Microbial Diversity and Mercury Methylation Activity in Periphytic Biofilms at a Run-of-River Hydroelectric Dam and Constructed Wetlands.

ABSTRACT: Periphytic biofilms have the potential to greatly influence the microbial production of the neurotoxicant monomethylmercury in freshwaters although few studies have simultaneously assessed periphyton mercury methylation and demethylation rates and the microbial communities associated with these transformations. We performed a field study on periphyton from a river affected by run-of-river power plants and artificial wetlands in a boreal landscape (Québec, Canada). In situ incubations were performed on three sites using environmental concentrations of isotopically enriched monomethylmercury (MM¹⁹⁸Hg) and inorganic mercury (²⁰⁰Hg) for demethylation and methylation rate measurements. Periphytic microbial communities were investigated through 16S rRNA gene analyses

SUBMITTER: Leclerc M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8546676 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature