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Updated: Mar 20, 2026

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
Distribution and characteristics of methylmercury in surface sediment in Minamata Bay
Akito Matsuyama1, Shinichiro Yano2, Akihiro Hisano2
1Environmental Chemistry Section, Department of Environmental Science and Epidemiology, National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan.
Abstract:
This study was carried out to evaluate the present-day chemical properties of methylmercury in surface sediment in Minamata Bay where a dredging project was completed 28years ago. Present-day sediment from Minamata Bay consists of sandy silt, and the average loss-on-ignition in surface sediment was 7.0±2.3%. The average methylmercury concentrations in the upper sediment layers were significantly higher than those in the lower sediment layers. Currently, the concentrations in sediments in Minamata Bay do not exceed the Japanese regulatory standard value for mercury. The average concentration of methylmercury in Minamata Bay surface sediment was 1.74±1.0ng/g on a dry weight basis (n=107). The methylmercury concentration in Minamata Bay surface sediment was almost 16 times higher than that in surface sediment from Isahaya Bay surface sediment, which was 0.11±0.045ng/g on a dry weight basis (n=5).
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