Modeling methylmercury in Maine's tribal meres

Methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in the fish of twenty Maine lakes were projected for the year 2035 under three different policy scenarios. A mechanistic model of Hg fate and transport was calibrated for Maine's environment using four parameters: volumetric outflow rate, settling velocity, burial velocity, and Hg(II) biotic solids partitioning coefficient. The model was evaluated through comparison with measured results from the year 1993. The model results showed that the strictest global Hg regulations will lead to the greatest decreases in MeHg concentration. No piscivore will be safe for frequent consumption, even under the strictest regulations in the cleanest lakes. The Wabanaki traditional-subsistence diet will continue to entail unsafe MeHg exposures.

Name thesis:degree_name

Bachelor

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Hoffman, Nick(Nicholas D.)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Noelle Selin.

• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122866

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/122866