Pacific Northwest lakes mainly receive their atmospheric weather patterns from Asia and as a result also receive many pollutants in the form of wet and dry deposition. Alpine lake water samples from the Big Horn Crags in the Frank Church Wilderness Area (Idaho), Olympic National Park (Washington), City of Seattle Watershed Reservoirs, and the Eagle Cap Wilderness area (Oregon) were analyzed for isotopic mercury. Water samples from these lakes are currently being isotopically analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry-quadrupole (ICP-MS-Q). Frank Church, Eagle Cap, Seattle watershed, and Olympia National Park samples show mercury concentrations in the low parts-per-trillion (ppt) and parts-per-quadrillion range (ppq). Initial analysis shows that mercury concentrations decrease as air fronts go inland. All samples are above the detection limit of 0.01ppq. Samples are being analyzed for 198Hg, 199Hg, 201Hg, 202Hg in order to isotopically fingerprint the origin of mercury. Sources of mercury include coal-powered power plants and Pacific Rim volcanic emissions.

Origin of atmospheric mercury deposition to Pacific Northwest alpine lakes

251st National Meeting (2016)

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