Influence of a chlor-alkali superfund site on mercury bioaccumulation in periphyton and low-trophic level fauna.
In Berlin, New Hampshire, USA, the Androscoggin River flows adjacent to a former chlor-alkali facility that is a US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site and source of mercury (Hg) to the river. The present study was conducted to determine the fate and bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) to lower trophic-level taxa in the river. Surface sediment directly adjacent to the source showed significantly elevated MeHg (10-40× increase, mean ± standard deviation [SD]: 20.1 ± 24.8 ng g(-1) dry wt) and total mercury (THg; 10-30× increase, mean ± SD: 2045 ± 2669 ng g(-1) dry wt) compared with all other reaches, with sediment THg and MeHg from downstream reaches elevated (3-7× on average) relative to the reference (THg mean ± SD: 33.5 ± 9.33 ng g(-1) dry wt; MeHg mean ± SD: 0.52 ± 0.21 ng g(-1) dry wt). Water column THg concentrations adjacent to the point source for both particulate (0.23 ng L(-1)) and dissolved (0.76 ng L(-1)) fractions were 5-fold higher than at the reference sites, and 2-fold to 5-fold higher than downstream. Methylmercury production potential of periphyton material was highest (2-9 ng g(-1) d(-1) dry wt) adjacent to the Superfund site; other reaches were close to or below reporting limits (0. 1 ng g(-1) d(-1) dry wt). Total Hg and MeHg bioaccumulation in fauna was variable across sites and taxa, with no clear spatial patterns downstream of the contamination source. Crayfish, mayflies, and shiners showed a weak positive relationship with porewater MeHg concentration.
Biology Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Kate L
KL
Buckman
US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA.
Mark
M
Marvin-DiPasquale
Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Vivien F
VF
Taylor
US Geological Survey, Montpelier, Vermont, USA.
Ann
A
Chalmers
Biology Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Hannah J
HJ
Broadley
US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA.
Jennifer
J
Agee
Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Brian P
BP
Jackson
Biology Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Celia Y
CY
Chen
D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D007221:Industry; D007313:Insecta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
Bioaccumulation; Low-trophic level; Mayflies; Mercury; Periphyton