Below are the details of the selected project funded by
the GLAD Program, as of
.
Project Title:
MONITORING ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY SPECIES IN THE GREAT LAKES |
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Areas of Program Interest:
Air Deposition Monitoring
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Project Abstract:
This proposal addresses the persistent, bioaccumulative toxic pollutant of concern - mercury. Mercury is a pollutant that once released into the environment can be converted to an extremely persistent, bioaccumulative organic form, methylmercury. Methylmercury can then build up in organisms high within the food chain, such as fish, posing a risk to wildlife and humans that consume these fish. Since 1988, the Michigan Department of Community Health has issued a state-wide fish consumption advisory for Hg for all of Michigans inland lakes, for certain species of fish in three of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair. The atmosphere has been determined to be the most significant source of Hg to Michigans inland lakes and for some of the Great Lakes. Mercury has been and is currently being targeted as a pollutant of concern for source identification, reduction and/or elimination through a variety of state, federal and international efforts. This proposed project would assess the spatial and temporal trends in speciated atmospheric Hg in both rural and urban areas in the Great Lakes. Trace element measurements collected concurrently with the Hg concentrations will allow for site specific and regional source apportionment and transport analysis to be performed. This project will continue the long-term event based Hg deposition record at the three rural sites at Dexter and Pellston, MI, the two longest running event precipitation sites in the Great Lakes, and Eagle Harbor, MI, to allow for trend analysis. The work will extend the geographic coverage of the MDN by providing sites in the upper and lower peninsula of Michigan, and a site in Ohio where there are no MDN sites currently in operation. A Great Lakes Hg Monitoring Workshop will be organized and held in Michigan to facilitate coordination of the atmospheric deposition research in the region and to improve communication of methods and results to the states and other stakeholders in the region. |
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Project Contact:
The Regents of the University of Michigan
Gerald J. Keeler
Email: jkeeler@umich.edu |
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