Abstract
A SURVEY of the concentration of mercury in the surface waters of the seas around the UK, has been made as part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's overall programme of investigation into the distribution of heavy metals in the marine environment. Using a cold vapour–gold trap method on board a research vessel, thus obviating the necessity to store the samples with consequent problems of loss and/or contamination, both ‘reactive’ and ‘total’ mercury concentrations have been measured. The results reported here show clearly the major sources of emission. The possible reasons for differences between these results and those of some other investigators are also discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Preston, A., Jefferies, D. F., Dutton, J. W. R., Harvey, B. R. & Steele, A. K. Environ. Pollut. 3, 69–82 (1972).
Fitzgerald, W. F., Lyons, W. B. & Hunt, C. D. Analyt. Chem. 46, 1882–1885 (1974).
Robertson, D. E. Pacific North-west Laboratory, Annual Report 1974. BNWL 1950, part 2. UC-48, 141–142 (1974).
Fitzgerald, W. F. & Lyons, W. B. Nature 242, 452–453 (1973).
Fitzgerald, W. F. & Lyons, W. B. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 468–471 (1975).
Leatherland, T. M., Burton, J. D., McCartney, M. J. & Culkin, F. Nature 232, 112 (1971).
Burton, J. D. & Leatherland, T. M. Nature 231, 440–441 (1971).
Chester, R., Gardner, D., Riley, J. P. & Stoner, J. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 4, 28–29 (1973).
Fitzgerald, R. A., Gordon, D. C. Jr. & Cranston, R. E. Deep-Sea Res. 21, 139–144 (1974).
Matsunaga, K., Nishimura & Konishi, S. Nature 258, 224 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BAKER, C. Mercury in surface waters of seas around the United Kingdom. Nature 270, 230–232 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/270230a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/270230a0
This article is cited by
-
Schwermetalle in der Nordsee: Ergebnisse der ZISCH-Großaufnahme vom 2.5 bis 13.6.1986
Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift (1993)
-
Distribution, speciation, and budget of atmospheric mercury
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry (1985)
-
Diseases in North Sea fishes
Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen (1984)
-
The effect of heavy metals on the cytoplasmic fine structure ofSkeletonema costatum (Bacillariophyta)
Protoplasma (1983)
-
Methylmercury production in the marine water column
Nature (1981)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.