Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2019
Capstone Advisor
Svetoslava Todorova
Honors Reader
Katie Cadwell
Capstone Major
Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Sciences and Engineering
Subject Categories
Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology | Chemistry | Life Sciences | Other Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Abstract
The trophic transfer and bioaccumulation of methyl mercury (MeHg) in aquatic ecosystems is a substantial concern, resulting in fish consumption advisories worldwide. Aquatic ecosystems have been identified as the critical environments that breed production of MeHg and low levels of initial accumulation in biota. MeHg production is a microbially-mediated process, occurring primarily at the transition between oxic and anoxic environments. This research aimed to assess the extent to which dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects methylation of mercury in the oligotrophic meromictic lake, Green Lake, in Fayetteville, NY and the warm monomictic lake, Seneca Lake, in Geneva, NY. General physical parameters (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity) were collected on the field. Additional water column samples were analyzed for sulfide, inorganic anions, dissolved organic carbon, total mercury, MeHg, and DOM. Redox parameters delineated a wide redox transition zone in Green Lake between 18-21 m, while the water column of Seneca Lake remained oxygenated. The highest methylation of mercury, 41-49% (determined by the percent mercury as MeHg), was found at the chemocline of Green Lake. A secondary peak of 33%MeHg was found at the 5 m depth. At these same depths, increases in readily available labile DOM were also found. Substantial methylation and increases in labile DOM were not observed in Seneca Lake. A correlation analysis determined that the changes in labile DOM explained 54% of the changes in the percent MeHg. These findings indicate that high levels of in-situ produced labile DOM stimulated methylation of mercury
Recommended Citation
Bozinski, Madalyn, "DOM Control of Mercury Methylation in the Water Column of a Meromictic Lake" (2019). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 1111.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/1111
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