Mercury in Fish, Bed Sediment, and Water from Streams Across the United States, 1998-2005

Book excerpt: Report on how mercury (Hg) was examined in top-predator fish, bed sediment, and water from streams that spanned regional and national gradients of Hg source strength and other factors thought to influence methylmercury bioaccum. Sampled settings include stream basins that were agr¿l, urbanized, undeveloped, and mined. Predator fish were targeted for collection, and composited samples of fish were analyzed for total Hg (THg), as most of the Hg found in fish tissue is MeHg. Samples of bed sediment and stream water were analyzed for THg, MeHg, and characteristics thought to affect Hg methylation, such as loss-on-ignition and acid-volatile sulfide in bed sediment, and pH, dissolved organic carbon, and dissolved sulfate in water. Illus.