Geochemical Processes in Organic-Rich Sediments of South Florida-Mercury and Metals

Project Investigators: Rama K. Kotra, Larry Gough Project Start Date: 1996 End Date: 1998 Proposals Metadata Publications Project Location Map

Human activities have led to the deterioration of the productivity, biodiversity, and stability of the south Florida ecosystem. The fate of anthropogenic contaminants incorporated into the organic-rich sediments is not fully understood. Physical, chemical, and biological processes may remobilize some of the contaminants and reintroduce them into water, atmosphere, and the biological community. Other contaminants may be transformed during diagenesis and remain in surficial materials until the system is disturbed. This project will examine the occurrence and cycling of mercury and metals in organic-rich sediments, pore fluids, and plants at selected sites in south Florida. In collaboration with other projects under the Program, this project will also examine peat diagenesis processes that affect the cycling of mercury and metals. The results of this study will contribute to the understanding of the relationships between diagenesis, occurrence, historical variation, speciation and cycling of environmentally important elements. A better understanding of the controls on the behavior of these elements is essential for the development of plans for the long-term remediation and management strategies for the wetlands of south Florida.

Proposals

• 1998

Metadata

• Geochemical Processes in Organic-rich Sediments of South Florida - Mercury and Metals (project metadata)

Publications

Abstracts

• Geochemical Processes in Organic-rich Sediments of South Florida - Mercury and Metals
• Geochemistry of Mercury and Trace Elements in Organic-Rich Sediments, Surface Water, and Sawgrass - A Progress Report for the 1996 and 1997 Field Seasons

Fact Sheets

• South Florida Ecosystems--The Role of Peat in the Cycling of Metals

Open File Reports

• Regional Geochemistry of Metals in Organic-Rich Sediments, Sawgrass and Surface Water, from Taylor Slough, Florida (OFR 00-327)

Proceedings

• The Role of Biogeochemistry in USGS Sediment Research (from the Proceedings of the USGS Sediment Workshop, February 4-7, 1997)