123rd General Meeting of the KCS

Type Oral Presentation
Area Student Oral Presentation
Room No. Room 203
Time THU 10:45-11:00
Code ENVR.O-8
Subject Mercury Isotope Investigation of Sources and Transport of Mercury in a Creek Impacted by Multiple Anthropogenic Activities
Authors Saebom Jung, Sae Yun Kwon*
Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea
Abstract Measurements of natural abundances of mercury stable isotopes in environmental samples have enhanced the understanding of mercury sources and biogeochemical processes in natural environments (e.g. Blum et al. 2014). The mixing of multiple mercury sources and two types of fractionation pathways known as mass-dependent (MDF, reported as δ202Hg) and mass-independent fractionation (MIF; reported as Δ199Hg) have provided insight to environmentally relevant processes governing changes in mercury isotope ratios of environmental samples. Thus far, the application of mercury isotope ratios has been particularly active in the discipline of environmental forensic for characterizing the environmental impacts of known point sources of mercury and their distribution. In our study, we used mercury stable isotope analysis as a tool for characterizing unknown point sources of mercury in the contaminated sites of Gumu Creek, which flows along the industrial complex in the city of Pohang. Total mercury (THg) concentrations and mercury stable isotope ratios (δ202Hg and Δ199Hg) were measured from the aquatic environment of the mercury-contaminated site in Pohang. By analyzing mercury stable isotopic compositions and by using a binary mixing model, we identified two potential mercury sources. Here, we demonstrate how mercury stable isotope analysis can be used to identify sources of mercury in the Gumu Creek, Pohang and their distribution in the environment. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use mercury stable isotope ratios as a major tool for identifying unknown point sources of mercury in the contaminated sites in South Korea.
E-mail jsaebom@postech.ac.kr