Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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10.5194/acpd-9-26673-2009
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/26673/2009/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/26673/2009/acpd-9-26673-2009.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/26673/2009/acpd-9-26673-2009.pdf
26673
26695
2009-12-11
Overview of mercury measurements in the Antarctic troposphere
A. Dommergue
dommergue@lgge.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr
F. Sprovieri
N. Pirrone
R. Ebinghaus
S. Brooks
J. Courteaud
C. Ferrari
Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l'Environnement, CNRS – Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble, 54 Rue Molière, 38400 St Martin d'Hères, France
CNR – Institute on Atmospheric Pollution Research, Division of Rende, Italy
GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
NOAA Air Resources Laboratory, Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division, USA
Polar ecosystems are considered to be the last pristine environments
of the Earth relatively uninfluenced by human activities. Antarctica
in particular, compared to the Arctic is considered to be even less
affected by any kind of anthropogenic influences. Once contaminants
reach the polar regions, their lifetime in the troposphere depends on
local removal processes. Atmospheric mercury, in particular, has
unique characteristics that include long-range transport to polar
regions and the transformation to more toxic and water-soluble
compounds that may potentially become bioavailable. These
chemical-physical properties have given mercury on the priority list
of an increasing number of international, European and national
conventions and agreements aimed at the protection of the ecosystems
including human health (i.e., GEO, UNEP, AMAP, UN-ECE, HELCOM, OSPAR)
thus stimulating a significant amount of research including
measurements of Hg<sup>0</sup> reaction rate constant with atmospheric
oxidants, experimental and modelling studies in order to understand
the cycling of Hg in polar regions and its impact to these
ecosystems. Special attention in terms of contamination of polar
regions, is paid to the consequences of the springtime phenomena,
referred to as ''atmospheric mercury depletion event'' (AMDE),
during which elemental gaseous mercury (GEM or Hg<sup>0</sup>) through
a series of photochemically-initiated reactions involving halogens,
may be converted to a reactive form that may accumulate in polar
ecosystems. The discovery of the AMDE, first noted in the Arctic, has
also been observed at both poles and was initially considered to
result in an important net input of atmospheric Hg into the polar
surfaces. However, recent studies point out that complex processes
take place after deposition that may result in less significant
net-inputs from the atmosphere since a fraction, sometimes significant
of deposited Hg may be recycled. Therefore, the contribution of this
unique reactivity occurring in polar atmospheres to the global budget
of atmospheric Hg and the role played by snow and ice surfaces of
these regions are important issues. This paper presents a review of
atmospheric mercury studies conducted in the Antarctic troposphere,
both at coastal locations and on the Antarctic Plateau since 1985. Our
current understanding of atmospheric reactivity in this region is also
presented.
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