Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant, being highly persistent in the atmosphere, in particular gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), which can easily be emitted and then transported over long distances. In the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea, Italy), contamination by Hg is well characterised but little is known regarding the concentrations, sources and fate of GEM in the atmosphere. In this work, discrete measurements of GEM were recorded from several sites at different times of the year. The database is consistent with temporal night-day variations monitored using a continuous real-time device. The meteorological conditions were collected as ancillary parameters. GEM levels varied from <LOD (2.0 ng m−3) to 48.5 ng m−3 (mean 2.7 ng m−3), with no significant differences found among sites. A clear daily pattern emerged, with maximum values reached just after sunset. Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction were identified as the main micrometeorological factors influencing both the spatial and temporal variation of GEM. Our results show that average atmospheric GEM values are higher than the natural background of the Northern Hemisphere and will be useful in future selection regarding the most suitable sites to monitor atmospheric Hg depositions and fluxes from soil and water.
Highlights
Mercury (Hg) is a well-known global pollutant which is a cause for serious concern regarding ecosystems and human health due to its persistence, toxicity and potential bioaccumulation/biomagnification [1]
This study provides new data regarding gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in the atmosphere around the Gulf of Trieste, which is a historically Hg-contaminated coastal area via sediment/soilassociated metal dispersion from the Isonzo River resulting from mercury mining from Idrija
This study provides new data regarding gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in the atmosphere around the Gulf of Trieste, which is a historically Hg-contaminated coastal area via sediment/soil-associated metal dispersion from the Isonzo River resulting from mercury mining from Idrija
Summary
Mercury (Hg) is a well-known global pollutant which is a cause for serious concern regarding ecosystems and human health due to its persistence, toxicity and potential bioaccumulation/biomagnification [1]. The atmosphere represents the main redistribution pathway of Hg mobilised from lithospheric reservoirs and often atmospheric depositions constitute the main source of this element for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, even in areas far from points of emission [2]. Atmosphere 2020, 11, 935 effects of Hg on human health primarily concern the nervous system, but exposure to the different forms of this element can damage renal and cardiovascular systems and generate negative reproductive and epigenetic outcomes [7]. Focusing on the atmospheric compartment, recent estimates show that Hg concentrations increased by approximately 450% above levels which would have been found in the year 1450, which would have been considered pristine conditions [8,9], and depositions to natural ecosystems have increased by a 3–5 factor compared to preindustrial levels [10]. Anthropogenic Hg emissions into the atmosphere are associated with several activities such as coal combustion, artisanal gold mining, cement and nonferrous metal production, waste incineration, the chlor-alkali industry, etc., and were estimated at 2220 Mg in
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