Mercury in the Everglades Essay -- Geology

Mercury in the Everglades Everglades Background Information: * Established in 1947 on 1.4 million acres in southwest Florida * Sunny, Semi-Tropical Swamp Setting. Experiences near daily downpours (http://srv3sftpa.er.usgs.gov/sofl.fact.html) Mercury's Effect on the Everglades: * A small amount of mercury is found in the crust of the earth. This is not the problem. The anthropogenic mercury is the problem. The mercury that is growing dangerously in size is known as methylmercury. It is an organic substance that still baffles scientists who are trying to work out its life cycle. So far, what they know is that methylmercury forms when inorganic mercury combines with organic matter that is dissolved in water. This reaction favors conditions that are extremely warm, where there is plenty of sunlight, and where the right kind of bacteria is present (mainly sulfate reducing bacteria). The Everglades, unfortunately, because of its large amount of sunlight and the near daily downpours provides ideal environment for forming methylmercury. (http://www.research.fsu.edu/RinR/Fal_Wn97/merc_sd2.htm) * Mercury settlement: The majority of mercury sett;es into the surface sediment where the amount of mercury was2.5 times more than the deep sediment. This of course leads to an even greater chance of the mercury getting recycled into the food chain rather than decomposing. (http://www.aslo.org/aslo/dialog/d_rood.html) * Biomagnefication: Methylmercury becomes deadly to the environment through the process of biomagnefication. To achieve biomagnefication, the mercury must be consumed by microorganisms nd work its way up the food chain increasing in concentration as it enters large... ... that 95% of the mercury arrives in the Everglades via the atmosphere. Hydrological changes resulting from the Central and South Florida Flood Control Project (www.sph.umich.edu/group/eih/umaql/suamp.html) * Conclusion: Rising mercury levels in the Everglades is just one of the problems that we need to deal with in order to protect our Everglades. However, it is not an issue that we can procrastinate on or fight over. Mercury levels are rising and our time is running out. We need to act before it is too late. * Bibliography: (http://srv3sftpa.er.usgs.gov/sofl.fact.html) (http://www.research.fsu.edu/RinR/Fal_Wn97/merc_sd2.htm) (http://www.aslo.org/aslo/dialog/d_rood.html) (http://www.n-jcenter.com/98/feb/08/en2.htm) (http://www.sph.umich.edu/group/eih/umaql/suamp.html) (http://ww.fsu.edu/cpm/FACT/sec_D/merc.html)