Production of methylated mercury and lead by polar macroalgae — A significant natural source for atmospheric heavy metals in clean room compartments

During August and September 1995 samples of different species of macroalgae were collected from the Kongsfjord on Spitsbergen. These macroalgae were cultivated in incubation vessels under polar conditions and the releasing rates of methylated heavy metal compounds for mercury, lead and cadmium were determined. The analysis of monomethyl and dimethyl mercury was carried out by a gas chromatographic system with atomic fluorescence detection after conversion of monomethyl mercury into the volatile methylethyl mercury compound. A differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric method was used for the determination of trimethyl lead and monomethyl cadmium, respectively. The different species of…