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Updated: Mar 3, 2026
09:33
An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
10.8K
Total Mercury Released to the Environment by Human Activities.
David G Streets1, Hannah M Horowitz2, Daniel J Jacob2,3
1Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|April 28, 2017
Summary
Human activities have released 1540 gigagrams (Gg) of mercury (Hg) since 1850, with annual releases remaining stable. Sequestering 40% of Hg at contaminated sites is crucial for reducing atmospheric concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
Background:
- Human activities have released significant quantities of mercury (Hg) into the environment.
- Mercury releases have predominantly occurred since 1850, with atmospheric emissions comprising a substantial portion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the cumulative mercury releases from human activities up to 2010.
- To analyze the historical trends and changing distributions of mercury releases.
- To assess the impact of mercury releases on the atmospheric burden and identify mitigation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Estimation of cumulative mercury releases using historical data.
- Analysis of emission sources, world regions, and environmental media.
- Biogeochemical modeling to simulate atmospheric mercury burden and validate with observational data.
Main Results:
- An estimated 1540 Gg of mercury have been released by human activities, with 73% released after 1850.
- Atmospheric emissions accounted for 470 Gg, primarily as elemental mercury.
- Mercury production, silver production, and chemicals manufacturing are major sources; North America, Europe, and Asia are key release regions.
- Biogeochemical modeling indicated a 3.2-fold increase in atmospheric mercury burden since 1850.
- Approximately 40% of mercury released to land and water requires sequestration to align with observed atmospheric mercury declines.
Conclusions:
- Historical mercury releases have significantly impacted the environment, with ongoing releases requiring management.
- Understanding the sources, pathways, and regional contributions of mercury is vital for effective environmental policy.
- Site-specific sequestration of mercury is a necessary measure to mitigate atmospheric mercury concentrations and environmental contamination.
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