Mercury in the sediments of freshwater lakes in Ny-Ålesund, Arctic.

Environ Monit Assess

School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686560, India.

Published: July 2020

Mercury and its speciation in aquatic ecosystems have been assessed globally. Even though previous studies were limited to Arctic freshwater lakes, they are highly significant in the context of the changing climate. The present study is based on sediment samples collected from three Arctic freshwater lakes over a period of 4 years (2015-2018). The samples were analysed for total mercury (THg), methyl mercury (MHg), and various mercury fractions. The observed mean THg and MHg concentrations were 22.23 ng/g and 0.41 ng/g respectively; these values were comparable with those for other Arctic freshwater lakes. The mercury content significantly varied among the years as well as among the lakes. Changes in snowdrift and meltwater inputs, which are the major sources of water for the lakes, may have influenced the sediment mercury content along with geographical location and increased productivity. The results of MHg indicated the susceptibility of lake sediments to methylation. The major fractions observed were the organo-chelated form of mercury, followed by the elemental and water-soluble forms. These results indicate the availability of mercury for methylation. Hence, it is necessary to conduct more studies on the influence of climate change, mercury release through permafrost melting, and atmospheric deposition.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08511-yDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

freshwater lakes
16
arctic freshwater
12
mercury
10
fractions observed
8
mercury content
8
lakes
6
mercury sediments
4
freshwater
4
sediments freshwater
4
lakes ny-Ålesund
4

Similar Publications

The Tibetan Plateau is home to numerous glaciers that are important for freshwater supply and climate regulation. These glaciers, which are highly sensitive to climatic variations, serve as vital indicators of climate change. Understanding glacier-fed hydrological systems is essential for predicting water availability and formulating climate adaptation strategies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: is a member of the tilapia family that is considered one of the main food sources in different countries all over the world.

Aim: Thus, studying the different pathogens infecting tilapia species is still one of the interesting search points.

Methods: One hundred and eighty specimens of were collected from Lake Manzala and transported directly in iceboxes to the laboratory of the faculty of Science at Port Said University.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Assessment of dynamics of pathogenic environmental T4 and T9 genotypes isolated from three recreational lakes in Klang Valley, Malaysia over the HaCaT cell monolayer.

J Water Health

December 2024

Centre for Medical Laboratory Technology Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia; Microbiome Health and Environment (MiHeaRT), Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia E-mail:

Free-living amoebae of the genus are causative agents of keratitis and amoebic encephalitis. They are widely found in various ecological environments. Therefore, the present study brings results that can help to better understand the genotypes of the environmental isolates and their pathogenicity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Salton Sea (SS), California's largest inland lake at 816 square kilometers, formed in 1905 from a levee breach in an area historically characterized by natural wet-dry cycles as Lake Cahuilla. Despite more than a century of untreated agricultural drainage inputs, there has not been a systematic assessment of nutrient loading, cycling, and associated ecological impacts at this iconic waterbody. The lake is now experiencing unprecedented degradation, particularly following the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement-the largest agricultural-to-urban water transfer in the United States.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Temperature alters bacterial community structure in sediment of mountain stream.

Sci Rep

December 2024

Theoretical Ecology and Engineering Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

Temperature and nutrients are known as crucial drivers for the variations of bacterial community structure and functions in oceans and lakes. However, their significance and mechanisms in influencing the bacterial community structure and function in mountain stream remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of the bacterial communities and the main environmental factors in the Taizicheng River, a high-latitude mountainous stream, to reveal the main driving factors for sedimental bacterial communities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!