Temporal variability of atmospheric Total Gaseous Mercury and its correlation with meteorological parameters at a high-altitude station of the South India

Özet

Diurnal and seasonal variation of atmospheric Total Gaseous Mercury (TGM) were studied for the firsttime in a high altitude station, Kodaikanal, India. To achieve this, an automated continuous mercuryvapour analyzer was used in the study area between November, 2012 and September, 2013. In this pilotstudy the annual mean atmospheric TGM concentration was found to be 1.53 ng/m3, with a range from0.83 to 3.25 ng/m3 and with a lognormal frequency distribution pattern. The mean seasonal concentration of TGM was found to be in the following order: summer > winter > northeastmonsoon > southwest monsoon. Significant temporal differences in the TGM concentrations indicatedstrong environmental control regulated by seasonal changes in this high altitude rural area. The studyfurther revealed that the day time TGM concentration was strongly modified by solar radiation, evaporation and rainfall. Moreover, this is the first study in the Indian subcontinent with continuousmonitoring of the temporal changes of TGM and its relation to other micrometeorological factors.