4.7 Article

First measurement of atmospheric mercury species in Qomolangma Natural Nature Preserve, Tibetan Plateau, and evidence of transboundary pollutant invasion

Journal

ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
Volume 19, Issue 2, Pages 1373-1391

Publisher

COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
DOI: 10.5194/acp-19-1373-2019

Keywords

-

Funding

  1. National Natural Science Foundation of China [41630748, 41501517, 41571130010]
  2. Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin [16JCQNJC08300]

Ask authors/readers for more resources

Located in the world's third pole and a remote region connecting the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate, Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (QNNP) is an ideal region to study the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) and particle-bound mercury (PBM) were continuously measured during the Indian monsoon transition period in QNNP. A slight increase in the GEM concentration was observed from the period preceding the Indian summer monsoon (1.31 +/- 0.42 ng m(-3)) to the Indian summer monsoon period (1.44 +/- 0.36 ng m(-3)), while significant decreases were observed in the GOM and PBM concentrations, with concentrations decreasing from 35.2 +/- 18.6 to 19.3 +/- 10.9 pg m(-3) (p < 0.001) for GOM and from 30.5 +/- 12.5 to 24.9 +/- 19.8 pg m(-3) (p < 0.001) for PBM. A unique daily pattern was observed in QNNP with respect to the GEM concentration, with a peak value before sunrise and a low value at noon. Relative to the (low) GEM concentrations, GOM concentrations (with a mean value of 21.4 +/- 13.4 pg m(-3), n = 1239) in this region were relatively high compared with the measured values in some other regions of China. A cluster analysis indicated that the air masses transported to QNNP changed significantly at different stages of the monsoon, and the major potential mercury (Hg) sources shifted from northern India and western Nepal to eastern Nepal and Bangladesh. As there is a large area covered in glaciers in QNNP, local glacier winds could increase the transboundary transport of pollutants and transport polluted air masses to the Tibetan Plateau. The atmospheric Hg concentration in QNNP in the Indian summer monsoon period was influenced by transboundary Hg flows. This highlights the need for a more specific identification of Hg sources impacting QNNP and underscores the importance of international cooperation regarding global Hg controls.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.7
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available