Proceedings and Summary Report: Workshop on the Fate, Transport, and Transformation of Mercury in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments

Abstract

The Workshop on the Fate, Transport, and Transformation of Mercury in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments was held on May 8-10, 2001 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The workshop was conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) and cosponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Toxics Program, the USEPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program, the South Florida Mercury Science Program, and the USGS/USEPA Mercury Roundtable. Representatives from industry, academia, environmental organizations, consulting firms, and government attended. The purpose of the workshop was to bring researchers, decision makers, government representatives, and others together to discuss the state of the science regarding the fate and transport of mercury in aquatic and terrestrial systems, mercury transformation processes (biotic and abiotic), and methods for managing ecological and human exposures to methylmercury (MeHg). Five technical sessions were presented during the 2 1/2-day workshop. These sessions addressed the following topics: Mercury and Methylmercury Transport in the Environment; Methylmercury Production in the Environment; USEPA STAR Mercury Research Program Review; Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Food Webs; Managing Mercury Contamination in Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems. The presentations were followed by a panel discussion at the end of the workshop. After each technical sessions was summarized, participants were given an opportunity to comment on some of the critical issues or concerns associated with the material presented for each technical session. Two very successful and well-attended poster sessions also took place during the workshop. The poster sessions covered a number topics/areas that could not be included in the workshop due to time constraints. These sessions expanded both the breadth and scope of the workshop and were a key element of the workshop's success. This document contains a more detailed description of the scope and objectives of the workshop, followed by bulleted summaries of the plenary session, the technical presentations, and the panel discussion. The final agenda, speaker abstracts, and poster abstracts are presented in Appendices A, B, and C, respectively.

Description

178 pages; available for download at the link below.

Keywords

mercury - environmental aspects, mercury, heavy metal contamination, water pollution, environmental protection

Citation