Measurements of atmospheric mercury concentrations in Northwestern and Central Europe — Comparison of experimental data and model results

Field experiments were carried out at various sites in Europe to compare ambient air and precipitation concentrations of atmospheric mercury with model data. In addition, ozone and aerosol black carbon concentrations in air were measured simultaneously as input data for validation of the EMEP-based European long-range transport model. Data sets for mercury in air and precipitation, ozone and aerosol black carbon show that the selected sites range from background conditions for Northwestern Europe to regionally influenced air masses from heavily industrialized Central Europe. Measured 12 h averaged mercury concentrations in air range from 2.1 ngm−3 for Mace Head, Ireland to 8.2 ngm−3 for the Halle/Leipzig/Bitterfeld area in former German Democratic Republic. Precipitation concentrations of total mercury from 17 to 460 ng −1 were measured from 1991 to 1993 for the same sites. Experimental data and model results for total gaseous mercury and mercury in precipitation are in good agreement.