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Journal article
Atmospheric wet deposition of mercury and other trace elements in Pensacola, Florida
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol.10, pp.4867-4877
10
2010
Web of Science ID: WOS:000278184700029
Abstract
In an effort to understand and quantify the impact of local, regional, and far-distant atmospheric mercury sources to rainfall mercury deposition in the Pensacola, Florida watershed, a program of event-based rainfall sampling was started in late 2004. Modified Aerochem-Metrics wet/dry rainfall samplers were deployed at three sites in the region around the Crist coal-fired power plant and eventbased samples were collected continuously for three years. Samples were analyzed for total Hg and a suite of trace elements including Al, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Th, U, V, and Zn. Nutrients (ammonia and nitrate) and major anions (chloride and sulfate) were also measured on each sample. Multivariate statistical methods were used to sort these tracers into factors that represent potential source categories contributing to the rainfall chemistry. As, Hg, Sb, Se, Sn, and non sea-salt sulfate were all significantly correlated (R>0.6) with one factor which we interpret as an anthropogenic source term reflecting input from coal combustion
throughout the southeastern US. Using ratios of total Hg to volatile elements, we estimate that 22–33% of the rainfall Hg results from coal combustion in the southeastern US with the majority coming from the global background.
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- Title
- Atmospheric wet deposition of mercury and other trace elements in Pensacola, Florida
- Publication Details
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol.10, pp.4867-4877
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Copernicus Publications/European Geosciences Union; Germany
- Series
- 10
- Copyright
- Author(s) 2010
- Identifiers
- WOS:000278184700029; 99380090612106600
- Academic Unit
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation ; Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering ; Biology
- Language
- English