Methylmercury content in soil and litter from the Amazonian rainforest and its potential fate during forest fires

Methylmercury in soils and vegetation from the Amazonian rainforest is still poorly studied. Hence, aim of this work was to determine total mercury [THg] methylmercury [MeHg] concentrations litter surface soil, MeHg deposition via litterfall, fate during a forest fire rainforest. Sampling litter, soil (0–1, 1–2, 2–5 cm), ash carried out before (BB) after (AB) prescribed fire. The results showed low (34 ± 8 ng g -1 ) (0.16 0.03 value with correspondingly estimate litterfall flux (0.13 μgm -2 yr which has been probably underestimated due potential losses field experiment. In ashes, values were 23 0.11 0.04 , respectively. Although significant part Hg contained biomass lost fire, [MeHg]/[THg] ratio not affected by it same (∼0.5%). average BB 149 12 three layers between 0.8 1.0 . only superficial decrease 0-1 cm layer. Similarly, layer suggested that more readily emitted or degraded than other species present.