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European emissions of atmospheric mercury from anthropogenic sources in 1995
Abstract
Estimates of atmospheric emissions of mercury from anthropogenic sources in Europe in 1995 are presented with the information on emissions of both total mercury and its major chemical and physical forms. The 1995 anthropogenic emissions of total emissions were estimated to be about , a decrease of 45% compared to these emissions in 1990. Combustion of fuels, particularly coal has been the major source of anthropogenic emissions contributing to more than half to the total emissions. The emissions from coal combustion have not changed significantly over the past decade. Major decrease has been estimated for emissions from industrial processes, particularly the chlor-alkali production using the Hg cell process. In 1995 the European emissions of anthropogenic mercury contributed about 13% to the global emissions of this element from anthropogenic sources. The anthropogenic Hg emissions in Europe were still higher than the natural emissions in the region, estimated to be about 250– per year. The accuracy of estimates of anthropogenic emissions of Hg in Europe in 1995 is considered to be between 25 and 50%. The most accurate seem to be the estimates for combustion sources, while the most incomplete data were collected and/or estimated for waste disposal. The emissions of gaseous elemental mercury contributed about 61% to the emissions of the total mercury, while the contribution of gaseous bivalent mercury and particulate mercury was 32 and 7%, respectively.
... The database of the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) reports a decrease of atmospheric Hg emissions by the European Union states from 220 t year −1 in 1990 to 42 t year −1 in 2020 (EMEP 2021). One of the most significant reductions in Hg emissions resulted from transformation of technologies in chlor-alkali plants between 1990and 1995(Pacyna et al. 2001. ...
... Shifts in technology have led to substantial decreases in Hg emissions in the past 50 years. The peak of European chlor-alkali related atmospheric Hg emissions of 235 t year −1 occurred in 1987 (Pacyna et al. 2001). By 1995, annual European Hg emissions from chlor-alkali plants had decreased to 42 t year −1 , representing about 12% of the total anthropogenic European Hg emissions (Pacyna et al. 2001). ...
... The peak of European chlor-alkali related atmospheric Hg emissions of 235 t year −1 occurred in 1987 (Pacyna et al. 2001). By 1995, annual European Hg emissions from chlor-alkali plants had decreased to 42 t year −1 , representing about 12% of the total anthropogenic European Hg emissions (Pacyna et al. 2001). One decade later in 2005, annual European chloralkali atmospheric Hg emissions continued to decrease to 6.3 t year −1 in 2005 (Pirrone et al. 2010), to 1.2 t year −1 in 2017 (Euro Chlor 2018). ...
Large amounts of mercury (Hg) were consumed and emitted into the atmosphere during the process of amalgam electrolysis used to produce chlorine and caustic soda since the 19th century. In Europe, amalgam electrolysis has been gradually replaced by advanced Hg-free technologies. In this work, we described changes in atmospheric Hg and bulk Hg wet deposition during the phasing out of an amalgam electrolytic line of a chlor-alkali plant in Neratovice, Czech Republic, central Europe. Bulk wet deposition Hg near the chlor-alkali plant was low at 3.6 ± 0.8 µg m-2 yr-1 due to low annual precipitation amounts (486 ± 97 mm) in the period 2015-2021. Nevertheless, it was elevated with respect to a nearby reference site both before and after the decommissioning of the electrolytic line. Switching off the amalgam electrolytic line did not notably affect bulk wet deposition Hg near the chlor-alkali plant. Levels of gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) and particle-bound Hg (PBM) monitored seasonally four times per year in a 24-hour measurement indicated rapid declines in four nearby settlements set in cardinal directions from the Hg emission source. Mean atmospheric GEM and PBM concentrations decreased rapidly from 9.0 ± 2.1 ng m-3 and 243 ± 255 pg m-3 in the period 2013-2017 when amalgam electrolysis was operating, to 3.3 ± 0.4 ng m-3 and 32 ± 6 pg m-3 in the period 2018-2021 after its decommissioning in November 2017. Seasonal changes of GEM were determined primarily by the changes in temperature with the highest concentrations in summer, while PBM air levels were lowest in summer due to the highest seasonal precipitation amount. GEM concentrations at the four monitored settlements at Neratovice remained elevated with respect to regional background, but PBM levels decreased to background levels.
... In our studies, the highest Hg concentrations were noted in samples with pH in the range from 6.6 to 7.3. Copper mining is listed as a one of the major sources of Hg (Pacyna et al. 2007(Pacyna et al. , 2009Pacyna and Pacyna 2002;Pirrone et al. 2010;Streets et al. 2011). The spatial distribution map of mercury combined with computed geochemical factors (BG, LEF) and CA results (Fig. 1a) indicates a direct relationship between the mercury content and mining operations. ...
... Higher concentrations noted in samples from the south and southwestern parts of the study area can be also linked with the vicinity of single-family houses. We know that mercury is released to the atmosphere from a number of industrial processes among which coal combustion is one of the major pollution sources (Pacyna and Pacyna 2002;Pirrone et al. 2010). Surface soils collected from various areas located in the vicinity of power plants and residential and commercial objects have elevated level of mercury (Fitzgerald and Lamborg 2013). ...
... A cement plant which is located about 10 km to the southwest can be another pollution source of Hg. As shown by different authors (Munteanu and Munteanu 2007;Pacyna and Pacyna 2002;Pirrone et al. 2010;Zhang and Wong 2007), cement industry is a significant source of mercury. Interestingly, lower Hg concentrations were noted in samples M1-M3 located in the southwestern wooded part of the study area. ...
For the purpose of this study, 181 soil samples were collected from three post-mining areas (Miedzianka Mt. (62), Karczówka Mt. (61), and Rudki (58)) in the Holy Cross Mountains, south-central Poland. Collected samples were dried, disaggregated, and digested in a closed microwave system. All solutions were analyzed for Hg concentrations with cold vapor-atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-AAS) technique using a continuous flow vapor accessory. The average Hg concentrations and the upper limits of geochemical background (UBG) were as follows: Miedzianka Mt. Hg 0.501 mg kg⁻¹, UBG 0.312 mg kg⁻¹; Karczówka Mt. Hg 0.150 mg kg⁻¹, UBG 0.180 mg kg⁻¹; Rudki area Hg 0.216 mg kg⁻¹, UBG 0.193 mg kg⁻¹. The use of a spatial distribution map of mercury concentrations integrated with computed geochemical factors and results of cluster analysis showed a direct relationship between mercury contents and mining activity conducted in these areas. Only in the case of Miedzianka Mt., this relationship was visible and probably resulted from the presence of tennantite (Cu,Fe)12As4S13 in soil samples, which was also confirmed with the factor analysis. Higher Hg concentrations in soil samples from Karczówka Mt. and Rudki resulted from the presence of clay and other secondary minerals that increase the mercury adsorption from atmospheric deposition. Fossil fuel and biomass combustion was classified as the main anthropogenic source of the metal, but the neighborhood of a cement factory may be taken under consideration. Our results showed that the use of integrated geostatistical models allows for better data visualization and interpretation.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (10.1007/s10661-019-7368-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
... 2001;Rodella et.al. 2017;Pacyna et al. 2001). The burning of oil and fossil materials pollute the air with Pb, Zn, Cr, Co, V, Ni, Sb, Fe, Mn, Cu, Sn, As, Cd ( Pacyna et al. 2001). ...
... 2017;Pacyna et al. 2001). The burning of oil and fossil materials pollute the air with Pb, Zn, Cr, Co, V, Ni, Sb, Fe, Mn, Cu, Sn, As, Cd ( Pacyna et al. 2001). The wastewater treatment and sewage sludge utilisation are associated with Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni ( Yang et al., 2017;Dou et al., 2017). ...
... The transport gives non-point source pollution in the city and accumulates around transport corridors. The trace elements of air pollution by transport are Pb, Cu, Cr, Sn, Sb ( Pacyna et al. 2001). The industrialisation generates air pollutants trace elements such as Pb, Zn, N, Cu, Cd ( Pacyna et al. 2001). ...
The anthropogenic sources of air pollution such as transport, energetics, household heating and industry generate different trace element footprint. The urban planning is one of tool to reduce air pollution with trace elements. The aim of this study is to identify air pollution sources in Jelgava city using trace elements. The snow sampling were collected during January and February 2017. The January snow samples characterise average Jelgava city air pollution. However, February characterises intensive tourism impact on total air quality of Jelgava city. The snow samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICP-OES). The data analysis consists of three stages. First, data verification and development of waste burning; burning of oil and fossil materials; wastewater treatment and utilisation of sewage sludge; transport; metal industry and fireworks typical pollution trace element data sets. Second, the cluster analysis of each data set, by developing three groups of pollution level for each pollution source. Third the results of clusters were analysed using GIS, and the areas with different air pollution risks were identified. The results show strong evidence of transport and household impact on air quality.
... The total anthropogenic mercury emissions for 1994-1995 in the USA were estimated at 144 Mg/year (MSRTC 1997). Pacyna et al. (2001) estimated atmospheric mercury emissions from anthropogenic sources in Europe at 341.8 Mg/year during 1995. Pacyna and Pacyna (2002) estimated the global emissions of mercury from anthropogenic sources for 1990 and 1995 to be 2143.1 Mg and1912.8 ...
... This rate appears to be relatively low per capita compared to other articles in this field. For example, in Europe, the per capita emission of atmospheric mercury in 1995 is 0.47 (Pacyna et al. 2001), taking into account the European population of that year (about 727 million), and India's atmospheric mercury emission per capita in 2004 is 0.23 (Mukherjee et al. 2009), given India's population (about 1.126 billion) in 2004, while for Tehran province, the per capita value is about 0.06. The following reasons may be the reasons for this low value in Tehran province: ...
In this study, atmospheric mercury emission inventory was estimated from various anthropogenic sources of emission in
Tehran province, including stationary, mobile and also natural sources. The mercury emission factors from different sources
were obtained using the United Nations Environment Programme, the United States Environmental Protection Agency AP-42
and related papers. Twelve mercury emission stationary point sources including power plants, cement factories, oil refinery
and municipal solid waste in Tehran province were considered, as the total amount of mercury released into the air from
these sources was estimated at 405.3 kg/year. To estimate the atmospheric mercury emissions from stationary area sources,
the amount of fuel consumed by the activity of power plants, cement factories and oil refinery has been deducted from the
total amount of fuel consumed in Tehran province, and according to the type of fuel consumed, this amount was estimated
at 97.2 kg/year. Other stationary area sources considered in this study include the brick manufacturing, the use of mercurycontaining
lamps, the use of mercury in dental treatment and thermometers and the total atmospheric mercury emission
from these sources was estimated at 120.1 kg/year. The amount of atmospheric mercury emission from mobile sources was
estimated at 46.4 kg/year. The atmospheric mercury emission from natural sources are based on the surface type, which
includes impervious surfaces such as pavements and permeable surfaces such as soils, was estimated at 434.1 kg/year of
mercury emitted into the air. The total atmospheric mercury emission in Tehran province was estimated at 780.1 kg/year.
... The maximum mullite contents in the two profiles are concurrent (cal AD 1977 ± 8 and1983 ± 3) and show up at the same time as the maxima of other technogenic particles in peatlands elsewhere (Punning and Alliksaar, 1997;Yang et al., 2001;Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł et al., 2018). The steep decrease in mullite amounts at the beginning of 1990s correlates well with airimprovement measures taken locally (Pastuszka et al., 1993;Hlawiczka et al., 2003), and in Europe generally (e.g., Pacyna et al., 2001). While the mean concentration of particulate matter in the air of Upper Silesia was still ca 250 mg m À3 in 1989, it was reduced to almost one fifth of that several years later (Hlawiczka et al., 2003). ...
... Coal combustion for heat-and power generation is the largest anthropogenic source of Hg emissions (e.g., Zielonka et al., 2005;Pacyna et al., 2001). Consequently, mullite distribution shows the closest similarity to that of Hg in both peatlands. ...
Mullite, a pure aluminosilicate (Al 6 Si 2 O 13 ), is a rare natural rock component, known for centuries as a very resistant ceramic material. It is also a common waste product of high-temperature coal combustion that is emitted in quantity from coal-based power stations. The occurrence of mullite in two Sphagnum-dominated peatlands located near the Upper Silesia industrial region in southern Poland is described. For the first time, a complete record of mullite deposition in the peat profiles has been obtained by XRD analyses of ashed peat samples. The mullite distribution is compared with records of Hg, Pb and Cu. While mullite is supplied during high temperature processes only, Cu, Pb and Hg show more complex pattern of distribution. Both peat profiles contain elevated amounts of mullite in the time span between ca 1950–1990 with a maximum content in ca 1980. The first appearance (∼1900) of mullite is indicative of the beginning of energy production in coal-based power plants in the region. Mullite is proposed here as an indicator of industrialization in geological records. It is resistant to post-depositional processes, emitted globally, and restricted to large-scale industry.
... Mercury is of high toxicity, volatility and persistent bioaccumulation in the environment, and anthropogenic activities play a dominated role in the mercury and its derivatives emission [1], of which the mercury emission in the flue gas at coal combustion power stations holds about one quarter. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) issued the national standard of Final Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for the control of mercury in 2012 [2]. ...
... The photocatalytic oxidation reaction can be described as the following Eqs. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5): ...
Fabrication of BiOIO3 photocatalysts by calcination method was investigated for the first time. XRD patterns showed that the crystallinity of BiOIO3 photocatalysts could be controlled by calcination temperature. TGA demonstrated that calcining the precursor at a specific temperature range was appropriate for preparing BiOIO3 photocatalysts. XPS and FT-IR characterization revealed that the BiOIO3 photocatalysts prepared by calcination method possessed oxygen vacancies, which acted as the positive charge centers to trap the electron easily, inhibiting the recombination of photo electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, PL spectra confirmed the oxygen vacancies can favor for the separation of the electron-hole pairs and in turn enhance the photocatalytic performance. From the above analysis, the mechanism of preparing BiOIO3 photocatalysts by calcination method was proposed. Meanwhile, the effect of oxygen vacancies on the photocatalytic activity of BiOIO3 photocatalysts was investigated. The BiOIO3 photocatalysts with oxygen vacancies were found to be efficiently photocatalytically remove gaseous Hg⁰ and the relative photocatalysis mechanism was investigated.
... Mercury has been recognized for decades as a persistent and bio-accumulative toxic 5 substance in the environment (Sharma, 2002;Saleh et al., 2003;Srivastava, 2003). The investigation of mercury behaviour is a field of particular concern due to its wide distribution in the different environmental compartments (Pirrone et al., 1996(Pirrone et al., , 2001a(Pirrone et al., , 2003Pacyna et al., 2001). Highly resolved spatial and temporal distributions of mercury emissions to the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources are 10 needed in global mass balance models, transport and deposition models, for relating mesoscale variations in mercury concentrations in both gas and particulate phase with regional and global circulation patterns, and in assessing the long-term ecological and health impacts on different environmental compartments (Cinnirella and Pirrone 2006;Pirrone et al., 1996Pirrone et al., , 2001aPirrone et al., , 2003Pacyna et al., 2001). ...
... The investigation of mercury behaviour is a field of particular concern due to its wide distribution in the different environmental compartments (Pirrone et al., 1996(Pirrone et al., , 2001a(Pirrone et al., , 2003Pacyna et al., 2001). Highly resolved spatial and temporal distributions of mercury emissions to the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources are 10 needed in global mass balance models, transport and deposition models, for relating mesoscale variations in mercury concentrations in both gas and particulate phase with regional and global circulation patterns, and in assessing the long-term ecological and health impacts on different environmental compartments (Cinnirella and Pirrone 2006;Pirrone et al., 1996Pirrone et al., , 2001aPirrone et al., , 2003Pacyna et al., 2001). The ratio between the 15 relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic source categories may vary with region and time of the year. ...
Mercury release by coal combustion has been significantly increased in India. Mercury content in coal has been analyzed to 0.272 ppm by Central Pollution Control Board. Toxicological effects of elemental Hg (Hg0) exposure include respiratory and renal failures, cardiac arrest, and cerebral oedema, while subclinical exposure may induce kidney, behavioral, and cognitive dysfunctions. The present work is focused on dispersion pattern and inter-phase exchange phenomena of ambient mercury between air-particulate matter evaluations of alongwith dominance of various major routes of human exposure-dose response using regression analysis around an integrated steel plant in central India. Source-downwind type stratified random sampling plan using longitudinal study design has been adopted for ambient monitoring of total mercury, while representative sampling plant has been adopted for persona exposure-dose response study In space-time framework. Control sites and subjects have been chosen from uncontaminated area (100 km away from any industrial activities). 06 ambient air monitoring stations and 17 subjects from workers, non-workers but local residents' categories and from controlled sites have been chosen for the study. Samples of mercury biomarkers (blood, breast milk and urine) have also been collected from same subjects in each month during sampling period. The sampling period was March 2005 to February 2006 . Samples of 30% acidified KMnO4 for air-Hg absorption, PM10, RPM and biological samples were analyzed for total mercury by ICP-AES using standard methods. Local soils and ground water were also monitored for total mercury content during the sampling period. Results have shown that mercury concentration is very high compared to prescribed limits in all receptors. Results of exchange phenomenon have shown the higher transfer of mercury from air to particulate during combustion in steel plant environment due to presence of huge amount of iron particles, in contrast to results obtained in other industrial locations earlier. Plant workers have shown 1.5 to 2.5 times higher personal RPM-Hg levels compared to Category 2 and 20–30 times higher than Category 3. All biomarkers have shown higher Hg presence compared to prescribed standards. Regression analysis between exposure routes and bio-receptors has been investigated. Dominance status of selected routes of bio-accumulation has been varied from category to category.
... [11] As a volatile element, mercury is quite mobile in the environment and can be widely dispersed and transported thousands of kilometers from emission sources. [12][13][14] Mercury can circulate in the environment as part of anthropogenic emissions [15] including coal combustion, [16] chlor-alkali plants, [17,18] mining and ore processing, [19][20][21][22] waste incineration with the highest Hg loading [23] ; and weathering of rocks with high natural background (geochemical anomaly) and metal occurrence. [24] As mercury is transported between the atmosphere, [25] soil and water, humans [26,27] and plants [28,29] are exposed to mercury, resulting in a variety of ecological [30,31] and health effects. ...
The study was carried out to define the distribution of mercury in surface soils in the Mitrovica region, Republic of Kosovo and to assess the level and extent of contamination. A total of 156 soil
samples were collected from a depth of 5 cm at each grid point of 1.4x1.4 km in an area of 301.5km2. The mercury content was found to be between 0.02 mg/kg and 11.16 mg/kg. The average
Hg content (0.49 mg/kg) exceeded the mean content in European (0.037 mg/kg) and world (0.06 mg/kg) soils by 13.2 and 8.2 times, respectively. From the calculated enrichment factors (EF) and the geo-accumulation index (I-geo), as well as from the distribution map of Hg content, it is evident that the soils of the study area are highly contaminated with mercury, with extremely high enrichment of Hg in the soils of Zone I, which was classified as the most contaminated zone with Hg and other potentially toxic elements in the study area as well as in the towns of Zvecan and Mitrovica. The higher Hg content is of anthropogenic origin, mainly due to lead and zinc mining and metallurgical activities in the study area. The mercury levels were also found to exceed the New Dutch List target value (0.3 mg/kg) in 90km2 of the study area.
... Of all possible anthropogenic sources of Hg, coal combustion in power generating plants dominates the contribution to the environmental burden thereof (Pacyna et al. 2001). Approximately 56% of the global Hg pool originates from coal combustion in power plants (Pirrone & Mason 2009 (Pavlish et al. 2003;Wagner & Hlatshwayo 2005). ...
Mercury (Hg) is regarded as a worldwide threat to ecosystems and humans due to its ubiquity, volatility, toxicity, and persistency in the environment. It is emitted naturally or through anthropogenic activities. The dominant annual source of Hg is ascribed to the latter. The overall aim of this study was to further the published Hg inventories for South African power plant emissions. This was done by comparing Hg estimates using both measured and published Hg contents of coal; evaluating the impact of future ESKOM plans to replace electrostatic precipitators (ESP) with fabric filters (FF); and comparing to Hg contributions from power plants in 2014. Through the application of the bottom-up-approach we found that the Hg content utilised to estimate emissions significantly influenced obtained results. Furthermore, it was observed that power plants fitted with a FF had a much better reduction efficiency of emissions than those with an ESP. This suggests that power plants currently fitted with an ESP should rather adopt the FF emission control device. Moreover, we also found that the power stations with higher coal consumptions per annum had the largest contributions to atmospheric Hg emissions.
... Mercury (Hg) emissions from waste incineration are a global problem, indicated by that nearly half of the Hg emissions reaching the Arctic originates from waste incineration [9]. In most countries, the total Hg emissions from waste incineration are largely underestimated because of poor knowledge about Hg content in wastes and due to economic reasons there are no or only limited analyses available on Hg content in flue gases from a majority of the waste incineration plants in operation [10]. ...
... Este, eventualmente, se oxida a su forma inorgánica Hg(+2), soluble en el agua; en dicho estado, se puede convertir nuevamente en vapor de mercurio o ser metilado por los microrganismos acuáticos, como el plancton, transformarse en metilmercurio, y de esta forma ingresar a la cadena alimenticia acuática (3). Las emisiones de mercurio van directamente al agua y al suelo; una vez liberado, este metal permanece en el ambiente, donde circula entre el aire, el agua, los sedimentos del suelo y la biota, en diversas formas (4), y ocasiona efectos en la salud a partir de bajas dosis de exposición en los seres humanos (5,6). El principal daño por esta sustancia es al sistema nervioso; primordialmente, en el de los niños, pues causa disminución del coeficiente intelectual, así como dificultades de aprendizaje y de concentración (7). ...
El mercurio es un metal presente en forma natural y por las diferentes actividades económicas, que puede afectar la salud ante la exposición crónica. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de mercurio entre los usuarios de los acueductos comunitarios Recuerdo Sur, y Asoporquera I y II, residentes del barrio Recuerdo Sur y de la vereda Mochuelo Alto, de la Localidad de Ciudad Bolívar. Métodos: Estudio de prevalencia de concentraciones de mercurio en 224 usuarios de los mencionados acueductos, a través de muestras tomadas del cabello, la sangre y la orina, con los respectivos análisis descriptivos por lugar de residencia, realizado entre julio de 2010 y agosto de 2011. Resultados: La prevalencia general en promedio de la concentración de mercurio con los tres marcadores biológicos fue del 72 %. Ninguno de los participantes superó los valores máximos permitidos por el Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) en ningún biomarcador, pero en los términos establecidos al respecto por la Organización Mundial de Salud (OMS), 16 de los participantes superaron los valores para las muestras de cabello, con una proporción del 7,1 %. Conclusión: Las concentraciones de mercurio halladas en los diferentes marcadores biológicos sugieren que hay una exposición de tipo ambiental al mercurio en la población estudiada; por tanto, es necesario identificar las fuentes de mercurio, así como implementar medidas de control de estas, con el fin de evitar daños a la salud ocasionados por dicho contaminante.
... In 1995, THg emissions from anthropogenic sources such as coal combustion and in total were calculated to be 31.90 and 33.60 tons, respectively and for Lithuania, it was only 0.1 tons in sum [35]. Whereas THg emissions in 2005, in Poland, was 20.1 tons and in Lithuania was 0.37 tons, in total [36,37]. ...
Our paper reviews the current understanding of mercury in the environment of soil and sediment, including sampling, mobilization phases and analyzing methods. As a dangerous trace element, mercury has been shown to have several harmful effects on the environment. Mercury is released into the environment in a variety of chemical forms by both geogenic and human activities, with the majority of it coming from anthropogenic sources. It is affected by environmental conditions such as pH, redox potential, light and temperature-all of which determine its final chemical form-reactivity and toxicity. Methylmercury is considered one of the most poisonous forms found in nature. Considering the methodologies of the studies carried out we have found that the best technique for preserving methylmercury in soil and sediment samples is to freeze it immediately after collection. Organically rich soils are related to higher total mercury levels. Plants, such as Solanum nigrum (BR3) and Cynodon dactylon (BR2), can play an important role in mercury transport and accumulation. Solid-phase selenium causes faster demethylation and slower methylation of mercury. Methylmercury can increase by climate change and thawing; arctic permafrost is a potential source of Hg. Chemical vapor generation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to develop a simple and quick method for measuring methylmercury; ultrasonic agitation and HNO3 were used for the process, the last of which proved to be the most efficient for selective extraction of methylmercury.
... Note that two different color bars are used to depict regional variations. consistent with the observations and high emissions in these areas (Pacyna et al., 2001(Pacyna et al., , 2006. In North America, the observed TGM concentrations are 1.47±0.20 ng m −3 (n = 30), similar to the TGM level in western Europe. ...
Most global atmospheric mercury models use offline and
reanalyzed meteorological fields, which has the advantages of higher
accuracy and lower computational cost compared to online models. However,
these meteorological products need past and/or near-real-time observational
data and cannot predict the future. Here, we use an atmospheric component
with tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry (CAM6-Chem) of the
state-of-the-art global climate model CESM2, adding new species of mercury
and simulating atmospheric mercury cycling. Our results show that the newly
developed online model is able to simulate the observed spatial distribution
of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in both polluted and non-polluted regions
with high correlation coefficients in eastern Asia (r=0.67) and North
America (r=0.57). The calculated lifetime of TGM against deposition is
5.3 months and reproduces the observed interhemispheric gradient of TGM with
a peak value at northern mid-latitudes. Our model reproduces the observed
spatial distribution of HgII wet deposition over North America (r=0.80) and captures the magnitude of maximum in the Florida Peninsula. The
simulated wet deposition fluxes in eastern Asia present a spatial distribution
pattern of low in the northwest and high in the southeast. The online model
is in line with the observed seasonal variations of TGM at northern
mid-latitudes as well as the Southern Hemisphere, which shows lower
amplitude. We further go into the factors that affect the seasonal
variations of atmospheric mercury and find that both Hg0 dry deposition
and HgII dry/wet depositions contribute to it.
... Since the beginning of the industrialization, combustion of coal and other anthropogenic activities has increased atmospheric mercury (Hg) concentrations by a factor of three to five (Pacyna et al. 2001;Schuster et al. 2002;Driscoll et al. 2013). Natural sources of Hg are volcanoes and the volatilization of Hg0 from ocean and soil surfaces. ...
We investigated Hg accumulation in maize (Zea mays) plants grown in non-contaminated conditions on a farm in Switzerland throughout a growing season. Concentrations of Hg in leaves and husk followed the same temporal pattern as the mass growth of these parts. In contrast, silk and tassel accumulated Hg almost linearly over time until harvest. At the end of the growing season Hg concentration was highest in tassel (10.4 ng g⁻¹), followed by leaves (7.3 ng g⁻¹) and silk (5.7 ng g⁻¹). Silk and tassel had accumulated 5–10 times more Hg per unit dry mass than all aboveground parts of the plant on average. Cob and kernels contained only very small amounts of Hg. Greater exposure of a plant part to the atmosphere was clearly associated with higher rates of Hg accumulation.
... The observed TGM concentrations in West Europe are lower (1.53 ± 0.15 ng m -3 , n = 15 sites) than in East Asia. We find the model (1.31 ± 0.09 ng m -3 ) slightly underestimates the observations (r = 0.22), but the model simulates high values in central and eastern regions, which is consistent with the observations and high emissions in 195 these areas(Pacyna et al., 2001(Pacyna et al., , 2006. In North America, the observed TGM concentrations are 1.47 ± 0.20 ng m -3 (n = 30), similar to the TGM level in West Europe. ...
Most global atmospheric mercury models use offline and reanalyzed meteorological fields, which has the advantages of higher accuracy and lower computational cost compared to online models, but they have limited capacity in predicting the future. Here, we use an atmospheric component with tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry (CAM6-Chem) of the state-ofthe-art global climate model CESM2, adding new species of mercury and simulating atmospheric mercury cycling. Our results show that the newly developed online model is able to simulate the observed spatial distribution of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in both polluted and non-polluted regions with high correlation coefficients in East Asia (r = 0.67) and North America (r = 0.57). The calculated lifetime of TGM against deposition is 5.3 months and reproduces the observed interhemispheric gradient of TGM with a peak value at northern mid-latitudes. Our model reproduces the observed spatial distribution of HgII wet deposition over North America (r = 0.80) and captures the magnitude of maximum in the Florida Peninsula. The simulated wet deposition fluxes in East Asia present a spatial distribution pattern of low in the northwest and high in the southeast. The online model is in line with the observed seasonal variations of TGM at northern mid-latitudes as well as the Southern Hemisphere, which shows lower amplitude. We further go into the factors that affect the seasonal variations of atmospheric mercury and find that both Hg0 dry deposition and HgII dry/wet depositions contribute to it.
... ERL and ERM values from Long et al. (1995) Table 3 Minimum, maximum and mean enrichment factors of the trace metals in the sediment cores collected on the shelf (S-70) and in the Oreto Canyon (OC-200, OC-500, OC-800), the Eleuterio Canyon (EC-200, EC-500) and the Arenella Canyon (AC-500). Location in Fig. 1 domestic effluents, together with environmental regulations and general decreasing use of some contaminants, have led to a certain reduction of their anthropogenic emissions worldwide (Nriagu, 1996;Pacyna et al., 2001). However, it may take several years or decades until the effects of this reduction can be recognized in the contamination levels of the sedimentary record, mainly depending on sediment accumulation rates and mixing processes (Mil-Homens et al., 2013;Cossa et al., 2014;Palanques et al., 2017). ...
Submarine canyons are preferential pathways for transport of particulate matter and contaminants from the shelf to the deep sea. The Gulf of Palermo continental margin has a very narrow shelf (about 2–3 km wide on average) and is incised by several submarine canyons that favour shelf-slope sediment transfer. A sediment core collected on the outer shelf and six sediment cores taken at different depths along the Oreto, Eleuterio and Anerella submarine canyons were analysed to study the transfer and historical record of trace metal contamination in the Gulf of Palermo continental margin. Trace metals, major elements, organic carbon and sediment grain size were analysed in these cores, which were dated with ²¹⁰Pb to assess their historical compositional evolution since the late 19th century. Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd content increased until the 1970s and 1980s, associated with the increase in urbanization and industrial activities in the Palermo area, and Hg was the contaminant that reached the highest enrichments. However, the increasing trend of these metals contamination was reversed in the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with drastic changes in the terrigenous content and grain size of sediments in the canyon axes. These changes occurred when bottom trawling fleets expanded to deeper fishing grounds equipped with powerful trawlers around the Gulf of Palermo canyon heads and flanks and along the Oreto canyon axis. Bottom trawlers have resuspended large amounts of sediment, which have been transferred into the canyons since the 1970s and 1980s and have thus increased sediment accumulation rates. This resuspended sediment has been mixing with the sediment transferred and accumulated along the canyons, diluting and reducing its trace metal contamination levels since the expansion of the bottom trawling fleets.
... Therefore, our study contributes to the global inventory of Hg hotspots which estimates around 3000 polluted sites worldwide (Kocman et al., 2013). The process improvement in chlor-alkali industries (conversion to the membrane process not involving Hg) has decreased the mercury waste about two orders of magnitude after the 1980s (Pacyna et al., 2001). In relation to soils, the positive effects of this process improvement can be observed long after the conversion. ...
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most dangerous pollutants worldwide. In the European Union (EU), we recently estimated the Hg distribution in topsoil using 21,591 samples and a series of geo-physical inputs. In this manuscript, we investigate the impact of mining activities, chrol-alkali industries and other diffuse pollution sources as primary anthropogenic sources of Hg hotspots in the EU. Based on Hg measured soil samples, we modelled the Hg pool in EU topsoils, which totals about 44.8 Gg, with an average density of 103 g ha⁻¹. As a following step, we coupled the estimated Hg stocks in topsoil with the pan-European assessment of soil loss due to water erosion and sediment distribution. In the European Union and UK, we estimated that about 43 Mg Hg yr⁻¹ are displaced by water erosion and c. a. 6 Mg Hg yr⁻¹ are transferred with sediments to river basins and eventually released to coastal Oceans. The Mediterranean Sea receives almost half (2.94 Mg yr⁻¹) of the Hg fluxes to coastal oceans and it records the highest quantity of Hg sediments. This is the result of elevated soil Hg concentration and high erosion rates in the catchments draining into the Mediterranean Sea. This work contributes to new knowledge in support of the policy development in the EU on the Zero Pollution Action Plan and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 3.9 and 14.1, which both have as an objective to reduce soil pollution by 2030.
... Heavy metals discharged into the water body may accumulate in the body of the fish and not be excreted. [21][22][23] Conclusion Heavy metal concentrations in Oreochromis niloticus in Agodi Reservoir showed that all the heavy metals bioaccumulated in the fish. There were significant variations in Fe, Mn, and Ni loadings between the wet and dry seasons. ...
The concentration of Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in Oreochromis niloticus (generally called Tilapia fish) was assessed at three different locations along Agodi Reservoir in Ibadan. Their relative concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Test location differences and seasonal variations of the values were examined using statistical analysis of variance at P<0.05 to establish pollution dynamics. The results showed declining order of heavy metal concentrations in the order of Mn>Fe>Zn>Cu>Co>Cd>Pb>Ni. Gradient effect was indicated. While Cd was found in decreasing order of concentration from inlet to the outlet, other metals like Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn had concentrations that gradually increased from inlet to the outlet. The concentration of Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn did not change considerably with season unlike Fe, Mn, and Ni that exhibited substantial seasonal variation. It was concluded that heavy metal accumulation caused marked pollution dynamics inside the Agodi Reservoir. Also, bio-accumulation of the metals in Oreochromis niloticus could give birth to location and seasonal dependency.
... Little et al. (2018) showed with the help of isotopic composition that especially the distribution of Cu is influenced by many different processes ranging from biological uptake, over remineralization at depth to complexation with organic ligands. However, we assume an additional anthropogenic input of Cu with non-ferrous metal production in north Africa as a source (Nriagu, 1979;Pacyna et al., 2001;Venkataraman et al., 2002). ...
For this study particle flux material collected over 13 years period starting in February 2002 until summer 2015 with the long-term mooring Kiel 276 (33°N, 22°W) in the subtropical Northeast Atlantic was analyzed. Our focus was set on the elemental composition and trace element fluxes which we analyzed with the help of ICP-OES and ICP-MS.
The particle flux has a mean of 60 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ (range: 1–365 mg m⁻² d⁻¹) with peak fluxes during February and April shortly after the winter bloom. Especially in 2004 high fluxes occurred through the year when the Azores Front was located south of the mooring. In this year enhanced nutrient supply and high dust concentration in the atmosphere were measured.
The analyzed trace elements of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, Zn, Zr, and Mn have mean fluxes of 43.4 μg Cd m⁻² d⁻¹, 205.7 μg Co m⁻² d⁻¹, 1.4 μg Cr m⁻² d⁻¹, 3.2 μg Cu m⁻² d⁻¹, 1.6 μg Ni m⁻² d⁻¹, 1.0 μg V m⁻² d⁻¹, 5.1 μg Zn m⁻² d⁻¹, 1.3 μg Zr m⁻² d⁻¹, and 7.8 μg Mn m⁻² d⁻¹. Biogenic trace elements (Cd, Zn, Ni) show maximum fluxes in winter and spring while no seasonality was present for refractory (Zr) and redox-sensitive elements (V, Mn, Co).
Fe, Ti, Co, Mn, V, Mn, and Zr are only little enriched towards the upper continental crust (EF < 2) as these elements originate from a lithogenic source and are little prone to dissolution or scavenging while Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Zn are more enriched with EF of 3.0, 9.6, 2.4, 6.2, and 5.0, respectively.
... In particular, mercury cell of chlor-alkali (MCCA) plants, which use elemental liquid Hg as cathode for generation of chlorine gas (Cl 2 ) and caustic soda (NaOH) by electrolysis of NaCl brines, release large quantities of mercury into the environment due to air emission, spills, leakage from cells or pumps, and maintenance activities. In 1995, Pacyna et al. (2011) estimated that MCCA plants were responsible for 12% (41.3 tonnes y À1 ) of the total anthropogenic atmospheric mercury emissions in Europe. Shoham-Frider et al. (2020) reported that, between 1956and 1976 tons of Hg were discharged into Haifa Bay from a MCCA plant located along the northern Mediterranean shore of Israel. ...
Isotopic composition of mercury (Hg) in marine organisms and sediment cores was used to identify sources and reconstruct historical trends of contamination in the coastal-marine area of Rosignano Solvay (Italy), affected by Hg pollution from a chlor-alkali plant on the near land. Sediments show a wide range of Hg concentration and Hg isotope signatures. Particularly, coupled Hg concentration and d202Hg values trace inputs from different sources. The two depth-profiles clearly indicate three distinct periods: “pre-industrial” (before 1941), “industrial” (between 1941 and 2007) and “post-industrial” (after 2007) ages. This is also corroborated by sediment chronology, using 210Pb dating method, validated through 137Cs. Marine organisms are characterized by Hg isotope signatures comparable to “post-industrial” surface sediments. Notably, specimens of Mullus spp. evidence isotope composition comparable to the “industrial” sediments, thus suggesting a still active role of those sediments as source of Hg for the benthic fish compartment. The small amount of MIF and the D199Hg/D201Hg ratio recorded in organisms are reasonably consistent with limited processes of MMHg demethylation in the water column.
... In particular, mercury cell of chlor-alkali (MCCA) plants, which use elemental liquid Hg as cathode for generation of chlorine gas (Cl 2 ) and caustic soda (NaOH) by electrolysis of NaCl brines, release large quantities of mercury into the environment due to air emission, spills, leakage from cells or pumps, and maintenance activities. In 1995, Pacyna et al. (2011) estimated that MCCA plants were responsible for 12% (41.3 tonnes y À1 ) of the total anthropogenic atmospheric mercury emissions in Europe. Shoham-Frider et al. (2020) reported that, between 1956and 1976 tons of Hg were discharged into Haifa Bay from a MCCA plant located along the northern Mediterranean shore of Israel. ...
Isotopic composition of mercury (Hg) in marine organisms and sediment cores was used to identify sources and reconstruct historical trends of contamination in the coastal-marine area of Rosignano Solvay (Italy), affected by Hg pollution from a chlor-alkali plant on the near land. Sediments show a wide range of Hg concentration and Hg isotope signatures. Particularly, coupled Hg concentration and δ²⁰²Hg values trace inputs from different sources. The two depth-profiles clearly indicate three distinct periods: “pre-industrial” (before 1941), “industrial” (between 1941 and 2007) and “post-industrial” (after 2007) ages. This is also corroborated by sediment chronology, using ²¹⁰Pb dating method, validated through ¹³⁷Cs. Marine organisms are characterized by Hg isotope signatures comparable to “post-industrial” surface sediments. Notably, specimens of Mullus spp. evidence isotope composition comparable to the “industrial” sediments, thus suggesting a still active role of those sediments as source of Hg for the benthic fish compartment. The small amount of MIF and the Δ¹⁹⁹Hg/Δ²⁰¹Hg ratio recorded in organisms are reasonably consistent with limited processes of MMHg demethylation in the water column.
... The degradation of these aquatic environments particularly affects regions of Africa. While some parts of the world, such as Europe and North America, have declined their contributions to aquatic Hg levels, the levels in Africa have increased in recent decades (Pacyna et al. 2001(Pacyna et al. , 2006. This increase is due to the use of Hg in all anthropic activities, including gold mining, which has led to an increase in Hg fluxes in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in Africa (Fiston 2017 terrestrial and aquatic environments is not without risk to human health because these environments are used for either agriculture or fishing. ...
This study addresses the different biogeochemical parameters that control the dynamics of Hg, which is a less-studied metal in the Ebrié Lagoon. During two hydrological seasons, the dry season and the rainy season, we regularly sampled and analysed various compartments (e.g. sediments and fishes (Tilapia sp.)) of the lagoon. Thus, the physicochemical parameters were measured in situ (e.g. temperature, pH, salinity, redox potential and dissolved oxygen, total dissolved organic carbon, nitrates and sulphates), and the microbiological parameters (e.g. cultivable cells, total enzymatic activity and catabolic activity) were measured to establish the seasonal variations in the links between Hg and biogeochemical parameters through multivariate statistical analyses. The bioavailability of Hg from an unpolluted site was studied by comparing the ratios of fish and sediment. The results indicated that the seasons influenced the different biogeochemical factors, although for some factors, the variations were not significant. This influence was more pronounced in the dry season than in the rainy season. The impact of microbial activities and organic matter on Hg dynamics was observed in all seasons. However, other factors, such as pH, temperature, salinity, Eh and sulphates, influenced the dynamics of Hg only in the dry season.
... Dentro de dichas acciones se destacan la construcción de inventarios de usos y de emisiones de Hg, así como la identificación de los lugares más contaminados. En Latinoamérica, Chile, Ecuador y Panamá han realizado inventarios de Hg apoyados por el PNUMA (12)(13)(14). ...
El mercurio es un metal pesado, potencialmente tóxico para los ecosistemas y los seres humanos. En Bogotá no se realizan mediciones directas y no se cuenta con un mapa distrital de concentraciones de dicho contaminante. El estudio busca establecer si hay una posible relación entre las zonas de exposición ambiental a mercurio y las concentraciones encontradas en marcadores biológicos de población general de Bogotá-Colombia, 2012/2013.
... A typical example is mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification in marine food webs [42], given that mercury exposure has been shown to cause severe neurotoxic effects in marine fauna and humans [43,44]. Despite the reducing anthropogenic emissions observed in the last decades [45], mercury pollution is acknowledged as an issue worldwide due to its long-distance transport and persistence in the environment. ...
Coastal areas have been increasingly affected by human activities, marine pollution and climate change are among the most important pressures affecting these environments. Human-induced pressures occur in a cumulative way and generate additive, antagonistic or synergistic effects. Knowledge on synergistic effects is crucial to coastal zone management, since they may imply a change in human uses of these systems, as well as dedicated action plans in order to reduce hazards and environmental risks. In this work, we provide an overview of the available literature on synergistic effects between climate change and chemical pollution, and discuss current knowledge, methodological approaches, and research gaps and needs. Interactions between these two pressures may be climate change dominant (climate change leads to an increase in contaminant exposure or toxicity) or contaminant-dominant (chemical exposure leads to an increase in climate change susceptibility), but the mechanistic drivers of such processes are not well known. Results from a few meta-analyses studies and reviews showed that synergistic interactions tend to be more frequent compared to additive and antagonistic ones. However, most of the studies are individual-based and assess the cumulative effects of a few contaminants individually in laboratory settings together with few climate variables, particularly temperature and pH. Nevertheless, a wide diversity of contaminants have already been individually tested, spanning from metals, persistent organic pollutants and, more recently, emergent pollutants. Population and community based approaches are less frequent but have generated very interesting and more holistic perspectives. Methodological approaches are quite diverse, from laboratory studies to mesocosm and field studies, or based on statistical or modelling tools, each with their own potential and limitations. More holistic comparisons integrating several pressures and their combinations and a multitude of habitats, taxa, life-stages, among others, are needed, as well as insights from meta-analyses and systematic reviews.
... At the Canadian Arctic site any significant changes of annual average mercury concentrations have not been detected since 1995 [7]. Strict regulations were applied to the major anthropogenic mercury emission sources in Europe and North America [8][9][10][11], however, mercury emissions increased in develop-ing countries [10,12,13]. Long-term monitoring of mercury concentrations at the Mace Head atmospheric research station on the west coast of Ireland did not show any trend in the concentration levels during the measurement period. ...
The results of the long-term study of atmospheric mercury concentrations in the rain water carried out at the Aukštaitija and Žemaitija integrated monitoring stations are presented in this work. The bulk precipitation samples at both stations were collected every week during the 2007–2017 period. The mercury measurement method is based on the absorption of radiation by mercury vapour at the 253.7 nm line. The monthly samples of precipitation after preparation were analysed using a mercury analyzer ‘Gardis’ developed at our institution. The average annual concentrations, deposition amounts and trends of mercury in the precipitation over the period of 2007–2017 were analysed. The tendency of average monthly mercury concentrations in the precipitation at the Žemaitija station was continuously increasing before 2011, however, after 2012 it has a decreasing tendency which was contrary to that at the Aukštaitija station. At the same time, the tendencies of average monthly amounts of mercury deposited with precipitation showed decreasing amounts, especially at the Žemaitija station. Explanation of the above-mentioned phenomenon is complicated and the main reason is very changeable air mass trajectories and irregularity of precipitation.
... Nevertheless, observed sediment and individual Hg concentrations fall within the range of concentrations previously linked with deleterious biological effects on vertebrate and invertebrate species (e.g., Long et al., 1995;Depew et al., 2012;Mieiro et al., 2014). Ultimately, anthropogenic emissions of Hg have been significantly reduced in the last decades (Pacyna et al., 2001), yet ongoing contamination and bioaccumulation across ecosystems persists. In the context of nursery areas, which play a key role in the replenishment of coastal fishery stocks, exploring small-scale variation in estuarine Hg contamination is key to assess potential effects on juvenile biota, and consequent potential long-term implications on the adult coastal fishery stocks targeted for human consumption (e.g., Rochet, 2000;Fonseca et al., 2015). ...
Estuaries are renown sinks or repositories of contaminants and reflect historical pollution of persistent compounds. In particular, mercury (Hg) contamination is widespread in coastal environments and occurs in both inorganic (THg) and highly toxic organic forms (OHg) with high bioaccumulation potential. Trophic magnification factors have been increasingly used to quantify biomagnification and represent the average rate of change in contaminant concentration throughout a food web. Here, we assessed small-scale spatial variation in THg and OHg concentrations, as well as variations in local trophic magnification factors in three segregated areas of the Tejo estuary. Selected sites covered a gradient of contamination from industrial Hg hotspots to a natural reserve area, and are key nursery areas for multiple fishes. We analyzed concentrations in sediment and biota, representing the entire local food webs. Samples included sediments, primary producers (salt marsh plants), primary consumers (macrobenthic invertebrates) and top consumers (fish muscle and liver), and the trophic web structure was characterized via SIAR mixed-modeling of nitrogen and carbon isotopic ratios. Spatial variation in Hg concentrations was observed in sediment and biota (but not for all species), with highest concentrations in the area near historical mercury input. Hg concentrations increased with trophic level, and so did the OHg fraction (% of OHg relative to THg), with mean maximum values up to 48.7 and 94.9% in invertebrates and fish, respectively. Trophic magnification factors were positive for all sites (p < 0.05 for all regressions), ranging between 1.56 to 1.76 and 1.78 to 2.47 for THg and OHg, respectively. Overall, rates of mercury bioaccumulation were similar across sites with variations in biota Hg concentrations reflecting baseline differences in site environmental levels. Understanding mercury bioaccumulation and magnification in estuarine biota is critical to safeguard the multiple ecologic functions and economic benefits estuaries provide.
... A simple conditional name could be "secondary anthropogenic contribution" factor, keeping in mind the role of fertilizers and pesticides, municipal wastes, local traffic pollution, distance aerosols and of course, sources related to ore transport. The coal combustion used for power plants and residential heating are main sources of anthropogenic Hg emissions in Bulgaria [23]. ...
The present study deals with the assessment of pollution caused by a large industrial facility using multivariate statistical methods. The primary goal is to classify specific pollution sources and to apportion their involvement in the formation of the total concentration of the chemical parameters being monitored. This aim is accomplished by intelligent data analysis based on cluster analysis, principal component analysis and principal component regression analysis. Five latent factors are found to explain over 80% of the total variance of the system being conditionally named “organic”, “non-ferrous smelter”, “acidic”, “secondary anthropogenic contribution” and “natural” factor. The apportionment models designate the contribution of the identified sources quantitatively and help in the interpretation of risk assessment and management actions. Since the study takes into account pollution uptake from soil to a cabbage plant, the data interpretation could help in introducing biomonitoring aspects of the assessment. The chemometric expertise helps in revealing hidden relationships between the objects and the variables involved to achieve a better understanding of specific pollution events in the soil of a severely industrially impacted region.
... Also, exposure to dioxins in the general population occurs through emissions in the atmosphere of particles with a large size range leading to exposure through direct inhalation, in particular in earlier years, but also from consumption of contaminated fat-rich food or dermal contact via the wet and dry deposition of particle and the contamination of the food chain [20]. While numerous facilities, including metal industries and cement kilns are likely to emit dioxins [17,20,21], the majority of published studies restricted exposure assessment to incinerators [15,22,23]. Moreover, information on the evolution of the facility technologies and activity over time is needed to precisely assess long-term dioxin exposure [24]. ...
Background
Dioxins are environmental and persistent organic carcinogens with endocrine disrupting properties. A positive association with several cancers, including risk of breast cancer has been suggested.
Objectives
This study aimed to develop and assess performances of an exposure metric based on a Geographic Information System (GIS) through comparison with a validated dispersion model to estimate historical industrial dioxin exposure for its use in a case-control study nested within a prospective cohort.
Methods
Industrial dioxin sources were inventoried over the whole French territory (n > 2500) and annual average releases were estimated between 1990 and 2008. In three selected areas (rural, urban and urban-costal), dioxin dispersion was modelled using SIRANE, an urban Gaussian model and exposure of the French E3N cohort participants was estimated. The GIS-based metric was developed, calibrated and compared to SIRANE results using a set of parameters (local meteorological data, characteristics of industrial sources, e.g. emission intensity and stack height), by calculating weighted kappa statistics (wκ) and coefficient of determination (R²). Furthermore, as performance evaluation, the final GIS-based metric was tested to assess atmospheric exposure to cadmium.
Results
The concordance between the GIS-based metric and the dispersion model for dioxin exposure estimate was strong (wκ median = 0.78 (1st quintile = 0.72, 3rd quintile =0.82) and R² median = 0.82 (1st quintile = 0.71, 3rd quintile = 0.87)). We observed similar performance for cadmium.
Conclusions
Our study demonstrated the ability of the GIS-based metric to reliably characterize long-term environmental dioxin and cadmium exposures as well as the pertinence of using dispersion modelling to construct and calibrate the GIS-based metric.
... mercury has been mobilised by anthropogenic activities for millennia Mason and Sullivan 1998;Pacyna et al. 2006), industrialisation has hastened anthropogenic mercury mobilisation, with coal combustion and non-ferrous metal smelting, in combination with the chemical (alkali metal and chlorine manufacture) and extraction (gold mining) industries, liberating evermore mercury to the atmosphere Pacyna et al. 2006). In fact, large uncertainty notwithstanding, global anthropogenic mercury emissions may have reached approximately 1000-4000 × 10 6 g year −1 in recent decades, which is broadly equal to that derived from natural sources (Pacyna et al. 2001;Pacyna et al. 2006;Pacyna et al. 2010;Seigneur et al. 2004;Wong et al. 2006). ...
China is a massive mercury emitter, responsible for a quarter of the world’s mercury emissions, which transit the atmosphere and accumulate throughout its watercourses. The Changjiang (Yangtze) River is the third largest river in the world, integrating mercury emissions over its 1.8 × 10⁶ km² catchment and channelling them to the East China Sea where they can be buried. Despite its potential global significance, the importance of the East China Sea as a terminal mercury sink remains poorly known. To address this knowledge gap, total mercury and methylmercury concentrations were determined from 51 surface sediment samples revealing their spatial distribution, whilst demonstrating the overall pollution status of the East China Sea. Sedimentary mercury distributions beneath the East China Sea are spatially heterogeneous, with high mercury concentrations (> 25 ng g⁻¹) corresponding to areas of fine-grained sediment accumulation. In contrast, some sites of fine-grained sediment deposition have significantly lower values of methylmercury (< 15 ng g⁻¹), such as the Changjiang estuary and some isolated offshore areas. Fine-grained particles and organic matter availability appear to exert the dominant control over sedimentary mercury distribution in the East China Sea, whereas in situ methylation serves as an additional control governing methylmercury accumulation. Estimated annual sedimentary fluxes of mercury in the East China Sea are 51 × 10⁶ g, which accounts for 9% of China’s annual mercury emissions.
... Analysis of equilibrium data is important for developing an equation that can be used to compare different biomaterials under different operational conditions and to design and optimize an operating procedure [12,13]. The equilibrium relationships between the adsorbent and the adsorbate are described by the adsorption isotherms. ...
The aim of this work was to study the effectiveness of a coagulant that removes different pollutants. Adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature in different turbidity were evaluated. The adsorbent dose were varied from 20-160 mg/l. The time were varied from 10 min-310 min. The optimal conditions of adsorption obtained were 100 mg/l of adsorbent dose and 45 min contact time for high turbid (361 to 465 NTU) water and 40 mg/l for low turbid (36.8 to 39.9 NTU) water. Moringa stenopetala is effective for high turbidity (98.5%). From 0.1 mg/l initial concentration of the metals, the highest removal efficiency of 82.9% was found for Pb and the lowest for Cr (53.18%). The results showed better fit by the Freundlich models, describing a multilayer adsorption. The thermodynamic studies suggested that a high temperature favors for the adsorption of heavy metals on M. stenopetala, indicating a spontaneous adsorption process. Introduction Environmental issues are a critical factor for today's industry competitiveness. Indeed, the society and the individual consumers could set a common framework for companies' commitment and engagement regarding environment protection. Redesign the process, recover by-products or reuse effluents are some of the possible actions towards an ecoefficient strategy. Nevertheless, a point remains crucial in such mission: the ability to defend natural ecosystems from polluted wastewaters. For such purpose, a wastewater treatment plant that maximizes removal efficiency and minimizes investment and operation costs is a key factor [1]. As one of the key water purification processes, coagulation binds the colloidal particles and bacteria, allowing an electrostatic precipitation of contaminates from solution, the cost-effective consideration of which is distinct in developing countries, such as Malawi. The seeds of Moringa oleifera, which is a tropical tree commonly found in parts of Africa, India, Malaysia, Sir Lanka and America, has been widely used as a coagulant in terms of the powder extract [2, 3] Several coagulants of plant origin have been traditionally used to clean water. Of special interest are the M. stenopetala seeds which increasingly are being recognized as a substitute for wastewater treatment due to its effectiveness as a water purifier. Moringa stenopetala seed cake powder has coagulating properties that bind and agglomerate to negatively charged particulates which constitute any wastewater. However, there is still paucity of information on efficiency of the Ethiopian endemic plant M. stenopetala and the best amount (dose) of coagulant that removes the different pollutants from the effluent. [3]. Therefore, the major objective of the study was to assess the degree of wastewater treatment efficiency using M. stenopetala seed cake powder. The specific objectives were to analyse physico-chemical (Turbidity, TDS, NO 3-N, PO 4
... Although anthropogenic Hg emissions have decreased by half over the last decades (Obrist et al., 2018;Pacyna et al., 2001), mercury contamination is still a global issue due to the long-range transport of this persistent pollutant across several environmental compartments (Fitzgerald and Lamborg, 2003;Sonke et al., 2013). Biological mercury hotspots found worldwide are a major concern to human populations and the ecosystems on which they depend (Driscoll et al., 2013;Evers et al., 2007;Obrist et al., 2018). ...
The plant Halimione portulacoides, an abundant species widely distributed in temperate salt-marshes, has been previously assessed as bioindicator and biomonitor of mercury contamination in these ecosystems. The present study aims to assess uptake and distribution of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MMHg) within H. portulacoides, potential mercury release by volatilization through leaves, and toxicity and tolerance mechanisms by investigating plant photochemical responses. Stem cuttings of H. portulacoides were collected from a salt-marsh within the Tagus estuary natural protected area, and grown under hydroponic conditions. After root development, plants were exposed to 199HgCl2 and CH3201HgCl, and sampled at specific times (0, 1, 2, 4, 24, 72, 120, 168 (7 days) and 432 h (18 days)). After exposure, roots, stems and leaves were analysed for total 199Hg (T199Hg) and MM201Hg content. Photobiology parameters, namely efficiency and photoprotection capacity, were measured in leaves. Both THg and MMHg were incorporated into the plant root system, stems and leaves, with roots showing much higher levels of both isotope enriched spikes than the other plant tissues. Presence of both mercury isotopes in the stems and leaves and high significant correlations found between roots and stems, and stems and leaves, for both THg and MMHg concentrations, indicate Hg translocation between the roots and above-ground organs. Long-term uptake in stems and leaves, leading to higher Hg content, was more influenced by temperature and radiation than short-term uptake. However, the relatively low levels of both THg and MMHg in the aerial parts of the plant, which were influenced by temperature and radiation, support the possibility of mercury release by stems and leaves, probably via stomata aperture, as a way to eliminate toxic mercury. Regarding photochemical responses, few differences between control and exposed plants were observed, indicating high tolerance of this salt marsh plant to THg and MMHg.
The Multi-Compartment Hg (mercury) Modeling and Analysis Project (MCHgMAP) is an international multi-model research initiative intended to simulate and analyze the geospatial distributions and temporal trends of environmental Hg to inform the effectiveness evaluations of two multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs): the Minamata Convention on Mercury (MC) and Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). This MCHgMAP overview paper presents its science objectives, background and rationale, experimental design (multi-model ensemble (MME) architecture, inputs and evaluation data, simulations and reporting framework), and methodologies for the evaluation and analysis of simulated environmental Hg levels. The primary goals of the project are to facilitate detection and attribution of recent (observed) and future (projected) spatial patterns and temporal trends of global environmental Hg levels, and identification of key knowledge gaps in Hg science and modeling to improve future effectiveness evaluation cycles of the MEAs. The current advances and challenges of Hg models, emission inventories, and observational data are examined, and an optimized multi-model experimental design is introduced for addressing the key policy questions of the MEAs. A common set of emissions, environmental conditions, and observation datasets are proposed (where possible) to enhance the MME comparability. A novel harmonized simulation approach between atmospheric, land, oceanic and multi-media models is developed to account for the short- and long-term changes in secondary Hg exchanges and to achieve mechanistic consistency of Hg levels across environmental matrices. A comprehensive set of model experiments is developed and prioritized to ensure a systematic analysis and participation of a variety of models from the scientific community.
Mercury, which has been used since ancient times can also cause severe threats to human health and the environment. It exists in various forms (like metallic, inorganic, and organic), and each carries its own health burden. Its ability to be transported long distances is an environmental threat that can affect far-away ecosystems and wildlife. Notable mercury-related incidents such as Minamata, Iraq, Grassy Narrows, Kodaikanal, and others shook the world. In addition, its widespread industrial use poses a high risk of exposure. Major threats posed in healthcare are artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), scientific applications, and electrical industries. Mercury enters the human body both through inhalation and/or ingestion, inducing a range of detrimental cellular changes. It binds with the sulfhydryl and selenohydryl groups on albumin present in the plasma, disrupting receptors, and intracellular signals. It induces the production of free radicals and alters cellular redox potential. Additionally, it can disrupt cellular signaling pathways, involved in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Its permeability across the blood–brain barrier makes it severely neurotoxic, especially CH3-Hg (methylation mainly caused by microbes) binds to thiol-containing molecules like cysteine to form CH3-Hg-Cys and readily crosses the blood–brain barrier, damages the cerebellum and visual cortex. Mercury can induce post-translational changes affecting protein biosynthesis. Besides, the digestive, respiratory, muscular, and renal systems are also affected. Mercury produces oxidative stress, triggers autoimmunity and damages DNA, mitochondria, and lipid membranes. Its disposition in the CNS suggests its potential role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and glial tumors. Several methods for controlling mercury pollution exist but the use of nano-adsorbents and bioremediation are most common. As a holistic approach, phasing out mercury use, replacing it with suitable substitutes, proper waste disposal, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and enforcing strict legislation seems to be a practical option. WHO and the national governments have provided the restrictions and permissible limits for mercury use. Worth mentioning is the implementation of the Minamata Convention to control and reduce global mercury emissions and releases.
This study explored the temporospatial distribution, gas-particle partition, and pollution sources of atmospheric speciated mercury (ASM) from the eastern offshore waters of the Taiwan Island (TI) to the northern South China Sea (SCS). Both gaseous and particulate mercury were simultaneously sampled at three remote sites in four seasons. The average concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate bound mercury (PBM) were 2.05 ± 0.45 ng/m3, 19.17 ± 5.39 pg/m3, and 0.11 ± 0.06 ng/m3, respectively. The concentrations of GEM and PBM in the cold seasons were higher than those in the warm seasons, but those of GOM had an opposite trend. In terms of gas-solid partition, ASM was apportioned as 91.3-97.3% of GEM and 2.7-8.7% of GOM and PBM. The average concentrations of GEM, GOM, and PBM at the Green Island (GI) were 2.21 ± 0.47 ng/m3, 22.31 ± 5.35 pg/m3, and 0.12 ± 0.06 ng/m3; those at the Kenting Peninsula (KT) were 2.11 ± 0.43 ng/m3, 20.57 ± 4.38 pg/m3, and 0.11 ± 0.06 ng/m3; and those at the Dongsha Islands (DS) were 1.84 ± 0.40 ng/m3, 15.19 ± 3.58 pg/m3, and 0.08 ± 0.05 ng/m3, respectively. Overall, the spatial distribution of ASM concentrations showed the order as: GI > KT > DS. Air masses blown mainly from the West Pacific Ocean (WPO) and SCS in summer showed the lowest ASM concentrations. Oppositely, high ASM concentrations were commonly observed in spring and winter when polluted air masses were blown by Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs). The transport routes of polluted air masses were originated mainly from North China, Central China, Northeast China, Korea and Japan, and mostly passed through the urban and industrial regions in the northeastern Asian countries.
In this study, the pollution characteristics, spatiotemporal variation, and potential sources of atmospheric speciated mercury (ASM) in an industrial harbor area were explored. Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particle-bound mercury (PBM) were sampled by a self-designed manual system at three harbor sites in four seasons. The yearly average concentrations of GEM, GOM, and PBM were 6.7 ± 2.0 ng/m³, 244 ± 70 pg/m³, and 410 ± 105 pg/m³, respectively. The seasonal average ASM concentration was in the order of: winter > fall > spring > summer. In terms of species, GEM dominated ASM, while reactive mercury (RM = GOM + PBM) accounted for 6.0–15.7%of ASM, implying that ASM was governed by anthropogenic sources in the harbor area. The highest ASM concentrations were observed at Site Zhonghe (ZH), which is mainly influenced by both ship exhausts and industrial emissions, and positively correlated with CO, NOx, and SO2. In particular, GOM was positively correlated with O3, and negatively correlated with air temperature and relative humidity, showing high impact from atmospheric photochemical reactions. Air masses transporting westerly in spring were mainly from ship exhausts. In summer, air masses transporting from the south were from utility power plants and machinery exhausts. In fall and winter, air masses were transported mainly from the north, blowing by the long-range transport of polluted air masses originated from the north. Both principal component analysis and positive matrix factorization results indicate that coal burning, industrial emissions, and vehicular exhausts are the main contributors to ASM. Site Zhongdao (ZD) was close to the bulk carrier loading and unloading zones and was highly influenced by mobile sources, while Site ZH was mainly influenced by the neighboring industrial complex.
A novel 5-(2-Benzothiazolyl)-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (ALD) based probe NETBZ has been fabricated as a fluorogenic probe for sensitive detection of Hg²⁺ ions in CH3CN:HEPES (70/30, v/v, pH: 7.0) media. The probe NETBZ exhibited turn-off behavior from blue to colorless under UV light, in the presence of Hg²⁺ with limit of detection (LOD) (3σ/K) of 14.3 nM. In the presence of various cations (Mn²⁺, Cr³⁺, Ba²⁺, K⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, Sr²⁺, Pb²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Al³⁺), no significant changes were observed in its spectral patterns. The mechanism of the NETBZ-Hg²⁺ system could be thanks to chelation-enhanced fluorescence quenching (CHEQ), which was further confirmed by DFT computation, Job’s method, and also ¹H-NMR titration. The binding constant of probe NETBZ with Hg²⁺ from the Benesi-Hildebrand equation was found as 3.67 × 10¹⁵ M⁻³. Furthermore, new fluorescence strips based on TLC plate application for NETBZ and NETBZ-Hg²⁺ system was fabricated.
In order to better understand the role of the Hg atmospheric samples, in this work we investigated how much Hg there is in a commercially available biodiesel/diesel mix (B7, 7 % v v-¹ biodiesel to petroleum diesel), in the Urban Dust reference material SRM1649b, in samples freshly and directly emitted by heavy-duty vehicles, and in ambient air. Total Hg in diesel B7 fuels from five different gas companies, ranged from 0.50 to 1.10 µg kg-¹, being 0.79 ± 0.05 µg kg-¹ (average ± one standard deviation). Following, in the SRM1649b analysis, we found Hg at 1.75 ± 0.01 mg kg-1, which is equivalent to more than 97.2 % recovery when compared to the certified value. In order to evaluate particulate Hg emissions under near real-life conditions, we collected PM2.5 and PM10 samples in an underground floor bus station. Total Hg levels for the bus station were 2.90 ± 1.15 µg g-¹ for PM2.5 and 2.19 ± 1.00 µg g-¹ for PM10. Particulate Hg in ambient samples were 1.82 ± 0.87 µg g-¹ (site 3, Itaparica, ITA) to 9.11 ± 4.17 µg g-¹ (site 1, Navy Base of Aratu, BNA) for PM2.5 and 1.31 ± 0.89 µg g-¹ (ITA) to 3.57 ± 1.25 µg g-¹ (BNA), for PM10. Either in bus station or ambient samples we found the PM2.5 mass is about 60 % of the PM10 mass, which explains particulate-bound Hg is mainly found in fine particles. Risk assessment through inhalation was done for adults, adolescents, children and infants. Although the highest DIE (daily inhalation exposure) values were observed for the bus station as well as the lowest DIE values were found to be from ITA, the risk levels are considered low.
Recently there have been some major moves towards implementing emission limits and/or emission control technologies for mercury emissions from coal combustion in several countries, especially in the USA. This report draws together the latest data on mercury emissions highlighting, where possible, inaccuracies and disagreements between studies. It addresses the legal requirements which are likely to be set for coal-fired power plants. The available technologies for mercury control and those currently under development are then reviewed in order to determine the most cost-effective ways of achieving the required reduction in mercury emissions.
Mercury exists in the earth’s crust mostly as cinnabar (HgS) and hence is present as an impurity in most of the fuel and minerals. Coal is the primary fuel source for 40.7% of the world according to 2014 data. In recent years, there is a decline in coal usage in countries like Europe, USA, and China. However, India’s energy consumption has doubled since year 2000 with coal being the major fuel source. With the rising coal demand, India is predicted to be the largest coal importer in the world before 2020. Mercury content in coal varies from 0.05 to 0.2 g/MT according to the United Nations Environmental Program’s mercury estimation toolkit. Mercury pollution monitoring and its intercontinental transport modeling done for Arctic region concludes that 32% of this pollution originated from the Asian countries. Various world mercury emission estimates done in the past researches consider India to be the second largest mercury emitter after China. Last mercury emission estimate for India was done in the year 2004. This paper compares the mercury emissions from coal combustion in India to that of the world and studies the effectiveness of various air pollution control devices in the removal of mercury from coal combustion emissions.
Un certain nombre d'études ont étudié le lien entre cancer du sein et exposition aux dioxines et au cadmium. Toutefois, les résultats de ces études ne sont pas concluants et présentent des limites méthodologiques. L'objectif principal de cette thèse était de développer un indicateur spatial permettant d'estimer les expositions atmosphériques chroniques aux dioxines et au cadmium des femmes issues de la cohorte E3N en France, entre 1990 et 2008. Nous avons créé une base de données de 2620 sources de dioxines et 2700 sources de cadmium et estimé et géolocalisé leurs émissions. L'estimation des émissions à la source et leur localisation ont servi de base pour la construction de l'indicateur spatial. Nous avons identifié une sélection de paramètres permettant d'obtenir un accord « substantiel » entre les classifications des expositions des femmes de la cohorte E3N, localisées à l'adresse de résidence, estimées avec l'indicateur, et avec le modèle gaussien SIRANE. En utilisant le modèle SIRANE, nous avons également étudié la variabilité spatio-temporelle (1990-2008) des concentrations de dioxines et de cadmium sur la métropole de Lyon. Pour la première fois des concentrations modélisées ont été comparées à des mesures de concentrations de dioxines en air ambiant. L'indicateur développé dans cette thèse a été utilisé pour estimer le risque de cancer du sein associé à l'exposition atmosphérique aux dioxines dans une étude cas-témoins niché au sein de la cohorte E3N. Il est utilisé actuellement dans une étude sur le lien entre exposition au cadmium et risque de cancer du sein, et pourra être appliqué dans de futures études portant sur d'autres polluants ou d'autres pathologies
Dioxins, are persistent organic pollutants with endocrine disrupting properties and are classified as human carcinogens. To better characterise historical atmospheric dioxin exposure in epidemiological studies, we performed a comprehensive inventory of dioxin-emitting sources between 1990 and 2008, in France, at a fine spatial resolution, according to the methodology of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Toolkit.
Overall, we identified 2620 distinct dioxin-emitting sources over the French territory. The majority of the sources were geolocated either at the stack (43%) or at the building (27%). The final database contains the technical characteristics and activity rates for each source over the study period. These data served to estimate total annual dioxin emissions (g-TEQ/year).
We compared our estimates with both measurements and emissions inventories (at departmental and national level). The discrepancies in the comparisons between the Toolkit estimates, the dioxin measurements available, and inventories remained within the uncertainty range of the UNEP Toolkit estimates. The differences observed were due to a general lack of data and to the large number of small incinerators with large dioxin emissions inventoried. Due to better access to relevant data and a decrease in emissions, the UNEP Toolkit estimates get closer to measurements and estimates of others inventories for more recent years.
We created the first database containing the annual atmospheric dioxin emissions for a large number of emission sources at the facility scale for an entire country. This database was used to assess exposure to dioxins in epidemiological studies.
The photocatalytic oxidation technology is a new technology for the oxidation treatment of Hg0 developed in the existing Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization (WFGD) equipment, in which the removal efficiency of Hg2+ is high and the removal efficiency of Hg0 is very low. When ultraviolet light (UV) is used to irradiate a substance containing TiO2 to pass the flue gas, photocatalytic catalytic oxidation reaction occurs, and Hg0 is oxidized to Hg2+, which is easily absorbed later in the WFGD apparatus, thereby improving the removal efficiency of mercury. The technology is still in the experimental development stage and needs further research. It has brought widespread interests to introduce surface defect or form interface heterostructure to improve the photocatalytic activity of the nanomaterials. The Ti-Bi-based nanomaterial photocatalyst with defect TiO2/BiOIO3 heterostructure has been fabricated via calcination method. The results showed that to introduce surface defect and form interface heterostructure on photocatalysts together can increase the response of the visible light, promoting the transfer velocity of the photocarriers and in turn suppressing the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes, and this may become a developing trend in the near future.
Two novel fluorogenic probes (S1 and S2) containing AIE luminogen and Schiff bases with high selectivity toward Hg²⁺ over other metal ions were developed in aqueous solutions and living cells. They showed remarkable aggregation-induced emission enhancement and the fluorescent emission of S2 was stronger in almost pure water due to the introduction of two oxyalkyl chains and longer conjugation lengths. More importantly, both S1 and S2 have been successfully applied for Hg²⁺ detection in aqueous solutions with low detection limits (LODs), and S2 could be applied for the detection of Hg²⁺ by the naked eye. The detection limits of S1 and S2 for Hg²⁺ were calculated to be 19.4 and 9.84 nM (<2 ppb), respectively. Furthermore, [S1, S2] + Hg²⁺ sensors were found to be active in aqueous media with wide ranges of pH values (about 5.5–12). In addition, biological imaging demonstrated that S1 and S2 could act as turn-off fluorescent chemosensors for Hg²⁺ in living cells, but the effect of S1 was more significant, which was contrary to its effect in aqueous solutions.
Size-resolved trace metal concentrations at four sites in Leipzig (Germany) and its surrounding were assessed between the winter of 2013 and the summer of 2015. The measurements were performed in parallel at; traffic dominated (Leipzig – Mitte, LMI), traffic and residential dominated (Eisenbahnstrasse, EIB), urban background (TROPOS, TRO) and regional background (Melpitz, MEL) sites. In total, 19 trace metals, i.e. K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ba, V, Pb, Ni, Cr, Sr, Sn, Sb, Co and Rb were analysed using total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF). The major metals were Fe, K and Ca with concentrations ranging between; 31–440 ng/m³, 42–153 ng/m³ and 24–322 ng/m³, respectively, while the trace metals with the lowest concentrations were Co, Rb and Se with concentrations of; < 0.3 ng/m³, <0.5 ng/m³ and 0.5–0.7 ng/m³, respectively. PM10 trace metal concentrations during easterly air mass inflow especially at the background sites were in average 70% higher in the winter and 30% higher in the summer in comparison to westerly air mass inflow. Traffic at LMI contributed to about 75% of Cr, Ba, Cu, Sb, Sn, Ca, Co, Mn, Fe and Ti concentrations while regional activities contributed to more than 70% of K, Rb, Pb, Se, As and V concentrations. Traffic dominated trace metals were often observed in the coarse mode while the regional background dominated trace metals were often observed in the fine mode. Trace metal sources were related to crustal matter and road dust re-suspension for metals such as Ca, Fe, Co, Sr, and Ti, brake and tire wear (Cu, Sb, Ba, Fe, Zn, Pb), biomass burning (K, Rb), oil and coal combustion (V, Zn, As, Pb). Crustal matter contributed 5–12% in winter and 8–19% in summer of the PM10 mass. Using Cu and Zn as markers for brake and tire wear, respectively, the estimated brake and tire wear contributions to the PM10 mass were 0.1–0.8% and 1.7–2.9%, respectively. The higher contributions were observed at the traffic sites while the lower contributions were observed at the regional background site. In total, non-exhaust emissions could account for about 10–22% of the PM10 mass in the summer and about 7–15% of the PM10 mass in the winter.
Although quite extensive information exists on environmental and health effects of mercury and its behavior in the environment, much less information is available on the emission fluxes of the element. Preliminary studies conclude that on the global scale the Hg emission to the air is comparable with direct inputs of the element to the aquatic environment and are almost a half of the direct releases to the terrestrial environment. Thus, the atmosphere is an important pathway for mercury cycling in the environment. Globally, combustion of fossil fuels to produce electricity and heat is the major source of atmospheric emissions of Hg. Both national and regional emission inventories indicate that the combustion of fuels, particularly coal, emits more than half of the atmospheric Hg in Europe. Major portion of Hg emissions from combustion of fuels is in a gaseous phase. In the combustion zone Hg present in coal or other fossil fuels evaporates in elemental form and then most likely a portion of it is oxidized while in the flue gases. The oxidized forms of Hg can be retained in modern flue gas cleaning systems. Refuse incineration seems to be the second largest source of Hg emissions to the atmosphere. Emission generation process for Hg during the incineration of wastes is similar to that during combustion of fossil fuels. However, more Hg in the oxidized form is expected from incinerators due to the higher content of chlorine in the wastes compared to fossil fuels.
Samples for measurements of total gaseous mercury (Hg) in air have been collected since 1980 in south-western part of Scandinavia. A collection program for precipitation samples used to determine changes in depositional fluxes of total Hg has been in operation since 1987. A comparison of today's total gaseous Hg levels in air and the total Hg concentrations in precipitation with the ones found earlier, shows a clear decrease with time. At the Swedish west-coast, yearly average air concentrations and median levels of 3.3 and 3.1 (1980–1984), 3.2 and 2.8 (1985–1989), and 2.7 and 2.6 ng Hg/m3 (1990–1992), respectively, were found. Increased average and median winter concentrations were always found, with levels at 3.7 and 3.4, 3.7 and 3.3, and 3.0 and 2.7 ng Hg/m3 for the respective time period. Higher winter values were expected due to increased anthropogenic emissions and changes in the mixing height of the atmosphere. The corresponding total wet deposition rates decreased from 27 (1987–1989) to 10 g Hg/m2 yr. (1990–1992). A finding of special interest was the decreased number of episodic events of high total gaseous Hg levels in air, from 1990 and further on. In addition, the frequency distribution of the concentrations of Hg in air seems to be different for these years compared to the other two time periods. A frequency distribution of air concentrations of Hg more resembling a normal distribution was found for the years 1990 to 1992. The decrease of the atmospheric burden of total gaseous Hg and deposition of total Hg are most probably connected to lower emissions in source areas on the European continent. It seems logical to state that the problem of high Hg depositional fluxes to Scandinavia, is best solved by abatement strategies on the regional scale.
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