Atmospheric mercury species in the European Arctic: Measurements and modelling

Abstract

Concentrations of different species of mercury in arctic air and precipitation have been measured at Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) and Pallas (Finland) during 1996–1997. Typical concentrations for vapour phase mercury measured at the two stations were in the range of 0.7–2 ng m −3 whereas particulate mercury concentrations were below 5 pg m −3. Total mercury in precipitation was in the range 3–30 ng l −1. In order to evaluate the transport and deposition of mercury to the arctic from European anthropogenic sources, the Eulerian transport model HMET has been modified and extended to also include mercury species. A scheme for chemical conversion of elemental mercury to other species of mercury and deposition characteristics of different mercury species have been included in the model. European emission inventories for three different forms of Hg (Hg 0, HgCl 2 and Hg p) have been implemented in the numerical grid system for the HMET model.