Mercury source identification in the Mobile and Tombigbee Rivers

This dataset details mercury concentrations and mercury stable isotope values collected as part of an environmental mercury assessment encompassing the Mobile and Tombigbee Rivers as well as two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites. The Tensaw River was also sampled as part of this study as a reference site, absent of mercury contamination. As a part of this survey, sediments, waters, and biota (largemouth bass) were measured to assess mercury transport and bioaccumulation of mercury within the Mobile River Basin. High mercury concentrations and isotope values indicative of industrial contamination were found in sediments and fish of Superfund sites. Lower concentrations and isotope values indicative of deposition were found within the Tensaw River and main branches of the Mobile and Tombigbee Rivers.

本数据集记录了一项环境汞污染评估中采集的汞浓度与汞稳定同位素数据，该评估覆盖莫比尔河（Mobile River）、汤比格比河（Tombigbee River）以及两处美国环境保护署（U.S. Environmental Protection Agency，简称EPA）超级基金场地（Superfund sites）。本研究同时将滕索河（Tensaw River）设为未受汞污染的参考样点并开展采样工作。本次调查采集了沉积物、水体与生物样本（大口黑鲈，largemouth bass），用以评估莫比尔河流域内的汞迁移过程与汞生物富集效应。超级基金场地的沉积物与鱼类样本中检测到高浓度汞及指示工业污染来源的同位素特征；而在滕索河以及莫比尔河与汤比格比河的干流区域，汞浓度与同位素特征均处于较低水平，表明其汞来源为大气沉降。