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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Relative importance of atmospheric and riverine mercury sources to the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Authors: Rice, Glenn E; Senn, David B; Shine, James P

Published In Environ Sci Technol, (2009 Jan 15)

Abstract: A box model was developed to quantify the major sources and dominant fates of inorganic mercury (Hg) in the Mississippi River-influenced area of the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Riverine (75%) and direct atmospheric deposition (25%) deliver 9.7 t Hg y(-1) to this productive fishery; most (80%) accumulates in bottom sediments where it can be methylated and enter foodwebs. Although riverine inputs dominate atmospheric deposition, 75% of the riverine sediment-associated Hg accumulates in only approximately 8% of the study area. Atmospheric deposition can explain most of the Hg accumulating in sediments of the remaining area. Considering the differences in temporal responsiveness of riverine (centuries) and atmospheric (years) Hg inputs to anthropogenic emissions changes, the spatial limits of the riverine Hg source andthe potential dominance of atmospheric deposition over large areas could have implications for the timing of benefits from policies reducing anthropogenic Hg emissions.

PubMed ID: 19238973 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication

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