Source contribution analysis of mercury deposition using an enhanced CALPUFF-Hg in the central Pearl River Delta, China.

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) poses human health and ecological risks once deposited and bio-accumulated through food chains. Source contribution analysis of Hg deposition is essential to formulating emission control strategies to alleviate the adverse impact of Hg release from anthropogenic sources. In this study, a Hg version of California Puff Dispersion Modeling (denoted as CALPUFF-Hg) system with added Hg environmental processes was implemented to simulate the Hg concentration and deposition in the central region of the Pearl River Delta (cPRD) at 1 km × 1 km resolution. The contributions of eight source sectors to Hg deposition were evaluated. Model results indicated that the emission from cement production was the largest contributor to Hg deposition, accounting for 13.0%, followed by coal-fired power plants (6.5%), non-ferrous metal smelting (5.4%), iron and steel production (3.5%), and municipal solid waste incineration (3.4%). The point sources that released a higher fraction of gaseous oxidized mercury, such as cement production and municipal solid waste incineration, were the most significant contributors to local deposition. In this intensive industrialized region, large point sources contributed 67–94% of total Hg deposition of 6 receptors which were the nearest grid-cells from top five Hg emitters of the domain and the largest municipal solid waste incinerator in Guangzhou. Based on the source apportionment results, cement production and the rapidly growing municipal solid waste incineration are identified as priority sectors for Hg emission control in the cPRD region. Image 1 • A modified version of CALPUFF is developed for simulating Hg chemical transport. • Hg deposition near point sources and its contribution are evaluated using CALPUFF-Hg. • Contributions of Hg emission from multiple point sources to the deposition were assessed. • Cement and waste incineration are of greatest concern causing Hg deposition in PRD region. A modified version of CALPUFF was developed for simulating the Hg pollution near point sources and assessing the source contribution of deposition at a higher resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]