Mercury wet depositions study at suburban, agriculture and traffic sampling sites

Environ Geochem Health. 2021 Jan;43(1):235-245. doi: 10.1007/s10653-020-00695-z. Epub 2020 Aug 27.

Abstract

This study aimed to measure and discuss the relationship of ambient air precipitations with respect to mercury wet depositions at suburban, agriculture and traffic three characteristic sampling sites during the year of 2019. In addition, the mercury volume weighted mean concentrations (VWM) at three characteristic sampling sites were also calculated. Finally, the ambient mercury wet depositions data obtained in this study to various world sampling sites were also compared and discussed in this study. The results indicated that the average mercury wet depositions for suburban, agriculture and traffic areas were 0.62, 0.55 and 2.32 ng/m2 min, respectively. And the average mercury VWM values were 0.9, 0.72 and 1.85 ng/m2 min for suburban, agriculture and traffic sites, respectively. In addition, the highest VWM and wet depositions for mercury both occurred in March at traffic and suburban areas. And the mercury wet depositions displayed a declined trend when the month was moved from March to July at both traffic and suburban sampling sites. In addition, the relationship between wet depositions and precipitations was low to moderate correlated in traffic area, while the relationship between wet depositions and precipitations was insignificant at both suburban and agriculture areas. Moreover, the average highest mercury wet deposition occurred in Nepal when compared to the other world sites. In addition, the average value of mercury wet depositions in Nepal was about 17.23 times to that of data obtained in this study during the period of 2007-2019. Finally, the average highest VWM (ng/L) occurred in the China. In addition, the average value mercury VWM in China was about 14.82 times to that of data obtained in this study during the period of 2007-2019.

Keywords: Agriculture; Mercury; Suburban; Traffic; VWM; Wet depositions.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Environment*
  • Environmental Monitoring*
  • Mercury / analysis*
  • Seasons
  • Taiwan

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Mercury