title: Soil-Air Mercury Flux near a Large Industrial Emission Source before and after Closure (Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada).
abstract: Prior to its closure, the base-metal smelter in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada was one of the North America's largest mercury (Hg) emission sources. Our project objective was to understand the exchange of Hg between the soil and the air before and after the smelter closure. Field and laboratory Hg flux measurements were conducted to identify the controlling variables and used for spatial and temporal scaling. Study results showed that deposition from the smelter resulted in the surrounding soil being enriched in Hg (up to 99 μg g(-1)) as well as other metals. During the period of smelter operation, air concentrations were elevated (30 ± 19 ng m(-3)), and the soil was a net Hg sink (daily flux: -3.8 ng m(-2) h(-1)). Following the smelter closure, air Hg(0) concentrations were reduced, and the soils had large emissions (daily flux: 108 ng m(-2) h(-1)). The annual scaling of soil Hg emissions following the smelter closure indicated that the landscape impacted by smelter deposition emitted or re-emitted almost 100 kg per year. Elevated soil Hg concentrations and emissions are predicted to continue for hundreds of years before background concentrations are re-established. Overall, the results indicate that legacy Hg deposition will continue to cycle in the environment long after point-source reductions.
authors.affiliation: †Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Eckley
authors.affiliation: †Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors.forename: Pierrette
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.affiliation: ‡Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment Canada, 9250-49 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6B 1K54, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLennan
authors.affiliation: ‡Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment Canada, 9250-49 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6B 1K54, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mintz
authors.affiliation: §Pacific and Yukon Regional Office, Environment Canada, 201-401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbus V6C 3S5, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekela
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005843:Geography; D007221:Industry; D008350:Manitoba; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008628:Mercury