Spatial characteristics and geographical determinants of mercury and arsenic in snow in northeastern China

Özet

Mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) have been the focus of extensive in environmental research due to their strong enrichment and high toxicity. Although their concentrations in snow are usually considered important indicators for assessing regional and global atmospheric environments, few studies have focused on the biogeochemical cycling behavior of Hg and As in snow, especially in northeastern China. Therefore, to evaluate their local atmospheric deposition and the inluence of trace element pollution on the atmosphere, this study assessed the spatial distribution characteristics and sources of snow-borne Hg and As in northeastern China, based on 86 snow samples acquired from December 2017 to January 2018. The total mercury (THg) and total arsenic (TAs) in the samples were measured using atomic luorescence spectroscopy, their spatial distribution was determined through spatial interpolation, and their sources were analyzed using a backward trajectory model. The results clearly demonstrated that variations in air-mass source and industrial outputs lead to complex spatial characteristics of Hg and As concentrations. This study provides a reference for regional cooperation and collaboration in environment regulation and pollution prevention.