Overview of global mercury emissions John Munthe IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute john.munthe@ivl.se
Aim of presentation Provide an overview of global emissions of Hg Examples from regional inventory activities Discuss uncertainties in relation to hemispherical transport - Point source data, speciation - Reemissions/Natural emissions Suggest future activities
Global mercury emissions Based on work by J. Pacyna and co-workers Available at http://amap.no/resources/hgemissions/ References: Pacyna, E.G., Pacyna, J.M., Steenhuisen, F. and Wilson, S.J. Global anthropogenic mercury emission inventory for 2000. Submitted to Atmospheric Environment Wilson, S.J., Steenhuisen, F., Pacyna, J.M. and Pacyna, E.G. Spatial Distribution of Global Anthropogenic Mercury Atmospheric Emission Inventories Submitted to Atmospheric Environment
Geographical distribution Continents - Total emission: 2269 tonnes 4% 9% 18% 11% 6% AFRICA ASIA AUSTRALIA EUROP E SOUTH AM ERICA NORTH AMERICA 52%
Emission categories Categories - Total emission: 2269 tonnes 10% 5% 1% 1% 3%1% 7% 5% 67% Stationary Combustion Cement Production Non-ferrous Metal Production Pig Iron & Steel Production Caustic Soda Production Mercury Production Gold Production Waste Disposal Other
European emission inventories, trends and projections Based on work from EU funded projects ESPREME, MERCYMS, MOE, MAMCS
Trends in mercury emissions in Europe 1980 to 2000 Source category 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Combustion of fuels 350 296 195 186 114 Industrial processes 460 388 390 93 99 Other sources 50 42 42 59 26 TOTAL 860 726 627 338 239 eductions of Hg emissions mainly due to: Flue Gas Desulphurisation, Closing o
Comparison measuremens/estimates
Accuracy of emission estimates
Future scenarios for mercury emissions in Europe (Pacyna et al., ESPREME project)
Speciation of emitted mercury 100% 90% HgP 80% 70% RGM 60% 50% Hg (parti HgII Hg0 (gas 40% 30% Hg 0 20% 10% 0% Power plants Residential heat Cement Production Lead Zinc Pig & iron Waste Disposal
ACAP (Arctic Council Action Plan) mercury project has compiled national inventories for Arctic Countries. Also prepared emission inventory for Hg in Russia
Emissions of Hg from Arctic countries (from ACAP report) Note: Variyng degree of detail and accuracy in different national
Hg emissions in China (adapted from Streets et al.) 250 200 Total emissions 536 tonnes/yr. Hgp Hg2+ Hg0 150 100 Total emissions: 536 (±236) tonnes of total mercury 56% as Hg 0, 32% as Hg(II), 12% as HgP 50 0 Non-ferrous metal smelting Coal combustion Battery/fluorescent lamp production Cement production Mercury mining Biofuels Waste and residue burning Gasoline, diesel and kerosene Iron and steel production Grassland/savanna burning Coal mined spontaneous burning Forest burning Fuel oil for stationary sources Caustic soda production Hg emission, tonnes/yr
UNEP Chemicals have developed a toolkit for emission inventories of mercury. Available for download: http://www.chem. unep.ch/mercury/
Natural sources Natural sources believed to be of same order of magnitude as anthropogenic (1500-3000 t/yr.) Main sources volcanoes and from areas associated with cinnabar deposits and other Hg-containing minerals Degassing from natural surfaces (soil, vegetation, water) Emissions from active volcanoes have been estimated to release 700 tonnes/yr, or 20 40% of total natural emissions. (Pyle and Mather Atmospheric Environment 37 (2003) 5115 5124)
Re-emissions Re-emissions are defined as previously deposited mercury which is volatilised from water, land or vegetation. Natural emissions from soil, water, vegetation, cannot be distinguished from re-emissions Re-emissions occur from water bodies as well as soils and vegetation. For water surfaces, re-emissions may be of same magnitude as deposition Uncertainties very large for both natural emissions and re-emissions
Future activities... Global emission inventory is available needs verification and updating (measurements). Some detailed national (e.g. USA, Russia, China) and regional emission inventories are available More information on emissions from waste (waste incineration, landfills etc). Need to follow fate of Hg in products to estimate emissions from household waste. Better estimates of emissions from natural surfaces. Includes: - Emissions from contaminated sites - Re-emissions from oceans, soil and vegetation. Seasonal variations For relevant future scenarios: Information of effects on Hg emissions of planned control measures to reduce particles, SO 2, NOx.
Key websites for this presentation AMAP Website, global Hg emissions: http://amap.no/resources/hgemissions/ UNEP website with tool kit: http://www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/ ESPREME project with European emission data: http://espreme.ier.uni-stuttgart.de MERCYMS project with European emission data: www.cs.iia.cnr.it/mercyms/project.htm ACAP Mercury Project with emission data from Arctic states: http://www.mst.dk/homepage/default.asp?sub=http:// www.mst.dk/udgiv/publications/2005/87-7614-515-8/html/default_eng.htm