Articles | Volume 16, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-729-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-729-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
19 Jun 2020
Research article |
| 19 Jun 2020
| 19 Jun 2020
Biogeochemical processes accounting for the natural mercury variations in the Southern Ocean diatom ooze sediments
Sara Zaferani
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institut für Geoökologie, AG Umweltgeochemie, Technische
Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Harald Biester
Institut für Geoökologie, AG Umweltgeochemie, Technische
Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Short summary
Mercury is a metal of environmental concern due to its toxic nature and its high potential for biomagnification. The role of oceans in the global mercury cycle is poorly understood. Investigation of biogenic sediments revealed that biological production and related scavenging of water-phase mercury by rapidly sinking algae or algae-derived organic matter after intense algae blooms controlled preindustrial mercury accumulation in Adélie Basin, East Antarctica.
Mercury is a metal of environmental concern due to its toxic nature and its high potential for...
