Distribution and characteristics of methylmercury in surface sediment in Minamata Bay

• The Minamata Bay sediment is sandy-silt; average value of ignition loss was 7.0 ± 2.3%.
• Average value of methyl-Hg in Minamata Bay surface sediment was 1.74 ± 1.0 ng/g.
• Average value of methyl-Hg in Isahaya Bay surface sediment was 0.11 ± 0.045 ng/g.
• A correlation between ignition loss and methyl-Hg in sediment was observed (r = 0.69).

This study was carried out to evaluate the present-day chemical properties of methylmercury in surface sediment in Minamata Bay where a dredging project was completed 28 years ago. Present-day sediment from Minamata Bay consists of sandy silt, and the average loss-on-ignition in surface sediment was 7.0 ± 2.3%. The average methylmercury concentrations in the upper sediment layers were significantly higher than those in the lower sediment layers. Currently, the concentrations in sediments in Minamata Bay do not exceed the Japanese regulatory standard value for mercury. The average concentration of methylmercury in Minamata Bay surface sediment was 1.74 ± 1.0 ng/g on a dry weight basis (n = 107). The methylmercury concentration in Minamata Bay surface sediment was almost 16 times higher than that in surface sediment from Isahaya Bay surface sediment, which was 0.11 ± 0.045 ng/g on a dry weight basis (n = 5).