[Seasonal variation of total gaseous mercury in Changbai Mountain area].

ABSTRACT

An intensive field campaign monitoring was conducted from August 2005 to July 2006 using the automatic atmospheric mercury analyzers for one year' s measurement of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in Changbai Mountain area. Results show the mean concentration of TGM is (3.22 +/- 1.78) ng x m(-3) and it presents seasonal variation as followings winter > spring > autumn > summer. Given the background concentration of atmospheric mercury in the Northern Hemisphere, mercury concentrations are totally elevated in Changbai Mountain area. The regional source of mercury in the atmosphere seems to be anthropogenic Hg emissions mainly due to local biofuel use and coal combustion from industry and domestic uses. The potential mercury source may be regional mercury emissions from soil and the long distance transportation of mercury in the atmosphere.