Atmospheric mercury species measured in Guiyang, Guizhou province, southwest China

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) species were measured in Guiyang City, the capital of Guizhou province, southwestern China at the Guiyang Monitoring Station Agency (GMSA) from September to November 2008 and at the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGCAS) during February, May, and July, 2009. Monitoring results found elevated concentrations of all three Hg species in ambient air in Guiyang. Large temporal and spatial variation patterns in the resulting data were also obtained. The overall average TGM concentrations at the GMSA and IGCAS sampling sites were 7.4 ± 4.8 ng m− 3 and 6.2 ± 5.1 ng m− 3, respectively. The average Hg(p) and RGM concentrations at GMSA were 1330 pg m− 3 and 24 pg m− 3, and at IGCAS were 250 pg m− 3 and 19 pg m− 3, respectively. It is hypothesized that local anthropogenic sources and the seasonal variability result in the high degree of spatial and temporal variability.

Research Highlights
► Atmospheric mercury (Hg) species.
► Large temporal and spatial variation patterns.
► Local anthropogenic sources.
► Seasonal variability.