Natural mercury enrichment in a minerogenic fen--evaluation of sources and processes

Mercury (Hg) records in natural archives such as peat bogs are often used to evaluate anthropogenic or climatic influences on atmospheric Hg deposition. In this context, there is an ongoing discussion about natural sources or processes of Hg enrichment in natural archives. In the present study we estimated Hg fluxes from rock weathering, direct atmospheric deposition and from indirect atmospheric deposition in the catchment of a pristine minerogenic fen (GC2) located in the Magellanic Moorlands, southernmost Chile. The Hg record in the bog covers 11 174 cal. (14)C years and shows Hg concentrations of up to 570 [micro sign]g kg(-1) with an average of 268 [micro sign]g kg(-1). Hg was found to be enriched in the peat by a factor of 81 if compared to the mean Hg concentrations in the rocks of the catchment (3.2 [micro sign]g kg(-1)). Hg and also Pb, Fe, and As were found to be enriched predominately in goethite layers indicating high retention of these elements in the bog by iron oxyhydrates. It could also be demonstrated that the high peat decomposition rates in minerogenic bogs can increase the Hg concentrations in the minerogenic peat by a factor of approximately 2 at the same atmospheric Hg deposition rate if compared to ombrotrophic sites. This study has shown that Hg in minerogenic peat can be naturally enriched especially through the retention by autochthonous formed goethite and can be a solely internal process which does not require increased external Hg fluxes.     

Natural and anthropogenic enrichments of molybdenum, thorium, and uranium in a complete peat bog profile, Jura Mountains, Switzerland

A core from an ombrotrophic Swiss bog representing 12 370 (14)C years of peat accumulation was evaluated as a possible archive of atmospheric deposition of Mo, Th and U. Calcium, Sr, and Ba were also determined to quantify weathering inputs, Mn to follow possible redox transformations, and Rb to identify plant uptake. Each of these elements was determined using ICP-MS, following digestion in a microwave heated autoclave using 3 ml HNO(3) and 0.1 ml HBF(4). Calcium and Sr clearly identify the thickness of the ombrotrophic zone because they are enriched in the minerogenic zone relative to the concentration of mineral matter. The concentration of Ba, however, is proportional to the concentration of mineral matter in all samples, and is not added to peat column by weathering reactions at the peat-sediment interface. The lowest element concentrations are found during the Holocene climate optimum (5320 to 8030 (14)C year BP) with the following natural background values (n= 18): Mo 0.08 +/- 0.02 microg g(-1), U 0.029 +/- 0.008 microg g(-1), Ba 5.2 +/- 2.6 microg g(-1), Th 0.070 +/- 0.022 microg g(-1) and Rb 0.63 +/- 0.09 microg g(-1). By far the highest concentrations of Ba, Mn, Rb and Th were found during the Younger Dryas cold climate event (10 590 (14)C year BP) when the flux of atmospheric soil dust was at its post-glacial maximum. Molybdenum and U are elevated in concentration throughout the minerogenic zone because of sediment weathering and this masks the atmospheric signal in samples older than ca. 8000 (14)C year BP (ca. 9000 calendar years). Enrichment factors (EF) calculated using Sc as a conservative, lithogenic element shows that minerogenic peats are enriched in Mo up to 18x and U 26x, relative to the natural "background" values. During the two millennia prior to industrialisation, the accumulation rate of atmospheric Mo averaged 0.23 +/- 0.13 microg m(-2) year(-1). With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, Mo accumulation rates rapidly and continuously increased to approximately 10 microg m(-2) year(-1) in the late 1980s. These data suggest that Mo in atmospheric aerosols today is derived predominately from anthropogenic emissions. Uranium does not show the same enrichment pattern which suggests that steel-making rather than coal combustion is the primary source of atmospheric Mo contamination at this site.     

Paleolimnological assessment of Grove and Plow Shop Ponds, Ayer, Massachusetts, USA--a superfund site

Three sediment cores from each of severely polluted Grove and Plow Shop Ponds, Ayer, Massachusetts, USA, were dated using (210)Pb, characterized for plant macrofossil assemblages, and analyzed for H(2)O, loss-on-ignition, stable Pb isotopes, and concentrations of As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, methyl-Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. A core from nearby kettle Spectacle Pond, Littleton, Massachusetts, was similarly characterized (except for plant macrofossil assemblages) to assess the regional air pollution signal in sediment for comparison with the six cores. Accumulation rates for metals (mass per area per year), the anthropogenic component (mass per area per year), and total accumulation of the anthropogenic component (mass per area) indicate that As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, methyl-Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn have accumulated in sediment as a consequence of point source pollution from within the drainage basins of Grove and Plow Shop Ponds. Three distinct sources of pollution are inferred. As is entering Plow Shop Pond via groundwater in the southwest. Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn are entering the system predominantly at the eastern end of, or upstream from, Grove Pond. Pb also comes from the northwest corner of Grove Pond, the principal source of Cr, Cu, and Hg. These results are consistent with chemistry of modern surface sediments. The history of pollution extends back more than 100 years. Intra- and inter-core variability of concentrations and accumulation rates indicate that much of the pollution was likely in particulate form with little physical redistribution. Recently, concentrations and accumulation rates have generally decreased substantially for those elements present in excessive concentrations in the past. This is a consequence of accumulation of recent, less polluted sediment. In Spectacle Pond, the nearby reference lake, accumulation rates for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, adjusted for background values and changes in sedimentation rate, increased above background starting in the late 19th century, peaked about 1980, and declined substantially to 2000. These decreases suggest that the anthropogenic (pollution) component of atmospheric deposition of these elements declined after 1980 by at least 50%(As), 80%(Cd), 80%(Hg), and 80%(Pb).     

Lithogenic, oceanic and anthropogenic sources of atmospheric Sb to a maritime blanket bog, Myrarnar, Faroe Islands

Antimony concentrations were measured in a core collected from Myrarnar, a blanket bog on the Faroe Islands which has been accumulating peat for more than six thousand years. The vertical distribution of Sb indicates that it has been supplied to the peat exclusively from the atmosphere. Despite the proximity to the ocean, the contribution of Sb to the peat from marine aerosols amounts to less than ca. 10% of the natural inputs. Although the peat core contains four notable layers of volcanic ash originating from Iceland, these have not contributed significantly to the Sb inventory. However, the distribution of Sb closely resembles that of Pb, with most of the Sb found in peats dating from the industrial period. Peat samples dating from the Roman Period are not only contaminated with Pb, but also with Sb. Lead is known to be immobile in peat bogs, and in Europe has been derived predominantly from industrial sources for thousands of years. The correlation between Sb and Pb in the peat core from the Faroe Islands supports the hypothesis that Sb is also effectively immobile in peat, and that ombrotrophic bogs are faithful archives of atmospheric Sb deposition. The data presented here also reinforces the view that natural Sb inputs during the past two centuries are dwarfed by industrial inputs, and that human activities have affected the atmospheric Sb cycle to a comparable extent to that of Pb. The natural rate of atmospheric Sb deposition recorded by the peat core (0.33 microg m(-2) year(-1)) is remarkably similar to the value obtained from a Swiss peat bog (Etang de la Gruère) in the samples dating from ca. 6000 to 9000 years ago (0.35 microg m(-2) year(-1)) which suggests that the background rates obtained from the peat cores have broader validity. Consistent with previous work, the data from the Faroe Islands suggests that the natural flux of Sb to the global atmosphere may have been overestimated by a factor of ten, and that the influence of human activities has been underestimated to the same extent.     

Identifying the sources and timing of ancient and medieval atmospheric lead pollution in England using a peat profile from Lindow bog, Manchester

A peat core from Lindow bog near Manchester, England, was precisely cut into 2 cm slices to provide a high-resolution reconstruction of atmospheric Pb deposition. Radiocarbon and (210)Pb age dates show that the peat core represents the period ca. 2000 BC to AD 1800. Eleven radiocarbon age dates of bulk peat samples reveal a linear age-depth relationship with an average temporal resolution of 18.5 years per cm, or 37 years per sample. Using the Pb/Ti ratio to calculate the rates of anthropogenic, atmospheric Pb deposition, the profile reveals Pb contamination first appearing in peat samples dating from ca. 900 BC which clearly pre-date Roman mining activities. Using TIMS, MC-ICP-MS, and SF-ICP-MS to measure the isotopic composition of Pb, the (208)Pb/(206)Pb and (206)Pb/(207)Pb data indicate that English ores were the predominant sources during the pre-Roman, Roman, and Medieval Periods. The study shows that detailed studies of peat profiles from ombrotrophic bogs, using appropriate preparatory and analytical methods, can provide new insight into the timing, intensity, and predominant sources of atmospheric Pb contamination, even in samples dating from ancient times.     

Source characterisation of atmospheric platinum group element deposition into an ombrotrophic peat bog

Platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium and osmium were found to be enriched relative to their expected natural concentrations in peat samples from Thoreau's Bog, an ombrotrophic peat bog in Concord, Massachusetts. The source of osmium into the bog was determined from its isotopic composition (187Os/188Os). Osmium is composed of 4% lithogenic osmium from atmospheric soil dust, 41% of anthropogenic osmium and 55% of osmium from a non-lithogenic, non anthropogenic source, with rain being a likely candidate for the latter. Significant anthropogenic and rain contributions are also expected for iridium. In contrast, platinum, palladium and rhodium are almost exclusively anthropogenic. The larger enrichments of platinum, palladium and rhodium indicate that automobile catalysts are the source of platinum group elements to Thoreau's bog. The bog is located approximately 300 m from a major road and, therefore, the occurrence of platinum elements is evidence for regional dispersion of these metals. The absence of a clear trend following the introduction of catalysts indicates that platinum group elements are not quantitatively conserved in peat with downward leaching and plants playing an important role in the accumulation of platinum group elements.     

Scottish peat bog records of atmospheric vanadium deposition over the past 150 years: comparison with other records and emission trends

Cores from four Scottish ombrotrophic peat bogs were used to reconstruct the historical record of atmospheric vanadium (V) deposition in Scotland over the last 150 years. The general similarity of V and Pb concentration profile trends in (210)Pb-dated cores from each of the sites strongly suggested that V, like Pb, is essentially immobile in ombrotrophic peat. After allowance via use of the conservative element Ti for the contribution of soil dust V, the deposition of anthropogenic V was found to be greatest (～ 1.3 to 2.0 mg m(-2) y(-1)) in the mid-20(th) century before decreasing to 0.1-0.3 mg m(-2) y(-1) in the early years of the 21(st) century. The latter values were in good agreement with directly measured atmospheric V fluxes at nearby sites, a finding also observed in the case of Pb. The decline in peat-core-derived fluxes for both V and Pb from 1970 to 2004, however, was not as large as the decline in official UK emission estimates for the two metals during this period. This, along with an order of magnitude discrepancy between the anthropogenic V/Pb ratios at the peat core surface and the higher values of the ratio for UK emissions in the early 2000s, suggests that the recently revised UK emissions data for V may perhaps still be overestimated and/or that some previously deposited Pb is being resuspended in the atmosphere.     

MERCURY EMISSION INVENTORY IN ONTARIO

Mercury is released to the environment from various anthropogenic and natural sources. This work is a compilation of mercury emissions from anthropogenic sources in Ontario, Canada. The goal of our study was to identify all sources of mercury, and develop an emission inventory of anthropogenic mercury in Ontario. The result of our investigation revealed that combustion of fossil fuels and emissions from landfill sites are two primary sources of mercury to the atmosphere. Other sources of significance are emissions from waste incinerators, various industrial activities, and cement production. Total mercury emission in Ontario is estimated as 4100 kg per year.     

Speciation and sources of atmospheric aerosols in a highly industrialised emerging mega-city in central China

Monitoring air quality in large urban agglomerations is the key to the prevention of air pollution-related problems in emerging mega-cities. The city of Wuhan is a highly industrialised city with >9 million inhabitants in Central China. Simultaneous PM10 sampling was performed during 1 year at one urban and one industrial site. Mean PM10 daily levels (156 microg m(-3) at the urban site and 197 microg m(-3) at the industrial hotspot) exceed the US-EPA or EU annual limit values by 3-4 times. A detailed study of daily speciation showed that the mean chemical composition of PM10 presents minimal differences between peak and low PM episodes. This implies that PM10 aerosols in the study area result from local emissions, and air quality management and abatement strategies in Wuhan should thus focus on local anthropogenic sources. The levels of some elements of environmental concern are relatively high (409-615 ngPb m(-3), 66-70 ngAs m(-3), 116-227 ngMn m(-3), 10-12 ngCd m(-3)) due to industrial, but also urban emissions. Principal component analysis identified a mineral source (probably cement and steel manufacture) and smelting as the main contributors to PM10 levels at the industrial site (34%), followed by a coal fired power plant (20%) and the anthropogenic regional background (16%). At the urban site the major PM10 source is a mixed coal combustion source (31%), followed by the anthropogenic regional background (28%) and traffic (16%).     

Exploratory study of suspended sediment concentrations downstream of harvested peat bogs

Peat bog harvesting is an important industry in many countries, including Canada. To harvest peat, bogs are drained and drainage water is evacuated towards neighboring rivers, estuaries or coastal waters. High suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) were found in the drainage water at one particular site during the 2001–2002 spring seasons in New Brunswick (Canada). The main objective of this study was to verify this observation at other sites, compare SSC levels leaving harvested peat bogs with those leaving an unharvested bog, and to determine if high SSC events happen only in Spring or all year round. Suspended sediment concentrations were monitored downstream of three harvested peat bogs and an unharvested reference bog located in New Brunswick during the ice free seasons of 2003–2004. On average, SSC at the harvested sites exceeded 25 mg/l, which is the recommended daily maximum concentration, 72% of the time, while the same concentration was exceeded 30% of the time at the unharvested sites. SSC were found to be significantly higher at harvested sites than at the reference sites for all seasons. The highest SSC medians were recorded in the Fall but SSC was elevated in all seasons. High SSC levels in receiving waters may be caused by field ditching activities and insufficient sediment controls. Findings suggest the NB Peat Harvesting 25 mg/l SSC guideline should be reviewed.     

Ambient elemental, reactive gaseous, and particle-bound mercury concentrations in New Jersey, U.S.: measurements and associations with wind direction

Two and a half years of data of ambient concentrations of elemental mercury (Hg(0)), reactive gaseous mercury (RGM), and particle-bound mercury (Hg(p)) were collected at measurement sites at Elizabeth, New Jersey and New Brunswick, New Jersey with Tekran sampling units. The data were processed, summarized, and analyzed from a variety of perspectives. Data quality control and quality assurance procedures are described. Wind direction and wind speed data for each of the sites were also collected. Significant temporal variations in concentrations of all three species were observed. Some significant directional variations were also seen. The sporadic nature of many of the temporal variations is consistent with and could reflect highly variable emissions patterns from anthropogenic mercury sources. Overall mean concentrations of all species were determined. These were, for Hg(0), Hg(p), and RGM respectively; 2.25 +/- 0.04 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m(3)), 8.21 +/- 0.39 picograms per cubic meter (pg/m(3)), and 8.93 +/- 0.31 pg/m(3) (arithmetic means and 95% confidence intervals) at Elizabeth, and 2.15 +/- 0.02 ng/m(3), 10.73 +/- 0.45 pg/m(3), and 6.04 +/- 0.30 pg/m(3) at New Brunswick. Mean concentrations were determined for 16 different sectors representing wind directions. The impact of one known large source is suggested by these data. Reasons for some directional variations are not apparent and suggest a need for further investigation.     

Atmospheric deposition of silver and thallium since 12 370 14C years BP recorded by a Swiss peat bog profile, and comparison with lead and cadmium

A peat core from an ombrotrophic bog in Switzerland provides the first complete, long-term record (14 500 years) of atmospheric Ag and Tl deposition. The lack of enrichment of Ag and Tl in the basal peat layer shows that mineral dissolution in the underlying sediments has not contributed measurably to the Ag and Tl inventories in the peat column, and that Ag and Tl were supplied exclusively by atmospheric deposition. The temporal and spatial distribution of modern peaks in Ag and Tl concentrations are similar to those of Pb which is known to be immobile in peat profiles. Silver and Tl, therefore, are effectively immobile in the peat bog also, allowing an atmospheric deposition chronology to be reconstructed. Silver concentrations vary by up to 114x and Tl up to 241x. While Holocene climate change and land use history can explain the variation in metal concentrations and enrichment factors (EF) in ancient peats (i.e. pre-dating the Roman Period), anthropogenic sources have to be invoked to explain the very high EF values (up to 123 in the case of Ag and 12 in the case of Tl) in peat samples since the middle of the 19th Century. The "natural background" EF of Tl in ancient peats is remarkably close to unity, indicating a lack of significant enrichment of this element in atmospheric aerosols due to chemical weathering of crustal rocks. Silver, on the other hand, shows a pronounced enrichment from 8030 to 5230 (14)C years BP (12x compared to crustal rocks); this may be due to weathering phenomena or biological processes, both of which are driven by climate. Even compared to the natural enrichment of Ag during the mid-Holocene, however, the enrichments of Ag and Tl in modern peats from the Industrial Period are at least an order of magnitude greater. The Pb/Ag and Tl/Ag ratios show that Pb and Tl are preferentially released, compared to Ag, during smelting of argentiferous Pb ores mined during the Roman and Medieval Periods.     

Development of an ombrotrophic peat bog (low ash) reference material for the determination of elemental concentrations

Given the increasing interest in using peat bogs as archives of atmospheric metal deposition, the lack of validated sample preparation methods and suitable certified reference materials has hindered not only the quality assurance of the generated analytical data but also the interpretation and comparison of peat core metal profiles from different laboratories in the international community. Reference materials play an important role in the evaluation of the accuracy of analytical results and are essential parts of good laboratory practice. An ombrotrophic peat bog reference material has been developed by 14 laboratories from nine countries in an inter-laboratory comparison between February and October 2002. The material has been characterised for both acid-extractable and total concentrations of a range of elements, including Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Ti, V and Zn. The steps involved in the production of the reference material (i.e. collection and preparation, homogeneity and stability studies, and certification) are described in detail.     

Two thousand years of atmospheric rare earth element (REE) deposition as revealed by an ombrotrophic peat bog profile,Jura Mountains,Switzerland

A peat core from a Swiss bog represents 2110 14C years of peat accumulation and provides a continuous record of atmospheric rare earth element (REE) deposition. This is the first study providing a time-series of all REE originating from the atmosphere. Concentrations of the 14 REE (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu) were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after dissolution of 200 mg aliquots of age-dated peat samples with 3 ml HNO3 and 0.1 ml HBF4 at 240 degrees C in a microwave autoclave. Strict quality control schemes were applied to ensure the accuracy of the applied analytical methodology. Previous analyses of selected REE by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in the same set of peat samples revealed that INAA frequently under- or overestimated REE concentrations in a systematic manner. Concentration profiles obtained for all REE were almost identical, except for Ce and Eu. Calculation of enrichment factors (EF) revealed a distinct depletion of heavy REE relative to light REE in peat samples since the beginning of the 19th century which marks the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, suggesting a pronounced influence by anthropogenic activities. Enrichments of REE calculated using Sc as a reference element exceeded unity, relative to the Upper Continental Crust. Overall, EF in all peat samples ranged from 1.96 for Sm to 2.34 for Gd, with considerably lower EF for Ce (1.82) and Eu (1.44), respectively. A significant enrichment of all REE which may have been caused by military activities, was observed in the peat sample dating from World War II (1944); this exceptional sample, however, is not enriched in Ce. The concentration profiles of REE were similar but not identical to those of other lithogenic, conservative reference elements such as Sc, Y, Al, Zr and Ti. While it has been suggested that individual REE concentrations or the sum of REE can be used as a reference parameter to calculate crustal EF in environmental samples the data presented here indicates that anthropogenic emissions of REE cannot simply be ignored.     

Role of volcanic dust in the atmospheric transport and deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and mercury

The role of volcanic ash as scavenger of atmospheric pollutants, in their transport and final deposition to the ground is examined. Attention is focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and on particulate mercury (Hgp). The ash-fall deposits studied belong to the 2001 and 2002 eruptive activity of Mount Etna, Southern Italy, and were investigated at three (2001) and four (2002) sites downwind of the major tephra dispersal pattern. The dry deposition of mercury and PAHs was determined, and, in particular, a downward flux to the ground of PAHs (approximately 7.29 microg m(-2) per day) and mercury (750 ng m(-2) per day) was estimated in Catania from October 26 to October 28, 2002. Finally, evidence on the anthropogenic origin of PAHs scavenged from the troposphere by volcanic ash is supported by the analysis of PAH compositions in granulometrically homogeneous fractions.     

Suggested protocol for collecting, handling and preparing peat cores and peat samples for physical, chemical, mineralogical and isotopic analyses

For detailed reconstructions of atmospheric metal deposition using peat cores from bogs, a comprehensive protocol for working with peat cores is proposed. The first step is to locate and determine suitable sampling sites in accordance with the principal goal of the study, the period of time of interest and the precision required. Using the state of the art procedures and field equipment, peat cores are collected in such a way as to provide high quality records for paleoenvironmental study. Pertinent field observations gathered during the fieldwork are recorded in a field report. Cores are kept frozen at -18 degree C until they can be prepared in the laboratory. Frozen peat cores are precisely cut into 1 cm slices using a stainless steel band saw with stainless steel blades. The outside edges of each slice are removed using a titanium knife to avoid any possible contamination which might have occurred during the sampling and handling stage. Each slice is split, with one-half kept frozen for future studies (archived), and the other half further subdivided for physical, chemical, and mineralogical analyses. Physical parameters such as ash and water contents, the bulk density and the degree of decomposition of the peat are determined using established methods. A subsample is dried overnight at 105 degree C in a drying oven and milled in a centrifugal mill with titanium sieve. Prior to any expensive and time consuming chemical procedures and analyses, the resulting powdered samples, after manual homogenisation, are measured for more than twenty-two major and trace elements using non-destructive X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) methods. This approach provides lots of valuable geochemical data which documents the natural geochemical processes which occur in the peat profiles and their possible effect on the trace metal profiles. The development, evaluation and use of peat cores from bogs as archives of high-resolution records of atmospheric deposition of mineral dust and trace elements have led to the development of many analytical procedures which now permit the measurement of a wide range of elements in peat samples such as lead and lead isotope ratios, mercury, arsenic, antimony, silver, molybdenum, thorium, uranium, rare earth elements. Radiometric methods (the carbon bomb pulse of (14)C, (210)Pb and conventional (14)C dating) are combined to allow reliable age-depth models to be reconstructed for each peat profile.     

Total mercury determination in sand boxes from Montreal

Direct mercury analysis was successfully applied to determine trace levels of total mercury in samples from sand boxes in Montréal (Québec, Canada). Twenty sand boxes were sampled from across the city and divided into two size fractions, a fine fraction (<100 microm) and a whole fraction. The concentrations of mercury ranged from 1.6 to 35 microg Hg kg(-1) dry soil for the fine fraction and from 0.7 to 6 microg Hg kg(-1) dry soil for the whole fraction. The mercury concentrations correlated with the soil organic carbon content (R2= 0.67) in the sand. The ratio of the concentration of mercury in the fine over the whole fraction varied from 2.2 to 18. Using published soil ingestion rates for children, the calculated daily intake values varied from 0 to 0.5 ng Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) with an estimated oral ingestion of 200 mg of sand and from 0.2 to 4.7 ng Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) with an ingestion of 1750 mg of sand. None of the sand boxes contain sufficient amounts of mercury so as to exceed the currently accepted daily intake threshold of 0.105 microg Hg kg(-1) bw d(-1) established by Health Canada.     

Cloud water and throughfall deposition of mercury and trace elements in a high elevation spruce-fir forest at Mt. Mansfield,Vermont

As part of the Lake Champlain Basin watershed study of mercury (Hg) and pollutant deposition, cloud water and cloud throughfall collections were conducted at the south summit (1204 m) of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont between August 1 and October 31, 1998, for multi-element chemical analysis. A passive Teflon string collector was deployed during non-precipitating events to sample cloud/fog water at timberline, while three sets of paired funnels collected cloud throughfall under the red spruce-balsam fir canopy. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of Hg, major ions, and 10 trace elements. Ultra-clean sampling and analysis techniques were utilized throughout the study. Six events were sampled for cloud water alone and four events were sampled for both cloud water and cloud throughfall. Cloud throughfall chemistry showed substantial modification from incident cloud water. Much higher concentrations of Hg (2.3 x), base cations (Ca2+, K-, Mg2+; 3-18 x) and certain trace elements (Ni, Cu, Mn, Rb, Sr; 2-34 x) were observed in throughfall than in cloud water. These results confirm that cloud water can leach a wide variety of elements from tree foliage and wash off dry deposited elements. Cloud water deposited an average of 0.42 +/- 0.12 mm of water per hour. Estimated cloud water deposition of Hg was 7.4 microg m(-2) for the period August 1-October 31, approximately twice that deposited by rain during this period at a nearby low elevation Hg monitoring site. Our results indicate that cloud water and Hg deposition at Mt. Mansfield are likely to have considerable ecological effects.     

Impact of long-term exposure to mosquito coils: residual deposition and dissipation of D-trans-allethrin in a room

A D-trans-allethrin-based mosquito repellent coil formulation was used continuously in a room for 30 d. Two different experiments were conducted and the deposition of residues on different surfaces of the room was determined. Studies were conducted continuously for a period of 30 d in a fully closed room and in another room kept open for 14 h per day. The residues deposited on different surfaces, ceiling, side walls and floor, were measured. The results showed the accumulation of high concentrations of allethrin on all the surfaces of the room when the room was in a fully closed condition. Samples collected from the ceiling showed residues of D-trans-allethrin of 6.34-148.63 microg m(-2) during the 30 d study, the side walls 4.68-170.72 microg m(-2) and the floor 20.00-184.52 microg m(-2) Maximum residues were observed in 30 d samples collected from the ceiling and floor. The residual concentrations were nearly 10 times higher in samples collected from the closed room. Discontinuation of the use of the mosquito repellent after 30 d led to a gradual decrease in the concentrations of residues on all the surfaces. The influence of environmental parameters on the dissipation of residues was also studied.