This data release includes mercury concentrations and mercury stable isotope measurements measured in sediments and biological tissues collected from the Saint Louis River located in Minnesota. Sediments and biota were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and federal contractors (Battelle) from 2017-2021. Collection regions included nearshore zones within the main estuary, remedial sites within the lower river, and upstream reservoir sites. Sediments were analyzed for total mercury, methylmercury, and mercury stable isotopes by the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Laboratory (MRL, Madison, Wisconsin). Biological samples were analyzed for total and methylmercury by the MRL or the Contaminant Ecology Research Laboratory (CERL, Corvallis, Oregon); mercury stable isotopes were analyzed by the MRL.

This data release includes mercury concentrations and mercury stable isotope measurements measured in sediments and biological tissues collected from the Saint Louis River located in Minnesota. Sediments and biota were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and federal contractors (Battelle) from 2017-2021. Collection regions included nearshore zones within the main estuary, remedial sites within the lower river, and upstream reservoir sites. Sediments were analyzed for total mercury, methylmercury, and mercury stable isotopes by the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Laboratory (MRL, Madison, Wisconsin). Biological samples were analyzed for total and methylmercury by the MRL or the Contaminant Ecology Research Laboratory (CERL, Corvallis, Oregon); mercury stable isotopes were analyzed by the MRL.

Samples were collected from Clear Lake, California from 2019-2022 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Water Science Center, the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC), the US Environmental Protection Agency, and EA Engineering Science and Technology Inc. to assess the extent and cycling of legacy mercury (Hg) contamination from Sulphur Bank Mine. Samples of waste rock, sediments, groundwater, and biological tissue (zooplankton, bluegill, smallmouth bass, Mississippi silversides, and largemouth bass) were analyzed for Hg stable isotopes by the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Laboratory. Mercury concentrations for sediments, waste rocks, and groundwaters are included within this data release and information for biological Hg concentrations can be found in the companion data release (https://doi.org/10.5066/P96912PN).

Samples were collected from Clear Lake, California from 2019-2022 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Water Science Center, the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC), the US Environmental Protection Agency, and EA Engineering Science and Technology Inc. to assess the extent and cycling of legacy mercury (Hg) contamination from Sulphur Bank Mine. Samples of waste rock, sediments, groundwater, and biological tissue (zooplankton, bluegill, smallmouth bass, Mississippi silversides, and largemouth bass) were analyzed for Hg stable isotopes by the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Laboratory. Mercury concentrations for sediments, waste rocks, and groundwaters are included within this data release and information for biological Hg concentrations can be found in the companion data release (https://doi.org/10.5066/P96912PN).

Under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Lab (USGS MRL) conducted a multiyear assessment of mercury across the Laurentian Great Lakes. Biannual sampling was conducted across all five lakes onboard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) research vessel Lake Guardian (in years 2010–2014, 2018) at pelagic sampling locations established by the long-term US EPA Great Lakes monitoring program. In addition to the regularly scheduled biannual sampling, in September 2013 and 2014 Lake Michigan and Lake Erie (respectively) were sampled with increased focus on shallow nearshore locations. Throughout these sampling efforts, sediments, mussels, surface water, and plankton were collected from open-water locations within all five of the Great Lakes. Additionally, surface water from Great Lake tributaries were sampled by the USGS MRL and preceded (2005 or 2006) or overlapped (2010-2015) with the open lake sampling efforts. All surface water samples were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and dissolved organic carbon. Plankton and mussel tissue were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and carbon/nitrogen stable isotopes and concentrations (plankton only). Sediments were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and carbon content.

Under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey Mercury Research Lab (USGS MRL) conducted a multiyear assessment of mercury across the Laurentian Great Lakes. Biannual sampling was conducted across all five lakes onboard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) research vessel Lake Guardian (in years 2010–2014, 2018) at pelagic sampling locations established by the long-term US EPA Great Lakes monitoring program. In addition to the regularly scheduled biannual sampling, in September 2013 and 2014 Lake Michigan and Lake Erie (respectively) were sampled with increased focus on shallow nearshore locations. Throughout these sampling efforts, sediments, mussels, surface water, and plankton were collected from open-water locations within all five of the Great Lakes. Additionally, surface water from Great Lake tributaries were sampled by the USGS MRL and preceded (2005 or 2006) or overlapped (2010-2015) with the open lake sampling efforts. All surface water samples were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and dissolved organic carbon. Plankton and mussel tissue were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and carbon/nitrogen stable isotopes and concentrations (plankton only). Sediments were analyzed for methylmercury, total mercury, and carbon content.

The Sacramento / San Joaquin River Delta (SSJRD) is contaminated with legacy mercury (Hg) from historical mining and mineral processing activities throughout the watershed, as well as from contemporary atmospheric and industrial inputs. The current project was designed for the purpose of developing high-resolution spatial and temporal models for estimating concentrations of mercury species in surface waters of the SSJRD. The field component of the project brings together three high-resolution platforms for collecting water-quality data (fixed continuous monitoring stations (CMS) outfitted with in-situ sensors, spatial mapping using boat-mounted flow-through sensors, and satellite-based remote sensing) coupled with a discrete sample collection program for mercury species and ancillary water-quality metrics. The four mercury species targeted in the study include both particulate and filter-passing fractions of total mercury and methylmercury. Field data were collected during the period July 2019 through July 2021. Sampling at the four primary CMS sites included discrete sample collections during all station operations and maintenance visits (approximately every six weeks) and during four 13-hour to 15-hour tidal sampling events, during which samples were collected every 2 hours (approximately) over a full tidal cycle. This tidal sampling occurred once per season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) at each of the four CMS locations. Likewise, four seasonal boat-mapping sampling events were conducted, each over a 3-day period and coincident with Landsat 8 satellite overpasses on the 2nd day of sampling and within 2 days of a Sentinel 2 A/B satellite overpass. Each boat-mapping event included collection of discrete water samples for mercury species and other water-quality metrics at 33 sites over a three-day period, covering approximately 210 kilometers through the SSJRD. The models constructed to estimate concentrations of mercury species are organized into four types (Tiers), which are based on which high-resolution water-quality data platform is being emphasized, as follow: Tier 1 Models – those based only on in-situ sensor derived turbidity and dissolved organic matter fluorescence, which are the two metrics most relevant to the satellite-based data collection platforms; Tier 2 Models – those based only on CMS in situ sensor data; Tier 3 Models – those based only on data from boat-mounted flow-through sensors, including spectrophotometric measurements, associated with the spatial mapping events; and Tier 4 models – based on sensor data from both the CMS sites and boat-mapping events, but limited to sensor data common to both. The information presented herein falls under six categories, which are associated with the following six Child pages: a) Discrete Sample Data – represents laboratory analytical results and field measurements associated with discrete surface-water samples collected from both the CMS and boat-mapping sampling events; b) Optical Spectral Data – represents excitation-emissions matrix spectra (EEMs) and absorption data associated with discrete surface-water samples collected from both the CMS and boat mapping sampling events; c) High-resolution (15 minute) Temporal Data from CMS Locations – includes time series in-situ sensor data collected from the four primary fixed CMS sampling locations; d) High-Resolution Boat Mapping Data – data collected with boat mounted flow-through sensor arrays during the four mapping events; e) Remote Sensing Data – GeoTIFF image files of turbidity and dissolved organic matter (DOM) products derived from Sentinel 2 A/B imagery of the SSJRD from June 2019 – May 2021; and f) Model Archive Summaries – documentation of the 16 top global models (four model types x four mercury species) in terms of modeling approach, model statistics, validation, and final equations. In addition, a geospatial file (SSJRD_Sites.kmz) is provided on this Parent page, which identifies all of the study fixed

The Sacramento / San Joaquin River Delta (SSJRD) is contaminated with legacy mercury (Hg) from historical mining and mineral processing activities throughout the watershed, as well as from contemporary atmospheric and industrial inputs. The current project was designed for the purpose of developing high-resolution spatial and temporal models for estimating concentrations of mercury species in surface waters of the SSJRD. The field component of the project brings together three high-resolution platforms for collecting water-quality data (fixed continuous monitoring stations (CMS) outfitted with in-situ sensors, spatial mapping using boat-mounted flow-through sensors, and satellite-based remote sensing) coupled with a discrete sample collection program for mercury species and ancillary water-quality metrics. The four mercury species targeted in the study include both particulate and filter-passing fractions of total mercury and methylmercury. Field data were collected during the period July 2019 through July 2021. Sampling at the four primary CMS sites included discrete sample collections during all station operations and maintenance visits (approximately every six weeks) and during four 13-hour to 15-hour tidal sampling events, during which samples were collected every 2 hours (approximately) over a full tidal cycle. This tidal sampling occurred once per season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) at each of the four CMS locations. Likewise, four seasonal boat-mapping sampling events were conducted, each over a 3-day period and coincident with Landsat 8 satellite overpasses on the 2nd day of sampling and within 2 days of a Sentinel 2 A/B satellite overpass. Each boat-mapping event included collection of discrete water samples for mercury species and other water-quality metrics at 33 sites over a three-day period, covering approximately 210 kilometers through the SSJRD. The models constructed to estimate concentrations of mercury species are organized into four types (Tiers), which are based on which high-resolution water-quality data platform is being emphasized, as follow: Tier 1 Models – those based only on in-situ sensor derived turbidity and dissolved organic matter fluorescence, which are the two metrics most relevant to the satellite-based data collection platforms; Tier 2 Models – those based only on CMS in situ sensor data; Tier 3 Models – those based only on data from boat-mounted flow-through sensors, including spectrophotometric measurements, associated with the spatial mapping events; and Tier 4 models – based on sensor data from both the CMS sites and boat-mapping events, but limited to sensor data common to both. The information presented herein falls under six categories, which are associated with the following six Child pages: a) Discrete Sample Data – represents laboratory analytical results and field measurements associated with discrete surface-water samples collected from both the CMS and boat-mapping sampling events; b) Optical Spectral Data – represents excitation-emissions matrix spectra (EEMs) and absorption data associated with discrete surface-water samples collected from both the CMS and boat mapping sampling events; c) High-resolution (15 minute) Temporal Data from CMS Locations – includes time series in-situ sensor data collected from the four primary fixed CMS sampling locations; d) High-Resolution Boat Mapping Data – data collected with boat mounted flow-through sensor arrays during the four mapping events; e) Remote Sensing Data – GeoTIFF image files of turbidity and dissolved organic matter (DOM) products derived from Sentinel 2 A/B imagery of the SSJRD from June 2019 – May 2021; and f) Model Archive Summaries – documentation of the 16 top global models (four model types x four mercury species) in terms of modeling approach, model statistics, validation, and final equations. In addition, a geospatial file (SSJRD_Sites.kmz) is provided on this Parent page, which identifies all of the study fixed

This data relates to the development of a modified pre-concentration method for mercury (Hg) stable isotope measurements that uses chemical Hg reduction and gold trap amalgamation followed by semi-rapid thermal desorption (less than 1 hour) and chemical trapping in a novel oxidizing solution. The thermal desorption method was demonstrated to perform adequately on multiple trapping matrices previously presented, however our new bromine monochloride (BrCl) wet oxidant trap (40% 3HNO3:BrCl) was deemed superior. As such, this solution was capable of trapping consistently in 2mL volume over a wide range of Hg masses (5 to 200 ng). The procedure was also shown to work effectively on natural matrices, waters and sediments, producing comparable isotope results to the direct digestion analyses. Here we present the data from all of the experiments conducted during method development for this technique. Table information: T1-Data Dictionary T2- Mercury isotopic results and trapping efficiencies for NIST 3133 standard using different trapping matrices (oxidants) for the 40 minute desorption program. T3- Mercury isotopic results and trapping efficiencies for NIST 3133 standard using the new bromine monochloride and nitric acid oxidant with the 40 minute desorption program. T4- Mercury isotopic results and trapping efficiencies for a certified sediment material over varied purging times which with the aid of chemical reduction strip Hg gas from digestions. T5- Mercury isotopic results and trapping efficiencies for assorted natural matrices using the 40 minute desorption program and the bromine monochloride oxidant trap. Data presented in this data release relates to the journal article: Janssen et al. Rapid Pre-Concentration of Mercury in Solids and Water for Isotopic Analysis, Analytica Chimica Acta https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2018.12.026

Comma-separated values (.csv) file containing data related to mercury in fishes collected from Clear Lake, California.