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Wang Y, Yin X, Kang S, Tong Y, Wang X, de Foy B, Schauer JJ, Zhang G, Wu K, Zhang Q. Atmospheric mercury species at Nam Co (4730 m a.s.l.), a highland background site in the inland Tibetan Plateau: implications of mercury potential sources. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34879-2. [PMID: 39271610 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34879-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
A field survey was conducted in the central Tibetan Plateau (Nam Co) in China for high-time resolution measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particle-bound mercury (PBM). Average concentrations (± 1 SD) of GEM, PBM, and GOM from November 2014 to March 2015 were 1.11 ± 0.20 ng m-3, 50.8 ± 26.5 pg m-3, and 3.6 ± 3.2 pg m-3, respectively. During the monitoring period, both GEM and GOM exhibited relative stability in their monthly variations, whereas PBM concentrations were significantly higher in winter compared to those in later autumn and early spring. In terms of diurnal variations, the maximum concentration of GEM was typically observed after sunrise, while PBM reached its peak before sunrise, and the highest concentration of GOM was recorded in the afternoon. Vertical convection conditions, photochemical production, and gas-particle partitioning were responsible for the diurnal cycle of atmospheric mercury. Based on modeling results, it was determined that the air mass transported from South Asia significantly impacted atmospheric mercury levels at Nam Co Station. The regions of western and central Nepal, central and eastern Pakistan, and northern India were identified as potential sources of atmospheric mercury at Nam Co.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wang
- Institute of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Xiufeng Yin
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yindong Tong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Benjamin de Foy
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - James J Schauer
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53718, USA
| | - Guoshuai Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Kunpeng Wu
- Institute of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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2
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Angot H, Rutkowski E, Sargent M, Wofsy SC, Hutyra LR, Howard D, Obrist D, Selin NE. Atmospheric mercury sources in a coastal-urban environment: a case study in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1914-1929. [PMID: 34739015 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00253h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental toxicant dangerous to human health and the environment. Its anthropogenic emissions are regulated by global, regional, and local policies. Here, we investigate Hg sources in the coastal city of Boston, the third largest metropolitan area in the Northeastern United States. With a median of 1.37 ng m-3, atmospheric Hg concentrations measured from August 2017 to April 2019 were at the low end of the range reported in the Northern Hemisphere and in the range reported at North American rural sites. Despite relatively low ambient Hg concentrations, we estimate anthropogenic emissions to be 3-7 times higher than in current emission inventories using a measurement-model framework, suggesting an underestimation of small point and/or nonpoint emissions. We also test the hypothesis that a legacy Hg source from the ocean contributes to atmospheric Hg concentrations in the study area; legacy emissions (recycling of previously deposited Hg) account for ∼60% of Hg emitted annually worldwide (and much of this recycling takes place through the oceans). We find that elevated concentrations observed during easterly oceanic winds can be fully explained by low wind speeds and recirculating air allowing for accumulation of land-based emissions. This study suggests that the influence of nonpoint land-based emissions may be comparable in size to point sources in some regions and highlights the benefits of further top-down studies in other areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Angot
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Extreme Environments Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Valais, Wallis, Sion, Switzerland
| | - Emma Rutkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maryann Sargent
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven C Wofsy
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lucy R Hutyra
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dean Howard
- Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, MA, USA
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Daniel Obrist
- Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Noelle E Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Tacey SA, Xu L, Szilvási T, Schauer JJ, Mavrikakis M. Quantum chemical calculations to determine partitioning coefficients for HgCl 2 on iron-oxide aerosols. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 636:580-587. [PMID: 29723830 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Gas-to-particle phase partitioning controls the pathways for oxidized mercury deposition from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface. The propensity of oxidized mercury species to transition between these two phases is described by the partitioning coefficient (Kp). Experimental measurements of Kp values for HgCl2 in the presence of atmospheric aerosols are difficult and time-consuming. Quantum chemical calculations, therefore, offer a promising opportunity to efficiently estimate partitioning coefficients for HgCl2 on relevant aerosols. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to predict Kp values for HgCl2 on relevant iron-oxide surfaces. The model is first verified using a NaCl(100) surface, showing good agreement between the calculated (2.8) and experimental (29-43) dimensionless partitioning coefficients at room temperature. Then, the methodology is applied to six atmospherically relevant terminations of α-Fe2O3(0001): OH-Fe-R, (OH)3-Fe-R, (OH)3-R, O-Fe-R, Fe-O3-R, and O3-R (where R denotes bulk ordering). The OH-Fe-R termination is predicted to be the most stable under typical atmospheric conditions, and on this surface termination, a dimensionless HgCl2Kp value of 5.2 × 103 at 295 K indicates a strong preference for the particle phase. This work demonstrates DFT as a promising approach to obtain partitioning coefficients, which can lead to improved models for the transport of mercury, as well as for other atmospheric pollutant species, through and between the anthroposphere and troposphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A Tacey
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Lang Xu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Tibor Szilvási
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - James J Schauer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Manos Mavrikakis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1415 Engineering Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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4
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Lewandowska AU, Bełdowska M, Witkowska A, Falkowska L, Wiśniewska K. Mercury bonds with carbon (OC and EC) in small aerosols (PM1) in the urbanized coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdansk (southern Baltic). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 157:350-357. [PMID: 29631090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.03.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PM1 aerosols were collected at the coastal station in Gdynia between 1st January and 31st December 2012. The main purpose of the study was to determine the variability in concentrations of mercury Hg(p), organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM1 aerosols under varying synoptic conditions in heating and non-heating periods. Additionally, sources of origin and bonds of mercury with carbon species were identified. The highest concentrations of Hg(p), OC and EC were found during the heating period. Then all analyzed PM1 components had a common, local origin related to the consumption of fossil fuels for heating purposes under conditions of lower air temperatures and poor dispersion of pollutants. Long periods without precipitation also led to the increase in concentration of all measured PM1 compounds. In heating period mercury correlated well with elemental carbon and primary and secondary organic carbon when air masses were transported from over the land. At that time, the role of transportation was of minor importance. In the non-heating period, the concentration of all analyzed compounds were lower than in the heating period, which could be associated with the reduced influence of combustion processes, higher precipitation and, in the case of mercury, also the evaporation of aerosols at higher air temperatures. However, when air masses were transported from over the sea or from the port/shipyard areas the mercury concentration increased significantly. In the first case higher air humidity, solar radiation and ozone concentration as well as the presence of marine aerosols could further facilitate the conversion of gaseous mercury into particulate mercury and its concentration increase. In the second case Hg(p) could be adsorbed on particles rich in elemental carbon and primary organic carbon emitted from ships.
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Affiliation(s)
- A U Lewandowska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Av. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland.
| | - M Bełdowska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Av. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - A Witkowska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Av. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - L Falkowska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Av. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - K Wiśniewska
- Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Av. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
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Slimani T, El Hassani MS, El Mouden EH, Bonnet M, Bustamante P, Brischoux F, Brault-Favrou M, Bonnet X. Large-scale geographic patterns of mercury contamination in Morocco revealed by freshwater turtles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:2350-2360. [PMID: 29124637 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0643-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant present in most aquatic ecosystems. High concentrations pose serious threats to organisms and to human health. Because previous studies focused on few countries, environmental hazard due to Hg contamination remains obscure in many geographic areas, and for example limited information is available in North Africa. We examined total Hg contamination in 13 sites in Morocco (12 rivers and one lake) spread over a large area, 400 km north-south and 350 km west-east, that encompasses different biogeographic zones separated by the Atlas Mountains. Due to their longevity and sedentary habits, we used freshwater turtles as biological probes to monitor Hg exposure. Keratinized tissues reflect long-term Hg exposure; thus, we assayed Hg concentration in the claws of > 200 individuals and supplemented these data with blood Hg concentrations of > 60 individuals (a tissue that provides shorter term Hg exposure integration). The results provide the first large-scale picture of Hg contamination in the aquatic freshwater systems of Morocco. Comparisons with previous studies revealed that some of the sites were highly contaminated (e.g. mean Hg concentrations were above 5 μg g-1, a very high level in keratinized tissues) whereas other sites presented moderate or baseline levels. Unexpectedly, all highly contaminated sites were found in less densely populated areas, while more densely urbanized northern sites, even the sewers of large cities, were not highly contaminated. We hypothesize that silver mining activities in the southern High Atlas and in the Anti-Atlas contaminate rivers of the catchment basins over long distances. These findings indicate that fish, water consumption and contamination levels in local people should be further scrutinized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahar Slimani
- Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Laboratory Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, 40000, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Said El Hassani
- Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Laboratory Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, 40000, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - El Hassan El Mouden
- Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Laboratory Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, 40000, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Marine Bonnet
- Centre d'Etude Biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'Etude Biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Xavier Bonnet
- Centre d'Etude Biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.
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Hong Y, Chen J, Deng J, Tong L, Xu L, Niu Z, Yin L, Chen Y, Hong Z. Pattern of atmospheric mercury speciation during episodes of elevated PM2.5 levels in a coastal city in the Yangtze River Delta, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 218:259-268. [PMID: 27431698 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.06.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Measurement of atmospheric mercury speciation was conducted in a coastal city of the Yangtze River Delta, China from July 2013 to January 2014, in conjunction with air pollutants and meteorological parameters. The mean concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate bound mercury (HgP) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) were 3.26 ± 1.63 ng m-3, 659 ± 931 pg m-3, and 197 ± 246 pg m-3, respectively. High percentages of HgP during haze days were found, due to the increase in direct emissions and gas-particle partitioning of RGM. The average gas-particle partitioning coefficients (Kp) during moderate or severe haze days (PM2.5 > 150 μg m-3) were obviously decreased. GEM and HgP were positively correlated with PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO, suggesting a significant contribution of anthropogenic sources. Elevated HgP concentrations in cold seasons and in the morning were observed while RGM exhibited different seasonal and diurnal pattern. The ratio of HgP/SO2 and Pearson correlation analysis suggested that coal combustion was the main cause of increasing atmospheric Hg concentrations. The monitoring site was affected by local, regional and interregional sources. The back trajectory analysis suggested that air mass from northwest China and Huabei Plain contributed to elevated atmospheric Hg in winter and autumn, while southeast China with clean air masses were the major contributor in summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwei Hong
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Cause and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai, 200233, PR China
| | - Jinsheng Chen
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China.
| | - Junjun Deng
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China
| | - Lei Tong
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China
| | - Lingling Xu
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China
| | - Zhenchuan Niu
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China
| | - Liqian Yin
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China
| | - Yanting Chen
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station-NUEORS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, PR China
| | - Zhenyu Hong
- Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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7
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Stanovič R, Árvay J, Hauptvogl M, Tomáš J, Kováčik A, Záhorcová Z, Slávik M. Determination of heavy metals concentration in raw sheep milk from mercury polluted area. POTRAVINARSTVO 2016. [DOI: 10.5219/536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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8
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Amos HM, Sonke JE, Obrist D, Robins N, Hagan N, Horowitz HM, Mason RP, Witt M, Hedgecock IM, Corbitt ES, Sunderland EM. Observational and modeling constraints on global anthropogenic enrichment of mercury. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4036-47. [PMID: 25750991 DOI: 10.1021/es5058665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Centuries of anthropogenic releases have resulted in a global legacy of mercury (Hg) contamination. Here we use a global model to quantify the impact of uncertainty in Hg atmospheric emissions and cycling on anthropogenic enrichment and discuss implications for future Hg levels. The plausibility of sensitivity simulations is evaluated against multiple independent lines of observation, including natural archives and direct measurements of present-day environmental Hg concentrations. It has been previously reported that pre-industrial enrichment recorded in sediment and peat disagree by more than a factor of 10. We find this difference is largely erroneous and caused by comparing peat and sediment against different reference time periods. After correcting this inconsistency, median enrichment in Hg accumulation since pre-industrial 1760 to 1880 is a factor of 4.3 for peat and 3.0 for sediment. Pre-industrial accumulation in peat and sediment is a factor of ∼ 5 greater than the precolonial era (3000 BC to 1550 AD). Model scenarios that omit atmospheric emissions of Hg from early mining are inconsistent with observational constraints on the present-day atmospheric, oceanic, and soil Hg reservoirs, as well as the magnitude of enrichment in archives. Future reductions in anthropogenic emissions will initiate a decline in atmospheric concentrations within 1 year, but stabilization of subsurface and deep ocean Hg levels requires aggressive controls. These findings are robust to the ranges of uncertainty in past emissions and Hg cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M Amos
- †Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- ‡Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS-IRD-Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Daniel Obrist
- §Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - Nicholas Robins
- ∥Department of History, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Nicole Hagan
- ⊥Environmental Health Council, Durham, North Carolina 27701, United States
| | - Hannah M Horowitz
- #Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Robert P Mason
- ∇Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Melanie Witt
- ○Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M Hedgecock
- ◆Rende Division, CNR-Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Elizabeth S Corbitt
- #Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Elsie M Sunderland
- †Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- ¶School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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9
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Árvay J, Tomáš J, Hauptvogl M, Massányi P, Harangozo Ľ, Tóth T, Stanovič R, Bryndzová Š, Bumbalová M. Human exposure to heavy metals and possible public health risks via consumption of wild edible mushrooms from Slovak Paradise National Park, Slovakia. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART. B, PESTICIDES, FOOD CONTAMINANTS, AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES 2015; 50:833-843. [PMID: 26357894 DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2015.1058107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The contamination level of 92 samples (12 species) of wild edible mushrooms and underlying substrates with heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in the Slovak Paradise National Park that borders with a region of historical mining and processing of polymetallic ores, were determined. The collected samples were analyzed using of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The metals were determined separately in hymenophore (H) and rest of fruit bodies (RFB). Bioaccumulation factor as well as ratio of metal content in H and RFB were calculated. Cadmium and lead contents in hymenophore exceeded statutory limits of the EU (Cd: 0.5 mg/kg dry weight (dw), Pb: 1.0 mg/kg dw) for edible mushrooms in 96% and 83% of the samples, respectively. The risk from the consumption of the collected mushroom species was calculated based on the provisionally tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values, and the highest health risk arising with consumption of particularly Macrolepiota procera, Marasmius oreades and Russula vesca from the observed area was demonstrated. It was shown that average weekly consumption of tested mushrooms species results the threat of exceeding of PTWI limits in the case of cadmium values (by 164%, 86% and 4% of PTWI for M. oreades, R. vesca and R. puellaris, respectively) and of mercury (by 96% of PTWI for M. procera) but not lead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Július Árvay
- a Department of Chemistry, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Ján Tomáš
- a Department of Chemistry, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Martin Hauptvogl
- b Department of Sustainable Development, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Massányi
- c Department of Animal Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Ľuboš Harangozo
- a Department of Chemistry, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Tomáš Tóth
- a Department of Chemistry, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Radovan Stanovič
- a Department of Chemistry, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
| | - Štefánia Bryndzová
- d The State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, Administration of the National Park Slovak Paradise , Spišská Nová Ves , Slovak Republic
| | - Monika Bumbalová
- b Department of Sustainable Development, Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic
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10
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Bagnato E, Tamburello G, Avard G, Martinez-Cruz M, Enrico M, Fu X, Sprovieri M, Sonke JE. Mercury fluxes from volcanic and geothermal sources: an update. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1144/sp410.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWe review the state of knowledge on global volcanogenic Hg emissions to the atmosphere and present new data from seven active volcanoes (Poás, Rincón de la Vieja, Turrialba, Aso, Mutnovsky, Gorely and Etna) and two geothermal fields (Las Pailas and Las Hornillas). The variability of Hg contents (c. 4–125 ng m−3) measured in gaseous emissions reflects the dynamic nature of volcanic plumes, where the abundances of volatiles are determined by the physical nature of degassing and variable air dilution. Based on our dataset and previous work, we propose that an average Hg/SO2 plume mass ratio of c. 7.8×10−6 (±1.5×10−6; 1 SE, n=13) is best representative of open-conduit quiescent degassing. Taking into account the uncertainty in global SO2 emissions, we infer a global volcanic Hg flux from persistent degassing of c. 76±30 t a−1. Our data are derived from active volcanoes during non-eruptive periods and we do not have any direct constraint on the Hg flux during periods of elevated SO2 flux associated with large-scale effusive or explosive eruptions. This suggests that the time-averaged Hg flux from these volcanoes is even larger if the eruptive contribution is considered. Conversely, closed-conduit degassing and geothermal emissions contribute modest amounts of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Bagnato
- DiSTeM, University of Palermo,Via Archirafi, 36, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - G. Tamburello
- DiSTeM, University of Palermo,Via Archirafi, 36, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - G. Avard
- Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional, 2346-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - M. Martinez-Cruz
- Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional, 2346-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - M. Enrico
- Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS-GET, 14, avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - X. Fu
- Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS-GET, 14, avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - M. Sprovieri
- IAMC-CNR, Via del Mare 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola, Mazara del Vallo (TP), Italy
| | - J. E. Sonke
- Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS-GET, 14, avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
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11
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Choi HD, Huang J, Mondal S, Holsen TM. Variation in concentrations of three mercury (Hg) forms at a rural and a suburban site in New York State. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2013; 448:96-106. [PMID: 22959656 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2011] [Revised: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/14/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tekran® Hg speciation systems were used at a rural site (Huntington Forest, NY; HF) and a suburban site (Rochester, NY; ROC) to measure gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and fine particulate-bound mercury (PBM2.5) concentrations for two years (December 2007 to November 2009). Ancillary data were also available from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Status and Trends Network. Seasonal GEM concentrations were similar at both sites and influenced by factors such as the planet boundary layer (PBL) height and mercury emissions from snow, soil, and point sources. In some seasons, O3 was negatively correlated with GEM at ROC and positively correlated with GEM at HF. At HF, O3 was correlated with GOM and was typically higher in the afternoon. The cause of this pattern may be photochemical reactions during the day, and the GOM diel pattern may also be due to deposition which is enhanced by dew formation during the night and early morning. PBM2.5 concentrations were higher in winter at both sites. This is indicative of local wood combustion for space heating in winter, increased sorption to particles at lower temperatures, and lower PBL in the winter. At the suburban site, 2 of 12 events with enhanced GEM/CO ratios were poorly correlated with SO2/GOM, implying that these two events were due either to long range transport or regional metallurgical industries in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Deok Choi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Ave., Potsdam, NY 13699-5710, USA
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12
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Davis JA, Looker RE, Yee D, Marvin-Di Pasquale M, Grenier JL, Austin CM, McKee LJ, Greenfield BK, Brodberg R, Blum JD. Reducing methylmercury accumulation in the food webs of San Francisco Bay and its local watersheds. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2012; 119:3-26. [PMID: 23122771 PMCID: PMC4062181 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2011] [Revised: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 10/04/2012] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
San Francisco Bay (California, USA) and its local watersheds present an interesting case study in estuarine mercury (Hg) contamination. This review focuses on the most promising avenues for attempting to reduce methylmercury (MeHg) contamination in Bay Area aquatic food webs and identifying the scientific information that is most urgently needed to support these efforts. Concern for human exposure to MeHg in the region has led to advisories for consumption of sport fish. Striped bass from the Bay have the highest average Hg concentration measured for this species in USA estuaries, and this degree of contamination has been constant for the past 40 years. Similarly, largemouth bass in some Bay Area reservoirs have some of the highest Hg concentrations observed in the entire US. Bay Area wildlife, particularly birds, face potential impacts to reproduction based on Hg concentrations in the tissues of several Bay species. Source control of Hg is one of the primary possible approaches for reducing MeHg accumulation in Bay Area aquatic food webs. Recent findings (particularly Hg isotope measurements) indicate that the decades-long residence time of particle-associated Hg in the Bay is sufficient to allow significant conversion of even the insoluble forms of Hg into MeHg. Past inputs have been thoroughly mixed throughout this shallow and dynamic estuary. The large pool of Hg already present in the ecosystem dominates the fraction converted to MeHg and accumulating in the food web. Consequently, decreasing external Hg inputs can be expected to reduce MeHg in the food web, but it will likely take many decades to centuries before those reductions are achieved. Extensive efforts to reduce loads from the largest Hg mining source (the historic New Almaden mining district) are underway. Hg is spread widely across the urban landscape, but there are a number of key sources, source areas, and pathways that provide opportunities to capture larger quantities of Hg and reduce loads from urban runoff. Atmospheric deposition is a lower priority for source control in the Bay Area due to a combination of a lack of major local sources. Internal net production of MeHg is the dominant source of MeHg that enters the food web. Controlling internal net production is the second primary management approach, and has the potential to reduce food web MeHg in some habitats more effectively and within a much shorter time-frame. Controlling net MeHg production and accumulation in the food web of upstream reservoirs and ponds is very promising due to the many features of these ecosystems that can be manipulated. The most feasible control options in tidal marshes relate to the design of flow patterns and subhabitats in restoration projects. Options for controlling MeHg production in open Bay habitat are limited due primarily to the highly dispersed distribution of Hg throughout the ecosystem. Other changes in these habitats may also have a large influence on food web MeHg, including temperature changes due to global warming, sea level rise, food web alterations due to introduced species and other causes, and changes in sediment supply. Other options for reducing or mitigating exposure and risk include controlling bioaccumulation, cleanup of contaminated sites, and reducing other factors (e.g., habitat availability) that limit at-risk wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Davis
- San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, USA.
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13
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Mann E, Meyer T, Mitchell CPJ, Wania F. Mercury fate in ageing and melting snow: development and testing of a controlled laboratory system. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 13:2695-702. [PMID: 21858316 DOI: 10.1039/c1em10297d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A snow cover can modify when, to what extent, and in what form atmospherically deposited mercury is released to the underlying surface media and/or back to the atmosphere. Investigations of mercury transport and transformation processes in snow packs are hampered by the difficulty in controlling experimental and melt conditions and due to the huge variability in the composition and physical structure of environmental snow packs. A method was developed that allows the detailed mechanistic investigation of mercury fate in snow that is made, aged and melted under controlled laboratory conditions. A number of control samples established that mercury in indoor air, scavenged during the snow making process, constitutes the dominant source of mercury in the artificial snow. No addition of mercury is required. The amount of mercury in fresh snow was quantitatively (102 and 106% in two experiments) recovered in the dissolved and particulate fractions of the melt water and the vessel head space, confirming a mass balance for mercury and the absence of unquantifiable mercury sources and sinks in the experimental system. In snow made from unmodified tap water, more than half of the mercury present in the snowpack was recovered from the bottom of the snow vessel after all of the snow had melted. Such late elution is indicative of mercury being mostly associated with particles that are filtered by, and retained in, the shrinking snowpack. Addition of salt to the snow-making water at an environmentally realistic pH notably shifted the distribution of mercury in the snowpack from the particulate to the dissolved phase, resulting in more than 60% of the mercury eluting in the dissolved phase of early melt water fractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Mann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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14
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Rutter AP, Schauer JJ, Shafer MM, Creswell J, Olson MR, Clary A, Robinson M, Parman AM, Katzman TL. Climate sensitivity of gaseous elemental mercury dry deposition to plants: impacts of temperature, light intensity, and plant species. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2011; 45:569-575. [PMID: 21142175 DOI: 10.1021/es102687b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Foliar accumulations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) were measured in three plant species between nominal temperatures of 10 and 30 °C and nominal irradiances of 0, 80, and 170 W m(-2) (300 nm-700 nm) in a 19 m(3) controlled environment chamber. The plants exposed were as follows: White Ash (Fraxinus americana; WA); White Spruce (Picea glauca; WS); and Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa partensis; KYBG). Foliar enrichments in the mercury stable isotope ((198)Hg) were used to measure mercury accumulation. Exposures lasted for 1 day after which the leaves were digested in hot acid and the extracted mercury was analyzed with ICPMS. Resistances to accumulative uptake by leaves were observed to be dependent on both light and temperature, reaching minima at optimal growing conditions (20 °C; 170 W m(-2) irradiance between 300-700 nm). Resistances typically increased at lower (10 °C) and higher (30 °C) temperatures and decreased with higher intensities of irradiance. Published models were modified and used to interpret the trends in stomatal and leaf interior resistances to GEM observed in WA. The model captured the experimental trends well and revealed that stomatal and internal resistances were both important across much of the temperature range. At high temperatures, however, stomatal resistance dominated due to increased water vapor pressure deficits. The resistances measured in this study were used to model foliar accumulations of GEM at a northern US deciduous forest using atmospheric mercury and climate measurements made over the 2003 growing season. The results were compared to modeled accumulations for GEM, RGM, and PHg using published deposition velocities. Predictions of foliar GEM accumulation were observed to be a factor of 5-10 lower when the temperature and irradiance dependent resistances determined in this study were used in place of previously published data. GEM uptake by leaves over the growing season was shown to be an important deposition pathway (2.3-3.7 μg m(-2) of one-sided leaf area; OSLA) when compared to total mercury wet deposition (1.2 μg m(-2) OSLA) and estimates of reactive mercury dry deposition (0.1-6 μg m(-2) OSLA). Resistance-Temperature-Irradiance relationships are provided for use in models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Rutter
- Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
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15
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Engle MA, Tate MT, Krabbenhoft DP, Schauer JJ, Kolker A, Shanley JB, Bothner MH. Comparison of atmospheric mercury speciation and deposition at nine sites across central and eastern North America. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010jd014064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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