Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Seasonal Evolution of Size-Segregated Particulate Mercury in the Atmospheric Aerosol Over Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

TitleSeasonal Evolution of Size-Segregated Particulate Mercury in the Atmospheric Aerosol Over Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsIlluminati, S., Annibaldi A., Bau S., Scarchilli Claudio, Ciardini Virginia, Grigioni P., Girolametti F., Vagnoni F., Scarponi G., and Truzzi C.
JournalMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Volume25
ISSN14203049
Keywordsaerosol, Aerosols, air pollutant, Air Pollutants, Antarctic Regions, antarctica, chemistry, Environmental monitoring, mercury, particle size, particulate matter, season, Seasons, Weather
Abstract

Size-fractionated particulate mercury (PHg) measurements were performed from November 2017 to January 2018 at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) for the first time. Samples were collected every 10 days by a six-stage high-volume cascade impactor with size classes between 10 μm and 0.49 μm. Total PHg concentrations were maxima (87 ± 8 pg m-3) in November, then decreased to values 40% lower and remained almost constant until the end of the sampling period ( 30 pg m-3). The trimodal aerosol mass distribution reveals that from 30% to 90% of the total PHg came in the size > 1.0 μm. Hg in the two coarse fractions was probably produced by the adsorption of oxidized Hg species transported by air masses from the Antarctic plateau or produced locally by sea ice edges. PHg in accumulation mode seemed to be related to gas-particle partitioning with sea salt aerosol. Finally, average dry deposition fluxes of PHg were calculated to be 0.36 ± 0.21 ng m-2 d-1 in the accumulation mode, 47 ± 44 ng m-2 d-1 in the first coarse mode, and 37 ± 31 ng m-2 d-1 in the second coarse mode. The present work contributed to the comprehension of the Hg biogeochemical cycle, but further research studies are needed.

Notes

cited By 0

URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85090261612&doi=10.3390%2fmolecules25173971&partnerID=40&md5=ed960520ae439ac481dd05cd7ef090bc
DOI10.3390/molecules25173971
Citation KeyIlluminati2020