Mercury in air and soil on an urban-rural transect in East Africa

Nipen, Maja; Jørgensen, Susanne Jøntvedt; Bohlin‐Nizzetto, Pernilla; Borgå, Katrine; Breivik, Knut; Mmochi, Aviti J.; Mwakalapa, Eliezer Brown; Quant, Maria; Schlabach, Martin; Vogt, Rolf D.; Wania, Frank

doi:10.1039/d2em00040g

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 74 publications

(156 reference statements)

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“…The largest sources of industrial Hg emissions in the SH are coal combustion and non-ferrous metals production, with regional contributions from legacy Hg contamination from historical mining and Hg processing facilities (Walters et al 2011 ) and municipal waste and e-waste dumps and processing facilities (Nipen et al 2022 ). While industrial emissions have declined across much of the NH, driving decreasing trends in observed atmospheric Hg in North America and Europe (Zhang et al 2016 ), SH industrial emissions have continued increasing in recent years (AMAP/UNEP 2019 ).…”

Section: Industrial Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 2: Anthropogenic perturbations

Fisher

Schneider

Fostier

et al. 2023

Ambio

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Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination is a global concern requiring action at national scales. Scientific understanding and regulatory policies are underpinned by global extrapolation of Northern Hemisphere Hg data, despite historical, political, and socioeconomic differences between the hemispheres that impact Hg sources and sinks. In this paper, we explore the primary anthropogenic perturbations to Hg emission and mobilization processes that differ between hemispheres and synthesize current understanding of the implications for Hg cycling. In the Southern Hemisphere (SH), lower historical production of Hg and other metals implies lower present-day legacy emissions, but the extent of the difference remains uncertain. More use of fire and higher deforestation rates drive re-mobilization of terrestrial Hg, while also removing vegetation that would otherwise provide a sink for atmospheric Hg. Prevalent Hg use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a dominant source of Hg inputs to the environment in tropical regions. Meanwhile, coal-fired power stations continue to be a significant Hg emission source and industrial production of non-ferrous metals is a large and growing contributor. Major uncertainties remain, hindering scientific understanding and effective policy formulation, and we argue for an urgent need to prioritize research activities in under-sampled regions of the SH.

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Section: Industrial Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 2: Anthropogenic perturbations

Fisher

Schneider

Fostier

et al. 2023

Ambio

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“…Background Hg concentrations measured in situ in Africa ranged between 13 and 48 ng g −1 in soils around northern Lake Victoria (East Africa) (Campbell et al 2003 ); between 15 and 50 ng g −1 in sediments of the Berg River (South Africa) (Kading et al 2009 ); and below 20 ng g −1 in soils collected around Lake Chilwa (Malawi) (Mussa et al 2020 ). Mercury concentrations in more remote soils in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) were also low (below 15 ng g −1 ) (Nipen et al 2022 ).…”

Section: Background Mercury In Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 1: Natural processes

Schneider

Fisher

Diéguez

et al. 2023

Ambio

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Recent studies demonstrate a short 3–6-month atmospheric lifetime for mercury (Hg). This implies Hg emissions are predominantly deposited within the same hemisphere in which they are emitted, thus placing increasing importance on considering Hg sources, sinks and impacts from a hemispheric perspective. In the absence of comprehensive Hg data from the Southern Hemisphere (SH), estimates and inventories for the SH have been drawn from data collected in the NH, with the assumption that the NH data are broadly applicable. In this paper, we centre the uniqueness of the SH in the context of natural biogeochemical Hg cycling, with focus on the midlatitudes and tropics. Due to its uniqueness, Antarctica warrants an exclusive review of its contribution to the biogeochemical cycling of Hg and is therefore excluded from this review. We identify and describe five key natural differences between the hemispheres that affect the biogeochemical cycling of Hg: biome heterogeneity, vegetation type, ocean area, methylation hotspot zones and occurence of volcanic activities. We review the current state of knowledge of SH Hg cycling within the context of each difference, as well as the key gaps that impede our understanding of natural Hg cycling in the SH. The differences demonstrate the limitations in using NH data to infer Hg processes and emissions in the SH.

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Optimization and application of passive air sampling method for gaseous elemental mercury in Ulsan, South Korea

Cho

Hwang

Kwon

et al. 2022

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Mercury in air and soil on an urban-rural transect in East Africa

Abstract: Spatially resolved atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) concentrations from an urban area in the Southern Hemisphere are reported for the first time.

Cited by 6 publications

References 74 publications

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 2: Anthropogenic perturbations

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 2: Anthropogenic perturbations

A synthesis of mercury research in the Southern Hemisphere, part 1: Natural processes

Optimization and application of passive air sampling method for gaseous elemental mercury in Ulsan, South Korea

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