Effects of Dryout and Inflow Water Quality on Mercury Methylation in a Constructed Wetland

Abstract

The sulfate input and the occurrence of dryout and rewetting may promote the production of toxic methylmercury (MeHg) in a constructed wetland, Stormwater Treatment Area 2 (STA-2) in South Florida. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influences of inflow water quality, especially inflow sulfate, and the dryout and rewetting cycle on the mercury (Hg) methylation in three independent cells of STA-2 from 2000 to 2007. Because the majority of the total Hg (THg) bioaccumulated in fish is in MeHg form, THg concentration in mosquitofish was used to present the MeHg production in STA-2. Mosquitofish THg in Cells 1 and 2 (with median values of 0.101 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively) were significantly higher than in Cell 3 and inflow (both with a median value of 0.01 mg/kg). The difference in mosquitofish THg among the three cells was likely a result of the drying and rewetting cycles occurred in Cells 1 and 2, which promoted the Hg methylation. Inflow sulfate, inorganic Hg, and chloride exhibited a significant correlation with mosquitofish THg in cells, suggesting that these inflow variables played important roles on the Hg methylation. The results indicate that inflow sulfate may likely stimulate sulfate-reducing bacteria and subsequently lead to produce MeHg in the three cells. Our findings in this study indicate that preventing the occurrence of dryout in wetland will help to decline the Hg methylation, and sulfate input is a key factor to influence the Hg methylation in wetland.