHg, ΔHg) to quantify ecological traits governing the concentration, variability, and source of Hg in largemouth bass (LB) and pike gudgeon (PG) across four rivers, South Korea. PG displayed uniform Hg concentration (56-137 ng/g), trophic position (TP; 2.6-3.