TOTAL CONCENTRATIONS OF MERCURY IN WISCONSIN (USA) LAKES AND RIVERS

We analyzed surface waters from 30 Wisconsin lakes and rivers for total mercury ([Hg](T)) and total suspended particulates (TSP) on a state-wide basis with trace-metal 'ultraclean' techniques. Mercury concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 2.9 ng L(-1) in lakes and from 0.7 to 8.9 ng L(-1) in rivers. TSP concentrations ranged from 0.9 to 6.6 mg L(-1) in lakes and from 3.1 to 31.4 mg L(-1) in rivers. Spatial trends were weak; however, [Hg](T) was generally higher in the spring than in the autumn of 1991. Total mercury concentration was weakly dependent on TSP with the coefficient of determination (r(2)) ranging 0.06 to 0.49 across seasonal and geophysical differences.