Abstract
Distribution and sources of total mercury were evaluated in sixty lakes in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The concentration of total mercury in the lake water samples was similar to those observed in other natural water systems. Mercury concentration in the lakes correlated positively with aluminum, total organic carbon, color, iron, and total nitrogens and inversely with pH and sulfate. The lake water quality parameters were placed in three distinct groups using principal component and cluster analyses. The chemical constituents in the groups were identified as being associated with lake watershed geology, atmospheric washouts of long range transported acidic pollutants and dust particles, and a marine source. Stepwise multiple regression applied to the variables in the same principal component and strongly correlating with mercury identified total organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH, aluminum and iron as the best predictors for total mercury concentrations in the study lakes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersson, A.: 1979, 'Mercury in soils', in J. O. Nriagu (ed.), The Biogeochemistry of Mercury in the Environment, Elsievier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 79–112.
Beauchamp, S., Burgess, N., D'Entremont, A., Tordon, R., Schroeder, W. and Abraham, J.: 1998, 'Mercury in Air, Water, and Biota in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada', pp. 431–445, in J. H. M. Willison (ed.), Linking Protected Areas with Working Landscapes Conserving Biodiversity, Munro, N.W.P., Proc. 3rd Internat. Conf. of Sci., Management of Protected Areas. Calgary, Alberta, May 12-16, 1997, 1018 p.
Bjorklund, I., Borg, H. and Johansson, K.: 1984, Ambio 13, 118.
Bloom, N. S. and Watras, C. L.: 1989, Seasonal and Vertical Variability in the Mercury Speciation of an Acidified Wisconsin Lake', in J. P. Vernet (ed.), Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment, Geneva, Switzerland, CEP Consultants (Pub), Edinburgh U.K.
Brun, G.: 1996, Environmental Quality Laboratory Methods Manual ECB, POB 23005, Environment Science Centre, Moncton NB. Canada E1A 6S8.
Clair, T. A., Schwartz, H. P. and Kramer, J. R.: 1989, Applied Geochemistry 4, 93.
Ehrman, J. M., Howell, G. D., Roussel, S. and Clair, T. A.: 1993, 'Summary of Biophysical and Water Chemistry for 100 Lakes in the Environment Canada Atlantic Region Acid Deposition Network', Technical Report WRD-AR-MEB-93-180.
Engstrom, D. R. and Swain, E. B.: 1997, Environ. Sci. Technol. 31 960.
Erickson, E.: 1960, Tellus 12, 63.
Evers, D. C., Kaplan, J. D., Meyer, M. W., Reaman, P. S., Braselton, W. E., Major, A., Burgess, N. and Schuehammer, A. M.: 1998, Environ Toxicol and Chem. 17, 173.
Fitzgerald, W. F.: 1995, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 80, 245.
Fitzgerald, W. F., Mason, R. P. and Vandal, G. M.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 745.
Fleischer, M.: 1970, 'Summary of the Literature in the Inorganic Geochemistry of Mercury', pp. 6–13, in Mercury in the Environment U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 713, Washington, DC, 67 p.
Gorham, E.: 1957, Limnol. Oceanogr. 2, 12.
Hakansson, L.: 1974, Ambio 3, 37.
Hooper, R. P. and Peters, N. E.: 1989, Environ. Sci. Technol. 23, 1263.
Howell, G. D.: 1989, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 46, 165.
Iverfeldt, A.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 251.
Johansson, K.: 1985, Ver. Theor. Angew. Limnol. 22, 2359.
Johansson, K., Astrup, M., Andersson, A., Bringmark, L. and Iverfeldt, A.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 267.
Johnson, J.: 1997, Environ. Sci. Technol. 31, 218A.
Kerekes, J. J.: 1974, J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 31, 555.
Kerekes, J. and Freedman, B.: 1989, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 18, 183.
Kerekes, J., Howell, G., Beauchamp, S. and Pollock, T.: 1982, Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol. 67, 679.
Lathrop, R. C., Rasmussen, P. W. and Knauer, D. R.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 309.
Lee Y. H. and Iverfeldt, A.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 309.
Lucotte, M., Mucci, A., Hillaire-Marcel, C., Pichet, P. and Grondin, A.: 1995, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 80, 467.
Masart, D. L. and Kaufman, L.: 1983, 'The Interpretation of Analytical Chemical Data by the use of Cluster Analysis, Chemical Analysis a Series of Monographs on Analytical Chemistry and its Applications', in P. J. Elving and J. D. Winefordner (eds), Vol. 65, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
McMurtry, M. J., Wales, D. L., Scheider, W. A., Beggs, G.L. and Dimond, P. E.: 1989, Can. J. Fish Aquat. Sci. 46, 426.
Mierle, G. and Ingram, R.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 349.
Munger, J. W. and Eisenreich, S. J.:1983, Environ. Sci. Technol. 17, 32A.
Nater, E. A. and Grigal, D. F.: 1992, Nature (Lond.) 358, 139.
Nriagu, J. O. and Pacyna, J. M.: 1988, Nature (Lond.) 333, 134.
Rasmussen, P. E.: 1994, Environ. Sci. Technol. 28, 2233.
Rasmussen, P. E., Friske, P. W. B., Azzaria, L. M. and Garrett, R. G.: 1998, Geoscience Can. 25, 1.
Rognerud, S. and Fjeld, E.: 1993, Ambio 22, 206.
Rojas, C. M., Grieken, R. V. and Maenhaut, W.: 1993, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 71, 391.
Schindler, D. W.: 1971, J. Fish Res. Bd. Can. 28, 295.
Sharma, S.: 1996, Applied Multivariate Techniques, John Wiley and Sons.
Underwood, J. K., Ogden III, J. G., Kerekes, J. J. and Vaughan, H. H.: 1987, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 32, 77.
Vandal, G. M., Mason, R. P. and Fitzgerald, W. F.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 56, 791.
Verta, M., Mannio, J., Iivonen, P., Hirvi, J-P., Jarvinen, O. and Piepponen, S.: 1990, in P. Kauppi, K. Kenttamies and P. Anttila (eds), Acidification in Finland, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, pp. 883–908.
World Health Organization (WHO): 1976, Environmental Health Criteria 1: Mercury, Geneva, Switzerland.
Wren, C. D., Scheider, W. A., Wales, D. L., Muncaster, B. W. and Gray, I. M.: 1991, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 48, 132.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vaidya, O.C., Howell, G.D. & Leger, D.A. Evaluation of the Distribution of Mercury in Lakes in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland (Canada). Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 117, 353–369 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005190429095
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005190429095