Articles | Volume 20, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1459-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1459-2023
Research article
 | 
14 Apr 2023
Research article |  | 14 Apr 2023

Role of formation and decay of seston organic matter in the fate of methylmercury within the water column of a eutrophic lake

Laura Balzer, Carluvy Baptista-Salazar, Sofi Jonsson, and Harald Biester

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Toxic methylmercury (MeHg) in lakes can be enriched in fish and is harmful for humans. Phytoplankton is the entry point for MeHg into the aquatic food chain. We investigated seasonal MeHg concentrations in plankton of a productive lake. Our results show that high amounts of MeHg occur in algae and suspended matter in lakes and that productive lakes are hot spots of MeHg formation, which is mainly controlled by decomposition of algae organic matter and water-phase redox conditions.
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