There has been increased awareness by both public and scientific communities over mercury contamination of game fish in South Florida. Effective management strategies for dealing with this problem will require a more thorough understanding of the factors and processes that result in the generation and transport of mercury, and control its reactivity in the Everglades. The role of mercury complexation by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been proposed by several investigators as a primary mechanism for the transport of mercury in aquatic systems. However, this relationship has been simply proposed based on a strong correlation between dissolved mercury and DOC concentrations in ground, lake and stream waters. Interactions with DOC may be an important process for controlling the transport and bioavailability of mercury.

The issue of carbon reactivity in South Florida is especially relevant due to the high natural production of organic carbon in the peat soils and wetlands, the relatively high carbon content of shallow ground water systems in the region, the interactions of organic matter with mercury, other trace metals, and anthropogenic compounds, accumulation of organic carbon in corals and carbonate precipitates, and the potential changes in the quality and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) resulting from land use practices. This study will attempt to meet the need to more clearly understand the dynamics of organic matter mercury interactions in the Florida Everglades by focusing research on the effect of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on the transport and reactivity of Hg in the Everglades.

This report presents results of chemical analysis for samples collected during March 1995 as part of a study to quantify the interaction of aquatic organic material (referred to here as dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) with dissolved metal ions. The work was done in conjunction with the South Florida Water Management District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the USGS South Florida Ecosystems Initiative, and the South Florida National Water Quality Assessment Study Unit. Samples were collected from surface canals and from marsh sites. Results are based on onsite and laboratory measurements for 27 samples collected at 10 locations. The data file contains sample description, DOC concentration and specific UV absorbance, and additional analytical data for samples collected at several sites in the Water Conservation Areas, the Everglades, South Florida.

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