Photochemical Formation of volatile mercury in high Arctic lakes

Abstract Formation rates of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM were measured in three high (74 °N) Arctic lakes and one wetland. The rate of formation of DGM was controlled by (1) the intensity of solar radiation, particularly ultraviolet‐B (280–320 nm) and ultraviolet‐A (320–400 nm) wavebands and (2) t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Main Authors: Amyot, Marc, Lean, David, Mierle, Greg
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1997
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620161010
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fetc.5620161010
https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/etc.5620161010
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Summary:Abstract Formation rates of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM were measured in three high (74 °N) Arctic lakes and one wetland. The rate of formation of DGM was controlled by (1) the intensity of solar radiation, particularly ultraviolet‐B (280–320 nm) and ultraviolet‐A (320–400 nm) wavebands and (2) the concentration of available photoreducible Hg(II) complexes. Additions of hydrogen peroxide and of fulvic acids did not enhance DGM formation rates in our experiments. This study illustrates that photoreduction of mercury occurs in a wide range of aquatic systems even in the high arctic where radiation levels are lower but continue for the entire day during the summer.