Paper on ocean mercury fluxes in Science Advances

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Congratulations to UConn authors Yipeng He, Hannah Inman, and Robert Mason, as well as their collaborators, on their paper “Elevated methylmercury in Arctic rain and aerosol linked to air-sea exchange of dimethylmercury,” which was published in Science Advances on March 19!

From the authors:
The results of our study of mercury (Hg) dynamics in the Arctic in May/June 2021 further documented the potential of the ocean to be a source of dimethylmercury (DMHg) to the atmosphere under specific conditions, in this instance in conjunction with coastal upwelling. The study further showed that the fate of this DMHg is that it is converted in the atmosphere to methylmercury (MeHg), the most toxic and bioaccumulative form of Hg, which is then transported long distances in the atmosphere before being returned to the ocean in precipitation and through aerosol deposition leading to the potential contamination of fish and marine mammals in vulnerable ecosystems far from the DMHg source. The study determined the magnitude of the various fluxes involved in this transport to further quantify the importance of this pathway.

This research formed part of the thesis research of Yipeng He, the lead author, and was funded by NSF Polar Programs to Robert Mason and his co-PIs. Hannah Inman was also involved in the research study and is a co-author on the paper.

 

Yipeng He, Robert Mason, Marissa Despins, and Hannah Inman on the Arctic research expedition.
Photo 1: Yipeng He, Robert Mason, Marissa Despins, and Hannah Inman on the Arctic research expedition.

 

Graphical depiction of the processes demonstrating how the evasion of dimethylmercury (DMHg) to the atmosphere results in its conversion to methylmercury (MMHg) which is then redeposited to the ocean via precipitation and aerosol deposition far from the source.
Figure 2: Graphical depiction of the processes demonstrating how the evasion of dimethylmercury (DMHg) to the atmosphere results in its conversion to methylmercury (MMHg) which is then redeposited to the ocean via precipitation and aerosol deposition far from the source.

 

The associated estimated fluxes of methylated mercury (MeHg) into or out of the ocean for the various Arctic locations studied showing the net transport of MeHg from the DMHg source region to other ocean regions.
Figure 3: The associated estimated fluxes of methylated mercury (MeHg) into or out of the ocean for the various Arctic locations studied showing the net transport of MeHg from the DMHg source region to other ocean regions.