University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Mercury partitioning in super-permafrost groundwater, Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Nunavut

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      A_L_Dickson_MSc_Thesis.pdf (1.306Mb)
      Date
      2008
      Author
      Dickson, Alanna L
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      The objective of this study was to determine the dominant biogeochemical controls on mercury partitioning in super-permafrost groundwater at Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Nunavut. Mercury partitioning in snow, ephemeral standing water, and super-permafrost groundwater was investigated. Results indicate that partitioning differs between matrices, and that particulate mercury is spatially and temporally dynamic in Truelove Lowland groundwater. Particulate mercury in groundwater was 73 % of total mercury, while snow had only 22 % particulate mercury. Particulate mercury in groundwater rose by over 20 % from Julian day 181 to 189, and decreased slightly on Julian day 191. No single geochemical parameter was a good predictor of particulate mercury concentrations. To expand upon the findings of the field study a laboratory microcosm study was conducted to determine whether certain biogeochemical processes influence mercury partitioning in super-permafrost groundwater. Particulate mercury in the dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria inhibited microcosm was 61 % of total mercury, approximately 18 % lower than in all other treatments. Iron (III) concentrations had a positive correlation with particulate mercury while chloride concentrations had a negative correlation with particulate mercury. Sulfate reducing bacteria were not found to influence mercury partitioning.
      Degree
      Master of Science (M.Sc.)
      Department
      Soil Science
      Program
      Soil Science
      Supervisor
      Siciliano, Steven
      Committee
      Si, Bing C.; Peak, J. Derek; Knight, J. Diane; Fleming, Ian R.
      Copyright Date
      2008
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-07192008-155026
      Subject
      mercury
      partitioning
      super-permafrost
      groundwater
      Arctic
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy