Atmospheric particulate mercury in Changchun City, China

From July 1999 to January 2000, the total suspended particulate matter (TSP) in the atmosphere collected by high-volume sampler was used to determine the particulate Hg of four function districts and one contrast district in the City of Changchun,China. The study results indicated that the value of the volume-based concentration and the mass-based concentration of each district during the heating period are higher than those of the nonheating period. The volume-based concentration of the urban districts is higher than that of the contrast district. Atmospheric Hg concentrations varied temporally and spatially. TSP is the critical factor of particulate Hg concentration; precipitation is the main meteorological factor affecting Hg (p) concentration in the atmosphere; coal combustion and wind-blown soil material are the important sources of atmospheric particulate Hg. During heating period, the coal combustion makes a greater contribution to Hg(p) than that of wind-blown soil materials.