Automated Speciated Mercury Measurements in Michigan
- 3 November 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 39 (23), 9253-9262
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es040458r
Abstract
Automated speciated mercury measurements were made at a rural (Dexter, MI) and an urban (Detroit, MI) site in Michigan during selected times from 1999 to 2002 to assess the concentrations of elemental (Hg0), reactive gaseous (RGM), and particulate mercury (Hgp) in these environments. Here we present the first-ever reported values for RGM in Michigan. Median RGM concentrations were 2.21−2.93 pg m-3 at Dexter and were 3−11 times higher in Detroit at 6.41−22.0 pg m-3. Maximum RGM concentrations of 38.7 pg m-3 and 270 pg m-3 were observed in Dexter and Detroit, respectively. Measured RGM/Hg0 ratios were in the range of 0.04−11.60% indicating that at times RGM comprises greater than the currently held view of 5% of total gaseous mercury in the air. Well-pronounced diurnal patterns of RGM were observed at the rural site, whereas the urban site exhibited patterns that were influenced by nighttime emissions and regional transport. An analysis of RGM/Hgp ratios at the urban site when combined with trajectory analysis suggests that the site receives mercury inputs from both local and regional sources. Episodes of elevated ozone concentrations which were accompanied by increases in RGM concentrations were observed to occur in the late afternoon and overnight. These may be evidence of advection of ozone and RGM over long distances to the site.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Atmospheric mercury speciation and deposition in the Bay St. François wetlandsJournal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2004
- Reactive gaseous mercury in the marine boundary layer: modelling and experimental evidence of its formation in the Mediterranean regionAtmospheric Environment, 2003
- Effects of Methylmercury Exposure on NeurodevelopmentPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1999
- Daytime buildup and nighttime transport of urban ozone in the boundary layer during a stagnation episodeJournal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1998
- An investigation of source–receptor relationships for mercury in south Florida using event precipitation dataScience of The Total Environment, 1998
- Atmospheric Mercury Speciation: Concentrations and Behavior of Reactive Gaseous Mercury in Ambient AirEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1998
- Particulate mercury in the atmosphere: Its significance, transport, transformation and sourcesWater, Air, & Soil Pollution, 1995
- Wet deposition of mercury and ambient mercury concentrations at a site in the Lake Champlain basinWater, Air, & Soil Pollution, 1995
- Atmospheric mercury species over central and Northern Europe. Model calculations and nordic air and precipitation network for 1987 and 1988Atmospheric Environment, 1995
- Mercury in the Swedish environment ? Recent research on causes, consequences and corrective methodsWater, Air, & Soil Pollution, 1991