Journal Home Online First Current Issue Archive For Authors Journal Information 中文版

Engineering >> 2019, Volume 5, Issue 2 doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2018.11.022

A Historical Sedimentary Record of Mercury in a Shallow Eutrophic Lake: Impacts of Human Activities and Climate Change

a State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Science, Beijing
100012, China
b Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA

Received: 2018-05-18 Revised: 2018-10-03 Accepted: 2018-11-08 Available online: 2019-02-02

Next Previous

Abstract

Mercury and its derivatives are hazardous environmental pollutants and could affect the aquatic ecosystems and human health by biomagnification. Lake sediments can provide important historical information regarding changes in pollution levels and thus trace anthropogenic or natural influences. This research investigates the 100-year history of mercury (Hg) deposition in sediments from Chao Lake, a shallow eutrophic lake in China. The results indicate that the Hg deposition history can be separated into three stages (pre-1960s, 1960s–1980s, and post-1980s) over then last 100 years. Before the 1960s, Hg concentrations in the sediment cores varied little and had no spatial difference. Since the 1960s, the concentration of Hg began to increase gradually, and showed a higher concentration of contamination in the western half of the lake region than in the eastern half of the lake region due to all kinds of centralized human-input sources. The influences of anthropogenic factors and hydrological change are revealed by analyzing correlations between Hg and heavy metals (Fe, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn), stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), nutrients, particle sizes, and meteorological factors. The results show that Hg pollution intensified after the 1960s, mainly due to hydrological change, rapid regional development and urbanization, and the proliferation of anthropogenic Hg sources. Furthermore, the temperature, wind speed, and evaporation are found to interactively influence the environmental behaviors and environmental fate of Hg.

Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

References

[ 1 ] Chen L, Xu Z, Ding X, Zhang W, Huang Y, Fan R, et al. Spatial trend and pollution assessment of total mercury and methylmercury pollution in the Pearl River Delta soil, South China. Chemosphere 2012;88(5):612–9. link1

[ 2 ] Eyrikh S, Eichler A, Tobler L, Malygina N, Papina T, Schwikowski M. A 320 year ice-core record of atmospheric Hg pollution in the Altai, central Asia. Environ Sci Technol 2017;51(20):11597–606. link1

[ 3 ] Rimondi V, Gray JE, Costagliola P, Vaselli O, Lattanzi P. Concentration, distribution, and translocation of mercury and methylmercury in minewaste, sediment, soil, water, and fish collected near the Abbadia San Salvatore mercury mine, Monte Amiata district, Italy. Sci Total Environ 2012;414(1):318–27. link1

[ 4 ] Gray JE, Van Metre PC, Pribil MJ, Horowitz AJ. Tracing historical trends of Hg in the Mississippi River using Hg concentrations and Hg isotopic compositions in a lake sediment core, Lake Whittington, Mississippi, USA. Chem Geol 2015;395:80–7. link1

[ 5 ] Huo S, Zhang J, Yeager KM, Xi B, Qin Y, He Z, et al. Mobility and sulfidization of heavy metals in sediments of a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Taihu, China. J Environ Sci 2015;31:1–11. link1

[ 6 ] Yeager KM, Santschi PH, Rifai HS, Suarez MP, Brinkmeyer R, Hung CC, et al. Dioxin chronology and fluxes in sediments of the Houston Ship Channel, Texas: influences of non-steady-state sediment transport and total organic carbon. Environ Sci Technol 2007;41(15):5291–8. link1

[ 7 ] Lindberg S, Bullock R, Ebinghaus R, Engstrom D, Feng X, Fitzgerald W, et al. A synthesis of progress and uncertainties in attributing the sources of mercury in deposition. AMBIO: J Hum Environ 2007;36(1):19–32. link1

[ 8 ] Gray JE, Pribil MJ, Van Metre PC, Borrok DM, Thapalia A. Identification of contamination in a lake sediment core using Hg and Pb isotopic compositions, Lake Ballinger, Washington, USA. Appl Geochem 2013;29(1):1–12. link1

[ 9 ] Lin H, Wang X, Gong P, Ren J, Wang C, Yuan X, et al. The influence of climate change on the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon and mercury in a shrinking remote lake of the southern Tibetan Plateau. Sci Total Environ 2017;601–2:1814–23. link1

[10] Feng X, Foucher D, Hintelmann H, Yan H, He T, Qiu G. Tracing mercury contamination sources in sediments using mercury isotope compositions. Environ Sci Technol 2010;44(9):3363–8. link1

[11] Jackson TA, Muir DCG. Mass-dependent and mass-independent variations in the isotope composition of mercury in a sediment core from a lake polluted by emissions from the combustion of coal. Sci Total Environ 2012;417– 8:189–203. link1

[12] Zan F, Huo S, Xi B, Zhu C, Liao H, Zhang J, et al. A 100-year sedimentary record of natural and anthropogenic impacts on a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu, China. J Environ Monit 2012;14(3):804–16. link1

[13] Zan F, Huo S, Xi B, Su J, Li X, Zhang J, et al. A 100 year sedimentary record of heavy metal pollution in a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu, China. J Environ Monit 2011;13(10):2788–97. link1

[14] Huo S, Li C, Xi B, Yu Z, Yeager KM, Wu F. Historical record of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and special occurrence of PCB 209 in a shallow fresh-water lake from eastern China. Chemosphere 2017;184:832–40. link1

[15] Li C, Huo S, Xi B, Yu Z, Zeng X, Zhang J, et al. Historical deposition behaviors of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the sediments of a shallow eutrophic lake in eastern China: roles of the sources and sedimentological conditions. Ecol Indic 2015;53(2):1–10. link1

[16] Li C, Huo S, Yu Z, Guo W, Xi B, He Z, et al. Historical records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon deposition in a shallow eutrophic lake: impacts of sources and sedimentological conditions. J Environ Sci 2016;41:261–9. link1

[17] Guo W, Huo S, Ding W. Historical record of human impact in a lake of northern China: magnetic susceptibility, nutrients, heavy metals and OCPs. Ecol Indic 2015;57:74–81. link1

[18] Binford MW. Calculation and uncertainty analysis of 210Pb dates for PIRLA project lake sediment cores. J Paleolimnol 1990;3(3):253–67. link1

[19] Zhang W, Feng H, Chang J, Qu J, Xie H, Yu L. Heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of Yangtze River intertidal zone: an assessment from different indexes. Environ Pollut 2009;157(5):1533–43. link1

[20] Wan GJ, Chen JA, Wu FC, Xu SQ, Bai ZG, Wan EY, et al. Coupling between 210Pbex and organic matter in sediments of a nutrient-enriched lake: an example from Lake Chenghai, China. Chem Geol 2005;224(4):223–36. link1

[21] Xu Y, Gao X, Shen Y, Xu C, Shi Y, Giorgi F. A daily temperature dataset over China and its application in validating a RCM simulation. Adv Atmos Sci 2009;26(4):763–72. link1

[22] Guo W, Pei Y, Yang Z, Chen H. Historical changes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) input in Lake Baiyangdian related to regional socioeconomic development. J Hazard Mater 2011;187(1–3):441–9. link1

[23] Liu L, Wang J, Wei G, Guan Y, Wong C, Zeng E. Sediment records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the continental shelf of China: implications for evolving anthropogenic impacts. Environ Sci Technol 2012;46 (12):6497–504. link1

[24] Chen X, Yang X, Dong X, Liu Q. Nutrient dynamics linked to hydrological condition and anthropogenic nutrient loading in Chaohu Lake (southeast China). Hydrobiologia 2011;661(1):223–34. link1

[25] Yang H, Turner S, Rose NL. Mercury pollution in the lake sediments and catchment soils of anthropogenically-disturbed sites across England. Environ Pollut 2016;219:1092–101. link1

[26] Wiklund JA, Kirk JL, Muir DCG, Evans M, Yang F, Keating J, et al. Anthropogenic mercury deposition in Flin Flon Manitoba and the Experimental Lakes Area Ontario (Canada): a multi-lake sediment core reconstruction. Sci Total Environ 2017;586:685–95. link1

[27] Zhang L, Ye X, Feng H, Jing Y, Ouyang T, Yu X, et al. Heavy metal contamination in western Xiamen Bay sediments and its vicinity, China. Mar Pollut Bull 2007;54(7):974–82. link1

[28] Weiss-Penzias PS, Gay DA, Brigham ME, Parsons MT, Gustin MS, Ter Schure A. Trends in mercury wet deposition and mercury air concentrations across the U.S. and Canada. Sci Total Environ 2016;568:546–56. link1

[29] Haris H, Aris AZ. The geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor of mercury in mangrove sediment of Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Arabian J Geosci 2013;6(11):4119–28. link1

[30] McKee LJ, Bonnema A, David N, Davis JA, Franz A, Grace R, et al. Long-term variation in concentrations and mass loads in a semi-arid watershed influenced by historic mercury mining and urban pollutant sources. Sci Total Environ 2017;605–606:482–97. link1

[31] Wang Q, Kim D, Dionysiou DD, Sorial GA, Timberlake D. Sources and remediation for mercury contamination in aquatic systems–a literature review. Environ Pollut 2004;131(2):323–36. link1

[32] Anhui Statistical Bureau, NBS Survey office in Anhui. Anhui statistical yearbook 2016. Beijing: China Statistics Press; 2016. Chinese. link1

[33] Wang Q, Shen W, Ma Z. Estimation of mercury emission from coal combustion in China. Environ Sci Technol 2000;34(13):2711–3. link1

[34] Li Y, Ma C, Zhu C, Huang R, Zheng C. Historical anthropogenic contributions to mercury accumulation recorded by a peat core from Dajiuhu montane mire, central China. Environ Pollut 2016;216:332–9. link1

[35] Nakagawa R, Yumita Y. Change and behavior of residual mercury in paddy soils and rice of Japan. Chemosphere 1998;37(8):1483–7. link1

[36] Liu Y, Wang J, Zheng Y, Zhang L, He J. Patterns of bacterial diversity along a long-term mercury-contaminated gradient in the paddy soils. Microb Ecol 2014;68(3):575–83. link1

[37] Walters C, Couto M, McClurg N, Silwana B, Somerset V. Baseline monitoring of mercury levels in environmental matrices in the Limpopo Province. Water Air Soil Pollut 2017;228(2):57–71. link1

[38] Cesário R, Hintelmann H, O’Driscoll NJ, Monteiro CE, Caetano M, Nogueira M, et al. Biogeochemical cycle of mercury and methylmercury in two highly contaminated areas of Tagus Estuary (Portugal). Water Air Soil Pollut 2017;228(7):257–76. link1

[39] Woodward CA, Potito AP, Beilman DW. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in surface sediments from lakes of western Ireland: implications for inferring past lake productivity and nitrogen loading. J Paleolimnol 2012;47 (2):167–84. link1

[40] Meyers PA, Lallier-Verges E. Lacustrine sedimentary organic matter records of late quaternary paleoclimates. J Paleolimnol 1999;21(3):345–72. link1

[41] O’Beirne MD, Werne JP, Hecky RE, Johnson TC, Katsev S, Reavie ED. Anthropogenic climate change has altered primary productivity in Lake Superior. Nat Commun 2017;8:15713. link1

[42] Weber JH. Review of possible paths for abiotic methylation of mercury (II) in the aquatic environment. Chemosphere 1993;26(11):2063–77. link1

[43] Ramond JB, Petit F, Quillet L, Ouddane B, Berthe T. Evidence of methylmercury production and modification of the microbial community structure in estuary sediments contaminated with wastewater treatment plant effluents. Mar Pollut Bull 2011;62(5):1073–80. link1

[44] Brown CA, Sharp D, Collura TCM. Effect of climate change on water temperature and attainment of water temperature criteria in the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 2016;169:136–46. link1

[45] Tomiyasu T, Kodamatani H, Imura R, Matsuyama A, Miyamoto J, Akagi H, et al. The dynamics of mercury near Idrija mercury mine, Slovenia: horizontal and vertical distributions of total, methyl, and ethyl mercury concentrations in soils. Chemosphere 2017;184:244–52. link1

[46] Brazeau ML, Blais JM, Paterson AM, Keller W, Poulain AJ. Evidence for microbially mediated production of elemental mercury (Hg0 ) in subarctic lake sediments. Appl Geochem 2013;37:142–8. link1

[47] Zhu Y, Zou X, Feng S, Tang H. The effect of grain size on the Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd speciation and distribution in sediments: a case study of Dongping Lake, China. Environ Geol 2006;50(5):753–9. link1

[48] Kraemer BM, Chandra S, Dell AI, Dix M, Kuusisto E, Livingtone DM, et al. Global patterns in lake ecosystem responses to warming based on the temperature dependence of metabolism. Glob Change Biol 2017;23 (5):1881–90. link1

[49] Hansen KM, Christensen JH, Brandt J. The influence of climate change on atmospheric deposition of mercury in the Arctic—a model sensitivity study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2015;12(9):11254–68. link1

[50] Wang X, Sun D, Yao T. Climate change and global cycling of persistent organic pollutants: a critical review. Sci China Earth Sci 2016;59(10):1899–911. link1

[51] Lepori F, Roberts JJ. Past and future warming of a deep European lake (Lake Lugano): what are the climatic drivers? J Great Lakes Res 2015;41 (4):973–81. link1

[52] O’Reilly CM, Sharma S, Gray DK, Hampton SE, Read JS, Rowley RJ, et al. Rapid and highly variable warming of lake surface waters around the globe. Geophys Res Lett 2015;42(24):10773–81. link1

[53] Li F, Chung N, Bae MJ, Kwon YS, Kwon TS, Park YS. Temperature change and macroinvertebrate biodiversity: assessments of organism vulnerability and potential distributions. Clim Change 2013;119(2):4231–434. link1

[54] Kane ES, Mazzoleni LR, Kratz CJ, Hribljan JA, Johnson CP, Pypker TG, et al. Peat porewater dissolved organic carbon concentration and lability increase with warming: a field temperature manipulation experiment in a poor-fen. Biogeochemistry 2014;119(1–3):161–78. link1

[55] Bravo AG, Bouchet S, Tolu J, Björn E, Mateos-Rivera A, Bertilsson S. Molecular composition of organic matter controls methylmercury formation in boreal lakes. Nat Commun 2017;8:14255. link1

[56] Li Y, Wang W, Yang L, Li H. A review of mercury in environmental biogeochemistry. Prog Geogr 2004;23(6):33–40. link1

Related Research