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Updated: May 4, 2026
09:33
An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
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Isotope effect of mercury diffusion in air
Paul G Koster van Groos1, Bradley K Esser, Ross W Williams
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California, 94720 United States of America.
Environmental Science & Technology
|December 25, 2013
Summary
Stable mercury isotopes act as tracers for environmental sources. Gas-phase diffusion experiments confirm kinetic gas theory, explaining mercury isotope fractionation in air.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Chemistry
- Physics
Background:
- Quantifying mercury sources and flows requires process-based models.
- Stable mercury isotopes serve as tracers for environmental sources and processes.
- Understanding mercury isotope fractionation is crucial for interpreting environmental data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve mechanistic modeling of mercury isotope effects during gas-phase diffusion.
- To test the applicability of kinetic gas theory for mercury isotope fractionation.
- To provide a mechanistic explanation for field observations of mercury isotope variations.
Main Methods:
- Experimental program to measure gas-phase elemental mercury diffusion.
- Utilized small bore needles and finite sources for diffusion experiments.
- Applied kinetic gas theory and Rayleigh distillation model for analysis.
Main Results:
- Gas-phase elemental mercury diffusion demonstrated mass-dependent diffusivities.
- Isotope fractionation followed a Rayleigh distillation model.
- Measured relative atomic diffusivities agreed with kinetic gas theory predictions.
Conclusions:
- Kinetic gas theory accurately describes mercury isotope fractionation during gas-phase diffusion.
- Mercury diffusion in air provides a plausible explanation for reported field results.
- This study enhances the understanding of mercury isotope behavior in environmental systems.
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