Updated 2000-06-09
This project aims to establish continuous Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) measurements at Amderma, Russia to provide circumpolar data in concert with international sampling efforts at Alert (Nunavut, Canada), Point Barrow (Alaska, USA) and Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard/Spitsbergen, Norway).
The objectives of this project are to determine spatial and temporal trends in atmospheric mercury concentrations and deposition processes of mercury in the Arctic in order to assist in the development of long-term strategies for this priority pollutant by:
A) measuring ambient air TGM concentrations in the Russian Arctic;
B) investigating and establishing the causes of temporal variability (seasonal, annual) in mercury concentrations so that realistic representations (models) of atmospheric pathways and processes can be formulated, tested and validated; and
C) studying the circumpolar behaviour of mercury by comparison with data from other polar sites.
This is a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project
Time frame
- Status
- Ongoing
- Project time span
- 2000 -
- Data collection
- 2000 -
- Data processing
- 2000 -
- Data reporting
- 2000 -
Geography
- Regions studied
- Atmospheric TDC
- Atmospheric TDC
- Stations or areas where observations are made
- Amderma, Russia, starting 2000 - continuous Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) measurements;
- Cooperation with researchers in other circumpolar countries has also generated TGM
measurements at Alert (Nunavut, Canada), Point Barrow (Alaska, USA) and Ny-Ålesund
(Svalbard/Spitsbergen, Norway).
Data availability
- Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?
- yes-all
- Data centres
- Atmospheric TDC
If no (or only part of data are reported to a TDC), where and how are (other) data stored?
The data will be provided upon request to the relevant AMAP assessment chapter authors/drafters, assuming a similar data ownership agreement will be adopted for the second AMAP assessment as was used for the first.
References to key publications (or planned publications) and data reports
Cheng, M.-D.; Schroeder, W.H. 2000. Potential atmospheric transport pathways for mercury measured in the Canadian High Arctic. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry. 35, 101-107.
Schroeder, W.H.; Anlauf, K.; Barrie, L.A.; Berg, T.; Schneeberger, D.R. 1997. Atmospheric mercury and polar sunrise tropospheric ozone depletion at Alert in the Canadian High Arctic. In: Proc. AMAP International Symposium on Environmental Pollution in the Arctic. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, Oslo, Norway. 354-356.
Schroeder, W.H.; Anlauf, K.G.; Barrie, L.A.; Lu, J.Y.; Steffen, A.; Schneeberger, D.R.; Berg, T. 1998. Arctic springtime depletion of mercury. Nature. 394, 331-332.
Schroeder, W.H.; Barrie, L.A. 1998. Is mercury input to polar ecosystems enhanced by springtime ozone depletion chemistry? IGAC Newsletter. 14, 7-8.
Schroeder, W.H.; Munthe, J. 1998. Atmospheric mercury: An overview. Atmos. Environ. 32, 809-822.
- Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?
- No
Methods & Procedures
- Procedures and methodology used for, e.g., sampling and sample storage, sample pretreatment, extraction and analysis, including which laboratories are involved, references to methods employed, etc.
Surface-level atmospheric TGM samples are collected and analyzed on-site by a Tekran 2537A continuous mercury vapour analyzer (see Schroeder et al. 1997, above).
- QA/QC Information (what QA/QC procedures are implemented, laboratories involvment in QA/QC activities, model verification/validation routines, etc.)
QA/QC procedures follow those of Canada's Northern Contaminants Program and those established for the Canadian Atmospheric Mercury Measurement Network (CAMNet).
Additional Information
- Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?
- No
- Other institutes involved in the project
Cooperation among researchers has led to the initiation of similar measurements in Alaska, Svalbard/Spitsbergen (Norwegian Arctic), Greenland, Sweden and Finland.
Please refer to the Canadian National AMAP Implementation Plan for details.
- Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development/Northern Contaminants Program.
Environment Canada, Canada's federal environmental agency.
- Other related projects
"Mercury Measurements at Alert" William Schroeder, Meteorological Service of Canada
Mercury has been designated as a high priority toxic chemical by numerous Canadian and international agencies and protocols, for example, the Northern Contaminants Program, the US-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: Annex 15, the NAFTA-CEC Task Force on Mercury, the UN-ECE LRTAP Protocol on Heavy Metals.