Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau
<p>The city of Lhasa is located in the central Tibetan Plateau and is the most densely populated area. As the first continuous monitoring of atmospheric mercury (Hg) species in a city in the Tibetan Plateau, our monitoring in Lhasa showed that the concentrations of gaseous elemental Hg (GEM),...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/3937/2023/acp-23-3937-2023.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797852610407956480 |
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| author | H. Lin Y. Tong Y. Tong L. Chen C. Yu Z. Chu Q. Zhang X. Yin Q. Zhang Q. Zhang S. Kang S. Kang J. Liu J. Schauer J. Schauer B. de Foy X. Wang |
| author_facet | H. Lin Y. Tong Y. Tong L. Chen C. Yu Z. Chu Q. Zhang X. Yin Q. Zhang Q. Zhang S. Kang S. Kang J. Liu J. Schauer J. Schauer B. de Foy X. Wang |
| author_sort | H. Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The city of Lhasa is located in the central Tibetan Plateau and is the most densely
populated area. As the first continuous monitoring of atmospheric mercury
(Hg) species in a city in the Tibetan Plateau, our monitoring in Lhasa
showed that the concentrations of gaseous elemental Hg (GEM), gaseous
oxidized Hg (GOM), and particle-bound Hg (PBM) during the subsequent Indian summer monsoon (S-ISM) period were 2.73 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 1.48 ng m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>,
38.4 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 62.7 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, and 59.1 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 181.0 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>,
respectively. During the westerly circulation (WEC) period, the GEM, GOM, and
PBM concentrations were 2.11 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 2.09 ng m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, 35.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 43.3 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, and 52.9 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 90.1 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, respectively. The GOM and PBM
concentrations were higher than those of previous monitoring in the Tibetan
Plateau and other provincial capitals in China. Typical high-value
occurrence processes were studied to investigate random events with high
atmospheric Hg concentrations in Lhasa. Combustion events nearby or further
away may be the main contributor of the high-concentration events. The
lowest GEM concentrations occurred in the afternoon, and persistently high
concentrations were observed at night. The changes in GEM concentrations
were consistent with the trends of other pollutant concentrations and
contradictory to those of the wind speed. The high GEM concentrations at
night can be attributed to the lower boundary layer height and lower wind
speed. For both GOM and PBM, higher GOM concentrations occurred during the
day and PBM during the night. The results of the principal component
analysis indicated that local sources and wind speed are important factors
influencing atmospheric Hg concentrations in Lhasa. The trajectory
simulation showed that the source of the GEM in Lhasa gradually shifted from
the south to the west of Lhasa from the S-ISM to the<span id="page3938"/> WEC periods, while both
the southern and western sources were important in the late WEC period. The
concentrations and change patterns of Hg species in Lhasa were significantly
different than those at other monitoring sites in the Tibetan Plateau.
Monitoring Hg species in Lhasa shows the possible maximum anthropogenic
influences in the Tibetan Plateau and demonstrates the dramatic effect of
wind on changes in urban atmospheric Hg concentrations.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:36:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9a1c1acf2bd40cf9c91188c1caa85fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:36:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9a1c1acf2bd40cf9c91188c1caa85fb2023-04-04T10:07:17ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242023-04-01233937395310.5194/acp-23-3937-2023Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan PlateauH. Lin0Y. Tong1Y. Tong2L. Chen3C. Yu4Z. Chu5Q. Zhang6X. Yin7Q. Zhang8Q. Zhang9S. Kang10S. Kang11J. Liu12J. Schauer13J. Schauer14B. de Foy15X. Wang16MOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaSchool of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaSchool of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaKey Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, ChinaMOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaMOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, ChinaMOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53718, USAWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison WI 53718, USADepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USAMOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China<p>The city of Lhasa is located in the central Tibetan Plateau and is the most densely populated area. As the first continuous monitoring of atmospheric mercury (Hg) species in a city in the Tibetan Plateau, our monitoring in Lhasa showed that the concentrations of gaseous elemental Hg (GEM), gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM), and particle-bound Hg (PBM) during the subsequent Indian summer monsoon (S-ISM) period were 2.73 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 1.48 ng m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, 38.4 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 62.7 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, and 59.1 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 181.0 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, respectively. During the westerly circulation (WEC) period, the GEM, GOM, and PBM concentrations were 2.11 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 2.09 ng m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, 35.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 43.3 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, and 52.9 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 90.1 pg m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span>, respectively. The GOM and PBM concentrations were higher than those of previous monitoring in the Tibetan Plateau and other provincial capitals in China. Typical high-value occurrence processes were studied to investigate random events with high atmospheric Hg concentrations in Lhasa. Combustion events nearby or further away may be the main contributor of the high-concentration events. The lowest GEM concentrations occurred in the afternoon, and persistently high concentrations were observed at night. The changes in GEM concentrations were consistent with the trends of other pollutant concentrations and contradictory to those of the wind speed. The high GEM concentrations at night can be attributed to the lower boundary layer height and lower wind speed. For both GOM and PBM, higher GOM concentrations occurred during the day and PBM during the night. The results of the principal component analysis indicated that local sources and wind speed are important factors influencing atmospheric Hg concentrations in Lhasa. The trajectory simulation showed that the source of the GEM in Lhasa gradually shifted from the south to the west of Lhasa from the S-ISM to the<span id="page3938"/> WEC periods, while both the southern and western sources were important in the late WEC period. The concentrations and change patterns of Hg species in Lhasa were significantly different than those at other monitoring sites in the Tibetan Plateau. Monitoring Hg species in Lhasa shows the possible maximum anthropogenic influences in the Tibetan Plateau and demonstrates the dramatic effect of wind on changes in urban atmospheric Hg concentrations.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/3937/2023/acp-23-3937-2023.pdf |
| spellingShingle | H. Lin Y. Tong Y. Tong L. Chen C. Yu Z. Chu Q. Zhang X. Yin Q. Zhang Q. Zhang S. Kang S. Kang J. Liu J. Schauer J. Schauer B. de Foy X. Wang Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full | Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_short | Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in Lhasa, the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_sort | unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species in lhasa the largest city in the tibetan plateau |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/3937/2023/acp-23-3937-2023.pdf |
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