| Abstract Title: | Distribution and Role of Dimethylmercury in the Environment |
| Presenter Name: | Sofi Jonsson |
| Company/Institution: | Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University |
| Session: | Special Session - Climate-Driven Perturbations of Arctic Mercury Cycling |
| Co-Authors: | Sofi Jonsson,Johannes West |
Abstract Information :
Already in 1969, both mono- and dimethylmercury (MMeHg and DMeHg) was reported to be produced in aquatic environments. Yet, the role of DMeHg in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg is still largely unknown. Here, we will present a review on the environmental distribution and role of DMeHg. The vertical and geographical distribution of MMeHg and DMeHg have been documented in many coastal and oceanographic systems since the 90?s. More recent work has also quantified in situ formation rates of DMeHg in marine waters. In addition, some studies have detected DMeHg in terrestrial environment, impairing the previous view of DMeHg as confined to marine systems. Its main formation and degradation pathways are currently not known. However, recent work has, for example, shown that DMeHg may demethylate in the presence of dissolved sulfide as well as Mackinawite.
