Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2895
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2895
07 Oct 2024
 | 07 Oct 2024

Natural Surface Emissions Dominate Anthropogenic Emissions Contributions to Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) at Canadian Rural Sites

Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen

Abstract. The Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CAPMoN) measures total gaseous mercury (TGM) at three rural-remote sites. Long-term TGM, ancillary measurements and the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model were used to assess temporal changes in anthropogenic and natural surface emission (wildfires plus re-emitted Hg) contributions to TGM and examine the emission drivers of the observed TGM trends between 2005 and 2018. TGM showed decreasing trends at the three sites; the magnitudes (ng m-3 yr-1) were -0.050 at Saturna for 2010–2015, -0.026 at Egbert for 2005–2018, and -0.014 at Kejimkujik for 2005–2016. The increasing contributions from natural surface Hg emissions at Saturna (1.64 % yr-1) and Kejimkujik (1.03 % yr-1) resulted from declining anthropogenic Hg emissions and increasing oceanic and terrestrial Hg re-emissions. The mean relative contributions of natural surface emissions to annual TGM were 65 %, 72.5 % and 65 % at Saturna, Egbert and Kejimkujik. TGM at Saturna were mainly from background Hg (53 %), Hg re-emissions (14 %), and shipping (10 %); at Egbert, from background Hg (63 %), Hg re-emissions (15 %), and crustal/soil dust (9 %); and at Kejimkujik, from background Hg (71 %), regional point source emissions (10 %), and Hg re-emissions (8 %). Local combustion sources contributed a few percent of the annual TGM, while the percentage from oceanic Hg evasion was 6.6–9.5 % for the two coastal sites. Wildfire impacts on annual TGM were 5.6 % at Saturna, 1.3 % at Egbert, and 2.1 % at Kejimkujik. Background Hg contributions to TGM were greater in the cold season, whereas wildfire and surface re-emission contributions can be significant in the warm season.

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The peer-review process was guided by an independent editor, and the authors also have no other competing interests to declare.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

07 Aug 2025
Natural surface emissions dominate anthropogenic emissions contributions to total gaseous mercury at Canadian rural sites
Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8591–8611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8591-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8591-2025, 2025
Short summary
Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2895', Danilo Custódio, 21 Oct 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2895', Anonymous Referee #2, 12 Nov 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2895', Danilo Custódio, 21 Oct 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2895', Anonymous Referee #2, 12 Nov 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Irene Cheng on behalf of the Authors (06 Feb 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (12 Feb 2025) by Aurélien Dommergue
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (27 Feb 2025)
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (28 Feb 2025) by Aurélien Dommergue
AR by Irene Cheng on behalf of the Authors (25 Apr 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (03 May 2025) by Aurélien Dommergue
AR by Irene Cheng on behalf of the Authors (07 May 2025)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

07 Aug 2025
Natural surface emissions dominate anthropogenic emissions contributions to total gaseous mercury at Canadian rural sites
Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8591–8611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8591-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8591-2025, 2025
Short summary
Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen

Data sets

Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada https://doi.org/10.18164/e1df5764-1eec-4a9f-9c03-f515b396b717

Major Ions and Acidifying Gases Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada https://doi.org/10.18164/e73c7f47-df9c-4877-923c-20e09db28176

National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) program, Hourly CO Analysis and Air Quality Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada https://data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca/data/air/monitor/national-air-pollution-surveillance-naps-program/

Canadian Greenhouse Gas Measurement program, Hourly CO Climate Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada https://gaw.kishou.go.jp/

Air Quality System (AQS), Hourly CO USEPA https://www.epa.gov/aqs

Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE), 24-h EC/OC and total carbon IMPROVE https://vista.cira.colostate.edu/Improve/improve-data/

Historical Climate Data, Hourly temperature Climate Data Services, Environment and Climate Change Canada https://climate.weather.gc.ca/

Irene Cheng, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, and Alexandra Steffen

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Short summary
Using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model and observations, we showed natural surface emission (wildfires and re-emitted Hg) dominated anthropogenic contributions to total gaseous mercury (TGM). Decreasing TGM was due to reduced shipping and regional emissions. This has led to increasing relative contributions from natural surface emissions of 1.0–1.6 % yr-1. Results showed Hg control measures have been effective, but greater attention is needed on monitoring surface re-emissions.
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