Ambient air total gaseous mercury concentrations in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants in Alberta, Canada

Mazur, Maxwell; Mintz, Rachel; Lapalme, Monique; Wiens, B.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.006

Cited by 25 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Further, even some sites that would be expected to be affected by local emission sources (such as Mississauga, St. Anicet and Halifax) have median RGM levels below this detection limit (Figure 3), though method detection limits determined by blank measurements at individual sites may be lower (see Experimental section). Genesee and Flin Flon sites had higher RGM concentrations due to local sources of Hg pollution (coal-fired power plants [17] and a copper smelter [19], respectively) but concentrations were not as high as those reported in the Arctic at Alert and Churchill. Concentrations of TPM 2.5 were usually, but not always, higher than RGM (Table 2; Figure 3) such that median values were above the 2 pg·m threshold at most sites.…”

Section: Spatial Patterns Of Hg In Canadamentioning

confidence: 70%

“…The atmospheric data are reported as TGM when measured by a Tekran 2537 instrument alone, and GEM, RGM and TPM 2.5 when using the Tekran 2537/1130/1135 system. These data incorporate and update previous measurements reported for some sites [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] and include speciated Hg measurements at several newer sites for the first time. The data were collected and analyzed as part of a Canadian mercury science assessment [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Survey of Mercury in Air and Precipitation across Canada: Patterns and Trends

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) measurements from across Canada were compiled and analysed as part of a national Hg science assessment. Here we update long-term trends of Hg in air and precipitation, and present more extensive measurements on patterns and trends in speciated Hg species (gaseous elemental mercury-GEM, reactive gaseous mercury-RGM, and total particulate mercury on particles <2.5 μm-TPM 2.5 ) at several sites. A spatial analysis across Canada revealed higher air concentrations and wet OPEN ACCESSAtmosphere 2014, 5 636 deposition of Hg in the vicinity of local and regional emission sources, and lower air concentrations of Hg at mid-latitude maritime sites compared to continental sites. Diel and seasonal patterns in atmospheric GEM, RGM and TPM 2.5 concentrations reflected differences in patterns of anthropogenic emissions, photo-induced surface emissions, chemistry, deposition and mixing. Concentrations of GEM decreased at rates ranging from −0.9% to −3.3% per year at all sites where measurements began in the 1990s. Concentrations of total Hg in precipitation declined up to 3.7% yr −1. Trends in RGM and TPM 2.5 were less clear due to shorter measurement periods and low concentrations, however, in spring at the high Arctic site (Alert) when RGM and TPM 2.5 concentrations were high, concentrations of both increased by 7%-10% per year.

show abstract

Section: Spatial Patterns Of Hg In Canadamentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey of Mercury in Air and Precipitation across Canada: Patterns and Trends

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In unpolluted areas of China, South Korea, Japan and the USA the TGM contents in ambient air range from 0.52 to 21.03 ng/m 3 [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Concentrations of TPM in ambient air also differ a lot.…”

Section: +mentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Term Measurments of Atmospheric Mercury Species (TGM, TPM) and Hg Deposition in the Silesian Region, Poland – Concept of the Mercury Deposition Coefficient

Nowak¹,

Korszun-Kłak²,

Zielonka³

2014

Archives of Environmental Protection

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Astract:The aim of this work was to identify concentration levels of different chemical forms of mercury (TGM, TPM) in the ambient air in selected areas of the Silesian Region, characterized by low and high mercury emission. Based on the obtained data TGM and TPM concentration levels were determined. The project also focused on determination of dry and wet deposition of mercury compounds. Data concerning TGM and TPM fl ux rates in the ambient air and data on mercury deposition were used to determine a deposition coeffi cient. The coeffi cient was calculated as a share of mercury deposition on the land surface (dry and wet) to the amount of this contaminant transported with loads of air in the form of TGM and TPM in a given measurement station. At both monitoring stations the deposition coeffi cient did not exceed 0.2 %. The idea of calculating the deposition coeffi cient based on the analysis of TGM and TPM fl ux rate is a new solution. The proposed deposition coeffi cient allows to quantify information on a selected contaminant concentration and its potential impact resulting from deposition. Further studies on the deposition coeffi cient may contribute to the development of methods for estimating the impact of contaminants contained in the ambient air on other environmental components based on the analyses of the contaminant fl ux rate.

show abstract

“…Table 2 illustrates slope values for GEM or TGM to CO correlations found in other locations such as Mt Bachelor Oregon [20], Beijing China [10], New Hampshire [37], Southern England [38]. The linear relationship between Hg and SO 2 was also found in Southern England [38] and Canada [39]. The levels correlations in Table 1 range from similar to values in Table 2 to an order of magnitude higher for all values.…”

Section: Transport Of Tgm From Non-urban Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 60%

Sources and Dynamic Processes Controlling Background and Peak Concentrations of TGM in Nanjing, China

Hall

Mao

et al. 2014

Atmosphere

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Total gaseous mercury (TGM) data from urban Nanjing, at the western edge of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China, over nine months, were analyzed for peak and background mercury concentrations. The background concentration of TGM was found to be 2.2 ng•m −3 . In examining episodic influences of free tropospheric air masses on the surface TGM concentrations in Nanjing, we hypothesize heterogeneity in the global distribution of TGM concentrations in the free troposphere. The nine-month averaged diurnal cycles of TGM indicate a strong co-emission with SO 2 and an underestimation of greater than 80% TGM emissions in current inventories. Regular peak concentrations of mercury were investigated and the major causes were YRD emissions, transport from rural areas, and monsoonal transport. Transport of rural emissions is hypothesized to be from illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining that are currently missing in the emission inventories. Enhancement of TGM associated with summer monsoon contributed to a

show abstract

Ambient air total gaseous mercury concentrations in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants in Alberta, Canada

Cited by 25 publications

References 16 publications

A Survey of Mercury in Air and Precipitation across Canada: Patterns and Trends

A Survey of Mercury in Air and Precipitation across Canada: Patterns and Trends

Long-Term Measurments of Atmospheric Mercury Species (TGM, TPM) and Hg Deposition in the Silesian Region, Poland – Concept of the Mercury Deposition Coefficient

Sources and Dynamic Processes Controlling Background and Peak Concentrations of TGM in Nanjing, China

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About