scholarly journals Characterization of Atmospheric Mercury in the High-Altitude Background Station and Coastal Urban City in South Asia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manikanda Bharath Karuppasamy ◽  
Srinivasalu Seshachalam ◽  
Usha Natesan ◽  
Karthik Ramasamy
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapour ◽  
Total Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Management Approaches

This study is performed to evaluate the potential sources and seasonal variation of atmospheric mercury (Hg) emissions from regional sources and other influences in India. To achieve this, using the gold amalgam technique with an automated continuous mercury vapour analyzer (TekranTM 2537B). To assess the total gaseous mercury in high altitude mountain peak station at Kodaikanal & coastal/urban air in Chennai region, the impact of changing weather conditions is also evaluated. To compare the past and recent reports of mercury at different locations in the world. The average total gaseous mercury value in Chennai is 4.68 ng/m3, which is higher as compared to Kodaikanal, where it is 1.53 ng/m3. The association between TGM with meteorological parameters in ambient air such as temperature, relative humidity, rainfall intensity, the direction of wind and velocity of was studied. The TGM concentration in India are compared with other nations, the TGM levels are similar to the east and Southeast Asian countries, and also Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and North America are the averages and maximum concentration generally smaller. This research will help to establish more effective management approaches to mitigate the impacts of atmospheric mercury on the rural and urban environment.

scholarly journals Multi-year monitoring of atmospheric total gaseous mercury at a remote high-altitude site (Nam Co, 4730 m a.s.l.) in the inland Tibetan Plateau region

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 10557-10574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiufeng Yin ◽  
Shichang Kang ◽  
Benjamin de Foy ◽  
Yaoming Ma ◽  
Yindong Tong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Atmospheric Environment ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Total Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Nam Co ◽  
Gangetic Plain ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Gaseous Mercury

Abstract. Total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations were continuously measured at Nam Co Station, a remote high-altitude site (4730 m a.s.l.), on the inland Tibetan Plateau, China, from January 2012 to October 2014 using a Tekran 2537B instrument. The mean concentration of TGM during the entire monitoring period was 1.33±0.24 ng m−3 (mean ± standard deviation), ranking it as the lowest value among all continuous TGM measurements reported in China; it was also lower than most of sites in the Northern Hemisphere. This indicated the pristine atmospheric environment on the inland Tibetan Plateau. Long-term TGM at the Nam Co Station exhibited a slight decrease especially for summer seasons. The seasonal variation of TGM was characterized by higher concentrations during warm seasons and lower concentrations during cold seasons, decreasing in the following order: summer (1.50±0.20 ng m−3) > spring (1.28±0.20 ng m−3) > autumn (1.22±0.17 ng m−3) > winter (1.14±0.18 ng m−3). Diurnal variations of TGM exhibited uniform patterns in different seasons: the daily maximum was reached in the morning (around 2–4 h after sunrise), followed by a decrease until sunset and a subsequent buildup at night, especially in the summer and the spring. Regional surface reemission and vertical mixing were two major contributors to the temporal variations of TGM while long-range transported atmospheric mercury promoted elevated TGM during warm seasons. Results of multiple linear regression (MLR) revealed that humidity and temperature were the principal covariates of TGM. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) and FLEXible PARTicle dispersion model (WRF-FLEXPART) results indicated that the likely high potential source regions of TGM to Nam Co were central and eastern areas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) during the measurement period with high biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions. The seasonality of TGM at Nam Co was in phase with the Indian monsoon index, implying the Indian summer monsoon as an important driver for the transboundary transport of air pollution onto the inland Tibetan Plateau. Our results provided an atmospheric mercury baseline on the remote inland Tibetan Plateau and serve as new constraint for the assessment of Asian mercury emission and pollution.

scholarly journals A field intercomparison of three passive air samplers for gaseous mercury in ambient air

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 3657-3672
Author(s):  
Attilio Naccarato ◽  
Antonella Tassone ◽  
Maria Martino ◽  
Sacha Moretti ◽  
Antonella Macagnano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Gaseous Elemental Mercury ◽  
Gaseous Mercury

Abstract. Passive air samplers (PASs), which provide time-averaged concentrations of gaseous mercury over the timescale of weeks to months, are promising for filling a gap in the monitoring of atmospheric mercury worldwide. Their usefulness will depend on their ease of use and robustness under field conditions, their availability and affordability, and most notably, their ability to provide results of acceptable precision and accuracy. Here we describe a comparative evaluation of three PASs with respect to their ability to precisely and accurately record atmospheric background mercury concentrations at sites in both southern Italy and southern Ontario, Canada. The study includes the CNR-PAS with gold nanoparticles as a sorbent, developed by the Italian National Research Council, the IVL-PAS using an activated carbon-coated disk, developed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and the MerPAS® using a sulfur-impregnated activated carbon sorbent, developed at the University of Toronto and commercialized by Tekran. Detection limits are deduced from the variability in the amount of mercury quantified in more than 20 field blank samples for each PAS. Analytical and sampling precision is quantified through 22 triplicate deployments for each PAS, ranging in duration from 2 to 12 weeks. Accuracy and bias are assessed through comparison with gaseous elemental mercury concentrations recorded by Tekran 2537 automated mercury analyzers operating alongside the PASs at both locations. The performance of the PASs was significantly better in Italy, with all of them providing concentrations that are not significantly different from the average concentrations of the Tekran 2537 instruments. In Canada, where weather conditions were much harsher and more variable during the February through April deployment period, there are differences amongst the PASs. At both sites, the MerPAS® is currently the most sensitive, precise, and accurate among the three PASs. A key reason for this is the larger size and the radial configuration of the MerPAS®, which results in lower blank levels relative to the sequestered amounts of mercury when compared to the other two PASs, which rely on axial diffusion geometries. Since blank correction becomes relatively smaller with longer deployments, performance tends to be closer amongst the PASs during deployments of 8 and 12 weeks.

scholarly journals A field intercomparison of three passive air samplers for gaseous mercury in ambient air

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attilio Naccarato ◽  
Antonella Tassone ◽  
Maria Martino ◽  
Sacha Moretti ◽  
Antonella Macagnano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Gaseous Elemental Mercury ◽  
Gaseous Mercury

Abstract. Passive air samplers (PASs), providing time-averaged concentration of gaseous mercury over the time scale of weeks to months, are promising to fill a gap in the monitoring of atmospheric mercury worldwide. Their usefulness will depend on their ease-of-use and robustness under field conditions, their availability and affordability, and most notably, their ability to provide results of acceptable precision and accuracy. Here we describe a comparative evaluation of three PASs with respect to their ability to record precisely and accurately atmospheric background concentrations at sites in both southern Italy and southern Ontario. The study includes the CNR-PAS with gold nanoparticles as a sorbent, developed by the Italian National Research Council, the IVL-PAS using an activated carbon-coated disk, developed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and the MerPAS® using a sulfur-impregnated activated carbon sorbent, developed at the University of Toronto and commercialized by Tekran. Detection limits are deduced from the variability in the amount of mercury quantified in more than 20 field blank samples for each PAS. Analytical and sampling precision is quantified through 22 triplicated deployments for each PAS ranging in length from two to twelve weeks. Accuracy and bias are assessed through comparison with gaseous elemental mercury concentrations recorded by Tekran 2537 automated mercury analyzers operating alongside the PASs at both locations. The performance of the PASs was significantly better in Italy, with all of them providing concentrations that are not statistically significantly different from the average of the active sampling results. In Canada, where weather conditions were much harsher and more variable during the February through April deployment period, differences were observed amongst PASs. At both sites, the MerPAS® is currently the most sensitive, precise and accurate among the three PASs. A key reason for this is the larger size and the radial configuration of the MerPAS®, which results in blank levels that are lower relative to the sequestered amounts of mercury than in the other two PASs, which rely on axial diffusion geometries. Because the blank-correction becomes relatively smaller with longer deployment, sampler performance tends to be better during deployments of 8 and 12 weeks.

scholarly journals Temporal trend and sources of speciated atmospheric mercury at Waliguan GAW station, northwestern China

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 30053-30089 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. W. Fu ◽  
X. Feng ◽  
P. Liang ◽  
H. Zhang ◽  
J. Ji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Temporal Trend ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Western China ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Sampling Campaign ◽  
Regional Sources ◽  
Range Transport

Abstract. Measurements of speciated atmospheric mercury were conducted at a remote mountain-top station (WLG) at the edge of northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, western China. Mean concentrations of total gaseous mercury (TGM), particulate mercury (PHg), and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) during the whole sampling campaign were 1.98 ± 0.98 ng m−3, 19.4 ± 18.1 pg m−3, and 7.4 ± 4.8 pg m−3, respectively. Levels of speciated Hg at WLG were slightly higher than those reported from remote areas of North America and Europe. Both regional emissions and long-rang transport played a remarkable role in the distribution of TGM and PHg in ambient air at WLG, whereas RGM showed major links to the regional sources, likely as well as the in-situ productions by photochemical processes. Regional sources for speciated Hg were mostly located to the east of WLG, which is the most developed areas of Qinghai province and accounted for most of the province's anthropogenic Hg emissions. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) results showed a strong impact of long-range transport from eastern Gansu, western Ningxia and Shanxi Province, with good accordance with locations of urban areas and industrial centers. Moreover, we found that northern India was also an important source region of WLG during the sampling campaign, and this is the first time of direct evidence of long-range transport of atmospheric Hg from India to northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Seasonal and diurnal variations of TGM were in contrast with most of the previous studies in China, with relatively higher levels in warm seasons and night, respectively. The temporal trend of TGM also highlighted the impact of long-range transport on the distribution of TGM in ambient air at WLG.

Baseline atmospheric mercury studies at Ross Island, Antarctica

1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. de Mora ◽  
J. E. Patterson ◽  
D. M. Bibby
Keyword(s):  
Mercury Concentration ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
Total Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Gaseous Mercury

The first extended baseline studies of total gaseous mercury (TGM) and dimethylmercury (DMM) in Antarctica are reported. Mean TGM concentrations of 0.52, 0.60 and 0.52 ng m−3 were obtained for three consecutive years at the southern tip of Ross Island (77°S). The levels of DMM in Antarctica are less than 10% of the TGM, and frequently fall below the limit of detection. These results represent the lowest TGM concentrations recorded globally and extend into polar regions the observation of a decrease in atmospheric mercury concentration with increasing latitude.

scholarly journals Effects of Brownfield Remediation on Total Gaseous Mercury Concentrations in an Urban Landscape

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 387
Author(s):  
Linghui Meng ◽  
Charles T. Driscoll ◽  
Mario Montesdeoca ◽  
Huiting Mao
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Soil Restoration ◽  
Total Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Mercury Emissions ◽  
Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Parking Lot

In order to obtain a better perspective of the impacts of brownfields on the land–atmosphere exchange of mercury in urban areas, total gaseous mercury (TGM) was measured at two heights (1.8 m and 42.7 m) prior to 2011–2012 and after 2015–2016 for the remediation of a brownfield and installation of a parking lot adjacent to the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Syracuse, NY, USA. Prior to brownfield remediation, the annual average TGM concentrations were 1.6 ± 0.6 and 1.4 ± 0.4 ng · m − 3 at the ground and upper heights, respectively. After brownfield remediation, the annual average TGM concentrations decreased by 32% and 22% at the ground and the upper height, respectively. Mercury soil flux measurements during summer after remediation showed net TGM deposition of 1.7 ng · m − 2 · day − 1 suggesting that the site transitioned from a mercury source to a net mercury sink. Measurements from the Atmospheric Mercury Network (AMNet) indicate that there was no regional decrease in TGM concentrations during the study period. This study demonstrates that evasion from mercury-contaminated soil significantly increased local TGM concentrations, which was subsequently mitigated after soil restoration. Considering the large number of brownfields, they may be an important source of mercury emissions source to local urban ecosystems and warrant future study at additional locations.

scholarly journals Worldwide atmospheric mercury measurements: a review and synthesis of spatial and temporal trends

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1261-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Sprovieri ◽  
N. Pirrone ◽  
R. Ebinghaus ◽  
H. Kock ◽  
A. Dommergue
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
Mercury Emissions ◽  
Gaseous Mercury ◽  
National Programs ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Trends

Abstract. A large number of activities have been carried out during the last decade in different regions of the world, including polar regions, aiming to assess the level of mercury (Hg) species in ambient air and in precipitation observing their variation over time and with changing meteorological conditions. Following the discovery of atmospheric Hg depletion events (AMDEs) in Polar Regions several studies have indeed been conducted in order to assess the chemical-physical mechanisms related to AMDEs occurred in polar atmospheres with special attention to the consequences of these phenomena in terms of contamination of polar environment due to the rapid conversion of atmospheric gaseous Hg (Hg0) into reactive and water-soluble forms that may potentially become bioavailable. The understanding of the way in which mercury released to the atmosphere is eventually incorporated into biota is of crucial importance not only for the polar regions but also for the marine environment in general. The world's oceans and seas are in fact both sources and sinks of Hg and although it appears that the atmosphere is the major transport/distribution medium for Hg, because most Hg emissions are to the atmosphere, oceans and seas also play an important role. Currently, however, a coordinated observational network for Hg does not exist. There are a number of state and national programs that are collecting atmospheric Hg data but the parameters monitored, the locations of the monitoring sites and the methods employed may prohibit their utility in assessing Hg long-trend variations. The large increase in mercury emissions in fast developing countries (i.e., China, India) over the last decade due primarily to a sharp increase in energy production from the combustion of coal are not currently reflected in the long-term measurements of total gaseous mercury in ambient air and in precipitation data at several continuous monitoring sites in North Europe and North America. The discrepancy between observed gaseous mercury concentrations (steady or decreasing) and global mercury emission inventories (increasing) is not yet clear however, could be at least in part accounted by the increasing in the potential oxidation of the atmosphere recently documented. Therefore, measurements of other key atmospheric constituents at the global monitoring sites are necessary for us to develop a better understanding of the global redistribution of Hg and to further refine model parameterizations of the key processes. The sharing of data from this network, allowing, in fact, access to comparable and long-term data from a wide array of locations for understanding temporal and spatial patterns of Hg transport, deposition and re-emission process producing thus data that will support the validation of regional and global atmospheric Hg models. This paper presents a detailed overview of atmospheric mercury measurements conducted in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at several terrestrial sites (industrial, rural and remote) during the last decade as well as measurements performed over the world's ocean and seas and in Polar Regions with reference to the monitoring techniques and location of monitoring sites in most of the continents.

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