title: Global Atmospheric Transport and Source-Receptor Relationships for Arsenic.
abstract: Arsenic and many of its compounds are toxic pollutants in the global environment. They can be transported long distances in the atmosphere before depositing to the surface, but the global source-receptor relationships between various regions have not yet been assessed. We develop the first global model for atmospheric arsenic to better understand and quantify its intercontinental transport. Our model reproduces the observed arsenic concentrations in surface air over various sites around the world. Arsenic emissions from Asia and South America are found to be the dominant sources for atmospheric arsenic in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively. Asian emissions are found to contribute 39% and 38% of the total arsenic deposition over the Arctic and Northern America, respectively. Another 14% of the arsenic deposition to the Arctic region is attributed to European emissions. Our results indicate that the reduction of anthropogenic arsenic emissions in Asia and South America can significantly reduce arsenic pollution not only locally but also globally.
authors.forename: Ka-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wai
authors.forename: Shiliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xueling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Physical Sciences Division, School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Washington Bothell , Bothell, Washington, 98011 United States.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.affiliation: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112 United States.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D001208:Asia; D001272:Atmosphere; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009656:North America; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic