Historical Reconstructions of Hg in Puget Sound: Pre-Industrial, Environmental Regulations, and 21st Century
Faculty Sponsor
Stephen Hayes, Gonzaga University
Research Project Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant of concern due to its tendency to bioaccumulate and cause harm to animals and humans. The Washington State sediment quality standards were established to identify the concentrations of Hg in sediment above which there is a potential for harm to humans or ecological species. The concentration of Hg can be historically reconstructed by spatial-temporal records in sediment. In order to determine if the urbanization of the Seattle/Tacoma region resulted in the transport of Hg to rural basins of Puget Sound, WA, the rural sub-basin of Carr Inlet was selected as the study site. Comparatively, urban areas typically demonstrate higher concentrations of Hg (Schuster et al, 2002). The objective of this research was to determine if the pre-industrial through 21st Century sediment concentrations of Hg in Carr Inlet exceed the sediment quality standards through time. The Carr Inlet never exceeded these standards.
Session Number
PS2
Location
Graves Gym
Abstract Number
PS2-j
Historical Reconstructions of Hg in Puget Sound: Pre-Industrial, Environmental Regulations, and 21st Century
Graves Gym
Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant of concern due to its tendency to bioaccumulate and cause harm to animals and humans. The Washington State sediment quality standards were established to identify the concentrations of Hg in sediment above which there is a potential for harm to humans or ecological species. The concentration of Hg can be historically reconstructed by spatial-temporal records in sediment. In order to determine if the urbanization of the Seattle/Tacoma region resulted in the transport of Hg to rural basins of Puget Sound, WA, the rural sub-basin of Carr Inlet was selected as the study site. Comparatively, urban areas typically demonstrate higher concentrations of Hg (Schuster et al, 2002). The objective of this research was to determine if the pre-industrial through 21st Century sediment concentrations of Hg in Carr Inlet exceed the sediment quality standards through time. The Carr Inlet never exceeded these standards.
