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Pu T, Kong Y, Kang S, Wang S, Guo J, Jia J, Wu K, Shi X, Wang K, Sun S, Li W. Mercury export from a glacier-fed river of Mt. Meili, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135306. [PMID: 39067291 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a global contaminant, can sink into cryosphere and be released into runoff through meltwater. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has been witnessing ongoing shrinkage of alpine glaciers. However, the export of Hg from melting glacier is still sparsely reported. From October 16, 2020 to October 15, 2021, we conducted daily observations to study the variation in total Hg concentrations and its export to the Mingyong River, a glacier-fed river in southeastern TP. Results showed that the Hg concentrations were high during the monsoon season but low during the non-monsoon period. The Hg in runoff correlated with the concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) during both monsoon and non-monsoon seasons (p < 0.01), and the correlation of Hg with other parameters showed seasonal variations. The input from meltwater, precipitation, and groundwater to riverine Hg were 8.3 g, 264.4 g, and 71.0 g, respectively, and the total export was 211.0 g (yield: 4.3 g/km2/year) in the hydrological year, indicating that Mingyong catchment act as a sink for Hg. For the entire TP, the annual export of Hg from glacier runoff was estimated to be 947.7 kg/year. Our study highlights the necessity for further investigations on Hg dynamics to understand the changes in the Hg cycle within glaciated aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Pu
- Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development Field Science Observation and Research Station/Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Yanlong Kong
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development Field Science Observation and Research Station/Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shijin Wang
- Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development Field Science Observation and Research Station/Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junming Guo
- Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development Field Science Observation and Research Station/Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Jia
- College of Geography and Environment Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321000, China
| | - Kunpeng Wu
- Yunnan University, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Xiaoyi Shi
- College of Geography and Environment Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321000, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Shiwei Sun
- Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development Field Science Observation and Research Station/Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wenjie Li
- China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, Beijing 100029, China
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Cui H, Hu K, Zhao Y, Zhang W, Zhu Z, Liang J, Li D, Zhou J, Zhou J. Impacts of atmospheric copper and cadmium deposition on the metal accumulation of camphor leaves and rings around a large smelter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27675-x. [PMID: 37193791 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27675-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The atmospheric deposition of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) was monitored in eight sites around a Cu smelter with similar distance to verify whether tree leaf and ring can be used as bio-indicators to track spatial pollution record. Results showed that total atmospheric deposition of Cu (103-1215 mg/m2/year) and Cd (3.57-11.2 mg/m2/year) were 4.73-66.6 and 3.15-12.2 times higher than those in background site (164 mg/m2/year and 0.93 mg/m2/year). The frequencies of wind directions significantly influenced the atmospheric deposition of Cu and Cd, and the highest atmospheric deposition of Cu and Cd were at the prevalent northeastern wind (JN), and low frequency south (WJ) and north (SW) winds for the lowest deposition fluxes. Since the bioavailability of Cd was higher than that of Cu, the atmospheric deposition of Cd was more easily adsorbed by tree leaf and ring, resulting in only significant relation between atmospheric Cd deposition and Cinnamomum camphora leaves and tree ring Cd. Although tree rings cannot correctly record the atmospheric Cu and Cd deposition, higher concentrations in the indigenous tree rings than the transplanted tree rings suggested that tree rings can reflect to some extent the variations of atmospheric deposition. Generally, spatial pollution of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals cannot reflect the distribution of soil total and available metals around the smelter, and only camphor leaf and tree ring can bio-indicate Cd deposition. A major implication of these findings is that leaf and tree ring can serve for biomonitoring purposes to assess the spatial distribution of atmospheric deposition metal with high bioavailability around a pollution source with similar distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbiao Cui
- School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Anhui Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Water and Soil Resources and Construction of Ecological Protection in Mining Area with High Groundwater Level, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Kaixin Hu
- School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Anhui Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Water and Soil Resources and Construction of Ecological Protection in Mining Area with High Groundwater Level, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
| | - Yingjie Zhao
- School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Anhui Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Water and Soil Resources and Construction of Ecological Protection in Mining Area with High Groundwater Level, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Anhui Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Water and Soil Resources and Construction of Ecological Protection in Mining Area with High Groundwater Level, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
| | - Zhenqiu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Jiani Liang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Detian Li
- School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Anhui Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Water and Soil Resources and Construction of Ecological Protection in Mining Area with High Groundwater Level, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
- Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA.
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Wang X, Zhong W, Wang B, Quan M, Li T, Lin D, Shang S, Zhu C, Zhang C, Liao Y. Spatial-temporal variations and pollution risks of mercury in water and sediments of urban lakes in Guangzhou City, South China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:80817-80830. [PMID: 35729385 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21424-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the spatial and temporal characteristics, pollution degrees, and potential ecological risks of mercury (Hg) in urban lake waters and sediments in Guangzhou, where is a typical area of Hg emission and population-economic-industrial concentration in South China. In different districts of this city, the water from 15 lakes were collected continuously from June 2020 to May 2021, and the sediments from 9 lakes were collected in 2015 and 2021. The seasonal changes of Hg concentration (Hg-C) in the water were found to be high in winter and low in summer. The spatial distribution of Hg-C in sediments showed that it was high in urban central areas and low in suburbs. The Nemero index and geological accumulation index showed that there were uncontaminated of Hg in the collected lake water, and above moderately contaminated in the lake sediments in urban center, respectively. The Hg pollution potential ecological risk index showed that there was low risk in the collected water, high and extremely high risk in the lake sediments in urban center, respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis (CA) of Hg and meteorological factors showed that precipitation, temperature, and vapor pressure had negative effects on the seasonal changes of Hg-C in water, and air pressure and wind direction had positive effects. The PCA and CA of Hg and other geochemical elements showed that anthropogenic emissions may be the main sources of Hg in sediments, which was also supported by the data of population density, road density, and motor vehicles per 1000 people. This study provided a reference for urban lake pollution treatment, resident health, and ecological environment protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Wang
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Wei Zhong
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
| | - Bingxiang Wang
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Mingying Quan
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Tianhang Li
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Durui Lin
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Shengtan Shang
- School of Earth Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, China
| | - Chan Zhu
- Guangdong Center for Marine Development Research, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Churan Zhang
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Yiling Liao
- School of Geography Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
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Chai L, Zhou Y, Wang X. Impact of global warming on regional cycling of mercury and persistent organic pollutants on the Tibetan Plateau: current progress and future prospects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1616-1630. [PMID: 35770617 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00550b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Global warming profoundly affects not only mountainous and polar environments, but also the global and regional cycling of pollutants. Mercury (Hg) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have global transport capacity and are regulated by the Minamata Convention and Stockholm Convention, respectively. Since the beginning of this century, understanding of the origin and fate of Hg and POPs on the Tibetan Plateau (TP, also known as the third pole) has been deepening. In this paper, the existing literature is reviewed to comprehensively understand the atmospheric transport, atmospheric deposition, cumulative transformation and accumulation of Hg and POPs on the TP region under the background of global warming. The biogeochemical cycle of both Hg and POPs has the following environmental characteristics: (1) the Indian summer monsoon and westerly winds carry Hg and POPs inland to the TP; (2) the cold trapping effect causes Hg and POPs to be deposited on the TP by dry and wet deposition, making glaciers, permafrost, and snow the key sinks of Hg and POPs; (3) Hg and POPs can subsequently be released due to the melting of glaciers and permafrost; (4) bioaccumulation and biomagnification of Hg and POPs have been examined in the aquatic food chain; (5) ice cores and lake cores preserve the impacts of both regional emissions and glacial melting on Hg and POP migration. This implies that comprehensive models will be needed to evaluate the fate and toxicity of Hg and POPs on larger spatial and longer temporal scales to forecast their projected tendencies under diverse climate scenarios. Future policies and regulations should address the disrupted repercussions of inclusive CC such as weather extremes, floods and storms, and soil sustainable desertification on the fate of Hg and POPs. The present findings advocate the strengthening of the cross-national programs aimed at the elimination of Hg and POPs in polar (Arctic, Antarctic and TP) and certain mountainous (the Himalaya, Rocky Mountains, and Alps) ecosystems for better understanding the impacts of global warming on the accumulation of Hg/POPs in cold and remote areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yunqiao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Huang J, Kang S, Wang L, Liu K, Ram K, Sillanpää M, Tang W, Guo J, Zhang Q, Ma M, Tripathee L, Wang F. Anthropogenic and natural drivers of seesaw-like spatial patterns in precipitation mercury over western China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119525. [PMID: 35618142 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of mercury (Hg) from atmospheric precipitation is important for evaluating its ecological impacts and developing mitigation strategies. Western China, which includes the Tibetan Plateau and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is one of the most remote region in the world and is understudied in regards to Hg precipitation. Here we report seesaw-like patterns in spatial variations of precipitation Hg in Western China, based on Hg speciation measurements at nine stations over this remote region. The Hg fraction analyzed included total Hg (HgT), particulate-bound Hg (HgP) and methylmercury (MeHg). Spatially, HgT concentrations and percentage of HgP in precipitation were markedly greater in the westerlies domain than those in the monsoon domain, but the higher wet HgT flux, MeHg concentration and percentage of MeHg in precipitation mainly occurred in the monsoon domain. Similar spatial patterns of wet Hg deposition were also obtained from GEOS-Chem modeling. We show that the disparity of anthropogenic and natural drivers between the two domains are mainly responsible for this seesaw-like spatial patterns of precipitation Hg in Western China. Our study may provide a baseline for assessment of environmental Hg pollution in Western China, and subsequently assist in protecting this remote alpine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Long Wang
- Institute of Atmospheric Environment, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Environmental Science, Guangzhou, 510045, China
| | - Kaiyun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Kirpa Ram
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, 17011, South Africa; Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wenjun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Feiyue Wang
- Center for Earth Observation Science, And Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
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Abstract
The analysis of common properties of growth for crops is the basis for further understanding crop growth in different regions. We used four typical crops of China, winter wheat, summer maize, rice, and cotton, to build an integrated model suitable for simulating the growth of different crops. The rates and characteristics of crop growth were systematically analysed based on semirelative and fully relative logistic models of crop growth, and a comprehensive, fully relative logistic model for the four crops was established. The spatial distributions of the maximum leaf area index (LAImax) and maximum dry-matter accumulation (DMAmax) for the four crops were analysed. The semirelative and fully relative growth models exhibited different characteristics of crop growth. The essential characteristics of growth and the characteristics of the crops at each stage of growth were better represented by the fully relative logistic growth model than by the semirelative model. The comprehensive, fully relative logistic model fitted the growth of all four crops well. LAImax and DMAmax varied greatly amongst the four crops and were strongly regionally distributed. These indicators for the same crop were differentially spatially variable, and the two indicators were not significantly correlated, except for rice. LAImax and DMAmax in different regions could be obtained using a binary quadratic equation of water consumption and growing degree days for the crops. This study provides a novel method for quantitatively judging the status of crop growth, predicting crop yields, and planning for regional agricultural planting.
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Huang J, Kang S, Tang W, He M, Guo J, Zhang Q, Yin X, Tripathee L. Contrasting changes in long-term wet mercury deposition and socioeconomic development in the largest city of Tibet. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 804:150124. [PMID: 34517315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Information about the long-term trends of wet mercury (Hg) deposition is important for assessing the impact of atmospheric pollution on environmental health. As the most populated and capital city of Tibet, Lhasa is isolated far away from the heavily-polluted urban clusters in China. In this study, a 10-year observation was conducted in Lhasa to establish the long-term trend of wet Hg deposition and investigate the possible causes of this variation trend. Our study showed no significant increase in wet Hg deposition while Lhasa has achieved rapid population and economic growth during the study period. The contrasting changes in long-term wet Hg deposition and socioeconomic development (e.g., GDP growth) could be greatly attributed to the efforts in preventing and controlling air pollution at regional and local levels. This trend in Lhasa differs greatly from those observed by a rapid increase of Hg trend in the remote areas of the Tibetan Plateau. Our findings indicate that the remote cryospheric areas over the Tibetan Plateau are prone to be affected by transboundary Hg pollution, and more attention should be paid to its environmental and health effects for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Wenjun Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Maosheng He
- Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Rostock University, Kühlungsborn 18225, Germany
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiufeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northeast Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
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Assessment of Mercury Concentrations and Fluxes Deposited from the Atmosphere on the Territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The problem of mercury input and its further distribution in the Arctic environment is actively debated, especially in recent times, due to the observed processes of permafrost thawing causing the enhanced release of mercury into the Arctic atmosphere and further distribution in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. The atmospheric mercury deposition occurs via dry deposition and wet scavenging by precipitation events. Here we present a study of Hg in wet precipitation on the remote territory of the Russian Arctic; the data were obtained at the monitoring stations Nadym and Salekhard in 2016–2018. Mercury pollution of the Salekhard atmosphere in cold time is mainly determined by regional and local sources, while in Nadym, long-range transport of mercury and local fuel combustion are the main sources of pollutants in the cold season, while internal regional sources have a greater impact on the warm season. Total mercury concentrations in wet precipitation in Nadym varied from <0.5 to 63.3 ng/L. The highest Hg concentrations in the springtime were most likely attributed to atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDE). The contributions of wet atmospheric precipitation during the AMDE period to the annual Hg deposition were 16.7% and 9.8% in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, respectively. The average annual volume-weighted Hg concentration (VWC) in the atmospheric precipitation in Nadym is notably higher than the values reported for the remote regions in the Arctic and comparable with the values obtained for the other urbanized regions of the world. Annual Hg fluxes in Nadym are nevertheless close to the average annual fluxes for remote territories of the Arctic zone and significantly lower than the annual fluxes reported for unpolluted sites of continental-scale monitoring networks of the different parts of the world (USA, Europe, and China). The increase of Hg deposition flux with wet precipitation in Nadym in 2018 might be caused by regional emissions of gas and oil combustion, wildfires, and Hg re-emission from soils due to the rising air temperature. The 37 cm increase of the seasonally thawed layer (STL) in 2018 compared to the 10-year average reflects that the climatic changes in the Nadym region might increase Hg(0) evasion, considering a great pool of Hg is contained in permafrost.
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Guo J, Sharma CM, Tripathee L, Kang S, Fu X, Huang J, Shrestha KL, Chen P. Source identification of atmospheric particle-bound mercury in the Himalayan foothills through non-isotopic and isotope analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 286:117317. [PMID: 33990047 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study reports on the sources of atmospheric particle-bound mercury (HgP) in less studied regions of Nepal based on the analysis of stable mercury (Hg) isotopes in aerosol samples from two neighboring areas with high and low anthropogenic emissions (Kathmandu and Dhulikhel, respectively) during 2018. Although the Indian monsoon and westerlies are generally regarded as the primary carriers of pollutants to this region via the heavily industrialized Indo-Gangetic Plain, the concentrations of total suspended particles (TSP) and HgP in Kathmandu were higher than those in Dhulikhel, thus suggesting a substantial contribution from local sources. Both isotopic (δ200Hg and Δ199Hg) and non-isotopic evidence indicated that dust, waste burning, and industrial byproducts (without Hg amalgamation) were the major sources of Hg in Kathmandu during the study period. Mercury may have been transported via air masses from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel, as indicated by the similar organic carbon/elemental carbon ratios and seasonal trends of TSP and HgP in these two locations. Local anthropogenic sources were found to contribute significantly to atmospheric Hg pollution through dust resuspension. Therefore, dust resuspension should be considered when evaluating the long-range transport of air pollutants such as Hg, particularly in anthropogenically stressed areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chhatra Mani Sharma
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, 730000, China; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuewu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 99 Lincheng West Road, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese, Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Kundan Lal Shrestha
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, 730000, China
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Bhattarai H, Tripathee L, Kang S, Sharma CM, Chen P, Guo J, Ghimire PS. Concentration, sources and wet deposition of dissolved nitrogen and organic carbon in the Northern Indo-Gangetic Plain during monsoon. J Environ Sci (China) 2021; 102:37-52. [PMID: 33637262 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Precipitation represents an important phenomenon for carbon and nitrogen deposition. Here, the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) with their potential sources were analyzed in wet precipitation during summer monsoon from the Northern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), important but neglected area. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentration of DOC and TDN were 687.04 and 1210.23 µg/L, respectively. Similarly, the VWM concentration of major ions were in a sequence of NH4+ > Ca2+ > SO42- > Na+ > K+ > NO3- > Cl- > Mg2+ > F- > NO2-, suggesting NH4+ and Ca2+ from agricultural activities and crustal dust played a vital role in precipitation chemistry. Moreover, the wet deposition flux of DOC and TDN were 9.95 and 17.06 kg/(ha⋅year), respectively. The wet deposition flux of inorganic nitrogen species such as NH4+-N and NO3--N were 14.31 and 0.47 kg/(ha⋅year), respectively, demonstrating the strong influence of emission sources and precipitation volume. Source attribution from different analysis suggested the influence of biomass burning on DOC and anthropogenic activities (agriculture, animal husbandry) on nitrogenous species. The air-mass back trajectory analysis indicated the influence of air masses originating from the Bay of Bengal, which possibly carried marine and anthropogenic pollutants along with the biomass burning emissions to the sampling site. This study bridges the data gap in the less studied part of the northern IGP region and provides new information for policy makers to deal with pollution control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemraj Bhattarai
- Earth System Science Programme and Graduate Division of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal; Kathmandu Center for Research and Education (KCRE), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | | | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Prakriti Sharma Ghimire
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
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11
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Eom S, Lee H, Kim J, Park K, Kim Y, Sheu GR, Gay DA, Schmeltz D, Han S. Potential sources, scavenging processes, and source regions of mercury in the wet deposition of South Korea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 762:143934. [PMID: 33360451 PMCID: PMC9434598 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the potential sources, scavenging processes, and emission regions for Hg in wet deposition were investigated in rural (Jeju), suburban (Gwangju), and urban sites (Incheon and Seoul) of South Korea. The annual volume-weighted mean concentrations of Hg in wet deposition were four to five times higher in Incheon (16.6 ng L-1) and Seoul (22.5 ng L-1) than in Jeju (4.0 ng L-1) and Gwangju (4.1 ng L-1). The variations in the Hg concentrations in wet deposition of Jeju and Gwangju were related to Cl-, Na+, Mg2+, and K+ originating from marine and crustal sources, and those in Incheon and Seoul were related to SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+ emitted from anthropogenic sources. The below-cloud scavenging was considered a major inclusion process of Hg in Jeju and Gwangju, while the within-cloud scavenging was suggested in Incheon and Seoul, based on the results of correlation analysis with Hg and major ions in wet deposition, and meteorological data. The cluster analysis of backward trajectories demonstrated that the Hg concentration in wet deposition was highest in the cluster transported from Hebei and Shandong of China in Gwangju, but in Seoul, the Hg concentrations of each cluster were comparable. This suggests that regional transport is the major source of Hg in the wet deposition of Gwangju while local transport provides substantial amount of Hg in the wet deposition of Seoul. This was further supported by the results of concentration-weighted trajectories: the most probable source region was east China for Gwangju, and the mid-west of South Korea and east China for Seoul. It is noted that the peak methylmercury concentrations were found every spring with simultaneous increases in atmospheric Al, Ca, Mg, and Fe concentrations, indicating a concurrence with Asian dust. The formation process of methylmercury in Asian dust should be confirmed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangwoo Eom
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Haebum Lee
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kihong Park
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Younghee Kim
- National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Guey-Rong Sheu
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli 320, Taiwan
| | - David A Gay
- National Atmospheric Deposition Program, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53718, USA
| | - David Schmeltz
- Office of Atmospheric Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Fang GC, Ni SC, Kao CL, Zhuang YJ, Li KX, Liang GR. Mercury wet depositions study at suburban, agriculture and traffic sampling sites. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2021; 43:235-245. [PMID: 32852689 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-020-00695-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to measure and discuss the relationship of ambient air precipitations with respect to mercury wet depositions at suburban, agriculture and traffic three characteristic sampling sites during the year of 2019. In addition, the mercury volume weighted mean concentrations (VWM) at three characteristic sampling sites were also calculated. Finally, the ambient mercury wet depositions data obtained in this study to various world sampling sites were also compared and discussed in this study. The results indicated that the average mercury wet depositions for suburban, agriculture and traffic areas were 0.62, 0.55 and 2.32 ng/m2 min, respectively. And the average mercury VWM values were 0.9, 0.72 and 1.85 ng/m2 min for suburban, agriculture and traffic sites, respectively. In addition, the highest VWM and wet depositions for mercury both occurred in March at traffic and suburban areas. And the mercury wet depositions displayed a declined trend when the month was moved from March to July at both traffic and suburban sampling sites. In addition, the relationship between wet depositions and precipitations was low to moderate correlated in traffic area, while the relationship between wet depositions and precipitations was insignificant at both suburban and agriculture areas. Moreover, the average highest mercury wet deposition occurred in Nepal when compared to the other world sites. In addition, the average value of mercury wet depositions in Nepal was about 17.23 times to that of data obtained in this study during the period of 2007-2019. Finally, the average highest VWM (ng/L) occurred in the China. In addition, the average value mercury VWM in China was about 14.82 times to that of data obtained in this study during the period of 2007-2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guor-Cheng Fang
- Department of Safety, Health, and Environmental Engineering, Hungkuang University, No. 1018, Sec. 6, Taiwan Boulevard, Shalu District, Taichung City, 43302, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Sheng-Chung Ni
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, No.57, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Taiping Dist., Taichung, 41170, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chao-Lang Kao
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, No.57, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Taiping Dist., Taichung, 41170, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yuan-Jie Zhuang
- Department of Safety, Health, and Environmental Engineering, Hungkuang University, No. 1018, Sec. 6, Taiwan Boulevard, Shalu District, Taichung City, 43302, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kun-Xing Li
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, No.57, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Taiping Dist., Taichung, 41170, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Gui-Ren Liang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, No.57, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Taiping Dist., Taichung, 41170, Taiwan, ROC
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13
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Investigation of Aerosol Climatology and Long-Range Transport of Aerosols over Pokhara, Nepal. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11080874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study presents the spectral monthly and seasonal variation of aerosol optical depth (τAOD), single scattering albedo (SSA), and aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) between 2010 and 2018 obtained from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) over Pokhara, Nepal. The analysis of these column-integrated aerosol optical data suggests significant monthly and seasonal variability of aerosol physical and optical properties. The pre-monsoon season (March to May) has the highest observed τAOD(0.75 ± 0.15), followed by winter (December to February, 0.47 ± 0.12), post-monsoon (October and November, 0.39 ± 0.08), and monsoon seasons (June to September, 0.27 ± 0.13), indicating seasonal aerosol loading over Pokhara. The variability of Ångström parameters, α, and β, were computed from the linear fit line in the logarithmic scale of spectral τAOD, and used to analyze the aerosol physical characteristics such as particle size and aerosol loading. The curvature of spectral τAOD, α’, computed from the second-order polynomial fit, reveals the domination by fine mode aerosol particles in the post-monsoon and winter seasons, with coarse mode dominating in monsoon, and both modes contributing in the pre-monsoon. Analysis of air mass back trajectories and observation of fire spots along with aerosol optical data and aerosol size spectra suggest the presence of mixed types of transboundary aerosols, such as biomass, urban-industrial, and dust aerosols in the atmospheric column over Pokhara.
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14
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Neupane B, Wang J, Kang S, Zhang Y, Chen P, Rai M, Guo J, Yu S, Thapa P. Black carbon and mercury in the surface sediments of Selin Co, central Tibetan Plateau: Covariation with total carbon. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 721:137752. [PMID: 32182467 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important geographical region for investigating the long-range transport of pollutants as limited emission sources exist in this region. In this study, based on analysis of 61 surface samples, we report the spatial distribution and concentrations of BC, Hg, total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic carbon (IC) in surface sediments of Selin Co, the largest lake in central Tibet. The mean BC and Hg concentrations were 0.62 ± 0.34 mg/g and 32.03 ± 9.88 ng/g (range: 0.03-1.47 mg/g and 13.83-51.81 ng/g respectively), which were lower than the values from other lakes in the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau (HTP). BC and Hg exhibited similar spatial distribution in the surface sediments. Similarly, the mean TOC and IC were 2.19 ± 1.46% and 3.13 ± 1.07% (range: 0.0007-7.78% and 0.30-5.30% respectively). BC/TOC ratio, as well as char/soot ratio, suggests biomass burning as a major source of BC in the sediments via the influence of long-range transport. The positive correlation between the concentrations of BC and Hg suggests similar emission sources or transport pathway. Concentrations of BC and Hg were higher in fine grain particles (size <~50 μm) which were capable of transport and deposit in the deeper part of the lake, as suggested by a significant relationship between water depth and particle size. This study elucidates the extent of pollution in very recent ages and also could serve as the basis for paleo-environmental studies in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bigyan Neupane
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Junbo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes/Nam Co Observation and Research Station (NAMORS), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yulan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mukesh Rai
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Siwei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes/Nam Co Observation and Research Station (NAMORS), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Poonam Thapa
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
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15
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Zheng H, Kang S, Chen P, Li Q, Tripathee L, Maharjan L, Guo J, Zhang Q, Santos E. Sources and spatio-temporal distribution of aerosol polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons throughout the Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 261:114144. [PMID: 32062463 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
With the recent rapid development of urbanization, atmospheric pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted wide attention, particularly in remote regions. The Tibetan Plateau (TP), known as the third pole is adjacent to areas with heavy atmospheric pollution, such as South and East Asia. However, the spatial distribution and sources of PAHs on the TP remain unclear. Thus, we investigated the sources and spatio-temporal distributions of PAHs on the TP by combining aerosol sample data from six sites, including Ngari (NG), Laohugou (LHG), Beiluhe (BLH), Nam Co (NMC), Everest (EV), and Yulong (YL), in 2014 and 2016. The average concentrations of 15 PAHs at the six sites ranged from 3.4 to 15.2 ng m-3, with a decreasing trend from the marginal to inner areas of the plateau. The highest concentration was that in YL in the southeastern part of the TP, with an average of 15.2 ng m-3. The PAH concentrations in NG, NMC, and YL were higher in autumn and winter and lower in summer. High molecular weight PAHs usually exists in the particulate phase whereas tricyclic PAHs can change from particulate to gaseous phase, therefore it can indicate long-range transport. Tricyclic PAHs were the dominant PAHs on the TP (44%-58%), indicating long-range atmospheric transport as the major source of PAHs. Principal component analysis (PCA) and diagnostic ratio analysis showed that biomass and coal combustion were the major sources of PAHs in inland areas of the TP; however, marginal plateau areas were affected by fossil fuel emissions. Compared with levels in Beijing and other urban sites, the toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) was low (0.36-1.06 ng m-3), suggesting a low risk to human and ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijun Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Quanlian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Linda Maharjan
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ewerton Santos
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, 49100-000, Brazil
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Sun S, Ma M, He X, Obrist D, Zhang Q, Yin X, Sun T, Huang J, Guo J, Kang S, Qin D. Vegetation Mediated Mercury Flux and Atmospheric Mercury in the Alpine Permafrost Region of the Central Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:6043-6052. [PMID: 32330020 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of land-air mercury (Hg) exchanges over vegetated surfaces are needed to further constrain Hg fluxes over vegetated terrestrial surfaces. Yet, knowledge of land-air Hg dynamics in alpine grasslands remains poor. Hg fluxes over an alpine meadow were measured throughout a full vegetation period in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). This TP grassland served as a small source of atmospheric total gaseous Hg (TGM) during vegetation period (0.92 μg m-2). Hg fluxes decreased logarithmically during plant growing season, resulting from the influence of vegetation by light shading and plant Hg uptake, although the latter might be minor due to low biomass at this site. Temporal patterns of TGM indicated the importance of land-air dynamics in regulating TGM levels. During the plant emergence, diel pattern of TGM covaried with Hg emission fluxes resulting in lower concentrations at night and higher concentrations in afternoon. During all other vegetation stages, TGM showed minima before dawn and "morning peak" shortly after sunrise, in conjunction with corresponding Hg fluxes showing sink before dawn and source after sunrise. Moreover, TGM concentrations showed a decreasing trend with plant growing, further indicating the role of vegetation in driving seasonal TGM variations by regulating land-air Hg dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ming Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaobo He
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- Tanggula Cryosphere and Environment Observation Station, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Daniel Obrist
- Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiufeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tao Sun
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dahe Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
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17
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Sundriyal S, Shukla T, Tripathee L, Dobhal DP. Natural versus anthropogenic influence on trace elemental concentration in precipitation at Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya, India. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:3462-3472. [PMID: 31845255 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07102-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric pollutant transport and deposition at the Himalaya affects the climate, cryosphere, and monsoon patterns and impose an adverse impact over the Himalayan ecosystem. At present, the data on trace elements (TEs) concentrations and dynamics over the high-altitude Himalayan region are scarce and has received less attention. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the TEs concentration and depositional pattern at Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya to understand their levels, dynamics, and potential effects. A total of 39 samples were collected from two snowpit stratigraphies, deposited during non-monsoon period and monsoonal precipitation between 4530 to 4630 m a.s.l. altitude in the year 2017. The results of analyzed trace metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Sr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, As, and Pb) showed high enrichment values for Zn, Cr, Co, Ni and Mn compared to other parts of the Himalayan region, suggesting the influence of anthropogenic emissions (e.g., fossil fuel, metal production, and industrial processes) from urbanized areas of South Asia. Our results also revealed the possible health effects related to the enrichment of Zn and Cd, which may be responsible for skin-related diseases in Uttarakhand region. We attribute increasing anthropogenic activities in the environment to have a significant impact on the ecosystem health of the central Himalayan region. This study provides the baseline information on TEs concentration and sources in the Himalayas, which needs wide dissemination to scientific community as well as policymakers. Therefore, systematic observations, management, and preparing action plan to overcome the health effects from TEs pollution are urgently needed over the remote, pristine Himalayan region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipika Sundriyal
- Environmental and Hydrology Division, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, 247667, India.
| | - Tanuj Shukla
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kalyanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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18
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Sharma Ghimire P, Tripathee L, Zhang Q, Guo J, Ram K, Huang J, Sharma CM, Kang S. Microbial mercury methylation in the cryosphere: Progress and prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 697:134150. [PMID: 32380618 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals, and its cycle is mainly controlled by oxidation-reduction reactions carried out by photochemical or microbial process under suitable conditions. The deposition and accumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in various ecosystems, including the cryospheric components such as snow, meltwater, glaciers, and ice sheet, and subsequently in the food chain pose serious health concerns for living beings. Unlike the abundance of knowledge about the processes of MeHg production over land and oceans, little is known about the sources and production/degradation rate of MeHg in cryosphere systems. In addition, processes controlling the concentration of Hg and MeHg in the cryosphere remains poorly understood, and filling this scientific gap has been challenging. Therefore, it is essential to study and review the deposition and accumulation by biological, physical, and chemical mechanisms involved in Hg methylation in the cryosphere. This review attempts to address knowledge gaps in understanding processes, especially biotic and abiotic, applicable for Hg methylation in the cryosphere. First, we focus on the variability in Hg concentration and mechanisms of Hg methylation, including physical, chemical, microbial, and biological processes, and transportation in the cryosphere. Then, we elaborate on the mechanism of redox reactions and biotic and abiotic factors controlling Hg methylation and biogeochemistry of Hg in the cryosphere. We also present possible mechanisms of Hg methylation with an emphasis on microbial transformation and molecular function to understand variability in Hg concentration in the cryosphere. Recent advancements in the genetic and physicochemical mechanisms of Hg methylation are also presented. Finally, we summarize and propose a method to study the unsolved issues of Hg methylation in the cryosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakriti Sharma Ghimire
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kirpa Ram
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Jie Huang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chhatra Mani Sharma
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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Paudyal R, Kang S, Tripathee L, Guo J, Sharma CM, Huang J, Niu H, Sun S, Pu T. Concentration, spatiotemporal distribution, and sources of mercury in Mt. Yulong, a remote site in southeastern Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:16457-16469. [PMID: 30980371 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05005-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The unique geographic location of Mt. Yulong in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) makes it a favorable site for mercury (Hg) study. Various snow samples, such as surface snow, snow pit, and snowmelt water were collected from Mt. Yulong in the southeastern TP. The average concentration of Hg was found to be 37 ± 26 ng L-1 (mean ± SD), comparable to Hg concentration from other parts of TP in the same year, though it was comparatively higher than those from previous years, suggesting a possible increase of Hg concentration over the TP. The concentration of Hg was higher in the lower elevation of the glaciers possibly due to the surface melting concentration of particulates. Higher concentration of Hg was observed in the fresh snow, suggesting the possibility of long-range transportation. The average concentration of Hg from the snow pit was 1.49 ± 0.78 ng L-1, and the concentration of Hg in the vertical profile of the snow pit co-varied with calcium ion (Ca2+) supporting the fact that the portion of Hg is from the crustal origin. In addition, the principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed that the source of Hg is from the crustal origin; however, the presence of anthropogenic source in the Mt. Yulong was also observed. In surface water around Mt. Yulong, the concentration of HgT was found in the order of Lashihai Lake > Reservoirs > Rivers > Swamps > Luguhu Lake. In lake water, the concentration of HgT showed an increasing trend with depth. Overall, the increased concentration of Hg in recent years from the TP can be of concern and may have an adverse impact on the downstream ecosystem, wildlife, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rukumesh Paudyal
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chhatra Mani Sharma
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
- Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Jie Huang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hewen Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Yulong Snow Mountain Glacier and Environmental Observation Research Station, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shiwei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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