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Gaseous mercury profiles in the tropical Pacific Ocean
Author(s) -
Kim Jonathan,
Fitzgerald William
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl015i001p00040
Subject(s) - mercury (programming language) , hydrography , oceanography , elemental mercury , pacific ocean , seawater , environmental science , dissolved organic carbon , environmental chemistry , geology , chemistry , computer science , programming language , organic chemistry , flue gas
The distribution of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) was determined at four hydrographic stations in the tropical Pacific Ocean. These vertical profiles of DGM, to a depth of 400 meters, are the first obtained for the open ocean. Dissolved gaseous Hg concentrations generally increased with depth. The major portion of DGM in surface sea water was of an inorganic gaseous form, probably elemental Hg (Hg o ). In two instances, organic gaseous Hg, presumably dimethyl Hg [(CH 3 ) 2 Hg], was observed in the deeper waters. These results suggest that bacteria may be responsible for producing Hg o and (CH 3 ) 2 Hg at depth in this ocean region.