Journal ArticleDOI
A Synthesis of Progress and Uncertainties in Attributing the Sources of Mercury in Deposition
Steve E. Lindberg,Russell Bullock,Ralf Ebinghaus,Daniel R. Engstrom,Xinbin Feng,William F. Fitzgerald,Nicola Pirrone,Eric M. Prestbo,Christian Seigneur +8 more
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TLDR
It is agreed that the uncertainty is strongly dependent upon scale and that the question as stated is answerable with greater confidence both very near and very far from major point sources, assuming that the “global pool” is a recognizable “source.”Abstract:
A panel of international experts was convened in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2005, as part of the 8th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant. Our charge was to address the state of science pertinent to source attribution, specifically our key question was: "For a given location, can we ascertain with confidence the relative contributions of local, regional, and global sources, and of natural versus anthropogenic emissions to mercury deposition?" The panel synthesized new research pertinent to this question published over the past decade, with emphasis on four major research topics: long-term anthropogenic change, current emission and deposition trends, chemical transformations and cycling, and modeling and uncertainty. Within each topic, the panel drew a series of conclusions, which are presented in this paper. These conclusions led us to concur that the answer to our question is a "qualified yes," with the qualification being dependent upon the level of uncertainty one is willing to accept. We agreed that the uncertainty is strongly dependent upon scale and that our question as stated is answerable with greater confidence both very near and very far from major point sources, assuming that the "global pool" is a recognizable "source." Many regions of interest from an ecosystem-exposure standpoint lie in between, where source attribution carries the greatest degree of uncertainty.read more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Mercury as a Global Pollutant: Sources, Pathways, and Effects
TL;DR: Understanding of sources, atmosphere-land-ocean Hg dynamics and health effects are synthesized, and integration of Hg science with national and international policy efforts is needed to target efforts and evaluate efficacy.
Journal ArticleDOI
Global mercury emissions to the atmosphere from anthropogenic and natural sources
Nicola Pirrone,Sergio Cinnirella,Xinbin Feng,R. B. Finkelman,Hans R. Friedli,Joy J. Leaner,Robert P. Mason,Arun B. Mukherjee,Glenn B. Stracher,David G. Streets,Kevin Telmer +10 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provided an up-to-date assessment of global mercury emissions from anthropogenic and natural sources, including re-emission processes and primary emissions from natural reservoirs.
Journal ArticleDOI
Global Biogeochemical Cycling of Mercury: A Review
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied uncertainty in the global biogeochemical cycle of mercury, including oxidation processes in the atmosphere, land atmosphere and ocean-atmosphere cycling.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mechanisms Regulating Mercury Bioavailability for Methylating Microorganisms in the Aquatic Environment: A Critical Review
TL;DR: This Review evaluates the current state of knowledge regarding the mechanisms regulating microbial mercury methylation, including the speciation of mercury in environments where methylation occurs and the processes that control mercury bioavailability to these organisms.
Journal ArticleDOI
Whole-ecosystem study shows rapid fish-mercury response to changes in mercury deposition
R. Harris,John W. M. Rudd,Marc Amyot,Christopher L. Babiarz,Ken G. Beaty,Paul J. Blanchfield,R.A. Bodaly,Brian A. Branfireun,Cynthia C. Gilmour,Jennifer A. Graydon,Andrew Heyes,Holger Hintelmann,James P. Hurley,Carol A. Kelly,David P. Krabbenhoft,Steve E. Lindberg,Robert P. Mason,Michael J. Paterson,Cheryl L. Podemski,Art Robinson,Ken A. Sandilands,George R. Southworth,Vincent L. St. Louis,Michael T. Tate +23 more
TL;DR: Mercury emissions reductions will yield rapid (years) reductions in fish methylmercury concentrations and will yield concomitant reductions in risk, however, a full response will be delayed by the gradual export of mercury stored in watersheds.
References
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Global Simulation of Atmospheric Mercury Concentrations and Deposition Fluxes. Appendix Q
TL;DR: In this article, a numerical model of the global emissions, transport, chemistry, and deposition of mercury (Hg) in the atmosphere is presented, which shows that aqueous chemistry is an essential component of the atmospheric cycling of Hg.
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Oxidation of atomic mercury by hydroxyl radicals and photoinduced decomposition of methylmercury in the aqueous phase
TL;DR: In this article, the rate constant for Hg 0 +. OH, k Hg − 0 − 1 s − 1, in the aqueous phase was determined using a relative rate technique with methyl mercury as reference compound.
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Global simulation of atmospheric mercury concentrations and deposition fluxes
TL;DR: In this paper, a numerical model of the global emissions, transport, chemistry, and deposition of mercury (Hg) in the atmosphere is presented, which shows that aqueous chemistry is an essential component of the atmospheric cycling of Hg.
Journal ArticleDOI
Aqueous Photochemistry of Mercury with Organic Acids
Simo O. Pehkonen,Che-Jen Lin +1 more
TL;DR: Study of the rate of photochemical reactions of dissolved divalent mercury with organic acids such as oxalate, acetate, and formate, which are abundant in atmospheric water finds that Hg(II) is readily reduced by hydroperoxyl radicals produced by the photolysis of oxalates.
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Some Sources and Sinks of Monomethyl and Inorganic Mercury on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic
Vincent L. St. Louis,Martin Sharp,Alexandra Steffen,Al May,J. D. Barker,Jane L. Kirk,David J.A. Kelly,Shelley E. Arnott,Bronwyn E. Keatley,John P. Smol +9 more
TL;DR: This springtime pulse of MMHg to the High Arctic, in conjunction with climate warming and the thinning and melting of sea ice, may be partially responsible for the increase in concentrations of Hg observed in certain Arctic marine mammals in recent decades.