Comparison of mercury chemistry models

Ryaboshapko, A. G.; Bullock, O. Russell; Ebinghaus, Ralf; Ilyin, Ilia; Lohman, Kristen; Munthe, John; Petersen, G.; Seigneur, Christian; Wängberg, Ingvar

doi:10.1016/s1352-2310(02)00351-5

Cited by 77 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Atmospheric mercury exists in the gas phase, in atmospheric droplets, or in the particulate phase. Mercury speciation significantly affects the rates of dry and wet deposition and subsequently, the atmospheric lifetimes of different Hg species [11]. For example, gaseous elemental mercury (Hg 0 ) has been estimated to have an atmospheric lifetime of about one year [4,12], which render sit subject to long-range transportation across the globe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Atmospheric Chemistry of Mercury

Ariya

2018

Atmosphere

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Mercury is one of the most toxic metals and has global importance due to the biomagnification and bioaccumulation of organomercury via the aquatic food web. The physical and chemical transformations of various mercury species in the atmosphere strongly influence their composition, phase, transport characteristics and deposition rate to the ground. Modeling efforts to evaluate the mercury cycling in the environment require an accurate understanding of atmospheric mercury chemistry. We focus this article on recent studies (since 2015) on improving our understanding of the atmospheric chemistry of mercury. We discuss recent advances in (i) determining the dominant atmospheric oxidant of elemental mercury (Hg 0 ); (ii) understanding the oxidation reactions of Hg 0 by halogen atoms and by nitrate radical (NO 3 ); (iii) the aqueous reduction of oxidized mercury compounds (Hg II ); and (iv) the heterogeneous reactions of Hg on atmospherically-relevant surfaces. The need for future research to improve understanding of the fate and transformation of mercury in the atmosphere is also discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Atmospheric Chemistry of Mercury

Ariya

2018

Atmosphere

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“…Most important are an improved treatment of horizontal dispersion and the initial composition of the volcanic plume [gaseous, see below, and aerosol after (8,9)], an update of chemical reactions and the inclusion of mercury chemistry. The mercury mechanism is based on previous modeling studies but somewhat extended based on a number of laboratory studies and compilations of mercury reaction rate coefficients with the goal of having a rather comprehensive gas and aqueous phase reaction mechanism and ensuring that the mechanism is "closed" in the sense of having sinks for all intermediate species, which was not always the case in previous model studies (28,(34)(35)(36). Our quantitative understanding of the atmospheric cycling of mercury, especially the interactions with halogens, is still limited so that the uncertainties in the kinetics for mercury are higher than for the other elements.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric chemistry in volcanic plumes

Glasow

2010

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

145

126

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Recent field observations have shown that the atmospheric plumes of quiescently degassing volcanoes are chemically very active, pointing to the role of chemical cycles involving halogen species and heterogeneous reactions on aerosol particles that have previously been unexplored for this type of volcanic plumes. Key features of these measurements can be reproduced by numerical models such as the one employed in this study. The model shows sustained high levels of reactive bromine in the plume, leading to extensive ozone destruction, that, depending on plume dispersal, can be maintained for several days. The very high concentrations of sulfur dioxide in the volcanic plume reduces the lifetime of the OH radical drastically, so that it is virtually absent in the volcanic plume. This would imply an increased lifetime of methane in volcanic plumes, unless reactive chlorine chemistry in the plume is strong enough to offset the lack of OH chemistry. A further effect of bromine chemistry in addition to ozone destruction shown by the model studies presented here, is the oxidation of mercury. This relates to mercury that has been coemitted with bromine from the volcano but also to background atmospheric mercury. The rapid oxidation of mercury implies a drastically reduced atmospheric lifetime of mercury so that the contribution of volcanic mercury to the atmospheric background might be less than previously thought. However, the implications, especially health and environmental effects due to deposition, might be substantial and warrant further studies, especially field measurements to test this hypothesis

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“…Tracking and detecting changes in atmospheric mercury deposition relative to reductions in emissions from anthropogenic sources can be complex; lifetimes, source profiles, and transformations of the various mercury species differ, and measuring these components is difficult (6)(7)(8). The concentration and reactivity of atmospheric oxidants influence atmospheric transformations (6-8, 13, 19).…”

Section: Considerations In Study Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, many questions about the environmental benefits of emissions reductions remain unanswered. Current computer models and other assessment tools provide widely divergent estimates for the effectiveness of emissions controls at reducing MeHg levels in fish (6)(7)(8). In addition, no broad-scale data sets are available to test model predictions.…”

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confidence: 99%