Methylmercury in the water column

Mercury in the environment can be present in four differnt forms; one of these species, methylmercury, is of particular concern because it is able to bioaccumulate and work its way up the food web into the fish we eat. The focus of my research on this cruise is to examine methylmercury in the water column to identify the source and distribution of this toxic mercury species in the ocean. To do this, I analyze a series of seawater samples collected at various depths: