Sources and cycling of mercury in the paleo Arctic Ocean from Hg stable isotope variations in Eocene and Quaternary sediments

Abstract

Mercury stable isotopic compositions were determined for marine sediments from eight locations in the Arctic Ocean Basin. Mass dependent fractionation (MDF) and mass independent fractionation (MIF) of Hg stable isotopes were recorded across a variety of depositional environments, water depths, and stratigraphic ages. δ202Hg (MDF) ranges from −2.34‰ to −0.78‰; Δ199Hg (MIF) from −0.18‰ to +0.12‰; and Δ201Hg (MIF) from −0.29‰ to +0.05‰ for the complete data set (n=33). Holocene sediments from the Chukchi Sea and Morris Jesup Rise record the most negative Δ199Hg values, while Pleistocene sediments from the Central Arctic Ocean record the most positive Δ199Hg values. The most negative δ202Hg values are recorded in Pleistocene sediments. Eocene sediments (Lomonosov Ridge) show some overlap in their Hg isotopic compositions with Quaternary sediments, with a sample of the Arctic Ocean PETM (56Ma) most closely matching the average Hg isotopic composition of Holocene Arctic marine sediments. Collectively, these data support a terrestrially-dominated Hg source input for Arctic Ocean sediment through time, although other sources, as well as influences of sea ice, atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs), and anthropogenic Hg (in core top samples) on Hg isotopic signatures must also be considered.