Deposition and Cycling of Sulfur Controls Mercury Accumulation in Isle Royale Fish

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 41; no. 21; pp. 7266 - 7272
• Main Authors: Drevnick, Paul E, Canfield, Donald E, Gorski, Patrick R, Shinneman, Avery L. C, Engstrom, Daniel R, Muir, Derek C. G, Smith, Gerald R, Garrison, Paul J, Cleckner, Lisa B, Hurley, James P, Noble, Robert B, Otter, Ryan R, Oris, James T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-11-2007
• Subjects: 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; Air Pollutants - analysis; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; ANNUAL VARIATIONS; Applied ecology; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; Biological and medical sciences; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; Carbon Isotopes; CLEAN AIR ACTS; CONTAMINATION; DEPOSITION; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; Environmental impact; Environmental science; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Fish; FISHES; Fishes - metabolism; FRESH WATER; Fresh Water - analysis; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - analysis; HEALTH HAZARDS; LAKES; MERCURY; Mercury - analysis; Mercury - metabolism; METHYLMERCURY; Methylmercury Compounds - metabolism; MONITORING; Nitrogen Isotopes; SEDIMENTS; SULFATES; Sulfates - analysis; Sulfur; USA; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; WATER POLLUTION; Lake Superior; Great Lakes of America; North America; America; Isle Royale; Freshwater environment; Edible fish; Vertebrata; Reduction; Pisces; Air pollution; Biological accumulation; Sulfates; Mercury; Deposition
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es0712322

Mercury contamination of fish is a global problem. Consumption of contaminated fish is the primary route of methylmercury exposure in humans and is detrimental to health. Newly mandated reductions in anthropogenic mercury emissions aim to reduce atmospheric mercury deposition and thus mercury concentrations in fish. However, factors other than mercury deposition are important for mercury bioaccumulation in fish. In the lakes of Isle Royale, U.S.A., reduced rates of sulfate deposition since the Clean Air Act of 1970 have caused mercury concentrations in fish to decline to levels that are safe for human consumption, even without a discernible decrease in mercury deposition. Therefore, reductions in anthropogenic sulfur emissions may provide a synergistic solution to the mercury problem in sulfate-limited freshwaters.