Annual Time-series Analyses of Total Gaseous Mercury Measurement and its Impact Factors on the Gongga Mountains in the Southeastern Fringe of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Long-term monitoring programs for measurement of atmospheric mercury concentrations are presently recognized as powerful tools for local,regional and global studies of atmospheric long-range transport processes,and they could also provide valuable information about the impact of emission controls on the global budget of atmospheric mercury,their observance and an insight into the global mercury cycle. China is believed to be an increasing atmospheric mercury emission source. However,only a few measurements of mercury,to our knowledge,have been done in ambient air over China. The highly-time resolved atmospheric mercury concen-trations have been measured at Moxi Base Station (102°72′E 29°92′N,1640 m asl) of the Gongga Alpine Ecosystem Observation and Experiment Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) from May 2005 to June 2006 by using a set of Automatic Atmospheric Mercury Speciation Analyzers (Tekran 2537A). Measurements were carried out with a time resolution of every 15 minutes. The overall average total gaseous mercury (TGM) covering the measurement periods was 4±1.38 ng·m-3 (N=57310),which is higher than the global background level of approximately 1.5～2.0 ng·m-3. The measurements in all seasons showed a similar diurnal change pattern with a high concentration during daytime relative to nighttime and maximum concentration near solar noon and minimum concentration immediately before sunrise. The presence of diurnal TGM peaks during spring and summer was found earlier than that during autumn and winter. When divided seasonally,it was found that the concentrations of TGM were highest in winter with 6.13 ± 1.78 ng·m-3 and lowest in summer with 3.17 ± 0.67 ng·m-3. There were no significant differences in TGM among wind sectors during each season. Whereas Hg generally exhibited significant correlations with the parameters,such as temperature,saturated vapor pressure,precipitation,ultraviolet radiation (UV) and atmospheric pressure at the whole measurement stage,and the correlations varied seasonally. Our results suggest that the local or regional abundant geothermal activities,such as thermal spring,anthropogenic source processes and changes in meteorological conditions,regulate and affect Hg behavior in the study area.

The influence of atmospheric Hg on Hg contaminations in rice and paddy soil in the Xunyang Hg mining district,China

To date, the Xunyang mercury(Hg) mining district is the only ongoing large-scale Hg mining district in China. To understand the influence of Hg contamination mode from the Hg mining and smelting activities, 27 sampling sites in the Xunyang Hg mining district were chosen in this study. Total gaseous mercury(TGM) in ambient air was measured using a Lumex-RA915 automatic Hg analyzer in2011. Rice samples and soil samples from rhizosphere were collected systematically and simultaneously. Total Hg(THg) and methylmercury(Me Hg) concentrations in rice grain and soil samples and Hg speciation with modified sequential selective extractions were measured. The local environment was seriously polluted with Hg. The TGM(302 ± 376 ng·m-3, ranging from 24 to 2220 ng·m^(-3)) in the local ambient air, THg(28 ± 30 mg·kg^(-1), ranging from 0.31 to 121 mg·kg^(-1)) and Me Hg(2.3 ± 1.9 lg·kg^(-1),ranging from 0.24 to 8.9 lg·kg^(-1)) in soil samples were at the sample level with Hg contaminated area. The THg concentration(26 ± 16 lg·kg^(-1)ranging from 4.5 to 71 lg·kg^(-1)) in most of the rice grain samples clearly exceeds the threshold level(20 lg·kg^(-1)) in the Chinese national guidelines for cereals(NY 861-2004). The inorganic mercury(IHg)(9.1 ± 5.6 lg·kg^(-1), ranging from 1.2 to 24 lg·kg^(-1)) and Me Hg(14 ± 9.8 lg·kg^(-1), ranging from 2.1 to 59 lg·kg^(-1))concentration in rice grain samples were at the same level with Hg contaminated area. The main species of Hg in paddy soils reveal strong complex Hg and residue Hg. According to the correlation analysis, a Hg pollution mode from local Hg mining and smelting was hypothesized, including Hg emission, transportation, methylation, and uptake process.

Impacts of Indian summer monsoon and stratospheric intrusion on air pollutants in the inland Tibetan Plateau

Air pollutants can be transported to the pristine regions such as the Tibetan Plateau,by monsoon and stratospheric intrusion.The Tibetan Plateau region has limited local anthropogenic emissions,while this region is influenced strongly by transport of heavy emissions mainly from South Asia.We conducted a comprehensive study on various air pollutants (PM_(2.5),total gaseous mercury,and surface ozone) at Nam Co Station in the inland Tibetan Plateau.Monthly mean PM_(2.5)concentration at Nam Co peaked in April before monsoon season,and decreased during the whole monsoon season (June–September).Monthly mean total gaseous mercury concentrations at Nam Co peaked in July and were in high levels during monsoon season.The Indian summer monsoon acted as a facilitator for transporting gaseous pollutants (total gaseous mercury) but a suppressor for particulate pollutants (PM_(2.5)) during the monsoon season.Different from both PM_(2.5)and total gaseous mercury variabilities,surface ozone concentrations at Nam Co are primarily attributed to stratospheric intrusion of ozone and peaked in May.The effects of the Indian summer monsoon and stratospheric intrusion on air pollutants in the inland Tibetan Plateau are complex and require further studies.

Atmospheric mercury over the marine boundary layer observed during the third China Arctic Research Expedition

TGM measurements on board ships have proved to provide valuable complementary information to measurements by a ground based monitoring network.During the third China Arctic Research Expedition （from July 11 to September 24,2008）,TGM concentrations over the marine boundary layer along the cruise path were in-situ measured using an automatic mercury vapor analyzer.Here we firstly reported the results in Japan Sea,North Western Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea,where there are rare reports.The value ranged between 0.30 and 6.02 ng/m 3 with an average of （1.52 ± 0.68） ng/m 3 ,being slightly lower than the background value of Northern Hemisphere （1.7 ng/m 3 ）.Notably TGM showed considerably spatial and temporal variation.Geographically,the average value of TGM in Bering Sea was higher than those observed in Japan Sea and North Western Pacific Ocean.In the north of Japan Sea TGM levels were found to be lower than 0.5 ng/m 3 during forward cruise and displayed obviously diurnal cycle,indicating potential oxidation of gaseous mercury in the atmosphere.The pronounced episode was recorded as well.Enhanced levels of TGM were observed in the coastal regions of southern Japan Sea during backward cruise due primarily to air masses transported from the adjacent mainland reflecting the contribution from anthropogenic sources.When ship returned back and passed through Kamchatka Peninsula TGM increased by the potential contamination from volcano emissions.