Diurnal characteristics of migration and transformation of mercury and effects of nitrate in Jialing River, Chongqing, China.

Laboratory incubation experiments were performed to identify diurnal characteristics of migration and transformation of mercury (Hg) and effects of nitrate (NO3(-), a hydroxyl radical donor by photolysis) in Jialing River, Chongqing, China. It is found that there are strong diurnal signals of [monomethylmercury (MMHg)] and [reactive Hg (RHg)] in sediment, pore water and overlying water, which suggest that solar radiation may be an important variable that involved in aquatic Hg cycling. Photo-degradation (PD) of MMHg plays a key role in Hg cycling in water systems, and the rates are measured to be 38.22% in March, 2012. The presence of NO3(-) has a marked effect on MMHg PD under solar radiation, and affects inorganic species reducting to Hg(0), resulting in more Hg species available for methylation. So NO3(-) is an important factor for Hg cycling in water systems. Diffusive flux of MMHg, RHg and dissolved Hg (DHg) are 1.92-2.34, 3.43-3.64 and 3.04-5.71 ng m(-2) d(-1) at daytime, and 6.04-6.92, 3.22-3.25 and 7.79-8.37 ng m(-2) d(-1) at nighttime, respectively, implying that sediment is a major Hg source for shallow-water area in Jialing River at springtime. These results show great importance for understanding Hg biogeochemical processes in clear, oligotrophic, shallow, sluggish, and agriculturally-impacted waters.