A Pulse of Mercury and Major Ions in Snowmelt Runoff from a Small Arctic Alaska Watershed

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (19) ◽  
pp. 11145-11155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Douglas ◽  
Matthew Sturm ◽  
Joel D. Blum ◽  
Christopher Polashenski ◽  
Svetlana Stuefer ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Douglas ◽  
Matthew Sturm ◽  
Joel Blum ◽  
Christopher Polashenski ◽  
Svetlana Stuefer ◽  
...  

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) is deposited to Polar Regions during springtime atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs) that require halogens and snow or ice surfaces. The fate of this Hg during and following snowmelt is largely unknown. We measured Hg, major ions, and stable water isotopes from the snowpack through the entire spring melt runoff period for two years. Our small (2.5 ha) watershed is near Barrow (now Utqiaġvik), Alaska. We measured discharge, made 10 000 snow depths, and collected over 100 samples of snow and meltwater for chemical analysis in 2008 and 2009 from the watershed snowpack and ephemeral stream channel. Our results suggest AMDE Hg complexed with Cl⁻ or Br⁻ may be less likely to be photochemically reduced and re-emitted to the atmosphere prior to snowmelt, and we estimate that roughly 25% of the Hg in snowmelt is attributable to AMDEs. Projected Arctic warming, with more open sea ice leads providing halogen sources that promote AMDEs, may provide enhanced Hg deposition, reduced Hg emission and, ultimately, an increase in snowpack and snowmelt runoff Hg concentrations.


Author(s):  
Roberto González-De Zayas ◽  
Liosban Lantigua Ponce de León ◽  
Liezel Guerra Rodríguez ◽  
Felipe Matos Pupo ◽  
Leslie Hernández-Fernández

The Cenote Jennifer is an important and unique aquatic sinkhole in Cayo Coco (Jardines del Rey Tourist Destination) that has brackish to saline water. Two samplings were made in 1998 and 2009, and 4 metabolism community experiments in 2009. Some limnological parameters were measured in both samplings (temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen major ions, hydrogen sulfide, nutrients and others). Community metabolism was measured through incubated oxygen concentration in clear and dark oxygen bottles. Results showed that the sinkhole limnology depends on rainfall and light incidence year, with some stratification episodes, due to halocline or oxycline presence, rather than thermocline. The sinkhole water was oligotrophic (total nitrogen of 41.5 ± 22.2 μmol l−1 and total phosphorus of 0.3 ± 0.2 μmol l−1) and with low productivity (gross primary productivity of 63.0 mg C m−2 d−1). Anoxia and hypoxia were present at the bottom with higher levels of hydrogen sulfide, lower pH and restricted influence of the adjacent sea (2 km away). To protect the Cenote Jennifer, tourist exploitation should be avoided and more resources to ecological and morphological studies should be allocated, and eventually use this aquatic system only for specialized diving. For conservation purposes, illegal garbage disposal in the surrounding forest should end.


Author(s):  
Alla Savenko ◽  
Alla Savenko ◽  
Oleg Pokrovsky ◽  
Oleg Pokrovsky ◽  
Irina Streletskaya ◽  
...  

The distribution of dissolved chemical elements (major ions, nutrients, and trace elements) in the Yenisei River estuary and adjacent water area in 2009 and 2010 are presented. These results were compared to the data obtained during previous hydrochemical studies of this region. The transport of major cations (Na, K, Mg, Ca) and some trace elements (Rb, Cs, Sr, B, F, As, Mo, U) in the estuary follows conservative mixing. Alkalinity also belongs to conservative components, however this parameter exhibits substantial spatial heterogeneity caused by complex hydrological structure of the Yenisei Bay and adjoining part of the Kara Sea formed under the influence of several sources of desalination and salty waters inflow. Concentrations of Pmin, Si, and V in the desalinized waters of photic layer decrease seaward owing to uptake by phytoplankton. The losses of these elements reach 30–57, 30, and 9% of their supply by river runoff, respectively. The content of dissolved phosphates and vanadium in the intermediate and near-bottom layers of the Yenisei River estuary strongly increases with salinity due to regeneration of precipitated organic matter, whereas silica remineralization is much less pronounced. Barium is characterized by additional input of dissolved forms in the mixing zone in the quantity comparable to that carried out by river runoff. This may be caused by its desorption from river suspended matter due to ion exchange. The transport of dissolved Al and Mn in the estuarine zone is probably controlled by the coagulation and flocculation of organic and organomineral colloids, which is indicated by a decrease in the concentration of these elements at the beginning of the estuary (31 and 56%, respectively) followed by a stable concentration further seaward.


1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-376
Author(s):  
C. H. Chan ◽  
L. H. Perkins

Abstract Wet deposition estimates were computed from monthly wet precipitation samples collected in the Lake Superior Basin. Sulphate and nitrogen loadings from wet precipitation corresponded to 142 and 40 thousand tonnes per year. On a percentage basis, wet deposition of sulphate and nitrogen accounted for 21% and 54%, respectively, of the total load. Atmospheric sources for other major ions ranged from 1 to 10%. Atmospheric deposition at the eastern end of Lake Superior was higher than the western end of the Basin. The relative accuracy of these estimates were examined in relation to the changes in lake chemistry in Lake Superior from 1973 to 1983.


1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Hynes ◽  
Randy M. Schmidt ◽  
Tim Meadley ◽  
Neill A. Thompson

Abstract Data are provided on the release of 5 radionuclides, 17 metals and 7 major ions from a uranium mining operation in northern Saskatchewan. The downstream concentration of these contaminants is documented, and the point of “no discernible impact” is determined. Sediments in a downstream lake are monitored for uranium and molybdenum, and the post-release fate of these metals is discussed.


1977 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-76
Author(s):  
B. Bobée ◽  
D. Cluis ◽  
A. Tessier

Abstract A water quality sampling programme for James Bay territory established in a previous study has been carried out for the Department of Natural Resources of the Province of Quebec. The network is composed of 5 base-stations, sampled every fortnight to determine the variability with time of the parameters and 16 satellite-stations, sampled five times yearly with a view to determine the spatial variability. The data (major ions and certain nutrients) gathered during the 1974–1975 field survey are subjected to an analysis by a multivariate technique (correspondence analysis) in addition to certain classical statistical methods. The latter have shown that the mean values obtained at satellite stations were representative of the annual mean. In addition, the results permit the determination for a given parameter, of the relationship between stations and, for a given station, the relationship between parameters. In both cases, the formulation of predictive equations was attempted. An overall evaluation of the data by correspondence analysis has permitted: - a more precise definition of the qualitative behaviour of the different sub-basins of the James Bay territory and characterization of their waters;- a proof of the existence of gradual concentration changes in both East-West and North-South directions. Within the original objectives of the network, the results of the study have led to the following recommendations: - to continue synchronised samplings;- to transform a base station with a low information content into a satellite station;- to create a new base station in the eastern part of the territory.


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