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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 28, NO. 17, PAGES 3223–3226, 2001

Mercury in Smoke from Biomass Fires

Hans R. Friedli

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO


Lawrence F. Radke

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO


Julia Y. Lu

Meteorological Service of Canada, Downsview, Ontario, Canada


Abstract

Litter and green vegetation were collected in 7 locations in the contiguous United States, analyzed for mercury, and burned under controlled conditions at the US Forest Service Fire Science laboratory in Missoula, MT. Among fuels, leaf and 3needle litter contained the highest concentration (up to 71ng/g on dry weight) of mercury. The combustion of litter and green vegetation resulted in essentially complete release of mercury stored in the fuel. Mercury is emitted primarily as elemental mercury, >95% for most burns, with particulate mercury (TPM) accounting for the remainder. From the laboratory experiments we project that mercury emitted from temperate/boreal forest fires and from all biomass burning is an important source components for the atmospheric mercury budget.

Received 29 November 2000; accepted 26 May 2001.


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Citation: Friedli, H. R., L. F. Radke, and J. Y. Lu (2001), Mercury in Smoke from Biomass Fires, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(17), 3223–3226.