Building upon the Conceptual Model for Soil Mercury Flux: Evidence of a Link Between Moisture Evaporation and Hg Evasion

Briggs, C. W.; Gustin, Mae Sexauer

doi:10.1007/s11270-013-1744-5

Cited by 48 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Mercury "rainout" -or the tendency for mercury rainwater loading to decrease with increasing precipitation -has also been demonstrated in Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) data in North America (Glass and Sorensen, 1999;Prestbo and Gay, 2009) and positive correlations between GEM (TGM) and rainwater mercury have been reported in MDN data (GEM; Cole et al, 2014) and at Cape Point, South Africa (TGM; Brunke et al, 2016). Re-emission of any deposited mercury is likely to be inhibited throughout the wet season, as it has been shown that GEM emission from background mercury soils is suppressed when the soils are saturated (Briggs and Gustin, 2013). Mercury wet deposition is currently not being measured at ATARS; however, given the large differences in GEM trends between the wet and dry seasons, these measurements could help to highlight differing processes between these periods.…”

Section: Overall Means and Seasonal Trendsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Atmospheric mercury in the Southern Hemisphere tropics: seasonal and diurnal variations and influence of inter-hemispheric transport

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Mercury is a toxic element of serious concern for human and environmental health. Understanding its natural cycling in the environment is an important goal towards assessing its impacts and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. Due to the unique chemical and physical properties of mercury, the atmosphere is the dominant transport pathway for this heavy metal, with the consequence that regions far removed from sources can be impacted. However, there exists a dearth of long-term monitoring of atmospheric mercury, particularly in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere. This paper presents the first 2 years of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) measurements taken at the Australian Tropical Atmospheric Research Station (ATARS) in northern Australia, as part of the Global Mercury Observation System (GMOS). Annual mean GEM concentrations determined at ATARS (0.95 ± 0.12 ng m −3 ) are consistent with recent observations at other sites in the Southern Hemisphere. Comparison with GEM data from other Australian monitoring sites suggests a concentration gradient that decreases with increasing latitude. Seasonal analysis shows that GEM concentrations at ATARS are significantly lower in the distinct wet monsoon season than in the dry season. This result provides insight into alterations of natural mercury cycling processes as a result of changes in atmospheric humidity, oceanic/terrestrial fetch, and convective mixing, and invites future investigation using wet mercury deposition measurements. Due to its location relative to the atmospheric equator, ATARS intermittently samples air originating from the Northern Hemisphere, allowing an opportunity to gain greater understanding of inter-hemispheric transport of mercury and other atmospheric species. Diurnal cycles of GEM at ATARS show distinct nocturnal depletion events that are attributed to dry deposition under stable boundary layer conditions. These cycles provide strong further evidence supportive of a "multihop" model of GEM cycling, characterised by multiple surface depositions and re-emissions, in addition to long-range transport through the atmosphere.

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Section: Overall Means and Seasonal Trendsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Atmospheric mercury in the Southern Hemisphere tropics: seasonal and diurnal variations and influence of inter-hemispheric transport

et al. 2017

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“…These would be similar to the study of Gustin and Stamenkovic (2005) and Xin et al (2007) which observed that the fluxes were enhanced gradually with the substrate moisture decreasing, and then the fluxes were decreased with the soil moisture continuous decreasing. Gustin and Stamenkovic (2005) and Briggs and Gustin (2013) supposed the possible reason that soil with high water volumes, the water will saturate the soil pores and inhibits the soil gas exchange with the atmosphere, inhibiting the mercury emissions from the saturated substrate, whereas we have not tested the soil saturation in the subtropical forest. Briggs and Gustin (2013) also suggested that soil moisture was the most important parameter predicting mercury flux and the evaporative stage of soil moisture was used to partition the parameters that are most important for controlling mercury flux as the soils dried.…”

Section: Influence Of Atmospheric Tgm On the Mercury Flux: Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some recent studies and models of its cycle in the environment suggested that mercury emissions and re-emissions from soil and vegetation were estimated up to 5500-8900 tons, accounting for 19-51% of the current release to the atmosphere from all sources (UNEP, 2013). Furthermore, studies have also reported that mercury evasion from forest and grassland was an important source of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in the atmosphere in the background area (Zhou et al, 2015;Ericksen et al, 2006;Choi and Holsen, 2009a;Almeida et al, 2009). Therefore, soil/air exchange flux is an important component of the mercury global biogeochemical cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of factors affecting mercury emission from subtropical forest soil: A field controlled study in southwestern China

Zhou

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2017

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

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Recent studies demonstrated that subtropical forest in China was considered as a large pool of atmospheric mercury and soils of forested watershed is a large reservoir of atmospherically deposited mercury. However, forest ecosystems not only act as sinks but also as sources of previously deposited mercury emitted back to the atmosphere. In this study a field controlled method was performed in Tieshanping National Forest Park (TNFP) to identify the effects of the most important parameters that controlled mercury emissions from soil surfaces, including chamber flushing flow turnover times (TOTs), soil water content and watering, total gaseous mercury (TGM) in air and understory. Flushing flow rates significantly affected the calculation of mercury flux and the optimal TOTs were 0.94 min in the forest. TGM in atmosphere was significantly inhibited mercury emission from soils, and the deposited mercury was not absorbed firmly by the soils in a short time and emitted back to atmosphere rapidly when TGM concentration decreased. Higher soil moisture reduced the emission of mercury and initial watering produces a spike in the mercury emissions due to the interstitial soil gas mercury displaced by infiltrating water physically. However, subsequent watering was reducing the fluxes, because surface soil was saturated and soil pores were blocked by water film and inhibited the soil mercury emission. Soils under the understory had a higher mercury concentrations and deep organic layers. However, the fluxes of soil under the understory significantly were inhibited in daytime because solar radiation was blocked by the understory and the higher litter layer.

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“…10) then the compared planted soil and sulphur treated soil (no plants), which suggests differences in the Hg biogeochemical cycle related to soil properties and the soil/plant relationship. According to the Conceptual Model for soil mercury flux (Briggs and Gustin 2013), if the soil becomes saturated, Hg flux will be suppressed due to the soil pores becoming filled with water. In the soil profile Hg desorption and dilution processes dominate.…”

Section: Soil Leachatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological strategy for soil contaminated with mercury

et al. 2016

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Aims The paper presents results from plot experiments aimed at the development of an ecological strategy for soil contaminated with mercury. Meadow grass (Poa pratensis) was tested on mercury contaminated soil in a former chlor-alkali plant (CAP) in southern Poland for its phytoremediation potential. Methods The stabilisation potential of the plants was investigated on plots without additives and after the addition of granular sulphur. Biomass production, uptake and distribution of mercury by plants, as well as leachates and rhizosphere microorganisms were investigated, along with the growth and vitality of plants during one growing season. Results The analysed plants grew easily on mercury contaminated soil, accumulating lower amounts of mercury, especially in the roots, from soil with additive of granular sulphur (0.5 % w/w) and sustained a rich microbial population in the rhizosphere. After amendment application the reduction of Hg evaporation was observed.Conclusions The obtained results demonstrate the potential of using Poa pratensis and sulphur for remediation of mercury contaminated soil and reduction of the Hg evaporation from soil. In the presented study, methods of Hg reduction on Bhot spots^were proposed, with a special focus on environmental protection. This approach provides a simple remediation tool for large areas heavily contaminated with mercury.

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Building upon the Conceptual Model for Soil Mercury Flux: Evidence of a Link Between Moisture Evaporation and Hg Evasion

Cited by 48 publications

References 35 publications

Atmospheric mercury in the Southern Hemisphere tropics: seasonal and diurnal variations and influence of inter-hemispheric transport

Atmospheric mercury in the Southern Hemisphere tropics: seasonal and diurnal variations and influence of inter-hemispheric transport

Investigation of factors affecting mercury emission from subtropical forest soil: A field controlled study in southwestern China

Ecological strategy for soil contaminated with mercury

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