Temporal variability of particulate mercury in the air over the urbanized zone of the southern Baltic

Mercury concentrations in fine (TPM0.7) and coarse (TPM2.2) aerosols were measured over an urbanized and industrialized region of the southern Baltic Sea, during the period of April 2008 – April 2009. Concentrations ranged between 0.3 – 151.5 pg m−3 (TPM2.2) and 0.2 – 39.9 pg m−3 (TPM0.7). Higher variability and range of TPM concentrations over the southern Baltic were observed during months of both low or below 0 °C temperature and strong turbulence. Elevated concentrations of Hg in aerosols were the result of emission from local sources (mainly fossil fuel burning in domestic furnaces and boiler–rooms). The autumn–winter season was the period of the highest Hg concentrations in fine and coarse aerosols.