Reactive gaseous mercury concentrations and mercury flux from natural, anthropogenic, and background settings in northwestern Nevada

Little work has been done to quantify reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) associated with mercury-enriched sites. This project evaluated both soil mercury flux and RGM in natural, anthropogenic, and background settings to determine areas of possible enrichment. Both elevated soil mercury flux and RGM were measured at the naturally enriched Steamboat Springs Area, and in the anthropogenically enriched Carson River Superfund Area. Our data corresponds well with previous soil mercury flux measurements collected in these two areas. A preliminary Hg mass balance was created for both the Incline Creek Experimental Watershed (ICEW) and the Lake Tahoe Basin. Mercury concentrations in environmental media of the ICEW indicate that the watershed is a pristine, non mercury-enriched setting. Preliminary extrapolation of data collected from the ICEW indicates a net output of mercury from the Tahoe basin. This contradicts core sediment data that suggests mercury accumulation over the past century.