三峡水库支流汝溪河河口水体汞的时空变化特征

为探究三峡水库水位调度过程中支流河口汞的变化特征,选取三峡库区腹心地带的典型支流汝溪河河口为研究区域,设置4个断面,分别于蓄水期(9～10月)、淹没期(11～12月)、退水期(2～3月)及落干期(5～6月)这4个时期分层采集水样,分析了水样中的总汞(THg)、颗粒态汞(PHg)、溶解态汞(DHg)、活性汞(RHg)、总甲基汞(TMeHg)及溶解态甲基汞(DMeHg).结果表明,汝溪河口区域THg和TMeHg的质量浓度与中国其它水库或天然水体相接近.不同深度水体中DHg和TMeHg的质量浓度存在显著性差别,其原因是水体中的DHg和TMeHg可能来源于沉积物的再悬浮.对比同时期不同断面各形态汞质量浓度的差别,发现蓄水期长江干流来水方向的不同将导致河口区域THg和PHg的质量浓度分布不均;退水期河口水体中的颗粒物会吸附并携带大量的PHg,导致水体中THg的质量浓度明显高于其它时期.水位较为稳定的淹没期和落干期TMeHg的质量浓度明显高于其它两个时期,表明稳定的水位可能更有利于水体中甲基汞的积累,而水体的剧烈扰动会明显降低水体中TMeHg的质量浓度.

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Mercury in the Water of the Ruxi River Estuary, a Typical Tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Four typical estuaries located in the Ruxi River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, were selected to investigate the possibility of mercury pollution in tributary estuaries from the Three Gorges reservoir water storage. Water samples were collected during the water storage period (September to October), the flooding period (November to December), the water withdrawal period (February to March), and the drying period (May to June) to determine the levels of mercury species including total mercury (THg), particulate mercury (PHg), dissolved mercury (DHg), reactive mercury (RHg), total methylmercury (TMeHg) and dissolved methylmercury (DMeHg). The results showed that the concentration of THg and TMeHg in the estuary of the Ruxi River was comparable with that of other reservoirs or natural waters in China. There was a significant difference in the concentration of DHg and TMeHg in the water at different depths, because DHg and TMeHg might be derived from the release of sediment to the overlying water. Comparing the concentrations of different mercury species in the four estuaries during the same period, it was found that the difference of water flow direction during the water storage period could lead to an uneven concentration distribution of THg and PHg in the estuary areas. During the water withdrawal period, the particles in the estuary water could adsorb and carry a large amount of PHg, resulting in higher THg concentration in the water in comparison with other periods. The concentration of TMeHg in the flooding and the drying periods was higher than in the other two periods, indicating that the stable water level might be conducive to the accumulation of methylmercury in the water, and the severe disturbance of the water level could significantly reduce the concentration of TMeHg in the water.