Factors affecting methylmercury distribution in surficial, acidic, base-metal mine tailings

The Science of the Total Environment
Susan WinchDavid R S Lean

Abstract

The most toxic form of Hg commonly of concern in the environment is methylmercury (MeHg), as it accumulates in living tissues and bioconcentrates in food webs. Sulfide-rich metal ores are often enriched in Hg, but little is known regarding the potential for Hg methylation in acidic tailings produced from these ores. This study examined acidic tailings from four mines in northern Ontario, Canada, to determine whether they could be an important source of MeHg to downstream environments. Where sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were abundant and active in pH-circumneutral, unoxidized layers (Potter mine), negligible MeHg was detected. By contrast, a zone of active sulfate reduction found in the acidic, oxidizing, surficial layers of tailings from the Kidd Metsite contained the highest concentrations of MeHg in bulk tailings (12.1 nmol kg(-1) dry wt. of sediment) and porewaters (88 pM) measured in this study. Cell count estimates of SRB by the "most-probable-number" (MPN) method were low in these surficial tailings, suggesting that sulfate reducers from this environment were acidophilic and did not thrive under the pH-neutral conditions of the MPN incubations. A later study of bacterial DNA from these tailings produced evidence of a n...Continue Reading

References

Dec 4, 2002·Environmental Microbiology·Jennifer E BrofftLawrence J Shimkets
Nov 19, 2003·Environmental Science & Technology·Torbjörn Karlsson, Ulf Skyllberg
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Oct 18, 2005·The Science of the Total Environment·Valbona CeloSusannah L Scott
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May 1, 2003·FEMS Microbiology Ecology·Brett J Baker, Jillian F Banfield

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Citations

Oct 24, 2009·The Science of the Total Environment·Jonathan R HillDavid R S Lean
Jul 18, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Igor LehnherrJane L Kirk
Dec 4, 2008·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Fengling SongKazunori Koide

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