Biogeochemical Cycling and Air-Sea Exchange of Mercury in the South Atlantic

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9530526 Mason This project is proposed as part of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Baseline Trace Metal Study of the oceans. The primary objective is to obtain needed data for the distribution, speciation and biogeochemcial cycling of Hg in the waters and atmosphere of the equatorial and South Atlantic Ocean. The field program will be conducted on the IOC cruise of the R.V. Knorr to these regions in the western Atlantic during may/June 1996. The research involves shipboard collections for total Hg, particulate and Hg species (i.e., reactive, elemental and methylated Hg) in air and water, on-board Hg analyses, and incubation experiments designed to study the biotic and abiotic sources of elemental and methylated Hg in the open ocean waters. Post cruise activities will include analyses of stored samples and additional incubation experiments. This research is designed to complement and extend recent investigations of Hg in the North Atlantic Ocean (August, 1993) that were part of the IOC Baseline Trace Metal Study, and earlier Hg studies in the Pacific Ocean. ***