Measurements of atmospheric mercury species during an international study of mercury depletion events at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, spring 2003. How reproducible are our present methods?

Aspmo, Katrine; Gauchard, Pierre-Alexis; Steffen, Alexandra; Temme, Christian; Berg, Torunn; Bahlmann, Enno; Banic, C. M.; Dommergue, Aurélien; Ebinghaus, Ralf; Ferrari, Christophe; Pirrone, Nicola; Sprovieri, Francesca; Wibetoe, Grethe

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.07.065

Cited by 86 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…It is also possible that the observed RGM mean concentration is somewhat too low. Aspmo et al (2005) reported that concentrations of oxidized mercury cannot yet be quantified accurately, whereas Lyman et al (2010) indicated that KCl coated denuders for collection of RGM may not be as robust as previously thought (for details see Sect. 3.2).…”

Section: Quality Controlmentioning

confidence: 93%

Natural and anthropogenic atmospheric mercury in the European Arctic: a fractionation study

et al. 2011

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Abstract. Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is converted to reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) during springtime Atmospheric Mercury Depletion Events (AMDE).This study reports the longest time series of GEM, RGM and particle-bound mercury (PHg) concentrations from a European Arctic site. From 27 April 2007 until 31 December 2008 composite GEM, RGM and PHg measurements were conducted in 11 • 53 E). The average concentrations of the complete dataset were 1.6 ± 0.3 ng m −3 , 8 ± 13 pg m −3 and 8 ± 25 pg m −3 for GEM, RGM and PHg, respectively. For the complete dataset the atmospheric mercury distribution was 99 % GEM, whereas RGM and PHg constituted <1 %. The study revealed a seasonal distribution of GEM, RGM and PHg previously undiscovered in the Arctic. Increased concentrations of RGM were observed during the insolation period from March through August, while increased PHg concentrations occurred almost exclusively during the spring AMDE period in March and April. The elevated RGM concentrations suggest that atmospheric RGM deposition also occurs during the polar summer. RGM was suggested as the precursor for the PHg existence, but long range transportation of PHg has to be taken into consideration. Still there remain gaps in the knowledge of how RGM and PHg are related in the environment. RGM and PHg accounted for on average about 10 % Correspondence to: A. O. Steen (anne.steen@chem.ntnu.no) of the depleted GEM during AMDEs. Although speculative, the fairly low RGM and PHg concentrations supported by the predominance of PHg with respect to RGM and no clear meteorological regime associated with these AMDEs would all suggest the events to be of non-local origin. With some exceptions, no clear meteorological regime was associated with the GEM, RGM and PHg concentrations throughout the year.

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Section: Quality Controlmentioning

confidence: 93%

Natural and anthropogenic atmospheric mercury in the European Arctic: a fractionation study

et al. 2011

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“…RGM can exist in the air as a gas, deposit to the surface or 2220 A. Steffen et al: Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow be adsorbed to particles as particulate mercury (PHg) (Sheu and Mason, 2004;Lindberg et al, 2007;Steffen et al, 2008;Amos et al, 2012). Many studies have reported the decrease in GEM and a concurrent increase in oxidized mercury (PHg and RGM) and the connection of this chemistry to spring time ozone and halogen chemistry (Lindberg et al, 2001;Lindberg et al, 2002;Aspmo et al, 2005;Kirk et al, 2006;Cobbett et al, 2007;Simpson et al, 2007;Dastoor et al, 2008;Steffen et al, 2008;Steen et al, 2011). While atmospheric mercury speciation data in the Arctic air have been collected at several sites Kirk et al, 2006;Skov et al, 2006;Cobbett et al, 2007;Steen et al, 2011;Moore et al, 2012;Cole et al, 2013;Steffen et al, 2013;Brooks et al, 2006), few longterm (more than 5 years) mercury speciation measurements at temperate regions have been published and the Alert data set is the only such Arctic data set .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow over time at Alert, Canada

et al. 2014

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Abstract. Ten years of atmospheric mercury speciation data and 14 years of mercury in snow data from Alert, Nunavut, Canada, are examined. The speciation data, collected from 2002 to 2011, includes gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate mercury (PHg) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM). During the winter-spring period of atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs), when GEM is close to being completely depleted from the air, the concentration of both PHg and RGM rise significantly. During this period, the median concentrations for PHg is 28.2 pgm−3 and RGM is 23.9 pgm−3, from March to June, in comparison to the annual median concentrations of 11.3 and 3.2 pgm−3 for PHg and RGM, respectively. In each of the ten years of sampling, the concentration of PHg increases steadily from January through March and is higher than the concentration of RGM. This pattern begins to change in April when the levels of PHg peak and RGM begin to increase. In May, the high PHg and low RGM concentration regime observed in the early spring undergoes a transition to a regime with higher RGM and much lower PHg concentrations. The higher RGM concentration continues into June. The transition is driven by the atmospheric conditions of air temperature and particle availability. Firstly, a high ratio of the concentrations of PHg to RGM is reported at low temperatures which suggests that oxidized gaseous mercury partitions to available particles to form PHg. Prior to the transition, the median air temperature is −24.8 °C and after the transition the median air temperature is −5.8 °C. Secondly, the high PHg concentrations occur in the spring when high particle concentrations are present. The high particle concentrations are principally due to Arctic haze and sea salts. In the snow, the concentrations of mercury peak in May for all years. Springtime deposition of total mercury to the snow at Alert peaks in May when atmospheric conditions favour higher levels of RGM. Therefore, the conditions in the atmosphere directly impact when the highest amount of mercury will be deposited to the snow during the Arctic spring.

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“…1). An AMDE is considered to occur if the concentration of Hg0 decreases below 1.0 ng m -3 and it is considered to end when the concentration rises to values above 1 ng m -3 (Aspmo et al, 2005). The AMDEs occurred in conjunction with changes in wind direction and velocity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some are based on chambers method (Ferrari et al, 2005;Sommar et al, 2007) and very few on flux-gradient method (Cobbett et al, 2007;Steen et al, 2009). This paper presents a continuous time series of flux measurements performed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in an extensive experimental field campaign during the period 31 March -3 of May 2011.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most abundant form of mercury in the atmosphere, with a global atmospheric mean concentration of about 1.6 ng m −3 (Selin, 2009), is elemental mercury (Hg0). The oxidation of atmospheric mercury can occur extraordinarily fast, as well-documented Atmospheric Mercury Depletion Events (AMDEs) have been highlighted in both the Arctic troposphere and in Antarctica during springtime Ebinghaus et al, 2005;Hedgecock et al, 2008;Sprovieri et al, 2002;Sprovieri et al, 2005a;Steffen et al, 2008). During AMDEs Hg0 decreases rapidly while divalent mercury (HgII) spikes .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dynamics of snow-air mercury exchange at Ny Ålesund during springtime 2011

Manca

Ammoscato

Esposito

et al. 2013

E3S Web of Conferences

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Abstract. Continuous time series of flux measurements were carried out in Ny Ålesund, Spitsbergen, during a springtime field campaign from 31 of March to 3 of May, 2011. Flux measurements were integrated with mercury speciation analysis in order to understand the fate of mercury during atmospheric elemental gaseous mercury depletion events (AMDEs). Moreover a methodology for quality assurance of flux measurements is presented. Measurements were made at Gruvebadet, 1 km west from the Ny-Ålesund village (78°55' N, 11°56' E) at an elevation of 18 m above sea level. Ambient concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury, divalent reactive gaseous mercury and particulate phase mercury were semicontinuously measured using an integrated Tekran system. Mercury depletion events were observed during the month of April and were characterized by an incomplete mercury destruction. Indeed Hg0 concentration was never below 0.49 ng m -3 .

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Measurements of atmospheric mercury species during an international study of mercury depletion events at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, spring 2003. How reproducible are our present methods?

Cited by 86 publications

References 27 publications

Natural and anthropogenic atmospheric mercury in the European Arctic: a fractionation study

Natural and anthropogenic atmospheric mercury in the European Arctic: a fractionation study

Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow over time at Alert, Canada

Dynamics of snow-air mercury exchange at Ny Ålesund during springtime 2011

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