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cje ›› 2011, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (05): 951-960.

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Distribution of total mercury and methylmercury in two hydroelectric reservoirs of Guizhou Province, China.

MENG Bo1,2, FENG Xin-bin1**, CHEN Chun-xiao3, QIU Guang-le1, GUO Yan-na1,2, LIU Kai1,2, YAO Heng1,2, ZHANG Jun-fang1,2   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China|2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China|3College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
  • Online:2011-05-08 Published:2011-05-08

Abstract: To investigate the distribution of mercury (Hg) and characteristics of its methylation in Wujiangdu (WJD), a reservoir with a high level of primary productivity, and in Yinzidu reservoir (YZD) with a low level of primary productivity, a fully adequate set of Hg species in water samples from a depth profile near of the dam in both reservoirs and from interface water in WJD were analyzed during winter (January 2007), spring (May 2007), summer (August 2007), and autumn (November 2007). The results showed that no significant difference was found between the levels of total mercury (THg), dissolved mercury (DHg), particulate mercury (PHg), reactive mercury (RHg) in WJD and YZD. Elevated MeHg concentrations in water samples from the bottom and water/sediment interface demonstrated an active net Hg methylation near the dam of WJD during all the sampling periods. There was no discernable Hg methylation occurring in the YZD during our sampling seasons. Results indicate that the primary productivity is an important indicator of Hg methylation in reservoirs.

Key words: Helicoverpa armigera, Life table, Key factor, Population tendency index