A Simple Approach for Measuring Emission Patterns of Vapor Phase Mercury under Temperature-Controlled Conditions from Soil

• Published in: TheScientificWorld 2012-01, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Yoon, Hye-On, Kim, Ki-Hyun, Jung, Myung-Chae, Oh, Jong-Min, Brown, Richard J. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - chemistry; Atmospheric composition; Climate change; Climate effects; Controlled conditions; Emission analysis; Emission measurements; Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Gases - analysis; Gases - chemistry; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - analysis; Mercury - chemistry; Mercury vapor; Sensitivity and Specificity; Soil - analysis; Soil - chemistry; Soil conditions; Soil investigations; Soil layers; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Soil temperature; Soils; Temperature; Temperature effects; Urban areas; Vapor emission; Vapor phases; Vaporization; Vapors; Volatilization
• ISSN: 2356-6140; 1537-744X; 1537-744X
• DOI: 10.1100/2012/940413

In an effort to study the possible effects of climate change on the behavior of atmospheric mercury (Hg), we built a temperature–controlled microchamber system to measure its emission from top soils. To this end, mercury vapour emission rates were investigated in the laboratory using top soil samples collected from an urban area. The emissions of Hg, when measured as a function of soil temperature (from ambient levels up to 70°C at increments of 10°C), showed a positive correlation with rising temperature. According to the continuous analyses of the Hg vapor given off by the identical soil samples, evasion rate diminished noticeably with increasing number of repetitions. The experimental results, if examined in terms of activation energy (Ea), showed highly contrasting patterns between the single and repetitive runs. Although the results of the former exhibited Ea values smaller than the vaporization energy of Hg (i.e.,