University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 3-5-2010 Mercury in the Environment: Field Studies from Tampa, Bolivia, And Guyana Joniqua A'ja Howard University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons, Civil Engineering Commons, and the Environmental Engineering Commons Scholar Commons Citation Howard, Joniqua A'ja, "Mercury in the Environment: Field Studies from Tampa, Bolivia, And Guyana" (2010). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3465 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mercury In The Environment: Field Studies From Tampa, Bolivia, And Guyana by Joniqua A'ja Howard A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering College of Engineering University of South Florida Major Professor: Maya Trotz, Ph.D. Fenda Akiwumi, Ph.D. Mark Rains, Ph.D. Amy Stuart, Ph.D. Date of Approval: March 5, 2010 Keywords: methyl-mercury, global mercury cycle, fish, gold mining, environmental sustainability, education © Copyright 2010 , Joniqua A'ja Howard DEDICATION To the past, present, and future: Reverend Otis Howard Beulah Allen Howard Edward McArthur, Sr. Raymond Howard, Sr. Ora McArthur Leanna McArthur Loretta Howard John Howard Coach Arron Prather All of those who will be impacted positively by my work SANKOFA! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Write the vision and make it plan on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.” -Habakkuk 2:2-3- This work was supported through a University of South Florida (USF) Sustainable Healthy Communities Grant for interdisciplinary research as well as the USF Graduate School Challenge Grant. First and foremost, my deepest gratitude and appreciation will forever be extended to my major professor, Dr. Maya A. Trotz, who has been highly influential in my graduate career and guiding me through a myriad of obstacles. Also, I would like to thank my committee members for their insight and more importantly challenging me throughout this process. For the endless support during this challenging time, I thank my family (on and off the track), close spiritual cheerleaders, students/athletes, Bridge to the Doctorate Family, women in science support group (KB, Crystal Dobson, Regina E., Christina S., PT, and Nekesha W.), and lab members/motivators (Ken Thomas, Erlande Omisca, Douglas Oti). During my field travel, I give my warmest regards for supplying me with great food, a place of shelter, and great company to my international families in Bolivia and Guyana. To all the staff and friends from ACDI/VOCA, Iwokrama, SWFWMD, the miners in Mahdia and Bolivia, the SHC course participants, thank you for all your valued assistance. Special thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (J. Wheaton, Gigi & D. Richard), FDEP (B.Topoloski & T.Lange,), USGS (D. Edwards), and USF NNRC (JB and Javier) for the guidance and training of field and analytical equipment. The storm is over ...I feel as though I can make it now. –Psalms 18-32-38- “Note to Reader” The original of this document contains color that is necessary for understanding the data. The original dissertation is on file with the USF library in Tampa, Florida. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ v LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................. ix ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Motivation and Research Objectives ................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND ........................................................................................... 5 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Overview of Mercury ......................................................................................... 6 2.3 Mercury in the Environment .............................................................................. 9 2.3.1 Mercury Cycle .................................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Atmospheric Mercury ........................................................................ 11 2.3.3 Mercury in Water and Sediment ........................................................ 13 2.3.4 Mercury in Fish ................................................................................. 16 2.4 Toxicity of Mercury ......................................................................................... 17 2.5 Mercury as a Commodity................................................................................. 23 CHAPTER 3: FLORIDA .................................................................................................... 26 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 26 3.1.1 Objectives ........................................................................................... 26 3.2 Mercury and Florida, USA (N.A.) ................................................................... 27 3.2.1 Tampa Bay, FL, USA (N.A.) ............................................................ 31 3.2.2 Hillsborough River, FL, USA (N.A.) ................................................ 33 3.3 Sampling Locations Hillsborough River ........................................................ 35 i 3.4 Materials and Methods ..................................................................................... 36 3.4.1 Glassware/Sampling Kit .................................................................... 37 3.4.2 Reagents ............................................................................................ 37 3.4.3 Water Sampling ................................................................................. 38 3.4.4 Sediment ............................................................................................ 39 3.4.5 Biota Sampling .................................................................................. 40 3.5 Analytical Procedures ...................................................................................... 41 3.5.1 Cold Vapor Atomic Adsorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS)................. 41 3.5.2 Cold Vapor Fluorescence Spectroscopy (CVAFS) ........................... 42 3.5.3 Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) Surface Area Analyzer .......... 42 3.5.4 X-Ray Diffractometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy ................................................................. 43 3.6 General Results and Discussion ....................................................................... 46 3.6.1 Total Mercury Loadings in Sediment and Water .............................. 46 3.6.2 Total Mercury Loadings in Fish ........................................................ 56 3.6.3 Health Implications ........................................................................... 62 3.7 Summary ........................................................................................................... 65 CHAPTER 4: GUYANA ................................................................................................... 67 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 67 4.1.1 Objectives and Tasks ...................................................................... 68 4.2 Guyana (S.A.) ................................................................................................. 68 4.3 Mining in Guyana and Environmental Regulations.......................................... 73 4.4 Sampling Area ................................................................................................. 76 4.4.1 Mahdia ............................................................................................ 77 4.4.2 Arakaka/Matthew’s Ridge/Port Kaituma ....................................... 77 4.4.3 Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area ......................... 78 4.4.4 Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development ............................................................................ 80 ii 4.5 Materials and Methods ..................................................................................... 81 4.5.1 Glassware/Sampling Kit ................................................................. 81 4.5.2 Reagents .......................................................................................... 81 4.5.3 Water and Sediment Sampling........................................................ 82 4.6 General Results and Discussion ...................................................................... 83 4.7 Summary ........................................................................................................