Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Mercury Distributions And Cycling In The North Atlantic And Eastern Tropical Pacific Oceans, Katlin L. Bowman

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The distribution of mercury (Hg) in the ocean is complex as a result of in situ chemical transformations and inputs from natural and anthropogenic sources. Within the ocean, inorganic Hg is methylated to monomethylmercury (MMHg), which bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in marine food webs and poses a health risk to humans who eat fish. The biogeochemistry of Hg in the ocean has been studied for decades, however, recently improved sampling and analytical techniques have allowed for an enhanced understanding of global distributions of different Hg species. This dissertation uses a newly developed method for the analysis of MMHg that improves detection …