Mercury transport between sediments and the overlying water of the St. Lawrence River area of concern near Cornwall, Ontario

Abstract

Contaminated sediments in the St. Lawrence River remain a difficult problem despite decreases in emissions. Here, sediment and pore water phases were analyzed for total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) and diffusion from the sediment to the overlying water was 17.5 + or - 10.6 SE ng cm(-2) yr(-1) for THg and 3.8 + or - 1.7 SE ng cm(-2) yr(-1) for MeHg. These fluxes were very small when compared to the particle-bound mercury flux accumulating in the sediment (183 + or - 30 SE ng cm(-2) yr(-1)). Studies have reported that fish from the westernmost site have higher Hg concentrations than fish collected from the other two sites of the Cornwall Area of Concern, which could not be explained by differences in the Hg flux or THg concentrations in sediments, but the highest concentrations of sediment MeHg, and the greatest proportions of MeHg to THg in both sediment and pore water were observed where fish had highest MeHg concentrations.