MOSJ status report for environmental pollutants in 2011

English version of the NPI report no.137 (2012)

MOSJ statusrapport 2011 miljøgifter

Denne rapporten gir en oppdatering av status for miljøgifter som inngår i overvåkningssystemet MOSJ. Miljøgiftene er avgrenset til organiske miljøgifter, tungmetaller og radioaktive stoffer. Rapporten tar for seg status, trender og effekter for miljøgiftene og gir råd for videre overvåkning. Geografisk er rapporten avgrenset til Svalbard og Jan Mayen med omkringliggende havområder

Mercury isotope evidence for Arctic summertime re-emission of mercury from the cryosphere

During Arctic springtime, halogen radicals oxidize atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg-0), which deposits to the cryosphere. This is followed by a summertime atmospheric Hg-0 peak that is thought to result mostly from terrestrial Hg inputs to the Arctic Ocean, followed by photoreduction and emission to air. The large terrestrial Hg contribution to the Arctic Ocean and global atmosphere has raised concern over the potential release of permafrost Hg, via rivers and coastal erosion, with Arctic warming. Here we investigate Hg isotope variability of Arctic atmospheric, marine, and terrestrial Hg. We observe highly characteristic Hg isotope signatures during the summertime peak that reflect re-emission of Hg deposited to the cryosphere during spring. Air mass back trajectories support a cryospheric Hg emission source but no major terrestrial source. This implies that terrestrial Hg inputs to the Arctic Ocean remain in the marine ecosystem, without substantial loss to the global atmosphere, but with possible effects on food webs.Arctic warming thaws permafrost, leading to enhanced soil mercury transport to the Arctic Ocean. Mercury isotope signatures in arctic rivers, ocean and atmosphere suggest that permafrost mercury is buried in marine sediment and not emitted to the global atmospherePeer reviewe

The study of the mercury cycle in polar regions: An international study in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic pollutant and it can be strongly accumulated in the food chain, especially in Polar Regions. This paper presents a part of the work that has been on-going for 3-4 years in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard within the frame of an international collaboration. In Ny-Alesund in spring 2003, the atmospheric chemistry of mercury has been studied so as to better understand the formation of oxidized mercury species in the atmosphere that could be deposited onto snow surfaces. The role of snow as a potential source of mercury to the atmosphere or as a sink has also been approached to better understand the behavior of this metal. Chemical and biological processes seem to play a major role in Hg storage in snow. When melting, snow could be a major source of Hg into the various ecosystems and this toxin could therefore be accumulated into the food chain

Nedfall av tungmetaller rundt norske industrier studert ved analyse av mose: Undersøkelse i 2010

Etter oppdrag fra Klima- og forurensningsdirektoratet er det gjennomført en undersøkelse av atmosfærisk nedfall av tungmetaller i nærområdet til 16 industribedrifter på 13 forskjellige steder i Norge. Undersøkelsen er basert på analyse av moseprøver innsamlet lokalt rundt hver enkelt bedrift sommeren 2010, og omfatter 59 elementer. I et flertall av tilfellene dreier det seg om gjentakelse av tilsvarende undersøkelser i 2000 og 2005

Review of the Assessment of Industrial Emissions with Mosses

Commissioned by Norwegian Environmental Agency, NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research has surveyed the literature on the topic of “Assessment of industrial emissions using moss”. The purpose is to provide an overview of published knowledge on possible relationships between metal concentrations in moss and air quality, emissions, uptake in other organisms and impacts on environment and health. In addition, there was a request for information on whether other countries use moss surveys around industries and, if so, how the results are used by the authorities. The literature search resulted in 51 relevant publications, which mostly are from the period 2016-2019. The results of these publications show that moss is a good passive sampler for airborne contaminants and can provide valuable information on chemical signature and deposition of metals. No studies have been found that relates concentration in moss to air quality or amount emission from selected industries. A single 2019 study attempts to link moss concentration in context of health effects. A survey among the participating countries in ICP-Vegetation shows that results from moss surveys so far not have been used by authorities in a regulatory context

Atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Norway. National moss survey 2015.

Commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency, NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research in collaboration with Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), collected moss from 230 sites and determined the content of 53 metals in these. The purpose of the survey is to map atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Norway. Compared with data from 2005, a decrease is observed in the deposition of vanadium and lead. For chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and antimony, there is no appreciable change in deposition from 2005 to 2015

Atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Norway. National moss survey 2015.

Commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency, NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research in collaboration with Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), collected moss from 230 sites and determined the content of 53 metals in these. The purpose of the survey is to map atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Norway. Compared with data from 2005, a decrease is observed in the deposition of vanadium and lead. For chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and antimony, there is no appreciable change in deposition from 2005 to 2015