The objective of this study was to determine the dominant biogeochemical controls on mercury partitioning in super-permafrost groundwater at Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Nunavut. Mercury partitioning in snow, ephemeral standing water, and super-permafrost groundwater was investigated. <p>Results indicate that partitioning differs between matrices, and that particulate mercury is spatially and temporally dynamic in Truelove Lowland groundwater. Particulate mercury in groundwater was 73 % of total mercury, while snow had only 22 % particulate mercury. Particulate mercury in groundwater rose by over 20 % from Julian day 181 to 189, and decreased slightly on Julian day 191. No single geochemical parameter was a good predictor of particulate mercury concentrations.
To expand upon the findings of the field study a laboratory microcosm study was conducted to determine whether certain biogeochemical processes influence mercury partitioning in super-permafrost groundwater. Particulate mercury in the dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria inhibited microcosm was 61 % of total mercury, approximately 18 % lower than in all other treatments. Iron (III) concentrations had a positive correlation with particulate mercury while chloride concentrations had a negative correlation with particulate mercury. Sulfate reducing bacteria were not found to influence mercury partitioning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:SSU.etd-07192008-155026 |
| Date | 23 July 2008 |
| Creators | Dickson, Alanna L |
| Contributors | Si, Bing C., Peak, J. Derek, Knight, J. Diane, Fleming, Ian R., Siciliano, Steven |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-07192008-155026/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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