Fig. 4: Correlations of mercury isotope values in trench samples.
From: Methylmercury produced in upper oceans accumulates in deep Mariana Trench fauna
a Δ201 Hg versus Δ199Hg, and b δ202Hg versus Δ199Hg. Also shown are the marine particles and fishes from North Pacific Subtropical Gyre16,32, and the linear regression lines of Hg isotope compositions for fishes16,32. The inset in a shows the linear regression line of Δ201 Hg versus Δ199Hg in trench fauna. Symbols for samples are the same as in Fig. 2. SE is the standard error, and n is the number of samples. The arrows show the experimental isotope fractionation trajectories during microbial methylation of IHg(II)51,52,53, and microbial and photodegradation of MMHg39,42. The typical 2 SD analytic uncertainty of our fauna (sediment) samples was 0.08‰ (0.08‰, two standard deviation) for δ202Hg, and 0.10‰ (0.04‰, two standard deviation) for Δ199Hg and Δ201Hg.
