Amazon forests capture high levels of atmospheric mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining

Jacqueline R. Gerson (), Natalie Szponar, Angelica Almeyda Zambrano, Bridget Bergquist, Eben Broadbent, Charles T. Driscoll, Gideon Erkenswick, David C. Evers, Luis E. Fernandez, Heileen Hsu-Kim, Giancarlo Inga, Kelsey N. Lansdale, Melissa J. Marchese, Ari Martinez, Caroline Moore, William K. Pan, Raúl Pérez Purizaca, Victor Sánchez, Miles Silman, Emily A. Ury, Claudia Vega, Mrinalini Watsa and Emily S. Bernhardt
Additional contact information
Jacqueline R. Gerson: Duke University
Natalie Szponar: University of Toronto
Angelica Almeyda Zambrano: School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida
Bridget Bergquist: University of Toronto
Eben Broadbent: School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida
Charles T. Driscoll: Syracuse University
Gideon Erkenswick: Washington University School of Medicine
David C. Evers: Biodiversity Research Institute
Luis E. Fernandez: Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA)
Heileen Hsu-Kim: Duke University
Giancarlo Inga: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Kelsey N. Lansdale: Environmental Science Program, Duke University
Melissa J. Marchese: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University
Ari Martinez: California State University
Caroline Moore: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
William K. Pan: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University
Raúl Pérez Purizaca: Universidad Nacional de Piura
Victor Sánchez: Instituto de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación (IIECOO)
Miles Silman: Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA)
Emily A. Ury: Duke University
Claudia Vega: Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA)
Mrinalini Watsa: Field Projects International
Emily S. Bernhardt: Duke University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining throughout the Global South exceed coal combustion as the largest global source of mercury. We examined mercury deposition and storage in an area of the Peruvian Amazon heavily impacted by artisanal gold mining. Intact forests in the Peruvian Amazon near gold mining receive extremely high inputs of mercury and experience elevated total mercury and methylmercury in the atmosphere, canopy foliage, and soils. Here we show for the first time that an intact forest canopy near artisanal gold mining intercepts large amounts of particulate and gaseous mercury, at a rate proportional with total leaf area. We document substantial mercury accumulation in soils, biomass, and resident songbirds in some of the Amazon’s most protected and biodiverse areas, raising important questions about how mercury pollution may constrain modern and future conservation efforts in these tropical ecosystems.

Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-27997-3

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27997-3

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