PERMAMERC

PERMAMERC is an FCT funded project that intends to provide new critical scientific information to better understand the impact of permafrost thaw on mercury (Hg) release and the consequent biogeochemical processes that would influence its speciation, partitioning and fate. PERMAMERC will also contribute towards assessing the impact of such processes on wildlife and Indigenous populations, and to provide a new input into improved knowledge of the regional and global Hg cycle. The project focuses on four primary Hg themes: release, methylation/demethylation, fluxes, and the overall fate and impact of Hg mobilization. Concurrent studies investigating other biogeochemical and biological factors will also be conducted, as well as a broader estimation of the impact of this issue at a global scale. For this project, the major scientific question being addressed is “How does Arctic permafrost degradation contribute to Hg release and how this thaw process influences its speciation, partitioning and fate.