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Passive air samplers (PASs), which provide time-averaged concentrations of gaseous mercury over the timescale of weeks to months, are promising for filling a gap in the monitoring of atmospheric mercury worldwide. Their usefulness will depend on their ease of use and robustness under field conditions, their availability and affordability, and most notably, their ability to provide results of acceptable precision and accuracy. Here we describe a comparative evaluation of three PASs with respect to their ability to precisely and accurately record atmospheric background mercury concentrations at sites in both southern Italy and southern Ontario, Canada. The study includes the CNR-PAS with gold nanoparticles as a sorbent, developed by the Italian National Research Council, the IVL-PAS using an activated carbon-coated disk, developed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and the MerPAS® using a sulfur-impregnated activated carbon sorbent, developed at the University of Toronto and commercialized by Tekran. Detection limits are deduced from the variability in the amount of mercury quantified in more than 20 field blank samples for each PAS. Analytical and sampling precision is quantified through 22 triplicate deployments for each PAS, ranging in duration from 2 to 12 weeks. Accuracy and bias are assessed through comparison with gaseous elemental mercury concentrations recorded by Tekran 2537 automated mercury analyzers operating alongside the PASs at both locations. The performance of the PASs was significantly better in Italy, with all of them providing concentrations that are not significantly different from the average concentrations of the Tekran 2537 instruments. In Canada, where weather conditions were much harsher and more variable during the February through April deployment period, there are differences amongst the PASs. At both sites, the MerPAS® is currently the most sensitive, precise, and accurate among the three PASs. A key reason for this is the larger size and the radial configuration of the MerPAS®, which results in lower blank levels relative to the sequestered amounts of mercury when compared to the other two PASs, which rely on axial diffusion geometries. Since blank correction becomes relatively smaller with longer deployments, performance tends to be closer amongst the PASs during deployments of 8 and 12 weeks.

Land surface emissions are an important source of atmospheric total gaseous mercury (TGM); however, its role on the variations of TGM isotopic compositions and concentrations has not been properly evaluated. In this study, TGM isotope compositions, a powerful tracer for sources and transformation of Hg, were measured at 10 urban sites and one rural site in China. TGM concentrations were higher in summer than in winter in most cities except in Guiyang and Guangzhou in the low latitudes. The summertime high TGM concentrations coincided with prevailing low TGM δ202Hg and high TGM Δ199Hg signatures. These seasonal patterns were in contrast with those typically observed in rural areas in the Northern Hemisphere, suggesting that atmospheric oxidation chemistry, vegetation activity and residential coal combustion were likely not the dominant mechanisms contributing to the TGM concentration and isotopic composition seasonality in Chinese cities. The amplitudes of seasonal variations in TGM concentrations and Δ199Hg (or TGM δ202Hg) were significantly positively (or negatively) correlated with that of the simulated soil GEM emission flux. These results suggest that the seasonal variations in TGM isotopic compositions and concentrations in the 10 Chinese cities were likely controlled by land surface emissions that were observed or reported with highly negative δ202Hg signatures.

Adsorption is one of the most promising methods for gaseous mercury (Hg0) uptake from industrial flue gas, and the designing and synthesis of a sorbent are of significance for utilization. However,...

This pioneering study explored the spatiotemporal variation, gas-solid partition, and potential sources of atmospheric speciated mercury surrounding the Taiwan Strait. Total gaseous mercury (TGM) and particle bound mercury (Hgp) were sampled simultaneously at six coastal and island sites located on both sides and in the middle of the Taiwan Strait. Field measurement results showed that the campaign average concentrations of TGM and Hgp at all sites were 4.56 ± 0.35 and 0.17 ± 0.02 ng/m3, with the range of 3.22–5.84 and 0.06–0.25 ng/m3, indicating that TGM and Hgp partitioned as 96.09–97.02% and 2.98–3.91%, respectively, The spatial distribution results showed that the highest and lowest TGM and Hgp concentrations were mostly observed at Xiang-An site in the suburban of Xiamen City and at Sandiaojiao site in the remote coast of New Taipei City, respectively. The seasonal variation of TGM at six sampling sites was in the order as: spring > winter > fall > summer, while that of Hgp was in the order as: winter > spring > fall > summer. Regarding the levels of TGM and Hgp, they increased gradually and consistantly from late fall to early spring when polluted air masses were transported from the Northeast Asia to the Taiwan Strait by Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANEMs). On the contrary, the lowest concentrations of TGM and Hgp were observed commonly in summer as clean marine air masses transported from the seas toward the Taiwan Strait. It was inferred that atmospheric speciated mercury surrounding the Taiwan Strait was mainly attributed from both local sources and long-range trasport (LRT) from the Northeast Asia.

From 28 March to 17 April, 2018, different forms of mercury (Hg) in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea were measured to study the influencing factors on the distribution and transformation of Hg in spring using a shared cruise. The mean concentration of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) in the surface water of the Yellow and Bohai Seas was (44.3 ± 43.9) pg/L, which was close to that in mid-latitude oceans and deep seas. The ratio of DGM to THg (total mercury) was lower than in the oceans and in the Yellow and Bohai Seas in summer or fall. DGM concentrations in surface water were highest in the central part of the South Yellow Sea and were higher than those in the Bohai Sea, and their spatial distributions were consistent with RHg (reactive mercury). DGM and RHg correlated positively with water temperature in surface seawater (r = 0.506, P < 0.01; r = 0.278, P < 0.05). The concentrations of both DGM and RHg in surface water were controlled by solar radiation and water temperature. Foggy weather did not benefit the production of DGM and RHg. DGM in the bottom seawater was mainly affected by Dissolved Oxygen and water temperature (r = −0.366, P < 0.01; r = 0.331, P < 0.01), produced mainly by anaerobic reactions of the bottom seawater and sediment microorganisms. The bottom DGM concentrations in the Yellow and Bohai Seas were the highest, and DGM produced in bottom seawater and sediment plays a more important role than the surface water in spring. The concentrations of DGM and RHg in the surface and bottom water in the South Yellow Sea were all higher than those in the middle layer. Vertical variations in the North Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea were small. The production and distribution of DGM and RHg were influenced by differences of latitude and by the Yellow Sea warm current in spring.

With the signing of the Minamata Convention, widespread disposal of mercury metal waste is anticipated in the near future. Due to its environmental effects, mercury metal waste must be stabilized prior to disposal as its mercuric sulfide form and/or solidified with a polymer or cement to reduce leaching and volatilization. This study investigates the long-term leaching and volatilization behaviors from processed mercury waste. Mercury metal waste specimens are stabilized with sulfide and subsequently solidified with either a sulfur polymer or one of three types of low-alkaline cement. The long-term leaching rates from the solidified mercury metal waste specimens as well as the effects of pH and temperature on leaching behavior are evaluated. The long-term volatilization rates of gaseous mercury are also calculated at different temperatures. Mathematical models for mercury leaching, volatilization rates, and their parameters are established to predict the long-term behavior of stabilized, solidified waste mercury in landfill sites.

Dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) and reactive mercury (RHg) are important mercury (Hg) forms in natural water bodies. Knowledge of the concentration levels and isotope compositions of DGM and RHg in aquatic ecosystems is of crucial importance for understanding the fate of Hg and Hg cycle. In this study, we developed a method to preconcentrate the ultratrace levels of DGM and RHg in freshwater for stable isotope analysis. In this method, 10 L of amended water (or after addition of acidic SnCl2) was purged for 2 hours with Hg-free air gas at 4 L min−1, and the Hg(0) product was then collected onto a chlorine-impregnated activated carbon (CLC) trap. This process was repeated for a total of 80 L water for DGM collection or 40 L of water for RHg collection in order to obtain sufficient DGM and RHg amounts for isotope analysis. DGM and RHg collected on CLC traps were then thermally desorbed and further preconcentrated into 40% acid-trapping solutions for stable isotope analysis using cold vapor multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (CV-MC-ICPMS). The method was evaluated by laboratory tests using additions of certified Hg(0) and Hg(II) references with known concentrations and isotopic compositions as well as field measurements of duplicate samples. The laboratory tests showed that 98.1 ± 8.1% of DGM (1sd, ranging from 85.1 to 115.9%, n = 14) and 98.7 ± 8.7% of RHg (81.3 to 122%, n = 33) could be extracted from freshwater, and the isotopic compositions of the extracted Hg(0) and Hg(II) agreed well with the injected Hg(0) and Hg(II) references (paired sample T test: p values ≥ 0.20 for all Hg isotope signatures). Based on the results from the laboratory tests, we propose the expanded uncertainty (2sd) of δ202Hg, Δ199Hg, and Δ200Hg to be 0.28‰, 0.07‰, and 0.07‰, respectively, for DGM isotope analysis, and 0.25‰, 0.07‰, and 0.07‰, respectively, for RHg isotope analysis. The duplicate field tests showed negligible differences in DGM and RHg isotopic compositions between the paired samples. These results demonstrate that the extraction method can accurately measure DGM and RHg isotopic compositions in freshwater, providing a useful tool for investigating Hg at ultratrace levels in an aquatic environment.

The marine boundary layer (MBL) is the largest transport place and reaction vessel of atmospheric mercury (Hg). The transformations of atmospheric Hg in the MBL are crucial for the global transport and deposition of Hg. Herein, Hg isotopic compositions of total gaseous mercury (TGM) and particle-bound Hg (PBM) collected during three cruises to Chinese seas in summer and winter were measured to reveal the transformation processes of atmospheric Hg in the MBL. Unlike the observation results at inland sites, isotopic compositions of TGM in the MBL were affected not only by mixing continental emissions but also largely by the oxidation of Hg0 primarily derived by Br atoms. Δ199Hg values of TGM were significantly positively correlated with air temperature in summer, indicating that processes inducing positive mass-independent fractionation of odd isotopes in TGM could be more active at low temperatures, while the relative processes might be weak in winter. In contrast, the positive Δ199Hg and high ratios of Δ199Hg∕Δ201Hg in PBM indicated that alternative oxidants other than Br or Cl atoms played a major role in the formation of Hg(II) in PBM, likely following the nuclear volume effect. Our results suggest the importance of local Hg environmental behaviors caused by an abundance of highly reactive species and provide new evidence for understanding the complicated transformations of atmospheric Hg in the MBL.

We examined recent atmospheric mercury concentrations measured with a high temporal resolution of 15 min at Mace Head, a GAW station on the western coast of Ireland. We attributed a direct contribution of 34 % (0.44 ng m−3) to primary sources. Additionally, a steep decline (0.05 ng yr−1) in mercury concentrations was observed between 2013 and 2018. Using a stereo algorithm we reconstructed 99.9 % of the atmospheric mercury. A conservative analysis demonstrated no decrease in total gaseous mercury (TGM) associated with atmospheric species typically used as tracers for oceanic emissions. The results show that the atmospheric mercury mass is mainly loaded in a baseline factor with an ongoing decline. Moreover, we exploit temporal variation and wind pattern effects in the measured atmospheric species; the results show that the diurnal variation and seasonality in TGM observed in Mace Head are closely related to other species linked to primary sources and can be explained by transport from continental areas.

The present work aims to develop a novel and sustainable approach to adsorb and recover low-concentration Hg0 in the off-gas downstream a distillation/condensation system in the recycling processes for waste Hg-containing devices. Hg0 adsorption and regeneration efficiencies of raw and HNO3-treated activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) were examined. The adsorption experiments were conducted with an initial Hg0 concentration of 260-300 μg/m3 at room temperature. The regeneration of ACFC was done by an electrothermal swing process with 20, 40, and 60 W direct currents. The experimental results showed that the Hg0 adsorption efficiency of raw ACFC increased to approximately 90% after the 60 W electrothermal regeneration. After HNO3 treatment, the content of oxygen functional groups on HNO3-treated ACFC increased, which enhanced the Hg0 adsorption performance and resulted in over 90% adsorption efficiency for the samples before and after electrothermal regeneration. Importantly, both raw and HNO3-treated ACFCs retained the high adsorption efficiency after nine cycles of adsorption/regeneration, indicating that both raw and HNO3-treated ACFCs were effective and renewable adsorbents for low-concentration Hg0 adsorption and recovery. A Hg adsorption/regeneration mechanism was proposed to explain the increasing adsorption efficiency after electrothermal regeneration and the great adsorption efficiency of HNO3-treated ACFC.

The Global Monitoring Plan of the Minamata Convention on Mercury was established to generate long-term data necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory measures at a global scale. After 25 years monitoring (since 1995), Mace Head is one of the atmospheric monitoring stations with the longest mercury record, and has produced sufficient data for the analysis of temporal trends of Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) in Europe and the Northern Atlantic. Using concentration-weighted trajectories for atmospheric mercury measured at Mace Head as well as other five locations in Europe, Amderma, Andøya, Villum, Waldhof and Zeppelin we identify the regional probabilistic source contribution factor and its changes for the period of 1996 to 2019. Temporal trends indicate that concentrations of mercury in the atmosphere in Europe and the Northern Atlantic have declined significantly over the past 25 years, at a non-monotonic rate averaging of 0.03 ng m-3 year-1. Concentrations of TGM at remote marine sites were shown to be affected by continental long-range transport, and evaluation of reanalysis back-trajectories display a significant decrease of TGM in continental air masses from Europe in the last two decades. In addition, using the relationship between mercury and other atmospheric trace gases that could serve as a source signature, we perform factorization regression analysis, based on positive rotatable factorization of non-singular matrix to solve probabilistic mass function. We reconstructed atmospheric mercury concentration and accessed the contribution of the major natural and anthropogenic sources. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) reveals that the downward trend is mainly associated with a factor with a high load of long-lived anthropogenic species.

Mercury is a pollutant that is used everywhere, is harmful, and has a global impact. The ambient Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) concentrations in the Chennai metropolis areas were measured in this study. Because of various anthropogenic source pollutants, studies of atmospheric mercury in this city are extremely significant. The measurement was conducted using a high-resolution mercury vapor analyzer (Tekran 2537B) instrument in February and March 2016. The annual mean concentration of TGM in the Chennai metropolis was 8.89 mg m−3 and 8.01 mg m−3, respectively. The extreme aggregate recurrence between the directions is WNW to NNW and NNE to ENE, and TGM was released about 39% in this region, according to this research. We performed statistical studies, and the results of the principal component analysis and conditional probability function suggest that mercury sources are equivalent to other atmospheric pollutants such as SO2, CO, NO2, and PM2.5, which are predominantly emitted by urban and industrial combustion plants. The meteorological parameters and TGM concentration have a direct relationship, according to continuous measurements of TGM in the air and dendrogram maps, and they have been essentially controlled by sunlight-based radiation. Some estimates of atmospheric mercury focuses have been conducted in the urban region; however, as far as we know, our findings are the essentials that unveiled concerning environmental aggregate vaporous mercury observed in a necessary industrialized metropolitan zone in India. This research will aid in the development of more effective management measures to reduce the effects of atmospheric mercury in the urban environment and public safety in a megacity, as well as those who may be harmed by the long-distance transit of TGM. The assessment of mercury emissions and the effectiveness of Chennai’s mercury control policies is warranted by long-term observations of mercury in the city—and background regions in Chennai.

In this study, isotopic compositions of atmospheric total gaseous mercury (TGM) were measured in the Mt. Changbai (MCB) temperate deciduous forest and the Mt. Ailao (MAL) subtropical evergreen forest over a 1-year period. Higher δ

East Asia is the largest emitter of mercury (Hg) in the world, but only a few studies of speciated Hg have been carried out in South Korea. In this study, total gaseous mercury (TGM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate bound mercury (PBM) were measured at one of the most northwestern islands of South Korea. Concentrations of TGM and GOM were similar to those measured in other regions of Korea; however, PBM was found in much higher concentrations during cold months, most likely from coal and biomass burning in North Korea. Sources outside Korea significantly affected TGM and PBM, and GOM increased as air masses transported from domestic coal-burning power plants. During the warm months, GOM increased as gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) decreased when air masses were confined within the ocean area with minimal influence from anthropogenic emissions. This implies that there is an efficient process for the oxidation of GEM and GOM production in the marine boundary layer. The concentrations of ozone also decreased as an increase in GOM was observed, suggesting that halogens are primarily responsible for GEM oxidation.

The characteristics of the reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and particulate mercury (HgP) in the marine boundary layer (MBL) are poorly understood, due in part to sparse data from the sea and ocean. Gaseous elemental Hg (GEM), RGM, and size-fractionated HgP in the marine atmosphere, and dissolved gaseous Hg (DGM) in surface seawater, were determined in the South China Sea (SCS) during an oceanographic expedition (3–28 September 2015). The mean concentrations of GEM, RGM, and Hg2.5P were 1.52±0.32 ng m−3, 6.1±5.8 pg m−3, and 3.2±1.8 pg m−3, respectively. A low GEM level indicated that the SCS suffered less influence from fresh emissions, which could be due to the majority of air masses coming from the open oceans, as modeled by back trajectories. Atmospheric reactive Hg (RGM + Hg2.5P) represented less than 1 % of total atmospheric Hg, indicating that atmospheric Hg existed mainly as GEM in the MBL. The GEM and RGM concentrations in the northern SCS (1.73±0.40 ng m−3 and 7.1±1.4 pg m−3, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the western SCS (1.41±0.26 ng m−3 and 3.8±0.7 pg m−3), and the Hg2.5P and Hg10P levels (8.3 and 24.4 pg m−3) in the Pearl River estuary (PRE) were 0.5–6.0 times higher than those in the open waters of the SCS, suggesting that the PRE was polluted to some extent. The size distribution of HgP in PM10 was observed to be three-modal, with peaks around µm, respectively, but the coarse modal was the dominant size, especially in the open SCS. There was no significant diurnal pattern of GEM and Hg2.5P, but we found that the mean RGM concentration was significantly higher in daytime (8.0±5.5 pg m−3) than in nighttime (2.2±2.7 pg m−3), mainly due to the influence of solar radiation. In the northern SCS, the DGM concentrations in the nearshore area (40–55 pg L−1) were about twice as high as those in the open sea, but this pattern was not significant in the western SCS. The sea–air exchange fluxes of Hg0 in the SCS varied from 0.40 to 12.71 ng m−2 h−1 with a mean value of 4.99±3.32 ng m−2 h−1. The annual emission flux of Hg0 from the SCS to the atmosphere was estimated to be 159.6 t yr−1, accounting for about 5.54 % of the global Hg0 oceanic evasion, although the SCS only represents 1.0 % of the global ocean area. Additionally, the annual dry deposition flux of atmospheric reactive Hg represented more than 18 % of the annual evasion flux of Hg0, and therefore the dry deposition of atmospheric reactive Hg was an important pathway for the input of atmospheric Hg to the SCS.

Mercury mines cause mercury (Hg) contamination to local environment, because mine wastes are not properly disposed during long-term large scale Hg mining activities. This study investigated Hg concentration and speciation in mine wastes collected from Tongren Hg mining area, and evaluated the impact of Hg mines subjected to different remediation measures on the surrounding environment. Total Hg (THg) concentrations in the mine wastes varied from 4.15 to 825 mg/kg, and Hg0 was the dominant form of Hg in the mine wastes. No obvious deformation was observed in the mineral boundaries by TEM analysis, which indicated that the smelting process was incomplete. Nanometer-scale Hg compounds were observed in the mine wastes using EDS microtopography analysis, which may pose risks for the local environment. The average concentration of total soluble Hg (TSHg) in mine waste leachates was 11.27 μg/L. The THg concentrations in surrounding surface waters varied from 0.038 to 10.6 μg/L, and THg concentrations in 21.1% of samples exceeded level Ⅴ of the national standards (1 μg/L). There was a significant negative correlation between THg concentration and pH in the surface water, indicating that Hg was more mobile under acidic conditions. The total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentration above the mine waste piles varied from 13.5 to 309 ng/m3; these values are significantly lower than those recorded in previous studies. These data demonstrate that restoration and proper treatment are required for the mine waste.

Springtime atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs) lead to snow with elevated mercury concentrations (>200 ng Hg/L) in the Arctic and Antarctic. During AMDEs gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is...

The Jiapigou gold mine area, located in the upper reaches of the Songhua River, was the first and largest artisanal gold mine once in China, and it used to be prominent in two marking years (1870 and 1974). Jiapigou area had a gold mining history of more than 190 years, which was first opened in 1820. Gold extraction with algamation was applied as the dominant method of excavation from 1940 to 2008, and a total of more than 100 t of gold were extracted from the mine using this method and it was estimated that 100–200 t Hg were released, thus causing severe mercury environmental pollution in the mining area. In the experimental campaigns of this study, in situ air and soil Hg concentrations and air-soil Hg fluxes were measured from April 2009 to December 2011. The results showed that in the study area the total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentration exhibited remarkable spatial and temporal distribution patterns, i.e. the TGM gradually decreased following the increase in distance to gold mining sites in space, and the values in spring, summer and autumn were elevated by 1–2 orders of magnitude in comparison with those in winter. Furthermore, at other sampling sites the total soil mercury (TSM) concentration in spring was higher than that in autumn, except for the contrary laws demonstrated at the Erdaogou mining site. However, in spring and winter the Hg flux between air and soil was under the control of different environmental factors, and the characteristics were clear and distinct. In spring the Hg flux between air and soil was directly under the control of solar irradiation, and the releasing process was predominant with a remarkable positive correlation to solar irradiation. Nevertheless, in winter the Hg fluxes were indirectly under the control of solar irradiation, which caused thermal inversion due to the thick snow cover. The depositing process was predominant and the correlations between Hg flux and air temperature was remarkably negative, and there was a positive correlation between Hg flux and solar irradiation.

Mercury fate of sewage irrigation in farmlands deserves attention with increasing scarcity of freshwater resources for agriculture in the worldwide. Soil-air total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes from four-sewage and one-fresh water irrigated farmlands were determined simultaneously. During maize-wheat rotation, soil-air TGM fluxes showed patterns of both emission and deposition during different growth stages. It enhanced one-order of magnitude emission with increased Hg contamination from historical sewage irrigation. A linear response relationship of TGM fluxes with soil Hg concentration was found, which showed greater TGM emission potential comparing with those from forest and urban soils. However, the ratio of soil-air TGM flux in daytime to nighttime were 3.94 in maize-season and 3.41 in wheat-season, respectively, which were little related to the change in soil Hg concentration. Furthermore, soil temperature and moisture, ambient-air TGM concentration all effected TGM evasion from sewage-irrigated soils. The data presented here suggest that evasion of TGM from historical sewage irrigation farmlands with high Hg concentrations may be potential hotspots for Hg emission in atmosphere, and it was likely to underestimate Hg emissions from farmlands in existing emissions inventory. Additional regional-investigations and process-level researches are needed to better understand role of sewage irrigation farmlands in local-global Hg-biogeochemical-cycles.

The speciation and content of mercury in flue gas were measured before and after WFGD of eight coal-fired units by Ontario Hydro method and the effect of WFGD on mercury species distribution and concentration was investigated. The results show that mercury is mainly composed of gaseous form and mercury emission concentration after WFGD in different units has very large difference. The effect of WFGD on mercury emission is embodied on synergistic removal of gaseous mercury with average mercury removal efficiency of 36.8%. Mercury is transferred from flue gas to desulfurization gypsum in WFGD. The mercury stability in desulfurization gypsum and the second mercury pollution are worthy of attention.

Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) simultaneously removes Hg and SO2 from coal-fired power plant flue gas streams. Hg0 re-emission occurs when the dissolved Hg(II) is converted to a volatile form (i.e., Hg0) that can be subsequently emitted into the ambient air from WFGD wastewater aeration basins. Others have shown that Hg0 re-emission depends on pH, temperature, ligands (Cl, Br, I, F, SO32-, SO42-, NO3-, SCN-, and ClO-), O2, minerals (Se and As), and metals (Fe and Cu) in WFGD wastewater. Still others have shown Hg0 re-emission restriction via inhibitor addition (adsorbents and precipitators). This is the first review that summarizes the complex and inconsistently reported Hg0 re-emission mechanisms, updates misconceptions related to Hg(II) complexation and reduction, and reviews applications of inhibitors that convert aqueous Hg(II) into stable solid forms to prevent gaseous Hg0 formation and release.

The pathways of human mercury (Hg) exposure are complex and accurate understanding of relative contributions from different pathways are crucial for risk assessment and risk control. In this study, we determined total Hg concentration and Hg isotopic composition of human urine, dietary components, and inhaled air in the Wanshan Hg mining area (MA), Guiyang urban area (UA), and Changshun background area (BA) to understand Hg exposure sources and metabolic processes in human body. At the three studied sites, total gaseous mercury (TGM) showed negative δ202Hg (−3.11‰ to + 1.12‰) and near-zero Δ199Hg (−0.16‰ to + 0.13‰), which were isotopically distinguishable from Hg isotope values of urine (δ202Hg: −4.02‰ to − 0.84‰; Δ199Hg: −0.14‰ to 0.64‰). We observed an offset of −1.01‰ to −1.6‰ in δ202Hg between TGM and urine samples, and an offset of −1.01‰ to 0.80‰ in δ202Hg between rice and urine samples, suggesting that lighter isotopes are more easily accumulated in the kidneys and excreted by urine. We proposed that the high positive Δ199Hg in urine samples of UA was derived from fish consumption. The results of a binary mixing model based on Δ199Hg were compared with those from a classic dietary model. The results from the MIF binary model showed that fish consumption accounted for 22% of urine Hg in the families at UA, whereas fish consumption contributed limited Hg to MA and BA. This study highlighted that Hg isotopes can be a useful tracer in understanding the sources and fates of Hg in human bodies.

Mercury is a toxic and noxious element and is the only metal that naturally occurs as gas. One of the most challenging topics (included in the United Nations Minimata convention) is to understand the adsorption&ndash, release processes of manmade materials (e.g., concrete, bricks, tiles, painting). Adsorption of Hg by construction and demolition waste materials has recently been studied, but investigations on how much Hg0 can be released from these products are rather poor. The abandoned mining site of Abbadia San Salvatore (Siena, central Italy) where, for about one century, cinnabar was roasted to produce liquid mercury, is known for the high concentrations of (i) Hg0 in edifices and structures and (ii) total and leachate Hg in synthetic materials. In the present paper, a new, simple and low-cost method to measure the amount of GEM (Gaseous Elemental Mercury) released from anthropic materials (concrete, wall rocks, and tiles) located in the Hg0-rich environments of the former mining site, is proposed. The efficiency of a specific paint that was supposed to act as blocking agent to Hg0 was also tested.

This study concerns the concentrations of gaseous and particle-bound mercury present in ambient air of two Polish sites, differing in terms of emission structure, and the estimation of inhalation risks related to those Hg species. The measurements of total gaseous mercury (TGM) and PM2.5-bound mercury (PBM) were performed at an urban station in Zabrze and a rural station in Złoty Potok, in 2014&ndash, 2015. Both sites are located in Silesia, considered one of the European air pollution hot-spots. TGM was measured on-line (Tekran 2537). PM2.5 samples were taken with the use of low volume samplers. Hg contents in PM were determined by the CVAAS method following thermal decomposition. The median concentrations of TGM and PBM in Zabrze were 2.48 ng m&minus, 3 and 37.87 pg m&minus, 3, respectively, meanwhile in Zloty Potok, these were 1.69 ng m&minus, 3 and 27.82 pg m&minus, 3, respectively. Clearly, seasonal variability of TGM and PBM concentrations were observed, reflecting the importance of Hg and PM emissions from coal combustion for power and heating purposes. Health risk assessment was performed using a deterministic approach by the most conservative exposure scenario. The obtained HQ ratios and the cumulative HI indexes were below the limit value (&lt, 1). This means an unlikely health hazard due mercury inhalation.

Mercury was the name of the Roman messenger of god who can move really fast. It is also called as quicksilver due to its fast movement and silvery tinge. Liquid metal state mercury (Hg) has little to no solubility and is not poisonous. But the liquid mercury can vaporize, and gaseous mercury becomes poisonous due to its nature of being absorbed into the blood. Mercury in +2 state is more poisonous due to high solubility. Mercury is the only metal that exists in liquid state at normal temperature and pressure. Mercury poisoning occurs by exposure to mercury, i.e., acute and chronic exposures. Symptoms of mercury poisoning depend on the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure. Mercury poisoning effects on the human body are not limited to reddishness of hands and feet; renal failures; cardiovascular, liver, brain, and hormonal issues; and intestinal ulceration. The present chapter describes the mercury sources, types of exposures, types of poisoning, treatments, and preventive measures of mercury poisoning.

Temporal trends of total mercury (THg) were examined in female polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair (n = 199) from the Barents Sea in 1995-2016. In addition, hair values of stable isotopes (n = 190-197) of carbon (δ13C), sulfur (δ34S), and nitrogen (δ15N) and information on breeding status, body condition, and age were obtained. Stable isotope values of carbon and sulfur reflect dietary source (e.g., marine vs terrestrial) and the nitrogen trophic level. Values for δ13C and δ34S declined by -1.62 and -1.18‰ over the time of the study period, respectively, while values for δ15N showed no trend. Total Hg concentrations were positively related to both δ13C and δ34S. Yearly median THg concentrations ranged from 1.61 to 2.75 μg/g and increased nonlinearly by 0.86 μg/g in total over the study. Correcting THg concentrations for stable isotope values of carbon and sulfur and additionally breeding status and age slightly accelerated the increase in THg concentrations; however, confidence intervals of the raw THg trend and the corrected THg trend had substantial overlap. The rise in THg concentrations in the polar bear food web was possibly related to climate-related re-emissions of previously stored Hg from thawing sea-ice, glaciers, and permafrost.

Toxic gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is emitted to the atmosphere through a variety of routes at rates estimated at over 5000 tonnes per annum, a large fraction of which is Anthropogenic. It is then widely disbursed atmospherically and eventually deposited, where it is subject to further biogeochemical cycling, including re-emission. Research into capture of point source mercury emissions revolves almost exclusively around the use of activated carbons, various catalytic oxidation substrates, or as a by-product of acidic treatments of flue gas during SOx and NOx reduction methods. GEM is very non-reactive in its native state, but capture rates are greatly enhanced if GEM is first oxidized, or at least where oxidation states play a role at the substrate GEM interface. Little research has been devoted to capture of GEM directly. However, presented here is a novel adaption of coir fibers for use as a substrate in capturing GEM emissions directly. Various coir modifications were investigated, with the most effective being fibers coated with CuI crystals dispersed in a non-crosslinked poly-siloxane matrix. Scanning electron microscopy was used to view surface morphologies, and sorption characteristics were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). These results indicate that coir fibers modified by CuI-[SiOHighly toxic gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) has proved very difficult to capture, requiring complex catalytic oxidation or expensive gas scrubbing technologies. The modified coir fiber described in this work can effectively capture GEM without prior catalytic oxidation or any other physicochemical treatment of the gas. The solution provided here is made from renewable resources, is low cost, and the raw materials are readily available in bulk. Further, the mercury is bound in a stable and insoluble form that can be readily isolated from the substrate. This filtration device can be adapted to suit a variety of settings for GEM capture.

A novel, atomically dispersed carbon-based sorbent was synthesized by anchoring manganese atoms with N atoms for the capture of gaseous elemental Hg (Hg0). Oxygen atoms were also introduced into th...

Passive air samplers (PASs) have been used for mapping gaseous mercury concentration in extensive areas. In this work, an easy-to-use and -prepare gold nanoparticle (NP)-based PAS has been investigated. The PAS is constituted of a microfibrous quartz disk filter impregnated of gold NP photo-growth on TiO2 NPs (Au@TiO2) and used as gaseous mercury adsorbing material. The disk was housed in a cylinder glass container and subjected to an axial diffusive sampling. The adsorbed mercury was measured by thermal desorption using a Tekran&reg, instrument. Different amounts of Au@TiO2 (ranging between 4.0 and 4.0 &times, 10&minus, 3 mg) were deposited by drop-casting onto the fibrous substrate and assessed for about 1 year of deployment in outdoor environment with a mercury concentration mean of about 1.24 &plusmn, 0.32 ng/m3 in order to optimize the adsorbing layer. PASs showed a linear relation of the adsorbed mercury as a function of time with a rate of 18.5 &plusmn, 0.4 pg/day (&asymp, 1.5% of the gaseous concentration per day). However, only the PAS with 4 mg of Au@TiO2, provided with a surface density of about 3.26 &times, 2 mg/mm2 and 50 &mu, m thick inside the fibrous quartz, kept stability in working, with a constant sampling rate (SR) (0.0138 &plusmn, 0.0005 m3/day) over an outdoor monitoring experimental campaign of about 1 year. On the other hand, higher sampling rates have been found when PASs were deployed for a few days, making these tools also effective for one-day monitoring. Furthermore, these PASs were used and re-used after each thermal desorption to confirm the chance to reuse such structured layers within their samplers, thus supporting the purpose to design inexpensive, compact and portable air pollutant sampling devices, ideal for assessing both personal and environmental exposures. During the whole deployment, PASs were aided by simultaneous Tekran&reg, measurements.

Mercury is a toxic and noxious element and is the only metal that naturally occurs as gas. One of the most challenging topics (included in the United Nations Minimata convention) is to understand the adsorption-release processes of manmade materials (e.g., concrete, bricks, tiles, painting). Adsorption of Hg by construction and demolition waste materials has recently been studied, but investigations on how much Hg0 can be released from these products are rather poor. The abandoned mining site of Abbadia San Salvatore (Siena, central Italy) where, for about one century, cinnabar was roasted to produce liquid mercury, is known for the high concentrations of (i) Hg0 in edifices and structures and (ii) total and leachate Hg in synthetic materials. In the present paper, a new, simple and low-cost method to measure the amount of GEM (Gaseous Elemental Mercury) released from anthropic materials (concrete, wall rocks, and tiles) located in the Hg0-rich environments of the former mining site, is proposed. The eciency of a specific paint that was supposed to act as blocking agent to Hg0 was also tested.