Multi-model study of mercury dispersion in the atmosphere: vertical and interhemispheric distribution of mercury species

Bieser, Johannes; Šlemr, F.; Ambrose, J. L.; Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M.; Brooks, Steve; Dastoor, Ashu; DeSimone, Francesco; Ebinghaus, Ralf; Gencarelli, Christian N.; Geyer, Beate; Gratz, Lynne E.; Hedgecock, Ian M.; Jaffe, Daniel A.; Kelley, Paul; Lin, Che Jen; Jaeglé, Lyatt; Matthias, Volker; Ryjkov, Andrei; Selin, Noelle E.; Song, Shaojie; Travnikov, Oleg; Weigelt, Alexandra; Luke, Winston T.; Ren, X.; Zahn, Andreas; Yang, Xin; Zhu, Yun; Pirrone, Nicola

doi:10.5194/acp-17-6925-2017

Cited by 28 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 138 publications

(182 reference statements)

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“…A dominant role of vegetation Hg(0) uptake over other terrestrial emission and deposition processes also reconciles terrestrial Hg isotope constraints, which suggest 50-80% of vegetation and soil Hg to derive from plant Hg(0) uptake. 22,[26][27][28] Considering the 20% amplitude of seasonal Hg(0) oscillations and an atmospheric Hg(0) pool of 4800 Mg, 47 we estimate that net Hg(0) sequestration is on the order of 1000 Mg a -1 of Hg(0) during the vegetation period, which is in agreement with foliage/litterfall estimates of 1000-1200 Mg a -1 . 17,24 The gross foliar Hg(0) uptake flux is likely larger.…”

Section: Implications For Global Hg Cyclingsupporting

confidence: 84%

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A vegetation control on seasonal variations in global atmospheric mercury concentrations

et al. 2018

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Anthropogenic mercury emissions are transported through the atmosphere as gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(0)) prior to deposition to Earth's surface. Strong seasonality in atmospheric Hg(0) concentrations in the Northern Hemisphere has been explained by two factors: anthropogenic Hg(0) emissions are thought to peak in winter due to higher energy consumption, and atmospheric oxidation rates of Hg(0) are faster in summer. Oxidationdriven Hg(0) seasonality should be equally pronounced in the Southern Hemisphere, which is inconsistent with observations of constant year-round Hg(0) levels. Here, we assess the role of Hg(0) uptake by vegetation as an alternative mechanism for driving Hg(0) seasonality. We find that at terrestrial sites in the Northern Hemisphere, Hg(0) co-varies with CO2, which is

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Section: Implications For Global Hg Cyclingsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…The absence of Hg(0) seasonality observed in the SH seems inconsistent with our current understanding of atmospheric Hg redox dynamics. 7,9,47 An important role of vegetation Hg(0) uptake on NH Hg(0) seasonality may imply that atmospheric Hg(0) oxidation is less significant than currently assumed.…”

Section: Implications For Global Hg Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A vegetation control on seasonal variations in global atmospheric mercury concentrations

et al. 2018

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“…Bieser et al [69] performed a model comparison study evaluating the impact of oxidation schemes and emissions on atmospheric mercury. The models under study successfully simulated the concentration distribution of total Hg and Hg 0 in the troposphere.…”

Section: Dominant Gaseous Oxidant For Hg 0 : O 3 /Oh Br or Others?mentioning

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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“…Sampling sites at higher elevation (greater than 5 m above ground level) were not distinct from adjacent sampling sites (see table S1.1). All sampling heights were well within the atmospheric boundary layer, where gaseous Hg concentrations are expected to remain relatively uniform away from point sources (Bieser et al 2017).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying and evaluating urban mercury emission sources through passive sampler-based mapping of atmospheric concentrations

McLagan

Hussain

Huang

et al. 2018

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Beyond emissions from coal-fired power generation, urban sources of mercury (Hg) to the atmosphere, especially minor fugitive sources, are relatively poorly characterized. To identify urban sources of fugitive Hg emissions, passive air samplers (PASs) were deployed for periods of 4-6 weeks in the summer of 2016 at 145 sites across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). PASs were also deployed along transects of increasing distance from five sites listed as Hg sources in the National Pollution Release Inventory (NPRI) within or near the GTA. Mean gaseous Hg concentrations in downtown Toronto (1.77 ± 0.28 ng m −3 ) are slightly, but significantly elevated relative to other parts of the GTA (1.42 ± 0.20 ng m −3 ). Similarly, concentrations at sites close to waste/recycling (1.61 ± 0.22 ng m −3 ) and hospitals/dental facilities (1.63 ± 0.21 ng m −3 ) are significantly higher than at sites presumably distant from potential sources (1.37 ± 0.20 ng m −3 ). Gaseous Hg concentrations are elevated near four of five NPRI source sites, but not near a wastewater treatment plant. Measured or predicted concentrations (using extrapolated transect relationships) close to known Hg sources do not correlate with reported NPRI emissions. For example, the Hg disposal company Aevitas Inc. has the lowest reported NPRI emissions (0.11 kg yr −1 ) among the five sources, but measured (12.3 ng m −3 ) and predicted (60.0 ng m −3 ) concentrations outside the facility are the highest. The PAS's ability to precisely and accurately discriminate small differences in gaseous Hg concentration (<0.2 ng m −3 ) at and near global background concentrations enables the mapping of the spatial concentration variability and the identification of fugitive Hg emission sources.

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Multi-model study of mercury dispersion in the atmosphere: vertical and interhemispheric distribution of mercury species

Cited by 28 publications

References 138 publications

A vegetation control on seasonal variations in global atmospheric mercury concentrations

A vegetation control on seasonal variations in global atmospheric mercury concentrations

Recent Advances in Atmospheric Chemistry of Mercury

Identifying and evaluating urban mercury emission sources through passive sampler-based mapping of atmospheric concentrations

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