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Decrease in net mercury methylation rates following iron amendment to anoxic wetland sediment slurries.

Anna S Mehrotra1, David L Sedlak

  • 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1710, USA.

Environmental Science & Technology
|May 12, 2005
PubMed
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Adding ferrous iron (Fe(II)) to wetland sediments significantly reduces mercury methylation by lowering sulfide levels. This finding suggests iron amendment is a promising strategy for mitigating mercury contamination in wetlands.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Mercury methylation in anoxic sediments is influenced by mercury-sulfide complexes.
  • Ferrous iron (Fe(II)) addition has been shown to reduce mercury methylation in laboratory settings by decreasing sulfide concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of iron addition in decreasing mercury methylation in estuarine wetland sediments.
  • To assess the potential of iron amendment as a method for mercury remediation in restored and constructed wetlands.

Main Methods:

  • Laboratory experiments involving the addition of mercury (Hg(II)) and ferrous iron (Fe(II)) to sediments from six estuarine wetland sites.
  • Measurement of net mercury methylation rates, sulfide concentrations, and filterable mercury levels in overlying water.

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Main Results:

  • Addition of 30 mM Fe(II) decreased net mercury methylation by 2.1–6.6 times compared to controls.
  • Decreased mercury methylation correlated with reduced sulfide and filterable mercury concentrations.
  • Low iron doses, relative to sulfide, had minimal or no effect on mercury methylation.

Conclusions:

  • Iron addition effectively reduces mercury methylation in authentic wetland sediments.
  • Dissolved reduced sulfur species appear to be involved in forming bioavailable mercury complexes.
  • Iron amendment shows promise for mercury remediation, though long-term effects require further investigation.