Black, F. J., Poulin, B. A., and Flegal, A. R. (2012) Factors controlling the abiotic photo-degradation of monomethylmercury in surface waters. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 84, 492-507, DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2012.01.019.
Brett A Poulin, PhD (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Date published: October 23, 2019
Status: Active Shingobee Headwaters Aquatic Ecosystems Project (SHAEP)
The Shingobee Headwaters Aquatic Ecosystems Project (SHAEP) brings together scientists from the USGS along with students and professors from universities in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and California for a unique study opportunity. This diverse group of scientists research the physical, chemical, and biological processes of lakes, wetlands, and streams at local and watershed scales....
Contacts: Donald O Rosenberry, Dallas C Hudson, Paul F Schuster, Richard Webb, Mark M Dornblaser, Carol Kendall, Richard L Kiesling, Ph.D., Brett A Poulin, PhD, Rob Striegl, Bruce Carlson, Phil Gerla, Andrew Hafs, Tim Kroeger, Bob Melchior
Attribution: Water Resources
Date published: October 16, 2019
Status: Active Beavers Impacting Tundra Ecosystems (BITE)
The range expansion of the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) has implications for water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and fisheries in Arctic streams.
Contacts: Michael P Carey, Ph.D., Joshua C Koch, Ph.D., Brett A Poulin, PhD, Jonathan O’Donnell, PhD, Ken Tape, PhD
Attribution: Region 11: Alaska, Alaska Science Center
Year Published: 2021
Demethylation of methylmercury in bird, fish, and earthworm
Toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) to wildlife and humans results from its binding to cysteine residues of proteins, forming MeHg-cysteinate (MeHgCys) complexes that hinder biological functions. MeHgCys complexes can be detoxified in vivo, yet how this occurs is unknown. We report that MeHgCys complexes are transformed into selenocysteinate (Hg(Sec)...
Manceau, Alain; Bourdineaud, Jean-Paul; Oliveira, Ricardo B.; Sarrazin, Sandra LF; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Eagles-Smith, Collin; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Stewart, Robin; Ward-Deitrich, Christian; del Castillo Busto, M Estela; Goenaga-Infante, Heidi; Wack, Aude; Retegan, Marius; Detlefs, Blanka; Glatzel, Pieter; Bustamante, Paco; Nagy, Kathryn L.; Poulin, Brett
Year Published: 2021
Isotope fractionation from In Vivo methylmercury detoxification in waterbirds
The robust application of stable mercury (Hg) isotopes for mercury source apportionment and risk assessment necessitates the understanding of mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) due to internal transformations within organisms. Here, we used high energy-resolution XANES spectroscopy and isotope ratios of total mercury (δ202THg) and methylmercury (...
Poulin, Brett; Janssen, Sarah Elizabeth; Rosera, Tylor; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Eagles-Smith, Collin; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Stewart, Robin; Kim, Eunhee; Baumann, Zofia; Kim, Jeong-Hoon; Manceau, AlainAttribution: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2021
Effect of nanoparticle size and natural organic matter composition on the bioavailability of polyvinylpyrrolidone- coated platinum nanoparticles to a model freshwater invertebrate
The bioavailability of dissolved Pt(IV) and polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) of five different nominal hydrodynamic diameters (20, 30, 50, 75, and 95 nm) was characterized in laboratory experiments using the model freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Dissolved Pt(IV) and all nanoparticle sizes were bioavailable to...
Sikder, Mithun; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Poulin, Brett; Baalousha, MohammedAttribution: Water Resources
Year Published: 2020
Observed and modeled mercury and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and loads at control structure S-12D, Florida Everglades, 2013–17
Mercury (Hg) has been a contaminant of concern for several decades in South Florida, particularly in the Florida Everglades. The transport and bioavailability of Hg in aquatic systems is intimately linked to dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In aquatic systems, Hg can be converted to methylmercury (MeHg), which is the form of Hg that bioaccumulates...
Booth, Amanda; Poulin, Brett A.; Krabbenhoft, David P.Attribution: Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
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Booth, A.C., Poulin, B.A., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2020, Observed and modeled mercury and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and loads at control structure S-12D, Florida Everglades, 2013–17: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1092, 27 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201092.
Year Published: 2020
Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations and loads through a three-reservoir complex
The Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) along the Snake River (Idaho-Oregon border, USA) encompasses three successive reservoirs that seasonally stratify, creating anoxic conditions in the hypolimnion that promote methylmercury (MeHg) production. This study quantified seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations (inorganic...
Baldwin, Austin K.; Poulin, Brett; Naymik, Jesse; Hoovestol, Charles; Clark, Gregory M.; Krabbenhoft, David P.Attribution: Idaho Water Science Center, Water Resources
Year Published: 2020
Permafrost hydrology drives the assimilation of old carbon by stream food webs in the Arctic
Permafrost thaw in the Arctic is mobilizing old carbon (C) from soils to aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere. Little is known, however, about the assimilation of old C by aquatic food webs in Arctic watersheds. Here, we used C isotopes (δ13C, Δ14C) to quantify C assimilation by biota across 12 streams in arctic Alaska. Streams spanned watersheds...
O'Donnell, Jonathon A; Carey, Michael P.; Koch, Joshua C.; Xu, Xiaomei; Poulin, Brett; Walker, Jennifer; Zimmerman, Christian E.
Year Published: 2019
Aquatic cycling of mercury
This chapter examines crucial processes in the aquatic cycling of mercury (Hg) that may lead to microbial production of neurotoxic and bioaccumulative methylmercury (MeHg), and highlights environmental conditions in the Everglades that make it ideal for MeHg production and bioaccumulation. The role of complexation of Hg2+ in surface water,...
Orem, William H.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Poulin, Brett; Aiken, George A
Year Published: 2019
Sulfur contamination in the Everglades, a major control on mercury methylation
In this chapter sulfur contamination of the Everglades and its role as a major control on methylmercury (MeHg) production is examined. Sulfate concentrations over large portions of the Everglades (60% of the ecosystem) are elevated or greatly elevated compared to background conditions of <1 mg/L. Land and water management practices in...
Orem, William H.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Poulin, Brett; George Aiken
Year Published: 2019
Geochemical factors controlling dissolved elemental mercury and methylmercury formation in Alaskan wetlands of varying trophic status
Transformations of aqueous inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)i) to volatile dissolved gaseous mercury (Hg(0)(aq)) and toxic methylmercury (MeHg) governs mercury bioavailability and fate in northern ecosystems. This study quantified concentrations of aqueous mercury species (Hg(II)i, Hg(0)(aq), MeHg) and relevant geochemical constituents in pore...
Poulin, Brett; Ryan, Joseph N.; Tate, Michael; Krabbenhoft, David; Hines, Mark E; Barkay, Tamar; Schaefer, Jeffra; Aiken, George R.
Year Published: 2017
Effects of sulfide concentration and dissolved organic matter characteristics on the structure of nanocolloidal metacinnabar
Understanding the speciation of divalent mercury (Hg(II)) in aquatic systems containing dissolved organic matter (DOM) and sulfide is necessary to predict the conversion of Hg(II) to bioavailable methylmercury. We used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize the structural order of mercury in Hg(II)–DOM–sulfide systems for a range of sulfide...
Poulin, Brett; Gerbig, Chase A.; Kim, Christopher S.; Stegemeier, John P.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Aiken, George R.Attribution: Toxic Substances Hydrology
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Poulin, B.A., Gerbig, C. A., Kim, C.S., Stegemeier, J.P., Ryan, J.N., and Aiken, G.R. Effects of Sulfide Concentration and Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics on the Structure of Nanocolloidal Metacinnabar. 2017. Environmental Science & Technology 51, 13133-13142. DOI:10.1021/acs.est.7b02687.
Year Published: 2017
Spatial dependence of reduced sulfur in Everglades dissolved organic matter controlled by sulfate enrichment
Sulfate inputs to the Florida Everglades stimulate sulfidic conditions in freshwater wetland sediments that affect ecological and biogeochemical processes. An unexplored implication of sulfate enrichment is alteration of the content and speciation of sulfur in dissolved organic matter (DOM), which influences the reactivity of DOM with trace metals...
Poulin, Brett A.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Nagy, Kathryn L.; Stubbins, Aron; Dittmar, Thorsten; Orem, William H.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Aiken, George R.View Citation
Poulin, B. A., J. N. Ryan, K. L. Nagy, A. Stubbins, T. Dittmar, W. Orem, D. P. Krabbenhoft, and G. R. Aiken (2017), Spatial Dependence of Reduced Sulfur in Everglades Dissolved Organic Matter Controlled by Sulfate Enrichment, Environ. Sci. Technol., 51(7), pp 3630-3639, doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b04142.
Year Published: 2016
Mercury transformation and release differs with depth and time in a contaminated riparian soil during simulated flooding
Riparian soils are an important environment in the transport of mercury in rivers and wetlands, but the biogeochemical factors controlling mercury dynamics under transient redox conditions in these soils are not well understood. Mercury release and transformations in the Oa and underlying A horizons of a contaminated riparian soil were...
Poulin, Brett; Aiken, George R.; Nagy, Kathryn L.; Manceau, Alain; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Ryan, Joseph N.View Citation
Brett A. Poulin, B. A., George R. Aiken, G. R., David P. Krabbenhoft. D. P., Kathryn L. Nagy, K. L., Joseph N. Ryan, J. N., Manceau, A., 2016, Mercury transformation and release differs with depth and time in a contaminated riparian soil during simulated flooding: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 176, 118–138, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2015.12.024.