NOAA’s Atmospheric Mercury Monitoringin the Gulf of Mexico Region

[April 2007 summary]

This summary is updated periodically, and the current version is posted (in PowerPoint and PDF formats) at:

http://www.arl.noaa.gov/data/web/reports/cohen/grand_bay_atmos_hg.ppthttp://www.arl.noaa.gov/data/web/reports/cohen/grand_bay_atmos_hg.pdf

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Assemble a long-term, publicly available data record

Discern trends in atmospheric mercury concentrations

Derive dry deposition estimates

Elucidate mercury source-receptor relationships

Establish correlations with meteorology and ancillary trace species to better understand the emission, transport, transformations, and fate of mercury in the atmosphere

Provide a data set for model evaluation

In September 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) and the Grand Bay NERR established a long-term atmospheric monitoring station for the measurement of speciated mercury compounds and ancillary trace species at the Grand Bay (Mississippi) National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in Moss Point, MS.

The measurements are designed to:

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Grand Bay Estuarine Research Reserve

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November 2006: Update –Grand Bay NERR

• Ancillary trace measurements added October 20, 2006:CO, O3, SO2

• Site operator selected and given initial training, SOPguidelines and instructions, Instrument status forms,etc.

• Scaffold Tower added Oct. 20, 2006Current height of Inlet: 4 m

• Will add dedicated Met system and new CO detectorDec. 2006

• Discussions proceeding on renovation of Pavilion site,addition of tilt-down tower, Internet communications,etc.

• Will establish MDN measurements FY2007

• Equipment procurement:SO2, Trailer improvements/replacement, Internet, etc.

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Recent Upgrades to Grand Bay NERR Site:Recent Upgrades to Grand Bay NERR Site:Feb. 27Feb. 27--March 1, 2007March 1, 2007

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Added:Added:

•• Meteorological measurementsMeteorological measurements(T, RH, WS, WD, Solar, (T, RH, WS, WD, Solar, PrecipPrecip Rate/Amount)Rate/Amount)

•• Upgraded CO DetectorUpgraded CO DetectorRun sideRun side--byby--side with side with original instrument fororiginal instrument forQA, continuity of QA, continuity of measurementsmeasurements

•• New data acquisition New data acquisition software for CO, Osoftware for CO, O33, Met, Met

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BB

BB

CC

CC

CC

CC

CC

AA

AA

AA

AA

AA

AA

AA

TypeType

Feb 2007Feb 2007Relative HumidityRelative Humidity

Feb 2007Feb 2007Wind DirectionWind Direction

Feb 2007Feb 2007Wind speedWind speed

**Nitrogen Oxides (NO, Nitrogen Oxides (NO, NOyNOy))

Oct 2006Oct 2006Carbon MonoxideCarbon Monoxide

Oct 2006Oct 2006OzoneOzone

Oct 2006Oct 2006Sulfur dioxideSulfur dioxide

Sept 2006Sept 2006Reactive gaseous mercuryReactive gaseous mercury

Sept 2006Sept 2006Elemental mercuryElemental mercury

**Major ions in precipitationMajor ions in precipitation

**Total mercury in precipitationTotal mercury in precipitation

Feb 2007Feb 2007PrecipitationPrecipitation

Feb 2007Feb 2007TemperatureTemperature

Sept 2006Sept 2006Fine particulate mercuryFine particulate mercury

Start DateStart DateMeasurementMeasurement

Type of Measurement:A = concentration in ambient airB = concentration in precipitationC = meteorological parameter

April 2007: Status of Atmospheric MeasurementsApril 2007: Status of Atmospheric Measurementsat Grand Bay NERR, Mississippiat Grand Bay NERR, Mississippi

* to be established

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Planned Activities at Grand Bay NERR Site:Planned Activities at Grand Bay NERR Site:April 30April 30--May 3, 2007May 3, 2007

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•• Remove old CO detectorRemove old CO detector(has been running side by (has been running side by side with new instrument side with new instrument for the last month)for the last month)

•• Add freshly calibrated OAdd freshly calibrated O33detector to run side by sidedetector to run side by sidewith current Owith current O33 detector fordetector forabout a month about a month ––QAQA

•• TekranTekran maintenance, filtermaintenance, filterand glassware changes as and glassware changes as neededneeded

•• Replace a/c unit in trailerReplace a/c unit in trailer

•• Meet with contractors Meet with contractors ––fence,fence,power, etc.power, etc.

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Update on Planned Future ActivitiesUpdate on Planned Future Activities

•• Initial cost estimate to extend roofline of Pavilion and addInitial cost estimate to extend roofline of Pavilion and adda secured private enclosure was almost $30Ka secured private enclosure was almost $30K

•• The new plan is to simply constructThe new plan is to simply constructa wooden privacy fence near the a wooden privacy fence near the Pavilion, to hide and protect thePavilion, to hide and protect thetrailer and monitoring equipmenttrailer and monitoring equipmentand to restrict access to a plannedand to restrict access to a plannedwalkwalk--up sampling scaffold (10m) up sampling scaffold (10m)

•• Procurement requestProcurement requestfor trailer will befor trailer will besubmitted in thesubmitted in thecoming days.coming days.

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Update on Planned Future ActivitiesUpdate on Planned Future ActivitiesContinuedContinued

Other activities planned for FY2007:Other activities planned for FY2007:

•• Addition of MDN collector, NO/NOAddition of MDN collector, NO/NOYY analyzeranalyzer

•• Purchase and installation of new, upgraded trailerPurchase and installation of new, upgraded trailer

•• Possible upgrade of SOPossible upgrade of SO22 detector (subject to availabilitydetector (subject to availabilityof funds)of funds)

•• Installation of second Installation of second TekranTekran system to allow forsystem to allow forevaluation of QA/QC protocols, and to provide aevaluation of QA/QC protocols, and to provide acontinuous data stream.continuous data stream.

•• Pavilion site upgrades as discussed above, including powerPavilion site upgrades as discussed above, including powerand internet accessand internet access

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NOAA

SEARCH

USGS

UWF/FSU

MDN

Monitoring Site

coal-fired power plant

waste incinerator

manufacturing

metallurgical

other fuel combustion

type of mercuryemissions source

total atmosphericmercury emissions (kg/yr, 1999 EPA NEI)

50 - 100

100 - 200

200 - 400

1 – 50

Barry

Holcim Cement

NOAA Grand BayNERR Hg site

WeeksBay

OLF

MolinoPace

Ellyson

Jack Watson

AL24

AL02

CristPascagoula MSW incin

haz waste incin

paper manufpaper manuf

Victor J. Daniel

Location of the new NOAA Grand Bay NERR Atmospheric Mercury monitoring site, other atmospheric Hg monitoring sites, and major Hg point sources in the region (according to the EPA 1999 NEI emissions inventory)

MobileBay

Mobile

Pascagoula

Mississippi Alabama

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NOAA

SEARCH

USGS

UWF/FSU

MDN

Monitoring Site

coal-fired power plant

waste incinerator

manufacturing

metallurgical

other fuel combustion

type of mercuryemissions source

Holcim Cement

NOAA Grand BayNERR Hg site

AL24

AL02

Pascagoula MSW incin

haz waste incin

paper manuf

paper manuf

Victor J. Daniel

Location of the new NOAA Grand Bay NERR Atmospheric Mercury monitoring site, other atmospheric Hg monitoring sites, and major Hg point sources in the region (according to the EPA 1999 NEI emissions inventory)

WeeksBay

Barry

Jack Watsontotal atmosphericmercury emissions (kg/yr, 1999 EPA NEI)

50 - 100

100 - 200

200 - 400

1 – 50

MobileBay

Mobile, AL

Pascagoula, MS

Mississippi

Alabama

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10 km

Pascagoula MSW Incinerator

Pascagoula, MS

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1 km

30.4294, -88.4277

30.412, -88.404

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Oct 2006 pictures of initial monitoring site

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pavilion at Grand Bay NERR

View looking south and west from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pavilion at Grand Bay NERR

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Pictures of planned (eventual) monitoring site

View looking east from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pavilion at Grand Bay NERR

Mercury at Grand Bay NERR -2007

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45Julian Decimal Day (2007)

Hg(

0) (n

g m

-3)

Hg(0)

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Mercury at Grand Bay NERR -2007

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45Julian Decimal Day (2007)

RG

M (p

g m

-3)

RGM

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Mercury at Grand Bay NERR -2007

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45Julian Decimal Day (2007)

FPM

(pg

m-3

)

FPM

Peak 103 pg m-3 Peak 45.6 pg m-3

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For additional information on these atmospheric measurements,

please contact:

winston.luke@noaa.gov

steve.brooks@noaa.gov

mark.cohen@noaa.gov

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