Increasing Rates of Atmospheric Mercury Deposition in Midcontinental North America

Swain, Edward B.; Engstrom, Daniel R.; Brigham, Mark E.; Henning, Thomas A.; Brezonik, Patrick L.

doi:10.1126/science.257.5071.784

Cited by 535 publications

(344 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, in those cases where mercury yields from asphalt shingle roofs exceeded those from metal roofs, the difference was much greater (3-8 times greater) than when the yields from metal roofs exceeded those from asphalt shingle (1-2 times greater). Regional atmospheric fallout is generally thought to be the major source of mercury in the environment (Swain et al, 1992) but does not explain the elevated concentrations of mercury often seen in urban sediments, thus the possibility that asphalt shingle roofs may be a source of mercury to the urban environment is intriguing and warrants further investigation.…”

Section: Nd International Symposium On Contaminated Sediments Physicamentioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of particles washed from rooftops to contaminant loading to urban streams

2003

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Rooftops are both a source of and a pathway for contaminated runoff in urban environments. To investigate the importance of particle-associated contamination in rooftop runoff, particles washed from asphalt shingle and galvanized metal roofs at two distances from a major expressway were analyzed for major and trace elements and PAHs. Concentrations and yields from rooftops were compared between locations and roofing material types to evaluate rooftop sources and their potential contribution to stream loading. Concentrations of zinc, lead, pyrene, and chrysene on a mass per mass basis exceeded established sediment quality guidelines for probable toxicity to benthic biota. Yields of all contaminants investigated were greater from sites nearer to the expressway, although some concentrations were lower. Yields of particle-bound zinc, cadmium, and nickel were significantly greater from metal roofs, and yields of lead were significantly greater from asphalt shingle roofs. RÉSUMÉ Dans les environnements urbains, les toits sont à la fois une source et un chemin pour le ruissellement contaminé. Pour mieux comprendre l'importance de la contamination associée aux particules dans le ruissellement des toits, nous avons analysé les particules provenant de deux sortes de toits, à deux distances d'une autoroute, en termes d' éléments majeurs, mineurs et de HAPs. Les concentrations de zinc, plomb, pyrène et chrysène, associés aux particules, ont excédé les recommandations établiees pour la toxicité probable à la faune benthique. Pour tous les contaminants la masse superficielle spécifique à été plus importante pour les toits plus proches de l'autoroute, même dans les cas où les concentrations ont été moins importantes. La masse superficielle spécifique de zinc, cadmium et nickel associés aux particules, étaient plus importante pour les toits en métal que pour les toits en asbestos shingle, tandis que pour le plomb c'était plutôt l'inverse.

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Section: Nd International Symposium On Contaminated Sediments Physicamentioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of particles washed from rooftops to contaminant loading to urban streams

2003

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“…For example, inputs of mercury (Hg) to a waterbody can be influenced by atmospheric deposition (2), geology (3), soil and vegetation type (4), and large precipitation events (5). Increases in water temperature, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and sulfate (SO 4 2Ϫ ) and declines in pH can increase in-lake Hg methylation (6).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Kelly

Schindler

Louis

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

136

121

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Recent findings indicate that fishes from lakes in partially burned catchments contain greater mercury (Hg) concentrations than fishes from reference catchments. Increased methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in fishes can result in serious health problems for consumers. Here we show that a forest fire caused a 5-fold increase in whole-body Hg accumulation by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and smaller Hg increases in muscle of several fish species in a mountain lake. The enhanced Hg accumulation was caused primarily by increased nutrient concentrations in the lake, which enhanced productivity and restructured the food web through increased piscivory and consumption of Mysis. This restructuring resulted in increases to the trophic positions and Hg concentrations of fishes. Forest fire also caused a large short-term release of total Hg (THg) and MeHg to streams and the lake. This release initiated a small pulse of MeHg in invertebrates that contributed to enhanced Hg accumulation by fishes. Climate change and prescribed burning to compensate for past fire suppression are predicted to increase future forest fire occurrence in North America, and increased Hg accumulation by fishes may be an unexpected consequence.productivity ͉ stable isotopes ͉ methyl mercury ͉ food chain length ͉ climate change

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“…Atmospheric Hg is then deposited to surface soil, water bodies, and plants by dry and wet processes, where it imposes toxicity to organisms. It is reported that the present annual deposition rate of atmospheric Hg is approximately 3.4 times of preindustrial rate (Swain et al 1992), and the recent average Hg accumulation rate in sediment is 4.9 times higher than that in the 1900s (Rood et al 1995). As the largest anthropogenic Hg emission country over the world, China has received considerable concerns regarding the issue of Hg.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field controlled experiments on the physiological responses of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves to low-level air and soil mercury exposures

Niu

Zhang

Wang

et al. 2013

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Thousands of tons of mercury (Hg) are released from anthropogenic and natural sources to the atmosphere in a gaseous elemental form per year, yet little is known regarding the influence of airborne Hg on the physiological activities of plant leaves. In the present study, the effects of low-level air and soil Hg exposures on the gas exchange parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves and their accumulation of Hg, proline, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined via field open-top chamber and Hg-enriched soil experiments, respectively. Low-level air Hg exposures (<50 ng m −3 ) had little effects on the gas exchange parameters of maize leaves during most of the daytime (p>0.05). However, both the net photosynthesis rate and carboxylation efficiency of maize leaves exposed to 50 ng m −3 air Hg were significantly lower than those exposed to 2 ng m −3 air Hg in late morning (p<0.05). Additionally, the Hg, proline, and MDA concentrations in maize leaves exposed to 20 and 50 ng m −3 air Hg were significantly higher than those exposed to 2 ng m −3 air Hg (p<0.05). These results indicated that the increase in airborne Hg potentially damaged functional photosynthetic apparatus in plant leaves, inducing free proline accumulation and membrane lipid peroxidation. Due to minor translocation of soil Hg to the leaves, low-level soil Hg exposures (<1,000 ng g −1 ) had no significant influences on the gas exchange parameters, or the Hg, proline, and MDA concentrations in maize leaves (p>0.05). Compared to soil Hg, airborne Hg easily caused physiological stress to plant leaves. The effects of increasing atmospheric Hg concentration on plant physiology should be of concern.

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Increasing Rates of Atmospheric Mercury Deposition in Midcontinental North America

Cited by 535 publications

References 38 publications

The contribution of particles washed from rooftops to contaminant loading to urban streams

The contribution of particles washed from rooftops to contaminant loading to urban streams

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Field controlled experiments on the physiological responses of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves to low-level air and soil mercury exposures

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