Modern and Historic Atmospheric Mercury Fluxes in Northern Alaska:  Global Sources and Arctic Depletion

Fitzgerald, William F.; Engstrom, Daniel R.; Lamborg, Carl H.; Tseng, Chun‐Mao; Balcom, Prentiss H.; Hammerschmidt, Chad R.

doi:10.1021/es049128x

Cited by 210 publications

(190 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Three reasons may explain the large difference between lake and tundra snowpack Hg loads: (1) the lake did not accumulate the snowpack on open water prior to the lake surface freezing in the early fall (Sturm and Liston, 2003); (2) low surface roughness over the lake likely prevent settling of snowfall and facilitate remobilization of snow by wind transport (Essery et al, 1999;Essery and Pomeroy, 2004); and (3) the lake ice is warmer than the tundra soil resulting in higher sublimation over the lake. The implication of the latter process is a reduction of direct atmospheric deposition over Arctic lakes and is consistent with studies that estimated that annual Hg contribution to Arctic lakes via direct wet deposition is small, generally less than 20 % of total deposition (Fitzgerald et al, 2005(Fitzgerald et al, , 2014. Spatial redistribution of snow across the tundra landscape further implies that both wet deposition and snow accumulation rates are variable, leading to spatial heterogeneity of snowmelt Hg inputs.…”

Section: Snowbound Mercury In the Interior Arctic Snowpack 331 Spatsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…In the Arctic, modern atmospheric Hg deposition has increased about 3-fold from preindustrialized background levels (Fitzgerald et al, 2005), similar to increases observed in temperate locations, although other studies suggest much stronger increases (e.g., Enrico et al, 2017). The increase in Hg loading has led to vulnerability of polar ecosystems to Hg contamination due to detrimental impacts to wildlife and humans, in particular through biomagnification processes across trophic levels (Atwell et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 62%

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Mercury in the Arctic tundra snowpack: temporal and spatial concentration patterns and trace gas exchanges

Agnan¹,

Douglas²,

Helmig³

et al. 2018

The Cryosphere

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Abstract. In the Arctic, the snowpack forms the major interface between atmospheric and terrestrial cycling of mercury (Hg), a global pollutant. We investigated Hg dynamics in an interior Arctic tundra snowpack in northern Alaska during two winter seasons. Using a snow tower system to monitor Hg trace gas exchange, we observed consistent concentration declines of gaseous elemental Hg (Hg 0 gas ) from the atmosphere to the snowpack to soils. The snowpack itself was unlikely a direct sink for atmospheric Hg 0 gas . In addition, there was no evidence of photochemical reduction of Hg II to Hg 0 gas in the tundra snowpack, with the exception of short periods during late winter in the uppermost snow layer. The patterns in this interior Arctic snowpack thus differ substantially from observations in Arctic coastal and temperate snowpacks. We consistently measured low concentrations of both total and dissolved Hg in snowpack throughout the two seasons. Chemical tracers showed that Hg was mainly associated with local mineral dust and regional marine sea spray inputs. Mass balance calculations show that the snowpack represents a small reservoir of Hg, resulting in low inputs during snowmelt. Taken together, the results from this study suggest that interior Arctic snowpacks are negligible sources of Hg to the Arctic.

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Section: Snowbound Mercury In the Interior Arctic Snowpack 331 Spatsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Mercury in the Arctic tundra snowpack: temporal and spatial concentration patterns and trace gas exchanges

Agnan¹,

Douglas²,

Helmig³

et al. 2018

The Cryosphere

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“…In freshwater, however, significant increases in THg fluxes to sediments during the 20th century indicate that deposited atmospheric Hg has had an effect on Hg levels in lake sediments and, by extension, on freshwater Hg budgets in the Arctic. [21][22][23] Results from a recent study of marine sediments from Hudson Bay indicate THg concentrations increased during the 20th century. [24] Deposited Hg either enters aquatic environments (marine systems, melt ponds on sea ice, lakes or rivers) or remains in soils or the multi-year snow and ice found on glaciers and ice sheets (Fig.…”

Section: Since 1993 Prof Henrik Skov Has Worked As Principal Scientimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[22] Thus the integration of this atmospheric Hg into ecosystem soils and vegetation may be limited. Erosion of thawed soils during summer, a process that seems to be accelerated by climate change, provides an important source of inorganic Hg to lakes in Alaska [21] and possibly elsewhere in the Arctic. [48,49] Soil loadings of Hg to Alaskan lakes were found to be associated primarily with silt [21] and were greater in lakes with higher watershed/lake area ratios.…”

Section: Since 1993 Prof Henrik Skov Has Worked As Principal Scientimentioning

confidence: 99%

The fate of mercury in Arctic terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, a review

Douglas

Loseto²,

Macdonald³

et al. 2012

Environ. Chem.

121

147

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Environmental context. Mercury, in its methylated form, is a neurotoxin that biomagnifies in marine and terrestrial foodwebs leading to elevated levels in fish and fish-eating mammals worldwide, including at numerous Arctic locations. Elevated mercury concentrations in Arctic country foods present a significant exposure risk to Arctic people. We present a detailed review of the fate of mercury in Arctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, taking into account the extreme seasonality of Arctic ecosystems and the unique processes associated with sea ice and Arctic hydrology.Abstract. This review is the result of a series of multidisciplinary meetings organised by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme as part of their 2011 Assessment 'Mercury in the Arctic'. This paper presents the state-of-the-art knowledge on the environmental fate of mercury following its entry into the Arctic by oceanic, atmospheric and terrestrial pathways. Our focus is on the movement, transformation and bioaccumulation of Hg in aquatic (marine and fresh water) and terrestrial ecosystems. The processes most relevant to biological Hg uptake and the potential risk associated with Hg exposure in wildlife are emphasised. We present discussions of the chemical transformations of newly deposited or transported Hg in marine, fresh water and terrestrial environments and of the movement of Hg from air, soil and water environmental compartments into food webs. Methylation, a key process controlling the fate of Hg in most ecosystems, and the role of trophic processes in controlling Hg in higher order animals are also included. Case studies on Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) are presented as examples of the relationship between ecosystem trophic processes and biologic Hg levels. We examine whether atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs) contribute to increased Hg levels in Arctic biota and provide information on the links between organic carbon and Hg speciation, dynamics and bioavailability. Long-term sequestration of Hg into non-biological archives is also addressed. The review concludes by identifying major knowledge gaps in our understanding, including:(1) the rates of Hg entry into marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the rates of inorganic and MeHg uptake by Arctic microbial and algal communities; (2) the bioavailable fraction of AMDE-related Hg and its rate of accumulation by biota and (3) the fresh water and marine MeHg cycle in the Arctic, especially the marine MeHg cycle.

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“…Levels of chemicals are particularly elevated in coastal ecosystems because of river influxes, runoff, point-source pollution, and atmospheric transport and deposition (Furness and Rainbow 1990;Burger and Gochfeld 2002). Many chemicals, such as mercury, are transported all over the world, including to relatively isolated lakes and oceanic environments (Fitzgerald 1989;Houghton et al 1992;Fitzgerald et al 2005;Hammerschmidt et al 2006). Atmospheric deposition is of particular interest for mercury because the USA and other industrialized nations are poorly regulating emissions (Evers et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in feathers in bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and comparison with common eider (Somateria mollissima), glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens), pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba), and tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) from the Aleutian Chain of Alaska

Burger

Gochfeld

2008

Environ Monit Assess

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Comparison of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in feathers in bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and comparison with common eider (Somateria mollissima), glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens), pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba), and tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) from the Aleutian Chain of Alaska AbstractThere is an abundance of field data for levels of metals from a range of places, but relatively few from the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. In this paper we examine the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in feathers from common eiders (Somateria mollissima), glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens), pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columba), tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) and bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) from the Aleutian Chain of Alaska. Our primary objective was to test the hypothesis that there are no trophic levels relationships for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium among these five species of birds breeding in the marine environment of the Aleutians. There were significant interspecific differences in all metal levels. As predicted bald eagles had the highest levels of arsenic, chromium, lead, and manganese, but puffins had the highest levels of selenium, and pigeon guillemot had higher levels of mercury than eagles (although the differences were not significant). Common eiders, at the lowest trophic level had the lowest levels of some metals (chromium, mercury and selenium). However, eiders had higher levels than all other species (except eagles) for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and manganese. Levels of lead were higher in breast than in wing feathers of bald eagles. Except for lead, there were no significant differences in metal levels in feathers of bald eagles nesting on Adak and Amchitka Island; lead was higher on Adak than Amchitka. Eagle chicks tended to have lower levels of manganese than older eagles.

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Modern and Historic Atmospheric Mercury Fluxes in Northern Alaska: Global Sources and Arctic Depletion

Cited by 210 publications

References 47 publications

Mercury in the Arctic tundra snowpack: temporal and spatial concentration patterns and trace gas exchanges

Mercury in the Arctic tundra snowpack: temporal and spatial concentration patterns and trace gas exchanges

The fate of mercury in Arctic terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, a review

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