title: Vertical distribution of total mercury and methylmercury in sediment of the Fugong mangrove area at Jiulong River Estuary, Fujian, China.
abstract: The concentrations and vertical distributions of total mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (methyl Hg) in the sediment of the Fugong mangrove area, located at the Jiulong River Estuary, Fujian, China, were investigated. The concentrations of total mercury were between 0.12-0.17 and 0.11-40.14 microg/g, while concentrations of methylmercury were between 0.15-1.8 and 0.081-0.58 ng/g (as mercury), in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The total mercury concentration was not correlated with the sampling depth. As the depth increased, methylmercury concentrations first increased to their maximum level at a depth of 10-25 cm, and then decreased; this was similar to the vertical distribution characteristics of methylmercury/total mercury ratios. The mangrove ecosystem was considered as a source of methylmercury for adjacent areas, due to the higher average methylmercury concentration in the mangrove sediment than other sediments nearby. Statistically significant logarithmic correlations, conic correlations, and negative correlations were observed for methylmercury and sulfide concentration, sediment organic matter, and sediment pH, respectively.
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Building #11, 1 Jinji Road, Guilin 541004, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Dongxing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yaojin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiyao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury