Sources and deposition of reactive gaseous mercury in the marine atmosphere

Holmes, Christopher D.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Mason, Robert P.; Jaffe, Daniel A.

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.01.051

Cited by 178 publications

(204 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…In the latter case, higher GOM concentrations were accompanied by higher mean PBM, which may be consistent with GOM partitioning to aerosols in the upper atmosphere. This theory is supported by speciated atmospheric Hg measurements and modeling in the free troposphere (Murphy et al, 2006;Selin and Jacob, 2008;Holmes et al, 2009;Lyman and Jaffe, 2012).…”

Section: Gfd Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Overview of receptor-based source apportionment studies for speciated atmospheric mercury

Cheng

Zhang

2015

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Receptor-based source apportionment studies of speciated atmospheric mercury are not only concerned with source contributions but also with the influence of transport, transformation, and deposition processes on speciated atmospheric mercury concentrations at receptor locations. Previous studies applied multivariate receptor models including principal components analysis and positive matrix factorization, and back trajectory receptor models including potential source contribution function, gridded frequency distributions, and concentration-back trajectory models. Combustion sources (e.g., coal combustion, biomass burning, and vehicular, industrial and waste incineration emissions), crustal/soil dust, and chemical and physical processes, such as gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) oxidation reactions, boundary layer mixing, and GEM flux from surfaces were inferred from the multivariate studies, which were predominantly conducted at receptor sites in Canada and the US. Back trajectory receptor models revealed potential impacts of large industrial areas such as the Ohio River valley in the US and throughout China, metal smelters, mercury evasion from the ocean and the Great Lakes, and free troposphere transport on receptor measurements. Input data and model parameters specific to atmospheric mercury receptor models are summarized and model strengths and weaknesses are also discussed. Multivariate models are suitable for receptor locations with intensive air monitoring because they require long-term collocated and simultaneous measurements of speciated atmospheric Hg and ancillary pollutants. The multivariate models provide more insight about the types of Hg emission sources and Hg processes that could affect speciated atmospheric Hg at a receptor location, whereas back trajectory receptor models are mainly ideal for identifying potential regional Hg source locations impacting elevated Hg concentrations. Interpretation of the multivariate model output to sources can be subjective and challenging when speciated atmospheric Hg is not correlated with ancillary pollutants and when source emissions profiles and knowledge of Hg chemistry are incomplete. The majority of back trajectory receptor models have not accounted for Hg transformation and deposition processes and could not distinguish between upwind and downwind sources effectively. Ensemble trajectories should be generated to take into account the trajectory uncertainties where possible. One area of improvement that applies to all the receptor models reviewed in this study is the greater focus on evaluating the accuracy of the models at identifying potential speciated atmospheric mercury sources, source locations, and chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere. In addition to receptor model improvements, the data quality of speciated atmospheric Hg plays an equally important part in producing accurate receptor model results.

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Section: Gfd Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Overview of receptor-based source apportionment studies for speciated atmospheric mercury

Cheng

Zhang

2015

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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“…The RH (average 75% during sampling period) at DAO was high, which could lead to substantial GOM removal from the ambient air [Laurier et al, 2003;Sheu and Mason, 2001]. The sea salt aerosol from marine-sourced air masses could absorb GOM [Holmes et al, 2009] and lower its concentration, and therefore, the observed GOM concentration was relatively low despite the influence of anthropogenic emissions at DAO. Elevated PBM concentration implies the influence from anthropogenic emission of PM.…”

Section: Atmospheric Concentrations Of Tgm Gom and Pbmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics and potential sources of atmospheric mercury at a subtropical near‐coastal site in East China

et al. 2015

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To evaluate the impact of regional mercury (Hg) emissions and understand possible source regions of atmospheric Hg in Eastern China, 2 year observation for speciated atmospheric Hg was conducted at the Dameishan Atmospheric Observatory, a mountain site near the east coast of China. The observed concentration of total gaseous Hg (TGM) was 3.3 ± 1.4 ng m À3 . During the sampling period, gaseous oxidized Hg and particulate bound Hg were 6.7 ± 4.3 pg m À3 and 180 ± 110 pg m À3 in winter and 5.9 ± 3.4 pg m À3 and 130 ± 100 pg m À3 in spring, respectively. The relatively high mean concentration of TGM was mainly caused by regional anthropogenic emissions and occasional long-range transport from domestic source regions. Seasonal variation in the TGM concentration was observed with lower values in the wet monsoon season (from May to September) and higher values in the dry monsoon season (from October to April). Backward trajectories and potential source contribution function analysis suggested that anthropogenic Hg emission from coal combustion in the Yangtze River Delta region was the most likely cause for the elevated TGM concentrations. Relatively clean air originating from the East China Sea was the most possible cause for the observed low TGM concentrations. Positive correlation between TGM concentration and air quality index suggests that emissions that influenced regional air quality contributed to the elevated TGM concentrations.

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“…It is conceivable that the transition of PHg to RGM from April to May could be related to water absorption by aerosols. Holmes et al (2009) suggested that at low RH the chloride content of sea salt aerosols is highest and thus may factor into RGM uptake by particles. While RH may have an impact on the transition, we suggest that other factors play a stronger role as described below.…”

Section: Factors Affecting the Atmospheric Transition Of [Phg] To [Rgm]mentioning

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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Sources and deposition of reactive gaseous mercury in the marine atmosphere

Cited by 178 publications

References 65 publications

Overview of receptor-based source apportionment studies for speciated atmospheric mercury

Overview of receptor-based source apportionment studies for speciated atmospheric mercury

Characteristics and potential sources of atmospheric mercury at a subtropical near‐coastal site in East China

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

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