Atmospheric mercury deposition recorded in an ombrotrophic peat core from Xiaoxing'an Mountain, Northeast China

The historical mercury accumulation rates (Hg AR) resulting from atmospheric deposition to Xiaoxing'an Mountain were determined via analysis of 210Pb- and 14C-dated cores up to 5000 years old. Natural Hg AR background, pre-industrial Hg AR and maximum industrial Hg AR in Northeast China were 2.2 ±1.0 μg/m2/yr for 5100–4500 BP, 5.7 μg/m2/yr and 112.4 μg/m2/yr, respectively. We assumed that the increase in Hg deposition in the Xiaoxing'an mountain area during industrial time was mainly attributed to local anthropogenic emissions around this peat bog.