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Monitoring Atmospheric Atomic Mercury by Optical Techniques

Svanberg, Sune LU (2023) In Atmosphere 14(7).
Abstract

Mercury is a serious neurotoxic agent, and the control and monitoring of emissions are important. Optical spectroscopy is a powerful technique for measurement of mercury, which in the atmosphere predominantly appears in atomic form. The mercury resonance line close to 254 nm can be utilized in long-path absorption measurements of average concentrations or in light detection and ranging (lidar) studies, where range-resolved concentration values can be obtained. In addition, point monitors often use optical detection, frequently after pre-concentration, as well as for mercury compounds in conjunction with denuders, which transfer the compounds into atomic mercury. The present review discusses mercury measurement methods with respect to... (More)

Mercury is a serious neurotoxic agent, and the control and monitoring of emissions are important. Optical spectroscopy is a powerful technique for measurement of mercury, which in the atmosphere predominantly appears in atomic form. The mercury resonance line close to 254 nm can be utilized in long-path absorption measurements of average concentrations or in light detection and ranging (lidar) studies, where range-resolved concentration values can be obtained. In addition, point monitors often use optical detection, frequently after pre-concentration, as well as for mercury compounds in conjunction with denuders, which transfer the compounds into atomic mercury. The present review discusses mercury measurement methods with respect to merits and sensitivity to interference. The main focus is on remote-sensing techniques, and many examples from industrial and mining monitoring are given. Further, mercury emissions related to the extraction of geothermal energy are discussed. Finally, an example from archaeology—the Qin tomb in Xi’an—is presented. Advanced measurement techniques can help in shaping an environment largely free from mercury contamination. Further, the aspect of mercury being an important geophysical tracer gas can also be exploited.

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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
atomic mercury, geophysical tracer gas, geothermal energy, industrial emission, lidar, mining, optical absorption, optical monitoring, pollution, volcano
in
Atmosphere
volume
14
issue
7
article number
1124
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85166341469
ISSN
2073-4433
DOI
10.3390/atmos14071124
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d95d056c-2261-40a4-845a-9bc8f9cdbb5e
date added to LUP
2023-12-20 16:08:20
date last changed
2023-12-20 16:08:31
@article{d95d056c-2261-40a4-845a-9bc8f9cdbb5e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Mercury is a serious neurotoxic agent, and the control and monitoring of emissions are important. Optical spectroscopy is a powerful technique for measurement of mercury, which in the atmosphere predominantly appears in atomic form. The mercury resonance line close to 254 nm can be utilized in long-path absorption measurements of average concentrations or in light detection and ranging (lidar) studies, where range-resolved concentration values can be obtained. In addition, point monitors often use optical detection, frequently after pre-concentration, as well as for mercury compounds in conjunction with denuders, which transfer the compounds into atomic mercury. The present review discusses mercury measurement methods with respect to merits and sensitivity to interference. The main focus is on remote-sensing techniques, and many examples from industrial and mining monitoring are given. Further, mercury emissions related to the extraction of geothermal energy are discussed. Finally, an example from archaeology—the Qin tomb in Xi’an—is presented. Advanced measurement techniques can help in shaping an environment largely free from mercury contamination. Further, the aspect of mercury being an important geophysical tracer gas can also be exploited.</p>}},
  author       = {{Svanberg, Sune}},
  issn         = {{2073-4433}},
  keywords     = {{atomic mercury; geophysical tracer gas; geothermal energy; industrial emission; lidar; mining; optical absorption; optical monitoring; pollution; volcano}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Atmosphere}},
  title        = {{Monitoring Atmospheric Atomic Mercury by Optical Techniques}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos14071124}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/atmos14071124}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}