Dissolved organic matter interactions with mercury in the florida everglades

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to review the interactions of mercury with dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Florida Everglades. Attention is given to the role of DOM to the complexation of inorganic Hg and methylmercury (MeHg), microbial Hg methylation, Hg and MeHg photochemistry, and MeHg bioaccumulation. This review shows that substantive changes in both DOM concentration and quality can be traced to land and water management practices in the northern Everglades, and that these perturbations to carbon cycling have likely impacted Hg biogeochemical cycling in the Everglades. The impact of sulfur enrichment on DOM quality, and its corresponding impact on microbial Hg methylation, is a special emphasis of the chapter.