Biological and chemical redox transformations of mercury in fresh and salt waters of the high arctic during spring and summer

It is well-established that atmospheric deposition transports Hg to Arctic regions, but the postdepositional dynamics of Hg that can alter its impact on Arctic food chains are less understood. Through a series of in situ experiments, we investigated the redox transformations of Hg in coastal and inland aquatic systems. During spring and summer, Hg reduction in streams and pond waters decreased across a 4-fold increase in salinity. This alteration of Hg reduction due to chloride was counterbalanced by the presence of particles, which favored the conversion of oxidized Hg to its elemental form. In saline waters, biogenic organic materials, produced by algae, were able to promote oxidation of Hg(O) even under dark conditions. Overall these results point to the vulnerability of marine/ coastal Arctic systems to Hg, compared to inland systems, with oxidation processes enhancing Hg residence times and thus increasing its potential to enter the food chain.     

Silicon Nanoparticles and Methyl Jasmonate Improve Physiological Response and Increase Expression of Stress-related Genes in Strawberry cv. Paros Under Salinity Stress

Silicon - Salinity is one of the most crucial abiotic stresses, which is the consequence of an increase in the concentration of NaCl ions, influencing the plant’s growth, development, and...     

Detection of Escherichia coli K12 in Water Using Slot Waveguide in Cascaded Ring Resonator

Silicon - Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria can cause serious fatal health problems in human, thus early and quick pathogen detection of these bacteria is a crucial issue in hospitals, food...