As a globally transported pollutant, mercury (Hg) released from human activity and methylmercury (MeHg) in the food web are global concerns due to their increasing presence in the environment. In this study, we found that Hg released from municipal sewage into the environment in China is a substantial anthropogenic source based on mass sampling throughout China. In total, 160 Mg (140-190 Mg, from the 20th percentile to the 80th percentile) of Hg (THg) and 280 kg (240-330 kg) of MeHg were released from municipal sewage in China in 2015. The quantities of released THg and MeHg were the most concentrated in the coastal regions, especially in the East, North and South China regions. However, the per capita release of THg and MeHg was the highest in the Tibetan region, which is recognized as the cleanest region in China. THg released into aquatic environments was mitigated from 2001 to 2015 in China, but the amounts released into other sinks increased. This study provides the first picture of the release of Hg from municipal sewage into various sinks in China, and policy makers should pay more attention to the diversity and complexity of the sources and transport of Hg, which can lead to Hg accumulation in the food web and can threaten human health.

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Abstract. Located in the world's “third pole” and a remote region connecting the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate, Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (QNNP) is an ideal region to study the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) and particle-bound mercury (PBM) were continuously measured during the Indian monsoon transition period in QNNP. A slight increase in the GEM concentration was observed from the period preceding the Indian summer monsoon (1.31±0.42 ng m−3) to the Indian summer monsoon period (1.44±0.36 ng m−3), while significant decreases were observed in the GOM and PBM concentrations, with concentrations decreasing from 35.2±18.6 to 19.3±10.9 pg m−3 (p < 0.001) for GOM and from 30.5±12.5 to 24.9±19.8 pg m−3 (p < 0.001) for PBM. A unique daily pattern was observed in QNNP with respect to the GEM concentration, with a peak value before sunrise and a low value at noon. Relative to the (low) GEM concentrations, GOM concentrations (with a mean value of 21.4±13.4 pg m−3, n=1239) in this region were relatively high compared with the measured values in some other regions of China. A cluster analysis indicated that the air masses transported to QNNP changed significantly at different stages of the monsoon, and the major potential mercury (Hg) sources shifted from northern India and western Nepal to eastern Nepal and Bangladesh. As there is a large area covered in glaciers in QNNP, local glacier winds could increase the transboundary transport of pollutants and transport polluted air masses to the Tibetan Plateau. The atmospheric Hg concentration in QNNP in the Indian summer monsoon period was influenced by transboundary Hg flows. This highlights the need for a more specific identification of Hg sources impacting QNNP and underscores the importance of international cooperation regarding global Hg controls.

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The design and synthesis of unique novel heterostructures for high-performance photocatalytic activity has exerted a tremendous fascination and has recently attracted intensive attention. In this work, a branch-like α-Fe2O3/TiO2 heterostructure has been synthesized controllably through an electrospinning method combined with a hydrothermal approach. The backbone of the heterostructure is composed of a 3D porous TiO2 nanofiber (∼70 nm in diameter) network with plenty of α-Fe2O3 nanorods (100-200 nm in length) deposited on them. The novel branch-like nanocomposites have an abundantly porous structure as well as large surface areas (up to 42.8 m(2) g(-1)). In addition, their visible light photodegradation behaviour towards organic dyes, including Congo red (CR), methylene blue (MB), eosin red (ER) and methyl orange (MO), was investigated. Their excellent photocatalytic performances are attributed to their large surfaces, improved visible light absorption and high separation efficiency of the photogenerated electrons/holes. Furthermore, the degradation process was further studied by varying the amount of α-Fe2O3 deposited. The sample α-Fe2O3/TiO2-3 possessed the best performance to efficiently decolor CR solution even at a high concentration of 50 mg L(-1) (160 min, 94 mg g(-1)), ascribed to the high adsorption capacity derived from the large surface, strong electrostatic interaction and structural match between α-Fe2O3/TiO2-3 and CR. These α-Fe2O3/TiO2 heterostructures exhibit great potential for decontamination of organic pollutants in waste water under visible light.