Mercury and microbial activity in snow influence Arctic hydrological systems

SNOW BALL project, funded by InterACT, aimed at surveying Hg pollution level and the spread of Hg bacterial resistance in different environments (snow, river, and sea) and, in particular, to evaluate the contribution of Hg pollution made from snow in Arctic waters systems, to assess bacterial community activity in the snow, and to isolate biotechnological interesting bacterial strains in terms of bioremediation potentialities. Our preliminary results underline that the snow is an interesting and unique ecosystem, especially in terms of bacterial composition and activities.