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Functions of Natural Organic Matter in Changing Environment pp 709–714Cite as

Determination of Mercury Methylation Potential in the Presence of Peat Organic Matter

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Abstract

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxin pollutant that accumulates in organisms and biomagnifies along the trophic chain. It is formed by the transfer of a methyl group to inorganic mercury (Hg). This transformation, termed methylation, can occur as a result of microbial activity, photochemical transfer of the methyl group, or interaction with humic substances present in water bodies, with microbial activity showing the greatest methylation potential. In this work, the formation of MeHg was observed over a period of 22 days, in the presence of peat rich in organic matter (OM), together with either Hg0 or Hg2+. Analyses were made of pH, redox potential (EH), and dissolved oxygen (DO).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State University of São Paulo – UNESP, Cônego Jerônimo Cézar Avenue 838, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marques Gomes Vinicius, dos Santos Ademir, César Rocha Júlio & Moutinho da Silva Ricardo

  2. University of Brasília – UNB, Planaltina, GO, Brazil

    Fabrício Zara Luis

  3. Federal University of Sao Carlos – UFSCAR, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil

    Camargo de Oliveira Luciana

Authors
  1. Marques Gomes Vinicius
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  2. dos Santos Ademir
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  3. César Rocha Júlio
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  4. Moutinho da Silva Ricardo
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  5. Fabrício Zara Luis
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  6. Camargo de Oliveira Luciana
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marques Gomes Vinicius .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute of Soil and Water Resources, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China, People's Republic

    Jianming Xu

  2. , College of Environmental & Resource Scie, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China, People's Republic

    Jianjun Wu

  3. , College of Environmental & Resource Scie, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China, People's Republic

    Yan He

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© 2013 Zhejiang University Press and Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Vinicius, M.G., Ademir, d.S., Júlio, C.R., da Silva Ricardo, M., Luis, F.Z., de Oliveira Luciana, C. (2013). Determination of Mercury Methylation Potential in the Presence of Peat Organic Matter. In: Xu, J., Wu, J., He, Y. (eds) Functions of Natural Organic Matter in Changing Environment. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5634-2_129

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