Mercury in canopy leaves of French Guiana in remote areas

A study of total Hg concentration in the foliage of the canopy was carried out in two remote areas in French Guiana. The sampled canopy is representative of the French Guiana canopy. The concentration in the foliage, 64±14 ng g−1 (dry wt.), is used to estimate the annual input of total Hg to the soil through the litterfall, found to be 45±10 μg m−2 y−1. As translocation is negligible, mercury in the canopy originates mainly from atmospheric uptake by the leaves and this litterfall deposit represents a direct atmospheric input from the background atmospheric load into the soil.