Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mark E. Brigham, David D. VanderMeulen, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, David P. Krabbenhoft, Ryan P. Maki, John F. DeWild
Summary: Long-term monitoring has shown that despite reductions in mercury emissions in the United States and Canada since 1990, contamination in fish from remote lakes and rivers still exists. However, the study suggests that regional to continental-scale decreases in mercury and sulfate emissions have benefitted aquatic resources.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jian Feng, Robert Vet, Amanda Cole, Leiming Zhang, Irene Cheng, Jason O'Brien, Anne-Marie Macdonald
Summary: Implementation of Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and similar emission reduction measures in Canada significantly reduced sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions in the eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada from 1989-2016, leading to improved air quality and reduced sulfate, nitrate, and acidity in precipitation. Ammonium wet deposition showed varying trends, while chloride ion concentrations in precipitation exhibited clear trends.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Wheidima Carneiro de Melo, Eric Granger, Miguel Bordallo Lopez
Summary: Deep learning models have been successfully used in video-based affective computing, such as emotion recognition and pain/stress estimation based on facial expressions. However, challenges still exist in cost-effective application of 3D-CNNs due to fixed temporal depth and computational complexity. In this paper, we propose a novel DL architecture called MDN to effectively represent relevant facial expression variations for depression assessment.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AFFECTIVE COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danilo Custodio, Katrine Aspmo Pfaffhuber, T. Gerard Spain, Fidel F. Pankratov, Iana Strigunova, Koketso Molepo, Henrik Skov, Johannes Bieser, Ralf Ebinghaus
Summary: The long-term monitoring of atmospheric mercury in Europe and the North Atlantic has shown a significant decline in concentrations over the past 25 years. Remote marine sites are influenced by continental long-range transport of mercury. By analyzing the relationship between mercury and other atmospheric trace gases, the major natural and anthropogenic sources of mercury have been identified.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sangwoo Eom, Haebum Lee, Jihee Kim, Kihong Park, Younghee Kim, Guey-Rong Sheu, David A. Gay, David Schmeltz, Seunghee Han
Summary: This study investigated the potential sources, scavenging processes, and emission regions for Hg in wet deposition in rural, suburban, and urban sites of South Korea. The results showed that the variations in Hg concentrations were related to different sources and scavenging processes in different regions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lina He, Fang Liu, Jiating Zhao, Quancheng Liu, Liwei Cui, Yong-Liang Yu, Yuqin Fan, Bai Li, Yu-Feng Li
Summary: From the 1970s to the 2010s, urinary Hg levels in both the general public and occupationally exposed people in China showed a decreasing trend. While most of the general public had levels below the recommended reference values, occupationally exposed individuals generally exceeded these values.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jie Huang, Shichang Kang, Wenjun Tang, Maosheng He, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Xiufeng Yin, Lekhendra Tripathee
Summary: Our study in Lhasa showed no significant increase in wet mercury deposition over a 10-year period, despite rapid population and economic growth. The contrasting changes between wet mercury deposition and socioeconomic development can be attributed to efforts in controlling air pollution regionally and locally. In contrast, remote areas of the Tibetan Plateau have seen a rapid increase in mercury deposition, indicating the need for more attention to transboundary pollution in these cryospheric regions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adam D. Morris, Simon J. Wilson, Rob J. Fryer, Philippe J. Thomas, Karista Hudelson, Birgitta Andreasen, Pierre Blevin, Paco Bustamante, Olivier Chastel, Guttorm Christensen, Rune Dietz, Marlene Evans, Anita Evenset, Steven H. Ferguson, Jerome Fort, Mary Gamberg, David Gremillet, Magali Houde, Robert J. Letcher, Lisa Loseto, Derek Muir, Marianna Pinzone, Amanda Poste, Heli Routti, Christian Sonne, Gary Stern, Frank F. Riget
Summary: Temporal trend analysis of total mercury concentrations in Arctic biota reveals increasing trends in marine mammals, particularly at easterly longitudes, and in seabirds in the Northeast Atlantic. Improved statistical power and extended time series contribute to this analysis, highlighting the importance of annual monitoring.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaofei Qin, Shengqian Zhou, Hao Li, Guochen Wang, Xiaohao Wang, Qingyan Fu, Yusen Duan, Yanfen Lin, Juntao Huo, Kan Huang, Congrui Deng
Summary: The implementation of air pollution control measures can alleviate atmospheric mercury pollution, and this mitigation may be affected by changes in meteorological conditions. This study found that air pollutant control measures were most efficient in reducing mercury pollution, while meteorological changes had a marginal effect.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leah Chibwe, Derek C. G. Muir, Yamini Gopalapillai, Dayue Shang, Jane L. Kirk, Carlos A. Manzano, Beau Atkinson, Xiaowa Wang, Camilla Teixeira
Summary: Our study revealed that PACs mass deposition increased between 2008 and 2017 coincident with crude oil production, and identified the potential of retene and benzo[ghi]fluoranthene in distinguishing sources in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR).
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael S. Bank, Quang Tri Ho, Randi B. Ingvaldsen, Arne Duinker, Bente M. Nilsen, Amund Maage, Sylvia Frantzen
Summary: The study evaluates the effects of climate change dynamics on mercury temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod using long-term ocean temperature, sea ice extent, and mercury concentration data. The findings suggest that despite significant changes in temperature and sea ice extent, mercury bioaccumulation in Northeast Arctic cod did not show major increases or decreases. This highlights the complex and context-specific nature of mercury bioaccumulation and its relationship with climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sarah L. Roberts, Jane L. Kirk, Derek C. G. Muir, Johan A. Wiklund, Marlene S. Evans, Amber Gleason, Allison Tam, Paul E. Drevnick, Ashu Dastoor, Andrei Ryjkov, Fan Yang, Xiaowa Wang, Greg Lawson, Martin Pilote, Jonathan Keating, Benjamin D. Barst, Jason M. E. Ahad, Colin A. Cooke
Summary: The study found that anthropogenic atmospheric Hg deposition in western Canada is showing a synchronous decreasing trend, while increasing in the east, with spatial patterns mainly driven by longitude and proximity to point sources. Recent sediment-derived Hg fluxes were consistent with wet deposition monitoring results, validating the reliability of the research method.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Viral Shah, Daniel J. Jacob, Colin P. Thackray, Xuan Wang, Elsie M. Sunderland, Theodore S. Dibble, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Ivan Cernusak, Vladimir Kello, Pedro J. Castro, Rongrong Wu, Chuji Wang
Summary: A new chemical mechanism for the atmospheric cycling of Hg-0/Hg-I/Hg-II is proposed and implemented in a global atmospheric chemistry model for comparison with observations. The model successfully explains the oxidation and deposition processes of Hg in the atmosphere, with major uncertainties including the concentration of Br, stability and reactions of Hg-I, and speciation and photoreduction of Hg-II in aerosols and clouds.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hu Du, Xun Wang, Wei Yuan, Fei Wu, Longyu Jia, Nantao Liu, Che-Jen Lin, Jiang Gan, Fuping Zeng, Kelin Wang, Xinbin Feng
Summary: In this study, the biogeochemical cycling of mercury (Hg) in a karst forest in southwest China was investigated using high-resolution sampling and stable isotope techniques. The results showed that the litterfall deposition of Hg was higher in the karst forest, with elevated concentrations and fluxes in the spring due to the longer lifespan of evergreen tree foliage exposed to atmospheric Hg-0. The study also found that litterfall Hg deposition accounted for a significant portion of the Hg source contribution in the surface soil, and soil erosion enhanced Hg accumulation in low-lying land.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shan Guo, Yang Wang
Summary: Land use change has a significant impact on pollutant emissions, especially mercury, which is highly toxic and has severe environmental consequences. This study aims to assess mercury emissions in China caused by land use change by analyzing the effects of land use type conversion and intensities. The results show that both natural and anthropogenic land use contribute to mercury emissions, with significant increases in certain regions. The findings can inform policies to mitigate mercury pollution through land use management.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Waqas, Majid Nazeer, Man Sing Wong, Wu Shaolin, Li Hon, Joon Heo
Summary: The socio-economic restriction measures implemented in the United States have significantly reduced nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. The study highlights the impact of factors such as human mobility, population density, income, climate, and stationary sources on the reduction of NO2 at different stations. The research emphasizes the scientific impacts of the NO2 reduction and income inequality revealed by the pandemic on air quality and health disparities.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guorui Zhi, Jinhong Du, Aizhong Chen, Wenjing Jin, Na Ying, Zhihui Huang, Peng Xu, Di Wang, Jinghua Ma, Yuzhe Zhang, Jiabao Qu, Hao Zhang, Li Yang, Zhanyun Ma, Yanjun Ren, Hongyan Dang, Jianglong Cui, Pengchuan Lin, Zhuoshi He, Jinmin Zhao, Shuo Qi, Weiqi Zhang, Wenjuan Zhao, Yingxin Li, Qian Liu, Chen Zhao, Yi Tang, Peng Wei, Jingxu Wang, Zhen Song, Yao Kong, Xiangzhe Zhu, Yi Shen, Tianning Zhang, Yangxi Chu, Xinmin Zhang, Jiafeng Fu, Qingxian Gao, Jingnan Hu, Zhigang Xue
Summary: An comprehensive emission inventory for China in 2019, which includes both air pollutants and greenhouse gases, was developed in this study. The inventory utilizes existing frameworks and data to provide comparable emissions data and demonstrates the relationship between emissions and economic development.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
I-Ting Ku, Yong Zhou, Arsineh Hecobian, Katherine Benedict, Brent Buck, Emily Lachenmayer, Bryan Terry, Morgan Frazier, Jie Zhang, Da Pan, Lena Low, Amy Sullivan, Jeffrey L. Collett Jr
Summary: Unconventional oil and natural gas development (UOGD) in the United States has expanded rapidly in recent decades, raising concerns about its impact on air quality. This study conducted extensive air monitoring during the development of several large well pads in Broomfield, Colorado, providing a unique opportunity to examine changes in local air toxics and VOC concentrations during well drilling and completions and production. The study identified significant increases in VOC concentrations during drilling operations, highlighting the importance of emissions from synthetic drilling mud. The findings suggest opportunities to mitigate emissions during UOGD operations.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Puji Lestari, Akbar R. Tasrifani, Wiranda I. Suri, Martin J. Wooster, Mark J. Grosvenor, Yusuke Fujii, Vissia Ardiyani, Elisa Carboni, Gareth Thomas
Summary: This study developed field emission factors for various pollutants in peatland fires and estimated the total emissions. Gas samples were collected using an analyzer, while particulate samples were collected using air samplers. The study found significant emissions of CO2, CO, PM2.5, carbon aerosols, water-soluble ions, and elements from the fires in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia in 2019.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ligang Li, Yuyu Chen, Lu Fan, Dong Sun, Hu He, Yongshou Dai, Yong Wan, Fangfang Chen
Summary: A high-precision retrieval method based on a deep convolutional neural network and satellite remote sensing data is proposed to obtain accurate methane vertical profiles.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hyung Joo Lee, Toshihiro Kuwayama, Michael Fitzgibbon
Summary: This study investigated the changes in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution levels and their disparities in California, U.S. during the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The results showed a decrease in NO2 concentrations, especially in urban and high-traffic areas. However, socially vulnerable populations still experienced higher levels of NO2 exposure. The study suggests that reducing NO2 disparities, particularly racial inequity, can be achieved through continued regulatory actions targeting traffic-related NOx emissions.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Chiara Pietrogrande, Beatrice Biffi, Cristina Colombi, Eleonora Cuccia, Umberto Dal Santo, Luisa Romanato
Summary: This study investigates the chemical composition and oxidative potential of PM10 particles in the Po Valley, Italy, and demonstrates the impact of high levels of atmosphere ammonia. The rural area had significantly higher ammonia concentrations compared to the urban site, resulting in higher levels of secondary inorganic aerosol. Although the SIA components did not contribute significantly to the PM10 oxidative reactivity, they were correlated with the oxidative potential measurements. This suggests that the contribution of SIA to PM oxidative toxicity cannot be ignored.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natalie Allen, Jan Gacnik, Sarrah M. Dunham-Cheatham, Mae Sexauer Gustin
Summary: Accurate measurement of atmospheric reactive mercury is challenging due to its reactivity and low concentrations. The University of Nevada, Reno Reactive Mercury Active System (RMAS) has been shown to be more accurate than the industry standard, but has limitations including long time resolution and sampling biases. Increasing the sampling flow rate negatively affected RM concentrations, but did not impact the chemical composition of RM captured on membranes.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chin-Yu Hsu, Wei-Ting Hsu, Ching-Yi Mou, Pei-Yi Wong, Chih-Da Wu, Yu-Cheng Chen
Summary: This study estimated the daily exposure concentrations of PM2.5 for elderly individuals residing in different regions of Taiwan using land use regression with machine learning (LUR_ML) and microenvironmental exposure (ME) models. The accuracy of the models varied across regions, with the ME models exhibiting higher predictions and lower biases. The use of region-specific microenvironmental measurements in the ME model showed potential for accurate prediction of personal PM2.5 exposure.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaohan Si, Kerrie Mengersen, Chuchu Ye, Wenbiao Hu
Summary: This study found that there is an interactive effect between air pollutants and weather factors, which significantly affects influenza transmission. Future research should consider the interactive effects between pollutants and temperature or humidity to evaluate the environment-influenza association.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Luxi Xu, Ruijun Xu, Yunshao Ye, Rui Wang, Jing Wei, Chunxiang Shi, Qiaoxuan Lin, Ziquan Lv, Suli Huang, Qi Tian, Yuewei Liu
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ambient air pollution on hospital admissions for angina. The results showed that exposure to ambient particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone are associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for angina. The association with nitrogen dioxide exposure was found to be the strongest.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyu Yu, Man Sing Wong, Majid Nazeer, Zhengqiang Li, Coco Yin Tung Kwok
Summary: This study proposes a novel method to address the challenge of missing values in satellite-derived AOD products and creates a comprehensive daily AOD dataset for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. By reconstructing missing values and developing a new model, the derived dataset outperforms existing products and agrees well with ground-based observations. Additionally, the dataset exhibits consistent temporal patterns and more spatial details.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yidan Zhang, Yifan Xu, Bo Peng, Wu Chen, Xiaoyu Cui, Tianle Zhang, Xi Chen, Yuan Yao, Mingjin Wang, Junyi Liu, Mei Zheng, Tong Zhu
Summary: This study developed a sensitive method to measure the metallic components of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and compared the results with different analysis methods. The concentrations of metallic components in personal PM2.5 samples were found to be significantly different from corresponding fixed-site samples. Personal sampling can reduce exposure misclassifications, and measuring metallic components is useful for exploring health risks and identifying sources of PM2.5.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jamie Leonard, Lea Ann El Rassi, Mona Abdul Samad, Samantha Prehn, Sanjay K. Mohanty
Summary: Increasing concentrations of microplastics in the Earth's atmosphere could have adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. The deposition rate of airborne microplastics is influenced by both land use and climate, and a global analysis suggests that climate may have a greater impact on the concentration and deposition rate of microplastics than land use.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tian Zhou, Xiaowen Zhou, Zining Yang, Carmen Cordoba-Jabonero, Yufei Wang, Zhongwei Huang, Pengbo Da, Qiju Luo, Zhijuan Zhang, Jinsen Shi, Jianrong Bi, Hocine Alikhodja
Summary: This study investigated the long-range transport and effects of North African and Middle Eastern dust in East Asia using lidar observations and model simulations. The results showed that the dust originated from multiple sources and had a long transport time. The vertical distribution of the dust was found to be crucial for assessing its impacts.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2024)