Abstract
Mercury uses in human endeavors will lead to a general, though variable, volatilization of Hg. Current estimates for anthropogenic interferences range from about 50 to 75% of the total annual Hg emissions to the atmosphere. Recent modeling suggests that the present atmospheric Hg burden has increased by a factor of 3 during the last 100 years with a current rate of increase of about 0.6% yr−1 (ca. 0.01ng m−3yr−1). This impact, which is significant, can be examined and assessed empirically. To date, however, atmospheric Hg programs have not employed an experimental design sufficient to account for short time scale atmospheric Hg variations of natural and anthropogenic origin, and to resolve the long term temporal pattern. I am proposing an international research program, AMNET, or Atmospheric Hg Network, to address the important question, “Is Hg increasing in the atmosphere?” AMNET would examine temporal and spatial variations in atmospheric Hg and assess the influence of natural and anthropogenic sources on the global atmospheric Hg cycle. This program requires international support and cooperation. The experimental design of AMNET would follow the successful Atmospheric Lifetime Experiment Program (ALE), which examined the contemporary temporal changes in the atmospheric concentrations of the freons, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and nitrous oxide. Following the ALE design, AMNET sampling stations would be maintained in both hemispheres and at sites free from strong local pollution sources of Hg (e.g., remote islands). Measurements would be made for a period of three to five years. The precision and accuracy of the Hg0 determinations must be ≥ 1%. The accurate resolution of the variability and secular trends in the atmospheric Hg burden can provide: (1) a direct quantitative assessment of the scale to which anthropogenic processes are affecting the natural biogeochemical cycling of Hg; (2) an essential refinement and constraint currently lacking in mass balance models; (3) an enhanced knowledge of the behavior of Hg in the atmosphere, and (4) an accurate data base required for global circulation atmospheric chemical Hg models.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aastrup, M., Johnson, J., Bringmark, E., Bringmark L. and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991,Water, Air and Soil Pollution 56: 155–168.
Bloom, N.S. and Fitzgerald, W.F.: 1988,Anal. Chim. Acta 208:151–161.
Cunnold, D.M., Prinn, R.G., Rasmussen, R.A., Simmonds, P.G., Alyea, F.N., Cardelino, C.A., Crawford, A.J., Fraser, P.J. and Rosen, R.D.: 1986,J. Geo. Res. 91, D10: 10797–10817.
Fitzgerald, W.F., Mason, R.P., and. Vandal, G.M.:1991,Water, Air and Soil Pollution 56: 745–767.
Fitzgerald, W.F.: 1989, Atmospheric and oceanic cycling of mercury. Chapter 57, Volume 10 of Chemical Oceanography Series. J.P. Riley and R. Chester (eds.), Academic Press, 151–186.
Fitzgerald, W. F.: 1986, Cycling of mercury between the atmosphere and oceans. InThe Role of Air-Sea Exchange in Geochemical Cycling, P. Buat-Ménard (ed.) D. Reidel Publishing Company, pp. 363–408.
Fitzgerald, W.F., Gill, G.A., and Hewitt, A.D.: 1981, Mercury a trace atmospheric gas. Presented at the Symposium on the Role of the Ocean in Atmospheric Chemistry, IAMAP Third Scientific Assembly, Hamburg, Fed. Rep. of Germany, 17–28 August.
Hudson, J.M., Gherini, S., Watras, C.J., and Porcella, D.: 1994, Modeling the biogeochemical cycle of mercury in lakes: the mercury cycling model (MCM) and its application to the MTL study lakes. InMercury as a Global Pollutant: Towards Integration and Synthesis. (ed. C.J. Watras and J. W. Huckabee), Lewis Publishers (in press).
Hudson, J.M., Gherini, S., Fitzgerald, W.F. and Porcella, D.: 1994, this volume.
Iverfeldt, A.:1991,Water, Air and Soil Pollution 56: 251–265.
Johansson, K., Aastrup, M., Anderson, A., Bringmark, L., and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991,Water, Air and Soil Pollution 56: 267–281.
Lindqvist, O., Johansson, K., Aastrup, M., Andersson, A., Bringmark, L., Hovsenius, G., Hakanson, L., Iverfeldt, A., Meili, M. and Timm, B.: 1991.:Water, Soil and Air Pollution,55, p 261.
Mason, R.P., Fitzgerald, W.F., and Morel, F.M.: 1994,Geochemica Cosmochim. Acta,58: 3191–3198.
Nriagu, J. O.: 1989,Nature 338: 47–49.
Nriagu, J. O. and Pacyna, J.M.: 1988,Nature 333: 134–139.
Prinn, R.G., Simmonds, P.G., Rasmussen, R.A., Rosen, R.D., Alyea, C.A., Cardelino, C.A., Crawford, A.J., Cunnold, D.M., Fraser, P.J., and Lovelock, J.E.: 1983,J. Geophysical Res. 88: 8353–8367.
Slemr, F. and Langer, E.: 1992,Nature 355: 434–437.
Swain, E.B., Engstrom, D.R., Brigham, M.E., Henning, T.A., and Brezonik, P.L.: 1992,Science 257: 784–787.
Trends '91, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Watras, C.J., Bloom, N.S., Hudson, R.J.M., Gherini, S.A., Munson, R., Claas, S.A., Morrison, K. A., Hurley, J., Wiener, J.G., Fitzgerald, W.F., Mason, R., Vandal, G., Powell, D., Rada, R., Rislow, L., Winfrey, M., Elder, J., Krabbenhoft, D., Andren, A., Babiarz, C., Porcella, D.B., and Huckabee, J.W.: 1994, Sources and fates of mercury and methylmercury in Wisconsin lakes. InMercury as a Global Pollutant: Towards Integration and Synthesis. C.J. Watras and J.W. Huckabee, editors. Lewis Press, Boca Raton, Florida (in press).
Wiener, J.G., Martini, R.E., Sheffy, T.B. and Glass, G.E.: 1990,Trans. of the Amer. Fisheries Soc. 119: 862–870.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fitzgerald, W.F. Is mercury increasing in the atmosphere? The need for an atmospheric mercury network (AMNET). Water Air Soil Pollut 80, 245–254 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189674
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189674