During 1993-94, a mercury task force acknowledged a problem with examined fish tissue samples coming from specified water sources in Arkansas.  In result, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality performed extensive research concerning the Hg levels in surrounding Arkansas water sources.  In order to investigate potential sources, studies were conducted to examine the profile of Hg in two sediment core samples obtained from�Hendrix Lake (SW Arkansas) and Beaver Lake (NW Arkansas). Analyses conducted on the sediment samples were dry weight, loss of ignition, and total Hg.  From Hendrix Lake, the top 70 cm of core sample were used in this study (1 cm segments).  Individual layers from Beaver Lake were analyzed similarly and dated by the Pb210 method.  Analysis showed that the reason for abrupt change in Hg concentration in the samples is coincidental with the establishment of three coal plants in areas surrounding Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma.

Study of Hg levels in selected Arkansas water sources

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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