mercury case study

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Mercury and coastal zones: insights from the ELOISE projects Torunn Berg Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU)

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1. Introduction – Overview of projects BEEP: Biological effects of Environmental Pollution in Marine Coastal Ecosystems MAMCS: Mediterranean Atmospheric Mercury Cycle System MOE: Mercury Species over Europe MERCYMS: An Integrated Approach to Assess the Mercury Cycle into the Mediterranean Basin

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Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean Background High levels of Hg in Tuna fish, anchovy, sardines, local marine birds and their eggs in the Mediterranean compared to similar species from other parts of Atlantic. Correlation found between the number of seafood meals and the mercury levels in hair samples from fishermen and their families in coastal villages on the north Tyrrhenian Sea.

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Large natural emissions of Hg in the Mediterranean due to volcanic activity. Half of world Hg resources located in the Mediterranean Cinneabar, known for 3000 year, the principal ore containing Hg Hg from the world most abundant cinnebar deposits in Almaden (Spain), Idrja (Slovenia) and Monthe Amiata (Italy) have been exploited since ancient times for gold and silver extraction Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean Natural Resources

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Significant increase in Hg emission to the atmosphere occurred during the industrial revolution due to fossil fuel combustion and other human activities Main antropogenic sources today are processing of mineral resources at high temperatures, such as combustion of fossil fuels, roasting and smelting of ores, kiln operations in cement industry as well as incineration of wastes and production of certain chemicals Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean Anthropogenic Sources

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Following species of Hg measured off shore as well as at coastal sites : TGM: Total gaseous mercury RGM: Reactive gaseous mercury Hg-P: Particulate mercury DGM: Dissolved gaseous mercury Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean Concentrations of TGM, Hg-P, and RGM were generally slightly higher in the Mediterranean region than in Northwest Europe

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A diurnal variation with midday max in DGM observed in off shore waters as well as coastal sites investigated during the cruises DGM conc. increases with depth, indicating that DGM is produced not only in surface water due to photo-induced reactions, but also in deep water as a consequence of bacterial and/or geochemical activity. Volatile forms of Hg diffuse from the deep to the surface waters and then partially pass to the atmosphere. Western Mediterranean basin characterized by an average DGM level in surface water and corresponding Hg evasion lower than that observed in the Eastern basin. Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean

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66 tonnes of Hg released to the atmosphere from the Mediterranean Sea during the summer This emission is considerable in comparison to European anthropogenic emissions and should be taken into account in regional atmospheric modelling and assessment. Mediterranean Sea constitutes sources of airborne elemental mercury influencing the European domain. Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean

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The RGM formation in the Marine Boundary Layer is driving the deposition processes of RGM to the sea affecting the cycling/exchange of Hg species between the atmosphere and the seawater. the key to all chemical processes in gaseous, aqueous and heterogeneous phases that may drive the formation of oxidized mercury and transform elemental Hg to oxidized Hg Case study: Mercury (Hg) in the Mediterranean

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Selected references Andersson, M., Wängberg, I., Gårdfeldt, K. (2004): Daily trends of mercury in off shore surface water in the Mediterranean Sea. Extended Conference abstract to The 7th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Ljubljana 2004 Gårdfeldt, K., Sommar, J., Strömberg, D., Feng, X. Oxidation of atomic mercury by hydroxyl radicals and photoinduced decomposition of methylmercury in the aqueous phase. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 208/30 (in press). Petersen, G. and Schmolke, S (2002) A Comprehensive Eulerian Modelling Framework For Airborne Mercury Species: Comparison Of Model Results With Data From Measurement Campaigns In Europe. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, 2002, ELOISE No. 288/30 Ferrara R., Ceccarini C., Lanzillotta E., Gardfeldt K., Sommar J., Horvat M., Logar M., Fajon V. and Kotnik J. (2002) Profiles Of Dissolved Gaseous Mercury Concentration In The Mediterranean Seawater. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, 2002, ELOISE No. 292/29   Gardfeldt, K, Sommar, J., Ferrara, R., Ceccarini, C., Lanzillotta, E., Munthe, J., Wangberg, I., Lindqvist, O., Pirrone N., Sprovieri, F, Pesenti, E (2002) Release of Mercury to the Atmosphere from Atlantic Coastal Water and the Mediterranean Coastal and Open Water. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, 2002, ELOISE No. 291/29   Hedgecock, I., Pirrone, N., Sprovieri, F., and Pesenti, E (2002) Reactive Gaseous Mercury in the Marine Boundary Layer: Modeling and Experimental Evidence of its Formation in the Mediterranean. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, 2002, ELOISE No. 293/29  

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Selected references Hedgecock, I.M. and Pirrone, N. Mercury and Photochemistry in the Marine Boundary Layer - Modeling Studies for in-situ Production of Reactive Gaseous Mercury. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 207/29 (in press).   Horvat, M., Kotnik, J., Fajon, V., Logar, M., Zvonaric, T., and Pirrone, N. (2002) Speciation of Mercury in Surface and Deep Seawater in the Mediterranean Sea. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, 2002, ELOISE No. 294/29   Munthe, J., Wängberg, I., Pirrone, N., Iverfeldt, Å., Ferrara, R., Ebinghaus, R., Feng, X., Gårdfeldt, K., Keeler, G., Lanzillotta, E., Lindberg, S.E., Lu, J., Mamane, Y., Prestbo, E., Schmolke, S., Schroeder, W.H., Sommar, J., Sprovieri, F., Stevens, R.K., Stratton, W., Tuncel, G., Urba, A. Intercomparison of methods for sampling and analysis of atmospheric mercury species. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 205/29&30 (in press). Petersen, G., Bloxam, R., Wong, S., Munthe, J., Krüger, U., Schmolke, S.R., Vinod Kumar, R. A comprehensive Eulerian modeling framework for airborne mercury species: model development and applications in Europe. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 211/30 (in press). Sommar, J., Gårfeldt, K., Strömberg, D., Feng, X. A kinetic study of the gas-phase reaction between the hydroxyl radical and atomic mercury. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 210/30 (in press).  

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Selected references Sommar, J., Gårfeldt, K., Strömberg, D., Feng, X. A kinetic study of the gas-phase reaction between the hydroxyl radical and atomic mercury. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 210/30 (in press).   Sprovieri F. , N. Pirrone, K. Gärdfeldt and J. Sommar (2002) Mercury speciation in the marine boundary layer along a 6000 km cruise path around the Mediterranean Sea. ELOISE Special Issue Atmospheric Environment, ELOISE No 210/30, p. 63-71