CNR-Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, Division of Rende, UNICAL-Polifunzionale, 87036 Rende, Italy.
CNR-Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, Area della Ricerca di Roma 1, Via Salaria km 29,300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy.
Environ Sci Technol. 2016 May 17;50(10):5154-62. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00691. Epub 2016 May 3.
Human activities have altered the biogeochemical cycle of mercury (Hg) since precolonial times, and anthropogenic activities will continue to perturb the natural cycle of Hg. Current estimates suggest the atmospheric burden is three to five times greater than precolonial times. Hg in the upper ocean is estimated to have doubled over the same period. The Minamata convention seeks to reduce the impact human activities have on Hg releases to the environment. A number of the Articles in the Convention concern the development of detailed inventories for Hg emissions and releases. Using the global Hg chemical transport model, ECHMERIT, the influence of the anthropogenic emission inventory (AMAP/UNEP, EDGAR, STREETS) on global Hg deposition patterns has been investigated. The results suggest that anthropogenic Hg emissions contribute 20-25% to present-day Hg deposition, and roughly two-thirds of primary anthropogenic Hg is deposited to the world's oceans. Anthropogenic Hg deposition is significant in the North Pacific, Mediterranean and Arctic. The results indicate immediate reductions in Hg emissions would produce benefits in the short term, as well as in the long term. The most impacted regions would be suitable to assess changes in Hg deposition resulting from implementation of the Minamata convention.
人类活动自殖民前时代以来就改变了汞（Hg）的生物地球化学循环，人为活动将继续扰乱汞的自然循环。目前的估计表明，大气负荷比殖民前时期增加了三到五倍。同期，海洋上层的汞含量估计增加了一倍。《水俣公约》旨在减少人类活动对汞向环境释放的影响。该公约的一些条款涉及详细编制汞排放和释放清单。利用全球汞化学输送模型 ECHMERIT，研究了人为排放清单（AMAP/UNEP、EDGAR、STREETS）对全球汞沉积模式的影响。结果表明，人为汞排放对当今汞沉积的贡献率为 20-25%，大约三分之二的人为原生汞沉积到世界海洋。人为汞沉积在北太平洋、地中海和北极地区较为显著。结果表明，短期内立即减少汞排放将产生短期和长期效益。受影响最严重的地区将适合评估《水俣公约》实施后汞沉积的变化。
