Mercury distribution and exchanges between the Amazon River and connected floodplain lakes.

This work presents the distribution and the partition of mercury (Hg) in the Curuai floodplain lakes along the Amazon River. The maximum Total Filtered Hg (T-FHg) concentrations in the floodplain lakes (28 to 52 pmol L(-1)) coincide with the maximum T-FHg concentrations of the Amazon River and are measured during the flooding period. The lowest T-FHg values (3 to 5 pmol L(-1)) are observed during the flood peak of the mainstream, during the rainy season, when waters are diluted by the local rainfall. In this system, Hg is mainly transported in the particulate phase, confirmed by elevated values of the Hg partition coefficient (4.77