Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Functional Identification Of Microorganisms That Transform Mercury In Marine Sediments, Lisa Romas

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Monomethylmercury (MMHg) is the toxic form of mercury (Hg) that biomagnifies in food webs, and human exposure to MMHg occurs predominantly via consumption of fish. The primary source of MMHg to the marine environment is thought to be in situ sedimentary production by benthic microorganisms, namely sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). I collected sediments from the continental shelf (stations 2 and 6) and slope (station 9) of the NW Atlantic Ocean, and amended them with various inhibitor and promoter solutions to target specific functional groups capable of Hg transformations. I also added stable enriched Hg isotopes to quantify gross Hg methylation and …