Everglades Water Quality -Field Parameters

This data set contains the following parameters: Lab ID, site ID, collection date and time, field pH, field specific conductivity, and water temperature at 10 locations.

It is well recognized that the chemical forms of mercury in the water column and sediments are intimately related to bioaccumulation and body burden. Interactions of mercury and dissolved organic matter may play an important role in controlling the bioavailability and reactivity of mercury. The goal of our research is to provide information about the interactions of mercury and dissolved organic matter that will better define this important, albeit, poorly understood process. Ultimately, this research will lead to a more complete model of mercury behavior in the Everglades. Our research focused on the effect of DOC on the transport and reactivity of mercury in the Everglades through a combined field and laboratory study. The underlying hypothesis of this research is that the chemistry and structural characteristics of organic matter in the Everglades have a controlling influence on mercury cycling processes such as methylation and volatilization. The South Florida Water Management District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the USGS South Florida Ecosystems Initiative have organized an intensive study of surface water chemistry in Southern Florida. In 1994, several onsite-research locations were selected in the Water Conservation Areas of the South Florida Water Management District in conjunction with this multidisciplinary, multiagency research project.