Mass Balances of Mercury and Nitrogen in Burned and Unburned Forested Watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

Precipitation and streamwater samples were collected from 16 November 1999 to 17 November 2000 in two watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, and analyzed for mercury (Hg) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, nitrate plus ammonium). Cadillac Brook watershed burned in a 1947 fire that destroyed vegetation and soil organic matter. We hypothesized that Hg deposition would be higher at Hadlock Brook (the reference watershed, 10.2 μg/m²/year) than Cadillac (9.4 μg/m²/year) because of the greater scavenging efficiency of the softwood vegetation in Hadlock. We also hypothesized the Hg and DIN export from Cadillac Brook would be lower than Hadlock Brook because of elemental volatilization during the fire, along with subsequently lower rates of atmospheric deposition in a watershed with abundant bare soil and bedrock, and regenerating vegetation. Consistent with these hypotheses, Hg export was lower from Cadillac Brook watershed (0.4 μg/m²/year) than from Hadlock Brook watershed (1.3 μg/m²/year). DIN export from Cadillac Brook (11.5 eq/ha/year) was lower than Hadlock Brook (92.5 eq/ha/year). These data show that ∼50 years following a wildfire there was lower atmospheric deposition due to changes in forest species composition, lower soil pools, and greater ecosystem retention for both Hg and DIN.     

Mercury Contamination of Biota from Acadia National Park, Maine: A Review

We reviewed literature reporting both total and methylmercury from biota from Acadia National Park, Maine, USA. Our review of existing data indicates that 1) mercury contamination is widespread throughout the Park’s various aquatic ecosystems; 2) mercury pollution likely represents a moderate to high risk to biota inhabiting the Park; and 3) biota at all trophic levels possess elevated concentrations of both total and methylmercury. Watershed fire history and the resulting post-fire forest succession patterns are an important landscape attribute governing mercury cycling at Acadia National Park. Therefore, park service personnel should consider these factors when planning and implementing Hg biomonitoring efforts. Additional baseline funding from the National Park Service for Hg research and biomonitoring will likely be required in order to further evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of mercury contamination in the park’s biota. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Controls on Mercury and Methylmercury Deposition for Two Watersheds in Acadia National Park, Maine

Throughfall and bulk precipitation samples were collected for two watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, from 3 May to 16 November 2000, to determine which landscape factors affected mercury (Hg) deposition. One of these watersheds, Cadillac Brook, burned in 1947, providing a natural experimental design to study the effects of forest type on deposition to forested watersheds. Sites that face southwest received the highest Hg deposition, which may be due to the interception of cross-continental movement of contaminated air masses. Sites covered with softwood vegetation also received higher Hg deposition than other vegetation types because of the higher scavenging efficiency of the canopy structure. Methyl mercury (MeHg) deposition was not affected by these factors. Hg deposition, as bulk precipitation and throughfall was lower in Cadillac Brook watershed (burned) than in Hadlock Brook watershed (unburned) because of vegetation type and watershed aspect. Hg and MeHg inputs were weighted by season and vegetation type because these two factors had the most influence on deposition. Hg volatilization was not determined. The total Hg deposition via throughfall and bulk precipitation was 9.4 μg/m²/year in Cadillac Brook watershed and 10.2 μg/m²/year in Hadlock Brook watershed. The total MeHg deposition via throughfall and bulk precipitation was 0.05 μg/m²/year in Cadillac Brook watershed and 0.10 μg/m²/year in Hadlock Brook watershed.     

Restoration of the Kissimmee River, Florida: Water Quality Impacts from Canal Backfilling

The planned restoration of the Kissimmee River ecocystem will backfill approximately 35 km of flood control canal (C-38) that cuts through the meandering river channel, re-establish natural flow patterns, and restore the river/floodplain ecosystem. Water quality monitoring, including nutrients, total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and mercury, was conducted during a pilot `test fill' project to determine if soil disturbance during canal backfilling would negatively impact these water quality constituents. Surface water nutrient concentrations varied little between sites. Generally, highest concentrations occurred prior to construction, with lowest concentrations occurring during and after construction. During construction, TSS concentrations increased at sites immediately upstream, downstream, and adjacent to the construction area. Increased turbidity was generally restricted to areas immediately upstream and downstream of the test plug, with maximum levels occurring during the initial construction phase. Some downstream increases in turbidity were observed; however, impacts were short-term, lasting less than 24 h. Depresssed DO levels (<2 mg/l) were observed upstream of the test plug following completion of the initial plug across C-38. Dissolved oxygen levels remained low for approximately 6 weeks, with no apparent ecological impacts. Total mercury (HgT) within canal sediment ranged from 9.2–180 ng/g and methylmercury concentrations ranged from 0.037–0.708 ng/g. Concentration of total mercury and total methylmercury (MeHgT) in the backfill material were much lower than concentrations in the canal sediment. No significant change in aqueous HgT concentrations occurred over the sampling period, although construction-induced turbidity could have temporarily caused a slightly elevated concentration immediately downstream of the construction site. Methylmercury concentrations in the water column ranged from 0.033–0.518 ng/l. No significant differences in mean MeHgT concentrations occured between sites or between sampling dates, except at one downstream site where MeHgT declined significantly over the sampling period.     

医院用汞对市政污水中汞的贡献

对经市政管网排入高碑店污水处理厂的医疗行业污水进行汞来源的调查研究.根据抽样定律确定了医院采样点的数量和位置,利用原子荧光光度计测定采样点的汞含量,并根据采样点的排水量计算采样点的汞排放量.利用线性回归的方法建立汞排放量与医院床位数和门诊量的线性模型.结果表明:高碑店流域医疗行业汞排放总量为58.27 g/d,对高碑店污水处理厂进水汞的贡献率为5.48%,表明医疗行业对于高碑店污水处理厂进水汞的贡献并不是主要因素,要进行市政污水中汞来源的全面调查,必须对其他行业进行深入研究.对医院行业污水汞的减排提出了对策和建议.      

珠江河口沉积物Hg的分布与污染评价

利用Hg元素直测仪分析了珠江河口表层沉积物和柱状沉积物Hg的含量和背景值.沉积物Hg的背景值为(45.94～70.62)×10-9.表层沉积物Hg含量在(20.81～369.20)×10-9,平均为168.23×10-9,平面分布呈西部向东部和东南方向减少的趋势,其中,以西部浅滩沉积物Hg含量最高,富集程度最大.柱状沉积物Hg含量在(33.61～250.43)×10-9,平均含量150.49×10-9,垂直分布存在显著的地域差异,东滩沉积物Hg表现为上部富集,而西滩沉积物表现为均匀分布.地质累积指数法、潜在生态危害指数法和单因子污染指数法三种污染评价的结果表明,珠江河口表层沉积物的Hg污染区主要集中于西部浅滩,存在中等程度的Hg污染.     

Distribution and ecological effect of mercury in Laogang landfill, Shanghai, China

Laogang landfill near Shanghai is the largest landfill in China, and receives about 10000 t of daily garbage per day, Samples of topsoil and plants were analyzed to evaluate mercury pollution from the landfill. For topsoil samples, there were significant correlations among total mercury （HgT）, combinative mercury （Hgc） and gaseous mercury （HgG）, and content of total organic carbon （TOC）, but, no significantly relationship was found between Hg content and filling time. Hg content changes in vertical profiles with time showed that the average Hgv of profiles 1992, 1996, and 2000 was similar, but their average HgG was quite different. HgT was significantly correlated with Hgc in profile 1992 and 2000, and Hgv was significantly correlated with Hg6 in profile 1996. HgG/Hgv ratio in profile samples decreased in the order of （HgG,/HgT）1992〉（HgG/HgT）1996〉〉（HgG/HgT）2000. A simple outline of Hg release in landfill could be drawn： with increasing of filling time, degradation undergoes different biodegradation, accordingly, gaseous mercury goes through small, more, and small proportion to total mercury. Distribution of Hg in plants was inhomogeneous, following the order of leaf〉root〉stem. The highest value of leaf may be associated with higher atmospheric Hg from landfill. Ligneous plants （e.g. Phyllostachys glanca, Prunus salicina and Ligustrum lucidum） are capable of enriching more Hg than herbaceous plants.     

一种新的真空冷原子吸收法测定汞

本文建立了真空冷原子吸收光谱技术测定汞的一种方法。在负压下用ＮａＢＨ４将酸性溶液中Ｈｇ（Ⅱ）离子还原成为金属汞。在室温下使用真空泵将基态汞原子直接吸入到真空石英炉内。本法给出了改善的灵敏度,检出限（３σ）是０．０６ｎｇ。重复１０次测定０．５ｎｇ汞,方法的相对标准偏差是３．０％,将本法应用到测定水系沉积物标准样品中汞的含量,分析结果是令人满意的。     

总汞、甲基汞和硒在汞暴露大鼠脑、肝、肾中的分布

利用自动汞分析仪、GC-ECD和原子荧光分析了汞污染暴露1,3,7,20,30,90d后,大鼠脑、肝、肾中的总汞、甲基汞和硒的含量.结果表明,总汞、甲基汞含量随暴露时间的延长而显著增加;各组织对总汞和甲基汞蓄积量的顺序是肾>肝>脑;从甲基汞和总汞的比率分析发现,甲基汞很容易透过血脑屏障,并且在脑中有较高的蓄积;硒能够拮抗汞在脑、肝、肾中的蓄积水平.     

湘西多金属矿区汞铅污染土壤的环境质量

以湘西典型多金属矿区为现场,研究了矿区土壤中汞、铅等重金属污染状况及成因.结果表明,湘西矿区是汞、铅污染严重的区域,与中国土壤元素背景值相比,汞矿区土壤中汞、铅含量分别增加1315倍和3.1倍,铅锌矿区土壤中汞、铅含量分别增加14.8倍和16.1倍.运用Muller地积指数进行风险评价,证实湘西矿区是汞、铅等重金属的复合污染区,汞矿区汞污染以极重污染为主,铅污染以中度和轻污染为主;铅锌矿区铅污染以中度和中-重污染为主,汞污染以中-重污染为主.矿区土壤中的重金属污染物来源和分布受原生地球化学条件的控制,而人为采矿活动对矿区土壤中汞、铅的污染格局产生重要影响.