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Photoreduction of gaseous oxidized mercury changes global atmospheric mercury speciation, transport and deposition

Author

Listed:
  • Alfonso Saiz-Lopez

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • Sebastian P. Sitkiewicz

    (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
    Universitat de Valencia)

  • Daniel Roca-Sanjuán

    (Universitat de Valencia)

  • Josep M. Oliva-Enrich

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • Juan Z. Dávalos

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • Rafael Notario

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • Martin Jiskra

    (CNRS/OMP/Université de Toulouse)

  • Yang Xu

    (CNRS/OMP/Université de Toulouse)

  • Feiyue Wang

    (University of Manitoba)

  • Colin P. Thackray

    (Harvard University)

  • Elsie M. Sunderland

    (Harvard University)

  • Daniel J. Jacob

    (Harvard University)

  • Oleg Travnikov

    (Meteorological Synthesizing Centre – East of EMEP)

  • Carlos A. Cuevas

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • A. Ulises Acuña

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • Daniel Rivero

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC)

  • John M. C. Plane

    (University of Leeds)

  • Douglas E. Kinnison

    (Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modelling, NCAR)

  • Jeroen E. Sonke

    (CNRS/OMP/Université de Toulouse)

Abstract

Anthropogenic mercury (Hg(0)) emissions oxidize to gaseous Hg(II) compounds, before deposition to Earth surface ecosystems. Atmospheric reduction of Hg(II) competes with deposition, thereby modifying the magnitude and pattern of Hg deposition. Global Hg models have postulated that Hg(II) reduction in the atmosphere occurs through aqueous-phase photoreduction that may take place in clouds. Here we report that experimental rainfall Hg(II) photoreduction rates are much slower than modelled rates. We compute absorption cross sections of Hg(II) compounds and show that fast gas-phase Hg(II) photolysis can dominate atmospheric mercury reduction and lead to a substantial increase in the modelled, global atmospheric Hg lifetime by a factor two. Models with Hg(II) photolysis show enhanced Hg(0) deposition to land, which may prolong recovery of aquatic ecosystems long after Hg emissions are lowered, due to the longer residence time of Hg in soils compared with the ocean. Fast Hg(II) photolysis substantially changes atmospheric Hg dynamics and requires further assessment at regional and local scales.

Suggested Citation

  • Alfonso Saiz-Lopez & Sebastian P. Sitkiewicz & Daniel Roca-Sanjuán & Josep M. Oliva-Enrich & Juan Z. Dávalos & Rafael Notario & Martin Jiskra & Yang Xu & Feiyue Wang & Colin P. Thackray & Elsie M. Sun, 2018. "Photoreduction of gaseous oxidized mercury changes global atmospheric mercury speciation, transport and deposition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07075-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07075-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Beatriz Ferreira Araujo & Stefan Osterwalder & Natalie Szponar & Domenica Lee & Mariia V. Petrova & Jakob Boyd Pernov & Shaddy Ahmed & Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida & Laure Laffont & Roman Teisserenc &, 2022. "Mercury isotope evidence for Arctic summertime re-emission of mercury from the cryosphere," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Fange Yue & Hélène Angot & Byron Blomquist & Julia Schmale & Clara J. M. Hoppe & Ruibo Lei & Matthew D. Shupe & Liyang Zhan & Jian Ren & Hailong Liu & Ivo Beck & Dean Howard & Tuija Jokinen & Tiia Lau, 2023. "The Marginal Ice Zone as a dominant source region of atmospheric mercury during central Arctic summertime," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.

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