Accumulation, storage and release of atmospheric mercury in a glaciated Arctic catchment, Baffin Island, Canada

Zdanowicz, Christian; Krümmel, Eva M.; Lean, D. R. S.; Poulain, Alexandre J.; Yumvihoze, Emmanuel; Chen, Jiubin; Hintelmann, Holger

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2012.11.028

Cited by 24 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Direct atmospheric observations, modeling, and ice core data demonstrate that there is direct transport of polluted air into the Canadian Arctic from latitudes down to 40°N [ Goto‐Azuma and Koerner , ; Durnford et al ., ; Kuhn et al ., ; Zdanowicz et al ., ]. Thus, as will be discussed later, atmospheric Hg deposited on ice caps in this region may originate from both proximal (marine) and distant (continental) sources, including anthropogenic pollution emissions.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, as will be discussed later, atmospheric Hg deposited on ice caps in this region may originate from both proximal (marine) and distant (continental) sources, including anthropogenic pollution emissions. Present‐day mean atmospheric Hg fluxes (i.e., net deposition rates) on Canadian Arctic ice caps have been estimated from snow and ice core measurements and range between 0.07 and 0.16 µg m −2 a −1 (Table ) [ Zdanowicz et al ., , ; Zheng , ; Gamberg et al ., ].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical variations of mercury stable isotope ratios in Arctic glacier firn and ice cores

Zdanowicz

Krümmel

Poulain

et al. 2016

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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The concentration and isotopic composition of mercury (Hg) were determined in glacier core samples from Canadian Arctic ice caps dating from preindustrial to recent time (early 21st century). Mean Hg levels increased from ≤ 0.2 ng L−1 in preindustrial time to ~0.8–1.2 ng L−1 in the modern industrial era (last ~200 years). Hg accumulated on Arctic ice caps has Δ199Hg and Δ201Hg that are higher (~ −1 to 2.9‰) than previously reported for Arctic snow impacted by atmospheric Hg depletion events (mostly < −1‰), suggesting that these events contribute little to Hg accumulation on ice caps. The range of δ202Hg, Δ199Hg, and Δ201Hg in glacier cores overlaps with that of Arctic Hg0(g) and of seawater in Baffin Bay and also with that of midlatitude precipitation and industrial Hg sources, including coal and Hg ores. A core from Agassiz ice cap (80.7°N) shows a ~ +1‰ shift in δ202Hg over the nineteenth to twentieth centuries that could reflect changes in the isotopic composition of the atmospheric Hg pool in the High Arctic in response to growing industrial emissions at lower latitudes. This study is the first ever to report on historical variations of Hg stable isotope ratios in Arctic ice cores. Results could help constrain future modeling efforts of the global Hg biogeochemical cycle and the atmosphere's response to changing Hg emissions, past and future.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical variations of mercury stable isotope ratios in Arctic glacier firn and ice cores

Zdanowicz

Krümmel

Poulain

et al. 2016

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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“…These differences may be due to annual differences in the Hg cycle caused by the magnitude of ADMEs that occur each year during the polar spring, a time when many migratory birds are returning to Arctic regions . Differences in the timing of spring melt, which releases accumulated Hg from the snow pack (Zdanowicz et al 2013) into the marine environment, may also affect the rate, timing, and amount of Hg taken up by regional food webs.…”

Section: Large Data Gaps Still Exist For Many Marine Bird Species In mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elemental Hg may be converted to methylmercury (MeHg) in both freshwater and marine habitats Zdanowicz et al 2013). Methylmercury is taken up by organisms through the food chain and biomagnifies, resulting in markedly high Hg concentrations in top predators (Campbell et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury and marine birds in Arctic Canada: effects, current trends, and why we should be paying closer attention

et al. 2014

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Mercury (Hg) is a naturally occurring trace element that is also a by-product of anthropogenic activities and, in its methylated form, it is a neurotoxin that can have adverse effects on wildlife. The toxicity of Hg for humans, wildlife, and ecosystem health merits monitoring of its concentrations by various sampling means. Marine birds are widely used as indicators of ecosystem health, including biomonitoring of Hg in the Arctic. Since the mid-1970s, Hg concentrations in marine birds have been monitored across the Canadian North. Current Hg burdens in most northern marine bird species are below levels associated with health concerns, but several species have concentrations that are at or near levels associated with impaired reproduction. Arctic marine birds in Canada may be particularly at risk from increasing Hg levels associated with changing climatic conditions and long-term Hg deposition patterns. Research on marine birds should, therefore, continue to focus on spatial and temporal patterns of Hg contamination, assessing levels and biological effects in species that are experiencing high concentrations, and among species that are widely harvested due to the possible implications for human health.Résumé : Le mercure (Hg) existe naturellement sous forme de traces constituant également un sous-produit des activités humaines et, sous sa forme méthylée, devient une neurotoxine exerçant des effets nocifs sur la faune et la flore. La toxicité du Hg pour les humains, la faune et la flore ainsi que les écosystèmes nécessite le suivi de ses concentrations à l'aide de différentes méthodes d'échantillonnage. On utilise généralement les oiseaux marins comme indicateurs de la santé des écosystèmes, incluant le suivi biologique du Hg dans l'Arctique. Depuis le milieu des années 1970, les concentrations en Hg chez les oiseaux marins ont été suivies sur l'ensemble du Nord canadien. Le poids actuel du mercure chez la plupart des espèces d'oiseaux marins du Nord se situe en dessous des teneurs associées à des préoccupations de santé, mais plusieurs espèces ont des teneurs étant à ou approchant des concentrations associées à une perturbation de la reproduction. Les oiseaux marins arctiques du Canada pourraient se retrouver à risque, suite à l'augmentation des teneurs en Hg associées avec les conditions de changement climatique et des patrons à long terme de la déposition de mercure. La recherche sur les oiseaux marins devrait donc continuer à mettre l'accent sur les patrons spatio-temporels de la contamination au Hg, en évaluant les teneurs ainsi que les effets biologiques chez des espèces portant de fortes concentrations, et parmi les espèces d'oiseaux étant fortement récoltées à cause de leur implication possible sur la santé humaine.Mots-clés : Arctique, oiseaux marins, mercure.

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“…Previous studies that have examined Hg exports from Arctic rivers include studies from Siberia (Coquery et al, 1995), Canada (Semkin et al, 2005;Leitch et al, 2007;Hare et al, 2008;Kirk and St. Louis, 2009;Schuster et al, 2011;Emmerton et al, 2013) and Greenland (Rigét et al, 2011;Søndergaard et al, 2012). Sources of Hg from river basins in the Arctic include Hg from recent atmospheric deposition, and Hg stored in soil, permafrost and glacier ice (Douglas et al, 2012;Stern et al, 2012;Zdanowics et al, 2013). The contribution of Hg from these sources Science of the Total Environment 514 (2015) 83-91 may be significantly influenced by climate variability and change, and there is a concern that warming in the Arctic may lead to increased future mobilization and riverine export of Hg to the marine environment (Schuster et al, 2011;Fisher et al, 2012;Stern et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury exports from a High-Arctic river basin in Northeast Greenland (74°N) largely controlled by glacial lake outburst floods

Søndergaard

Tamstorf

Elberling

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

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Accumulation, storage and release of atmospheric mercury in a glaciated Arctic catchment, Baffin Island, Canada

Cited by 24 publications

References 93 publications

Historical variations of mercury stable isotope ratios in Arctic glacier firn and ice cores

Historical variations of mercury stable isotope ratios in Arctic glacier firn and ice cores

Mercury and marine birds in Arctic Canada: effects, current trends, and why we should be paying closer attention

Mercury exports from a High-Arctic river basin in Northeast Greenland (74°N) largely controlled by glacial lake outburst floods

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