Effect of selenium on mercury methylation in facultative lake sediments |
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| Authors: | Lijun Jin Pan Guo Xiaoqing Xu |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Chinese Academy of Sciences , Institute of Hydrobiology , Wuhan, 430072, P.R. China;2. Department of Environmental Science &3. Engineering , Nanjing University , Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China;4. Hubei Institute of Bioengineering , Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China;5. Chinese Academy of Sciences , Institute of Hydrobiology , Wuhan, 430072, P.R. China |
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| Abstract: | The effect of selenium (Na2SeO3) on the methylation of mercury (HgCl2) in facultative sediment was studied. The results showed that small amount of selenium (0.25 μg/g) added to the sediment could significantly reduce the net methylation rate of mercury. The more the selenium was added, the higher the inhibition effect was. These results made the addition of selenium to the aquatic systems more practical and safe as a way to alleviate mercury accumulation in fish. Additionally, higher temperature was favorable to the net methylation of mercury, and high concentration of methylmercury emerged earlier. |
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| Keywords: | Sediments selenium methylation |
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