Dynamics of Mercury Pollution on Regional and Global Scales

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XII

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2. Where We Stand on Mercury Pollution and its Health Effects on Regional and Global Scales

   • Nicola Pirrone, Kathryn R. Mahaffey

   Pages 1-21

3. International and Regional Perspectives

   1. Global Mercury Production, Use and Trade

      • Peter A. Maxson

      Pages 25-50

   2. Mercury Emissions from Anthropogenic Sources: Estimates and Measurements for Europe

      • Jozef M. Pacyna, John Munthe, Kari Larjava, Elisabeth G. Pacyna

      Pages 51-64

   3. Legislation and Policy Concerning Mercury in the European Union

      • Neil Emmott, Martin Slayne

      Pages 65-80

   4. The DG Research Perspective-Research on Hg Supported by the European Commission

      • Hartmut Barth

      Pages 81-89

   5. Perspective on Mercury: Progress Through Cooperation

      • Marilyn Engle

      Pages 91-120

4. Monitoring and Analytical Methods

   1. The Monitoring and Modelling of Hg Species in Support of Local, Regional and Global Modelling

      • Matthew S. Landis, Mary M. Lynam, Robert K. Stevens

      Pages 123-151

   2. Determination of Mercury and its Compounds in Water, Sediment, Soil and Biological Samples

      • Milena Horvat

      Pages 153-190

5. Chemical and Physical Processes

   1. Environmental Chamber Studies of Mercury Reactions in the Atmosphere

      • Ann L. Sumner, Chester W. Spicer, Jan Satola, Raj Mangaraj, Kenneth A. Cowen, Matthew S. Landis et al.

      Pages 193-212

   2. Air-sea Exchange and Marine Boundary Layer Atmospheric Transformation of Hg and their Importance in the Global Mercury Cycle

      • Robert P. Mason

      Pages 213-239

   3. Terrestial Hg Fluxes: Is the Next Exchange Up, Down, or Neither?

      • Mae S. Gustin, Steven E. Lindberg

      Pages 241-259

   4. Chemical Transformation of Gaseous Elemental Hg in the Atmosphere

      • Parisa A. Ariya, Kirk A. Peterson

      Pages 261-294

   5. Modelling Chemical and Physical Processes of Hg Compounds in the Marine Boundary Layer

      • Ian M. Hedgecock, Nicola Pirrone

      Pages 295-317

   6. Modelling Transport and Transformation of Hg and its Compounds in Continental Air Masses

      • Russell Bullock

      Pages 319-342

6. Human Exposure

   1. Exposure to Mercury in the Americas

      • Kathryn R. Mahaffey

      Pages 345-384

   2. Exposure to Hg in the General Population of Europe and the Arctic

      • Lars Barregård

      Pages 385-403

   3. Methylmercury Exposure in General Populations of Japan, Asia and Oceania

      • Mineshi Sakamoto, Akira Yasutake, Hiroshi Satoh

      Pages 405-419

   4. Mercury Pollution from Artisanal Gold Mining in Block B, El Callao, Bolivar State, Venezuela

      • Marcello M. Veiga, Dario Bermudez, Heloisa Pacheco-Ferreira, Luiz Roberto Martins Pedroso, Aaron J. Gunson, Gilberto Berrios et al.

      Pages 421-450

   5. An Ecosystem Approach to Describe the Mercury Issue in Canada: From Mercury Sources to Human Health

      • Marc Lucotte, René Canuel, Sylvie Boucher de Grosbois, Marc Amyot, Robin Anderson, Paul Arp et al.

      Pages 451-466

This book brings together authors with expertise in a wide range of fields to provide an up to the minute overview of the most important problems relating to mercury in the environment. The book reflects growing concern over the likelihood of harmful effects to human health and sensitive ecosystems posed by mercury in the light of increasing fossil fuel combustion, mercury use in a range of manufactured goods, and the lack of emission control policies. Concern has been expressed at local, national, and international levels; in the last three years both the European Commission and UNEP have published reports on mercury in the environment. Growing concern has led to an increased effort to understand the fate of mercury in the environment, including primary production and trade in mercury, emissions from manufacturing and power generation, natural emissions and re-emission, atmospheric transport and transformation, deposition patterns, uptake by biota, and eventual health impacts on living organisms. The increasing specialisation, and amount of research in the numerous scientific fields associated with the study of the fate of mercury in the environment, make the publication of this book both necessary and timely. For experts, and non-experts, who require both the broader picture, as well as an awareness of the latest progress in the fields relevant to mercury research, this book provides the most comprehensive and up to date overview available. The book has five sections.

• Controlling
• development
• ecosystem
• ecosystems
• emissions
• environment
• human health
• pollution
• air pollution and air quality
• ecotoxicology

From the reviews:

"Mercury pollution occurs worldwide … . Knowledge of the … effects of mercury has rapidly increased over the past decade … . This comprehensive book … reflects this new knowledge regarding mercury in the environment. … each of the 29 chapters is well structured with many helpful tables, figures, and references. … the material is detailed, well presented, and often engaging. … This book will be valuable to students, scientists … interested in environmental science and health problems. Summing Up: Highly recommended." (S. A. Batterman, CHOICE, March, 2006)

• CNR-Institute for Atmospheric Pollution, Division of Rende, Rende, Italy

  Nicola Pirrone

• Office of Science Coordination and Policy, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, USA

  Kathryn R. Mahaffey

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