INRS-ETE, Université du Québec, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada.
Environ Pollut. 2012 Feb;161:252-60. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.05.025. Epub 2011 Jun 16.
Data from 104 sediment cores from the Great Lakes and "inland lakes" in the region were compiled to assess historical and recent changes in mercury (Hg) deposition. The lower Great Lakes showed sharp increases in Hg loading c. 1850-1950 from point-source water dischargers, with marked decreases during the past half century associated with effluent controls and decreases in the industrial use of Hg. In contrast, Lake Superior and inland lakes exhibited a pattern of Hg loading consistent with an atmospheric source - gradual increases followed by recent (post-1980) decreases. Variation in sedimentary Hg flux among inland lakes was primarily attributed to the ratio of watershed area:lake area, and secondarily to a lake's proximity to emission sources. A consistent region-wide decrease (∼20%) of sediment-Hg flux suggests that controls on local and regional atmospheric Hg emissions have been effective in decreasing the supply of Hg to Lake Superior and inland lakes.
从该地区的 104 个大湖和“内陆湖”的沉积物岩芯中收集数据，以评估汞（Hg）沉积的历史和近期变化。下大湖区在 1850-1950 年间，由于点源水排放，Hg 负荷急剧增加，在过去半个世纪中，由于废水控制和 Hg 工业用途减少，Hg 负荷明显减少。相比之下，苏必利尔湖和内陆湖的 Hg 负荷模式与大气源一致，即逐渐增加，然后是最近（1980 年后）减少。内陆湖之间沉积 Hg 通量的变化主要归因于流域面积与湖泊面积的比值，其次是湖泊与排放源的距离。整个地区范围内的沉积物-Hg 通量持续减少（约 20%）表明，对局部和区域大气 Hg 排放的控制已有效减少了 Hg 供应到苏必利尔湖和内陆湖。
