Reduction of net mercury methylation by iron in Desulfobulbus propionicus (1pr3) cultures:: Implications for engineered wetlands

Although one potential drawback of wetland construction and restoration is the formation of monomethylmercury, it may be possible to decrease net mercury methylation with the use of an appropriate sediment amendment. Using pure cultures of the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfobulbus propionicus (1pr3), we tested the hypothesis that adding ferrous iron to sulfidic wetland sediments decreases mercury solubility and bioavailability and, therefore, net methylation. In sediment-free cultures, net mercury methylation decreased with increasing [Fe(II)]. After 72 h of incubation, more than four times as much net methylmercury formed in the lowest ([Fe(II)] = 10(-6) M) treatment (180 +/- 33 pM) as compared with the highest ([Fe(II)] = 10(-2) M) treatment (42 +/- 14 pM). In cultures containing a model wetland sediment, more than three times as much methylmercury was observed in 10(-6) M Fe(II) treatments (1,010 +/- 95 pM) as compared with treatments amended with 10(-2) M Fe(II) (300 +/- 46 pM). Initial filterable mercury measurements and chemical equilibrium speciation predictions suggest that the lower net methylmercury production in the high-iron treatments was due to a decrease in sulfide activity and a concomitant decrease in the concentration of dissolved mercury. Although iron amendments could potentially minimize net mercury methylation in engineered wetland sediments, further research under field conditions is required to assess the efficacy of this approach.