• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.693-703
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• 2008

The important source of the mercury in water-column is the influx of atmosphere mercury, via dry and wet deposition. In this study, wet deposition of mercury was estimated to be $14.56{\mu}g/m^2$ during 15 months at the Lake Soyang, which is a little higher than those observed in the several rural US Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) sites with similar precipitation depth. The mercury concentration in precipitation did not show a positive correlation with atmospheric RGM (reactive gaseous mercury) concentration, while maintaining good correlation with atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$ at Soyang Dam. This result suggests that the contribution of particulate Hg to the total Hg wet deposition should be more significant than that of RGM. In this study, both precipitation depth and precipitation type affected the amount of wet deposition and the concurrent mercury levels in precipitation. There was generally an inverse relationship between precipitation depth and Hg concentration in precipitation. Precipitation type was another factor that exerted controls on the Hg concentration in precipitation. As a result, the highest concentration of Hg was observed in snow, followed by in mixture (snow+rain) and in rain.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.107-117
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• 2010

The atmospheric geochemistry of mercury is generalls represented by gaseous elemental phase that exhibits the high environmental mobility and relatively long atmospheric residence time (c.a., 1 year) with its high chemical stability. In the recognition of the environmental significance of its global cycling, enormous efforts have been devoted to the measurements of Hg exchange across air-soil boundary. To be able to describe the fundamental aspects on this subject, the current development in the measurements of atmospheric exchange rates of mercury has been summarized using the current database reported worldwide. As a first step, different techniques commonly employed in its measurements are introduced with the discussions on their merits and disadvantages. Then, the results derived from various field measurement campaigns are also compared and discussed. The direction for the future study of mercury is presented at last.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.E
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• pp.55-62
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• 1995

The distribution of airborne mercury was investigated from several districts of Seoul, five other major cities and two rural areas during the period April, 1994 to March, 1995. The method used in this study involves absorption of gaseous mercury on CHromosorb$^R$ A coated with gold and detection by cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy. The atmospheric mercury concentrations in Seoul ranged from N.D. to 120.17 ng m$^3$ (mean 27.01 $\pm 9.42 ng m^{-3}, N=139$), while those in rural areas ranged from 1.72 to 8.24 ng $m^{-3} (mean 4.57 \pm 3.07 ng m^{-3}, N=5$). The spatial distribution characteristics of mercury distribution in urban air were examined by comparing mercury levels as a function of the distance from the urban center. Temporal distribution trends of airborne mercury were also studied using the monthly mean mercury data of various districts in Seoul. The atmospheric mercury concentration around Mokdong wastes incinerator in Seoul were also investigated.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2010

For the purpose of evaluating to remove elemental mercury using SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) catalysts, the result of the concentration variation of elemental mercury in lab experiment and field measurement was compared. The effect of the elemental mercury oxidation on commercial catalysts was studied in simulated gas. Three species of SCR catalyst, $V_2O_5-TiO_2$ type, were selected. The elemental mercury reduced 30% without HCl gas in SCR operating condition. But the width of reduction increased 60% at 20 ppm HCl gas. According to the result of field measurement, reduction rate of elemental mercury at SCR outlet showed 60%. The total mercury concentration decreased about 20%. The results were similar to the lab test. The results of chemical analysis of test sample showed increase of mercury concentration but surface change was not observed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.74-83
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• 2014

Mercury exists naturally and as a man-made contaminant. The release of processed mercury can lead to a progressive increase in the amount of atmospheric mercury, which enters the atmospheric-soil-water distribution cycles where it can remain in circulation for years. Mercury poisoning is the result of exposure to mercury or mercury compounds resulting in various toxic effects depend on its chemical form and route of exposure. The major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is largely through eating contaminated fish, seafood, and wildlife which have been exposed to mercury through ingestion of contaminated lower organisms. MeHg toxicity is associated with nervous system damage in adults and impaired neurological development in infants and children. Ingested mercury may undergo bioaccumulation leading to progressive increases in body burdens. This review addresses the systemic pathophysiology of individual organ systems associated with mercury poisoning. Mercury has profound cellular, cardiovascular, hematological, pulmonary, renal, immunological, neurological, endocrine, reproductive, and embryonic toxicological effects.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 1989

Atmospheric gaseous mercury was automatically measured by a mercury air monitor (Mercury monitor AM-1). The sample air was led to a scrubber and washed with buffer solution, and mercury was trapped with gold coated chromosorb P(AW) was successively eluted by heating the chromosorb and then detected by the cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. $SO_2, TSP, NO_x, CO, THC$. and some of meteorological factors were also measured simultaneously with mercury. A significant correlation between the concentration of mercury and those of 2,513 measurements, gaseous mercury concentration ranged from 4.73 to 112.8 $ng/m^3$ with an annual mean of 14.7$ng/m^3$ in urban area. At this place there was a clear seasonal variation with a maximuminDecember-January and aminimum in March-June. A secondary maximum existed in August to September. THe seasonal variation was found that the gaseous mercury in ambient air has a tendency to become low in spring and high in winter. Namely, the average of concentration in winter was about two times, 19.2 $ng/m^3$, higher than that in spring. In Seoul mercury levels on some months mainly Septermber-October increase with increasing relative humidity of the atmosphere. In Olympic park air levels were 8.2 (range 4.4-23.7)$ng/m^3$ with an coefficients of variation of 0.34 and in Seoul sports complex those were 7.7 (rnage 4.4-25.5) $ng/m^3$ with an coefficients of variation of 0.38 within the Seoul olympiad holding period of time. A significant diurnal mercury variation occurs both at the measuring sites and in the period of observation.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 1996

Mercury (Hg) is ubiquitous throughout the earth's atmosphere. The uniqueness of its atmospheric geochemistry is well-known with the high environmental mobility and relatively long atmospheric residence time (c.a., 1 year) associated with its high chemical stability. Despite a growing recognition of the environmental significance of its global cycling, the prexisting Korean database for atmospheric Hg is extremely rare and confined to a number of concentration measurements conducted under relatively polluted urban atmospheric environments. To help activate the research on this suvject, an in-depth analysis on the current development in the measurements of atmospheric mercury and the associated fluxes has been made using the most using the most updated data ests reported worldwide. As a first step toward this purpose, the most reliable techniques commonly employed in the measurements of its concentration in the background atmosphere are introduced in combination with the flux measurement techniques over soil surface such as: dynamic enclosure (or field flux chamber) method and field micrometeorological method. Then the results derived using these measurement techniques are discussed and interpreted with an emphasis on its mobilization across the terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere interface. A unmber of factors including air/soil temperature, soil chemical composition, soil water content, and barometric pressure are found out to be influential to the rate and amount of such exchange processes. Although absolute magnitude of such exchange processes is insignificant relative to that of the major component like the oceanic environment, this exchange process is thought to be the the predominant natural pathway for both the mobilization and redistribution of atmospheric Hg on a local or regional scale.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.238-248
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• 2008

This study investigated mercury emission at various combustion conditions and analyzed mercury species in flue gas from coal combustion at a laboratory scale furnace in coal. The results of this study can be used to predict and to assess mercury emission at coal boilers and power plants. The coal used in the plants generally contains about $0.02{\sim}0.28\;mg$ of mercury per kg. Bituminous and anthracite coal used for the experiment contained 0.049 and 0.297 mg/kg of mercury, respectively. Mercury emissions during coal combustion at temperatures range of $600^{\circ}C$ to $1,400^{\circ}C$ was measured and analysed using Ontario Hydro method; the speciation changes were also observed in mercury emissions. The results showed higher fraction of elemental mercury than that of oxidised mercury at most temperatures tested in this experiment. The fraction of elemental mercury was lower in combustion of anthracite coal than in bituminous combustion. As expected, equilibrium calculations and real power plants data showed good similarity. The distribution of particle size in flue gas had the higher peak in size above $2.5\;{\mu}m$. However the peak of mercury enrichment in dust was at $0.3\;{\mu}m$, which could be easily emitted into atmosphere without filtration in combustion system. When the CEA(Chemical equilibrium and Application) code was used for combustion equilibrium calculation, Cl was found to be the important component effecting mercury oxidation, especially at the lower temperatures under $900^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2009

This paper reviews the current status of mercury research on exposure and contamination, mercury emissions, emission limits and control technologies, long-range transport and deposition research, and mercury management policy in Korea. According to a monitoring of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, blood mercury levels among Koreans are $5{\sim}8$ times higher than those of U.S. and Germany. The most dominant source of exposure to mercury is through dietary intake. Emissions of mercury from coal-fired power plants are estimated 8.93 ton/year in 2004. Emissions of mercury from other important sources, such as waste incineration, steel and cement manufacturing and non-ferrous metal smelting operations are to be further investigated. A study on long-range transport of mercury suggests that the dry deposition flux over the Yellow Sea was much greater than those for other oceans. As a whole, the amounts of wet depositions of nitrogen and sulfur were 1.9 and 1.5 times larger than the amounts of dry depositions in each species, respectively. Substantial influence from China caused by high emissions in East China and westerly wind was possibly suggested. However, the influence from nitrogen emission in Korea was also confirmed. Korean Government has already adopted stringent emission limits on mercury for incinerators and boilers in 2005. However, emission limits for coal-fired power plants and non-ferrous metal smelters are rather relaxed. As the above mentioned two sources can be two most important sources of mercury emissions, control strategy for those sources are to be considered.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2004

The emission characteristics of mercury in waste incinerators were investigated to get basic data for the policy development on the emission reduction of mercury (Hg). For the study several important factors were analysed from 4 incinerators such as mercury concentration, emission factors and removal rate for control devices. The results are listed below. Mercury concentrations in the flue gas were 0.39～5.96 $\mu\textrm{g}$/S㎥ in MWI and 2.5～8.8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/S㎥ in IWI. The distributions of gaseous and particulate mercury in flue gas were above 99% and below 1 %, respectively. Therefore, in order to remove mercury effectively, it is important to control the gaseous mercury. Mercury concentrations in fly ash collected from control device were found as 16.2～35.6 mg/kg- ash in FF of MWI. Also mercury concentrations at the front and back point of control device of MWI were 33.45～62.65 $\mu\textrm{g}$/S㎥ and 0.88～3.49 $\mu\textrm{g}$/S㎥, respectively. Emission factors were estimated as 3.67～11.67 mg/ton in FF, 2.6～24.5 mg/ton in MWI with SNCR, SDR and FF, 54.9～192.7 mg/ton in IWI with Cyclone and FF. Emissions from Municipal Waste Incinerator were found both in minimum and maximum ranges. Annual mercury emissions emitted from MWI was estimated as 20.0 kg (6.0～33.9 kg).