Mercury in Natural Waters: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Abstract Mercury in fish is a concern as for human health. Understanding mercury toxicity, however, requires an understanding of mercury speciation. Monomethylmercury is known to be the most concerning mercury species. This mini-review first covers an introductory toxicology of mercury. As human exposure to monomethylmercury is mainly through fish and as monomethylmercury concentrations in fish are related to inorganic mercury loads, health and environmental preventive regulations concerning mercury in natural waters are addressed. Further, mercury geochemistry in natural waters is briefly reviewed, and the biogeochemical processes which affect mercury toxicity in natural waters are discussed. Keywords: fishgeochemistryhealthmercurynatural waterstoxicity Acknowledgements Our thanks go to Kimberly Gugliotta from the Geo/Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, for her help in preparing the Figure showing the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in Wisconsin Lakes.