Title:

Understanding the Role of Organic Matter in Methane and Mercury Cycling within Great Bay Estuary Sediments

Our aquatic ecosystems are filled with organic matter at the ocean floor. Methane (CH4) and Mercury (Hg) concentrations have been linked to organic matter content within sediments. For that reason, it is important to understand methane and mercury cycling because at high concentrations, CH4 and Hg become very toxic and if consumed can cause health defects. Loss on ignition (LOI) is a useful method to determine approximate amounts of organic matter within sediments. The % LOI will provide results that can indicate if the organic matter content is associated with CH4 and Hg concentrations. Methane, mercury and loss on ignition analysis were performed on sediments extracted from three areas within the Great Bay Estuary of New Hampshire; Lampray River, Mid-Stream River and the Winnicut River. In this research, I will discuss and focus on the relationship between % LOI from estuary sediments vs Hg. Is there a relationship between % LOI from estuary sediments vs CH4 and what happens to the amount of CH4 and Hg stored in Great Bay sediments with depth.

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