Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 10 1 2010 10.5194/acpd-10-1823-2010 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/10/1823/2010/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/10/1823/2010/acpd-10-1823-2010.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/10/1823/2010/acpd-10-1823-2010.pdf 1823 1846 2010-01-21 Patterns of mercury dispersion from local and regional emission sources, rural Central Wisconsin, USA A. Kolker akolker@usgs.gov M. L. Olson D. P. Krabbenhoft M. T. Tate M. A. Engle US Geological Survey, Eastern Energy Resources Science Center, Reston, VA, 20192, USA US Geological Survey, Wisconsin Water Science Center, Middleton, WI, 53562, USA Simultaneous real-time changes in mercury (Hg) speciation – reactive gaseous Hg (RGM), elemental Hg (Hg°), and fine particulate Hg (Hg-PM_2.5), were determined from June to November 2007, in ambient air at three locations in rural Central Wisconsin. Known Hg emission sources within the airshed of the monitoring sites include: 1) a 1114 megawatt (MW) coal-fired electric utility generating station; 2) a Hg-bed chlor-alkali plant; and 3) a smaller (465 MW) coal-burning electric utility. Monitoring sites, showing sporadic elevation of RGM, Hg° and Hg-PM_2.5, were positioned at distances of 25, 50 and 100 km northward of the larger electric utility. A series of RGM events were recorded at each site. The largest, on 23 September, occurred under prevailing southerly winds, with a maximum RGM value (56.8 pg m^−3) measured at the 100 km site, and corresponding elevated SO₂ (10.41 ppbv; measured at 50 km site). The finding that RGM, Hg°, and Hg-PM_2.5 are not always highest at the 25 km site, closest to the large generating station, contradicts the idea that RGM decreases with distance from a large point source. 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