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Data Series 349

National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Total Mercury, Methylmercury, and Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope Data for Biota from Selected Streams in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Florida, 2002–04

By Lia C. Chasar, Barbara C. Scudder, Amanda H. Bell, Dennis A. Wentz, and Mark E. Brigham

Cover Photo

Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program conducted a multidisciplinary study to investigate the bioaccumulation of mercury from 2002 to 2004. Study areas were located in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Florida. Each study area included one urban site, and one or two nonurban sites that had the following attributes: high-percent wetland or low-percent wetland. Periphyton, macroinvertebrates, and forage fish were collected twice per year (during 2003 and 2004) to capture seasonality. Top predators, specifically largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), were collected once per year (Oregon, Wisconsin, and Florida in 2003; Florida only in 2004). All biota were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic category and were analyzed for mercury and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes. Periphyton and invertebrates were analyzed for total mercury and methylmercury; fish were analyzed for total mercury only. This report presents (1) methodology and data on mercury, methylmercury, stable isotopes, and (2) other ecologically relevant measurements in biological tissues of periphyton, invertebrates, forage fish, and predator fish.

Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Site Description
Data Collection
Analytical Methods
Summary
References
Appendix Data
Glossary

Appendixes

Appendix Title Download
Appendix 1. Taxa and associated ecological information. .xls (47 KB), .csv (11 KB)
Appendix 2. Periphyton. .xls (35 KB), .csv (5 KB))
Appendix 3. Invertebrates. .xls (61 KB), .csv (23 KB)
Appendix 4. Fish. .xls (151 KB), .csv (89 KB)
Appendix 5. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material Summary–Wisconsin Mercury Research Laboratory. .xls (32 KB), .csv (1 KB)
Appendix 6. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Certified Reference Material Summary–Trace Element Research Laboratory. .xls (24 KB), .csv (1 KB)
Appendix 7a. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material–THg in Invertebrates. .xls (36 KB), .csv (3 KB)
Appendix 7b. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material–MeHg in Invertebrates. .xls (32 KB), .csv (2 KB)
Appendix 8. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Certified Reference Material–Fish. .xls (52 KB), .csv (6 KB)
Appendix 9. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material Summary–Invertebrates. .xls (25 KB), .csv (1 KB)
Appendix 10. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Certified Reference Material Summary–Fish. .xls (26 KB), .csv (1 KB)
Appendix 11a. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material–THg in Invertebrates. .xls (26 KB), .csv (1 KB)
Appendix 11b.Quality Assurance/Quality Control Standard Reference Material–MeHg in Invertebrates. .xls (31 KB), .csv (2 KB)
Appendix 12. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Certified Reference Material–Fish. .xls (39 KB), .csv (6 KB)

This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Download the report (PDF, 895 KB)
Download the Appendixes, in Excel (.xls) format (.zip, 188 KB)
Download the Appendixes, in comma-delimited (.csv) format (.zip, 30 KB)

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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, L.C. Chasar, (850) 942-9500.

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