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Abstract: Concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) and particulate-bound mercury (PBM) were measured along with ancillary variables 9km east of downtown Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. from November 2006 through March 2009. Mean two-year (February 2007 through January 2009) GEM, GOM, and PBM concentrations were 2.0±0.7ngm−3 (±standard deviation), 18±22pgm−3, and 7±7pgm−3, respectively. Data collected were compared with observations made at another location just north of the city at 169m higher elevation. At both locations higher concentrations of GEM and PBM occurred in periods with little atmospheric mixing, indicating that local sources were important for enhancing GEM and PBM concentrations in Reno above that considered continental background. Concentrations of GOM were higher (maximum of 177pgm−3) during periods with higher temperature and lower dew point. Higher GOM concentrations at the higher elevation site with less urban impact relative to the valley site, along with other data trends, support the hypothesis that in northern Nevada subsiding dry air from the free troposphere is a source of GOM to the surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0), reactive gaseous mercury (RGM), and mercury bound to particles (Hgp) were measured during seasonal 1- or 2-week data collection campaigns at two Mercury Deposition Network sites (NV02 and NV99) in northern Nevada, USA. The sites are rural but are located in an area of diverse natural and anthropogenic mercury sources that include undisturbed and mining mercury-disturbed enriched substrates, coal-fired power plants, ore processing facilities, and industrial facilities. Concentrations of Hg0 averaged over all campaigns were 3.0±1.7ngm−3 at NV02 and 2.5±3.1ngm−3 at NV99, higher than has been reported for other rural sites. Hg0 concentrations at the sites were found to be influenced by both local substrate emission and transport from regional source areas. Concentrations of RGM and Hgp were within ranges reported for other rural sites (13±18 and 9±7pgm−3 at NV02, 7±8 and 13±12pgm−3 at NV99, respectively). Mercury wet deposition rates measured over 3 years (2003–2005) were similar to other sites in the arid West (3.0±0.7μgm−2 yr−1 at NV02, 3.9±0.4μgm−2 yr−1 at NV99). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Atmospheric models and limited measurements indicate that dry deposition of atmospheric mercury is an important process by which mercury is input to ecosystems. To begin to fill the measurement data gap, multiple methods were used simultaneously during seasonal campaigns conducted in 2005 and 2006 to estimate dry deposition of atmospheric mercury at two Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) sites in rural Nevada and in Reno, Nevada. Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0), reactive gaseous mercury (RGM), and particulate-bound mercury (Hgp) concentrations were measured using Tekran 2537A/1130/1135 systems. These speciated measurements were combined with on-site meteorological measurements to estimate depositional fluxes of RGM and Hgp using dry deposition models. Modeled fluxes were compared with more direct measurements obtained using polysulfone cation-exchange membranes and foliar surfaces. Dynamic flux chambers were used to measure soil mercury exchange. RGM concentrations were higher during warmer months at all sites, leading to seasonal variation in the modeled importance of RGM as a component of total depositional load. The ratio of dry to wet deposition was between 10 and 90%, and varied with season and with the methods used for dry deposition approximations. This work illustrates the variability of mercury dry deposition with location and time and highlights the need for direct dry deposition measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently there is no standard method for measurement of atmospheric mercury dry deposition. While all operationally defined forms of atmospheric mercury (elemental, oxidized, and particulate) can be dry deposited, oxidized forms are of concern due to high deposition velocities, water solubility, and reactivity. This paper describes the development of a surrogate surface for characterizing potential dry deposition of gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM). Laboratory tests showed that the surface collected HgCl2, HgBr2, and HgO with equal efficiency, and deposition was not significantly influenced by temperature, humidity, or ozone concentrations. Deposition of mercury to surfaces in field deployments was correlated with GOM concentrations (r2 = 0.84, p < 0.01, n = 326. Weekly mean GOM deposition velocities from surface deployments (1.1 +/- 0.6 cm s(-1)) were higher than modeled values (0.4 +/- 0.2 cm s(-1)) at four field sites, but were within the range reported for direct measurements. Although the surfaces do not simulate the heterogeneity of natural surfaces and need to be validated by direct measurements, they do provide a physical means for estimating temporal trends and spatial variability of dry deposition of GOM.