This core was also used to measure mercury contamination, the amount of carbon in the sediments, the grain size of the sediments, and how easily they can absorb contaminants. The third and fourth cores were combined to measure PCBs and transnonachlor. That is where the highest sediment accumulations also occur. Mercury, for the most part, is more evenly distributed among lake sediments. Differences in its distribution depend on whether the mercury enters the lake from the air or from a direct discharge, such as a pipe into the lake.
Sediment contamination is a nationwide problem, but solutions are on the horizon for Lake Michigan.
These studies will provide U.S. EPA and state environmental agencies with the necessary information to make better decisions about stopping pollution that enters the sediments and cleaning up already polluted sediments that can reintroduce pollutants into the food chain. Gaining a better understanding of contaminated sediments in Lake Michigan is crucial to protecting the health of its inhabitants, from the tiny organisms at the bottom of the lake, to the 14 million people who live along its shore and in its surrounding areas. All rights reserved.