Gilmour, Cynthia

Fellowship Advisor Smithsonian Environmental Research Center staff

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Gilmour, Cynthia

Fellowship Advisor Smithsonian Environmental Research Center staff

Trace metal biogeochemistry, particularly mercury: mechanisms and control of microbial mercury methylation from the cellular to ecosystem level; microbial ecology of estuarine, lacustrine and wetland systems; sulfate-reducing bacteria and sulfur biogeochemistry

Positions

Senior Scientist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 2004 -
Associate Director, The Academy of Natural Sciences, Estuarine Research Center 2003 - 2004

Research Areas

Mercury Biogeochemistry

Background And Education

Education And Training

Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park , Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Sciences 1985
B.A., Cornell University , Biochemistry 1980

Research And Grants

Investigator On

Publications

Selected Publications

Article
- Capo, Eric, Peterson, Benjamin D., Kim, Minjae, Jones, Daniel S., Acinas, Silvia G., Amyot, Marc, Bertilsson, Stefan, Björn, Erik, Buck, Moritz, Cosio, Claudia, Elias, Dwayne A., Gilmour, Cynthia, Goñi-Urriza, Marisol, Gu, Baohua, Lin, Heyu, Liu, Yu-Rong, McMahon, Katherine, Moreau, John W., Pinhassi, Jarone, Podar, Mircea, Puente-Sánchez, Fernando, Sánchez, Pablo, Storck, Veronika, Tada, Yuya, Vigneron, Adrien et al. 2022. "A consensus protocol for the recovery of mercury methylation genes from metagenomes." Molecular Ecology Resources, https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13687. 2022
- Washburn, Spencer J., Damond, Jada, Sanders, James P., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Ghosh, Upal. 2022. "Uptake Mechanisms of a Novel, Activated Carbon-Based Equilibrium Passive Sampler for Estimating Porewater Methylmercury." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5406. 2022
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Soren, Ally Bullock, Gionfriddo, Caitlin M., Podar, Mircea, Wall, Judy D., Brown, Steven D., Michener, Joshua K., Urriza, Maria Soledad Goni, and Elias, Dwayne A. 2021. "Pseudodesulfovibrio mercurii sp. nov., a mercury- methylating bacterium isolated from sediment." International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 71, (3). https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.004697. 2021
- Podar, Peter T., Peyton, Kellie, Soren, Ally, Wilpiszeski, Regina L., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Elias, Dwayne A., and Podar, Mircea. 2021. "Complete Genome Sequence of Desulfobulbus oligotrophicus Prop6, an Anaerobic Deltabacterota Strain That Lacks Mercury Methylation Capability." Microbiology Resource Announcements, 10, (5). https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00002-21. 2021
- Blanchfield, Paul J., Rudd, John W. M., Hrenchuk, Lee E., Amyot, Marc, Babiarz, Christopher L., Beaty, Ken G., Bodaly, R. A. Drew, Branfireun, Brian A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Graydon, Jennifer A., Hall, Britt D., Harris, Reed C., Heyes, Andrew, Hintelmann, Holger, Hurley, James P., Kelly, Carol A., Krabbenhoft, David P., Lindberg, Steve E., Mason, Robert P., Paterson, Michael J., Podemski, Cheryl L., Sandilands, Ken A., Southworth, George R., St Louis, Vincent L., Tate, Lori S. et al. 2021. "Experimental evidence for recovery of mercury-contaminated fish populations." Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04222-7. 2021
- Gionfriddo, Caitlin M., Wymore, Ann M., Jones, Daniel S., Wilpiszeski, Regina L., Lynes, Mackenzie M., Christensen, Geoff A., Soren, Ally, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Podar, Mircea, and Elias, Dwayne A. 2020. "An Improved hgcAB Primer Set and Direct High-Throughput Sequencing Expand Hg-Methylator Diversity in Nature." Frontiers in Microbiology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.541554. 2020
- Sanders, James P., McBurney, Alyssa, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Schwartz, Grace E., Washburn, Spencer, Kane Driscoll, Susan B., Brown, Steven S., and Ghosh, Upal. 2020. "Development of a Novel Equilibrium Passive Sampling Device for Methylmercury in Sediment and Soil Porewaters." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39, (2) 323–334. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4631. 2020
- Eckley, Chris S., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Janssen, Sarah, Luxton, Todd P., Randall, Paul M., Whalin, Lindsay, and Austin, Carrie. 2020. "The assessment and remediation of mercury contaminated sites: A review of current approaches." Science of the Total Environment, 707 Article 136031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136031. 2020
- Christensen, Geoff A., Gionfriddo, Caitlin M., King, Andrew J., Moberly, James G., Miller, Carrie L., Somenahally, Anil C., Callister, Stephen J., Brewer, Heather, Podar, Mircea, Brown, Steven D., Palumbo, Anthony, V., Brandt, Craig C., Wymore, Ann M., Brooks, Scott C., Hwang, Chiachi, Fields, Matthew W., Wall, Judy D., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2019. "Determining the Reliability of Measuring Mercury Cycling Gene Abundance with Correlations with Mercury and Methylmercury Concentrations." Environmental science & technology, 53, (15) 8649–8663. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06389. 2019
- Schwartz, Grace E., Sanders, James P., McBurney, Alyssa M., Brown, Steven S., Ghosh, Upal, and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2019. "Impact of dissolved organic matter on mercury and methylmercury sorption to activated carbon in soils: implications for remediation." Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 21 485–496. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EM00469B. 2019
- Christensen, Geoff A., Somenahally, Anil C., Moberly, James G., Miller, Carrie M., King, Andrew J., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Brown, Steven D., Podar, Mircea, Brandt, Craig C., Brooks, Scott C., Palumbo, Anthony V., Wall, Judy D., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2018. "Carbon Amendments Alter Microbial Community Structure and Net Mercury Methylation Potential in Sediments." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 84, (3) UNSP e01049-17–UNSP e01049-17. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01049-17. 2018
- Hsu-Kim, Heileen, Eckley, Chris S., Achá, Dario, Feng, Xinbin, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Jonsson, Sofi, and Mitchell, Carl P. J. 2018. "Challenges and opportunities for managing aquatic mercury pollution in altered landscapes." Ambio, 47, (2) 141–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-017-1006-7. 2018
- Gilmour, Cynthia, Bell, James Tyler, Soren, Ally Bullock, Riedel, Georgia, Riedel, Gerhardt, Kopec, A. D., and Bodaly, R. A. 2018. "Distribution and biogeochemical controls on net methylmercury production in Penobscot River marshes and sediment." Science of The Total Environment, 640-641 555–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.276. 2018
- Sanders, James P., Andrade, Natasha A., Menzie, Charles A., Amos, C. B., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Henry, Elizabeth A., Brown, Steven S., and Ghosh, Upal. 2018. "Persistent Reductions in the Bioavailability of PCBs at a Tidally Inundated Phragmites australis Marsh Amended with Activated Carbon." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 37, (9) 2496–2505. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4186. 2018
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Bullock, Allyson L., McBurney, Alyssa, Podar, Mircea, and Elias, Dwayne A. 2018. "Robust Mercury Methylation across Diverse Methanogenic Archaea." mBio, 9, (2). https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02403-17. 2018
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Bell, Tyler, Soren, Ally, Riedel, Georgia, Riedel, Gerhardt, Kopec, Dianne, Bodaly, Drew, and Ghosh, Upal. 2017. "Activated carbon thin-layer placement as an in situ mercury remediation tool in a Penobscot River salt marsh." Science of the Total Environment, 621 839–848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.050. 2017
- Graham, Andrew M., Cameron-Burr, Keaton, Hajic, Hayley A., Lee, Connie, Msekela, Deborah, and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2017. "Sulfurization of Dissolved Organic Matter Increases Hg-Sulfide-Dissolved Organic Matter Bioavailability to a Hg-Methylating Bacterium." Environmental science & technology, 51, (16) 9080–9088. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b02781. 2017
- Christensen, Geoff A., Wymore, Ann M., King, Andrew J., Podar, Mircea, Hurt, Richard A., Santillan, Eugenio U., Soren, Ally, Brandt, Craig C., Brown, Steven D., Palumbo, Anthony V., Wall, Judy D., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2016. "Development and Validation of Broad-Range Qualitative and Clade-Specific Quantitative Molecular Probes for Assessing Mercury Methylation in the Environment." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 82, (19) 6068–6078. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01271-16. 2016
- Podar, Mircea, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Brandt, Craig C., Soren, Allyson, Brown, Steven D., Crable, Bryan R., Palumbo, Anthony V., Somenahally, Anil C., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2015. "Global prevalence and distribution of genes and microorganisms involved in mercury methylation." Science Advances, 1, (9). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500675. 2015
- Lamborg, Carl, Bowman, Katlin, Hammerschmidt, Chad, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Munson, Kathleen, Selin, Noelle, and Tseng, Chun-Mao. 2014. "MERCURY in the Anthropocene Ocean." Oceanography, 27, (1) 76–87. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.11. 2014
- Orem, William, Carl Fitz, H., Krabbenhoft, David, Tate, Michael, Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Shafer, Mark. 2014. "Modeling Sulfate Transport and Distribution and Methylmercury Production Associated with Aquifer Storage and Recovery Implementation in the Everglades Protection Area." Sustainability of Water Quality and Ecology, 3/4 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.swaqe.2014.11.004. 2014
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Riedel, Georgia S., Riedel, Gerhardt, Kwon, Seokjoon, Landis, Richard, Brown, Steven S., Menzie, Charles A., and Ghosh, Upal. 2013. "Activated Carbon Mitigates Mercury and Methylmercury Bioavailability in Contaminated Sediments." Environmental science & technology, 47, (22) 13001–13010. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4021074. 2013
- Brown, S. D., Hurt, R. A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Elias, D. A. 2013. "Draft Genome Sequences for Three Mercury-Methylating, Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria." Genome Announcements, 1, (4) e00618–13. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00618-13. 2013
- Graham, Andrew M., Aiken, George R., and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2013. "Effect of Dissolved Organic Matter Source and Character on Microbial Hg Methylation in Hg-S-DOM Solutions." Environmental science & technology, 47, (11) 5746–5754. https://doi.org/10.1021/es400414a. 2013
- Gomez-Eyles, Jose, Yupanqui, Carmen, Beckingham, Barbara, Riedel, Georgia, Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Ghosh, Upal. 2013. "Evaluation of biochars and activated carbons for in situ remediation of sediments impacted with organics, mercury, and methylmercury." Environmental science & technology, 47, (23) 13721–13729. https://doi.org/10.1021/es403712q. 2013
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Podar, Mircea, Bullock, Allyson L., Graham, Andrew M., Brown, Steven D., Somenahally, Anil C., Johs, Alex, Hurt, Richard A., Bailey, Kathryn L., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2013. "Mercury Methylation by Novel Microorganisms from New Environments." Environmental science & technology, 47, (20) 11810–11820. https://doi.org/10.1021/es403075t. 2013
- Graham, Andrew M., Bullock, Allyson L., Maizel, Andrew C., Elias, Dwayne A., and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2012. "A Detailed Assessment of the Kinetics of Hg-Cell Association, Hg Methylation, and MeHg Degradation in Several Desulfovibrio Species." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 78 7337–7346. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01792-12. 2012
- Graham, Andrew Mitchell, Aiken, George R., and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2012. "Dissolved organic matter enhances microbial mercury methylation under sulfidic conditions." Environmental Science & Technology, 46, (5) 2715–2723. https://doi.org/10.1021/es203658f. 2012
- Driscoll, Charles T., Chen, Celia Y., Hammerschmidt, Chad R., Mason, Robert P., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Sunderland, Elsie M., Greenfield, Ben K., Buckman, Kate L., and Lamborg, Carl H. 2012. "Nutrient supply and mercury dynamics in marine ecosystems: A conceptual model." Environmental research, 119, (November) 118–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2012.05.002. 2012
- Mitchell, Carl P. J., Jordan, Thomas E., Heyes, Andrew, and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2012. "Tidal exchange of total mercury and methylmercury between a salt marsh and a Chesapeake Bay sub-estuary." Biogeochemistry, 111, (1-3) 583–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-011-9691-y. 2012
- Aiken, George R., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Krabbenhoft, David P., and Orem, William. 2011. "Dissolved Organic Matter in the Florida Everglades: Implications for Ecosystem Restoration." Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 41, (6) 217–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2010.530934. 2011
- Sutton-Grier, Ariana E., Keller, Jason K., Koch, Rachel, Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Megonigal, J. Patrick. 2011. "Electron donors and acceptors influence anaerobic soil organic matter mineralization in tidal marshes." Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 43, (7) 1576–1583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.04.008. 2011
- Brown, Steven D., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Kucken, Amy M., Wall, Judy D., Elias, Dwayne A., Podar, Mircea, Chertkov, Olga, Held, Brittany, Bruce, David C., Detter, John C., Tapia, Roxanne, Han, Cliff S., Goodwin, Lynne A., Cheng, Jan-Fang, Pitluck, Samuel, Woyke, Tanja, Mikhailova, Natalia, Ivanova, Natalia N., Han, James, Lucas, Susan, Lapidus, Alla L., Land, Miriam L., Hauser, Loren J., and Palumbo, Anthony V. 2011. "Genome Sequence of Mercury-Methylating Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132." Journal of Bacteriology, 193, (8) 2078–2079. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00170-11. 2011
- Brown, Steven D., Wall, Judy D., Kucken, Amy M., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Podar, Mircea, Brandt, Craig C., Teshima, Hazuki, Detter, John C., Han, Cliff S., Land, Miriam L., Lucas, Susan, Han, James, Pennacchio, Len, Nolan, Matt, Pitluck, Sam, Woyke, Tanja, Goodwin, Lynne, Palumbo, Anthony V., and Elias, Dwayne A. 2011. "Genome Sequence of Mercury-Methylating and Pleomorphic Desulfovibrio africanus strain Walvis Bay." Journal of Bacteriology, 193, (15) 4037–4038. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.05223-11. 2011
- Gilmour, Cynthia C., Elias, Dwayne A., Kucken, Amy M., Brown, Steven D., Palumbo, Anthony V., Schadt, Christopher W., and Wall, Judy D. 2011. "Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 as a Model for Understanding Bacterial Mercury Methylation." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77, (12) 3938–3951. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02993-10. 2011
- Orem, William, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Axelrad, Donald, Krabbenhoft, David, Scheidt, Daniel, Kalla, Peter, McCormick, Paul, Gabriel, Mark, and Aiken, George R. 2011. "Sulfur in the South Florida Ecosystem: Distribution, Sources, Biogeochemistry, Impacts, and Management for Restoration." Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 41 249–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2010.531201. 2011
- Hollweg, T. A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Mason, R. P. 2010. "Mercury and methylmercury cycling in sediments of the mid-Atlantic continental shelf and slope." Limnology and Oceanography, 55, (6) 2703–2722. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2010.55.6.2703. 2010
- Dolor, Marvourneen K., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Helz, George R. 2009. "Distinct Microbial Behavior of Re Compared to Tc: Evidence Against Microbial Re Fixation in Aquatic Sediments." Geomicrobiology Journal, 26, (7) 470–483. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490450903060822. 2009
- Hollweg, T. A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Mason, R. P. 2009. "Methylmercury production in sediments of Chesapeake Bay and the mid-Atlantic continental margin." Marine Chemistry, 114, (3-4) 86–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2009.04.004. 2009
- Mitchell, C. P. J. and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2008. "Methylmercury production in a Chesapeake Bay salt marsh." Journal of Geophysical Research. G. Biogeosciences, 113 G00C04. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JG000765. 2008
- Orihel, D. M., Blainchfield, P. J., Bodaly, R. A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Hintelmann, H. 2008. "Temporal changes in the distribution, methylation, and bioaccumulation of newly deposited mercury in an aquatic ecossytem." Environmental Pollution, 154, (1) 77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2007.12.030. 2008
- Orihel, D. M., Paterson, M. J., Blainchfield, P. J., Bodaly, R. A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Hintelmann, H. 2008. "Temporal changes in the distribution, methylation, and bioaccumulation of newly deposited mercury in an aquatic ecosystem." Environmental Pollution, 154, (1) 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2007.12.030. 2008
- Miller, Carrie L., Mason, Robert P., Gilmour, Cynthia C., and Heyes, Andrew. 2007. "Influence of dissolved organic matter on the complexation of mercury under sulfidic conditions." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 26, (4) 624–633. https://doi.org/10.1897/06-375R.1. 2007
- Munthe, J., Bodaly, R. A. Drew, Branfireun, Brian A., Driscoll, C. T., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Harris, R., Horvat, M., Lucotte, M., and Malm, O. 2007. "Recovery of mercury-contaminated fisheries." Ambio, 36 33–44. 2007
- Harris, Reed C., Rudd, John W. M., Almyot, Marc, Babiarz, Christopher L., Beaty, Ken G., Blanchfield, Paul J., Bodaly, R. A., Branfireun, Brian A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Graydon, Jennifer A., Heyes, Andrew, Hintelmann, Holger, Hurley, James P., Kelly, Carol A., Krabbenhoft, David P., Lindberg, Steven E., Mason, Robert P., Paterson, Michael J., Podemski, Cheryl L., Robinson, Art, Sandilands, Ken A., Southworth, George R., St. Louis, Vincent L., and Tate, Michael T. 2007. "Whole-ecosystem study shows rapid fish-mercury response to change in mercury deposition." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104 16586–16591. 2007
Chapter
- Gilmour, Cynthia C. and Riedel, Gerhardt F. 2009. "Biogeochemistry of Trace Metals and Metalloids in Inland Aquatic Ecosystems." In Encyclopedia of Inland Waters. 7–15. Oxford: Elsevier. 2 2009
- Krabbenhoft, D., Engstrom, D., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Harris, R., Hurley, J., and Mason, R. 2007. "Monitoring and evaluating trends in sediment and water." In Ecosystem responses to mercury contamination: Indicators of change. Harris, R., editor. 47–86. Boca Raton, FL.: CRC Press. 2007
Dataset
- Hrenchuk, Lee, Blanchfield, Paul J., Rudd, John W. M., Amyot, Marc, Babiarz, Christopher L., Beaty, Ken G., Bodaly, Drew R. A., Branfireun, Brian A., Gilmour, Cynthia C., Graydon, Jennifer A., Hall, Britt D., Harris, Reed C., Heyes, Andrew, Hintelmann, Holger, Hurley, James P., Kelly, Carol A., Krabbenhoft, David P., Lindberg, Steve E., Mason, Robert P., Paterson, Michael J., Podemski, Cheryl L., Sandilands, Ken A., Southworth, George R., St. Louis, Vincent L., Tate, Lori S. et al. 2021. [Dataset] Experimental evidence for the recovery of mercury-contaminated fish populations. Distributed by Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/DRYAD.NZS7H44SF. 2021
- Gionfriddo, Caitlin M., Capo, Eric, Peterson, Benjamin, Heyu Lin, Jones, Daniel, Bravo, Andrea G., Bertilsson, Stefan, Moreau, John, McMahon, Katherine, Elias, Dwayne, and Gilmour, Cynthia C. 2021. [Dataset] Hg-MATE-Db.v1.01142021. Distributed by The Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.25573/SERC.13105370.V1. 2021
- Podar, Mircea, Gilmour, Cynthia C., Brandt, Craig C., Soren, Allyson, Brown, Steven D., Crable, Bryan R., Palumbo, Anthony V., and Somenahally, Anil C. 2015. [Dataset] Supplementary Materials for: Global prevalence and distribution of genes and microorganisms involved in mercury methylation. Distributed by Edgewater, Maryland: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. https://doi.org/10.5479/data_serc/10088/30919. 2015

Affiliation

Member Of

Amercian Chemical Society Member
American Geophysical Union Member
American Society for Microbiology Member
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Member
Estuarine Research Federation Member

Contact

Location

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Academic Department

Gilmour, Cynthia

Share Profile URI

Gilmour, Cynthia

Positions

Research Areas

Background And Education

Education And Training

Research And Grants

Investigator On

Publications

Selected Publications

Article

Chapter

Dataset

Affiliation

Member Of

Contact

Location