Mercury (Hg) easily travels significant distances in the air making it a global pollutant. Monitoring Hg is critical to assess changes occurring in Hg concentration in response to the implementation of regulatory measures or climatic perturbations. The aim of the 2017 Minamata Convention on Mercury (MCM) is to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic releases of Hg. The atmosphere is one of the key pathways for the dispersion of anthropogenically emitted Hg; thus, monitoring the spatial and temporal variation of Hg is key to evaluating the success of regulatory measures. While there are several regional and multi-regional measurement programs investigating atmospheric Hg, there is currently no ongoing program on a truly global scale. The goal of this project is to collaborate with currently operating air monitoring networks to initiate or continue Hg monitoring using passive sampling technology to fill in geographic gaps. The University of Toronto Scarborough developed a passive air sampler for gaseous Hg. This sampling system has been fully characterized and is commercially produced as the MerPAS. The MerPAS passive air sampler uses sulfur-impregnated activated carbon as the sorbent for Hg which undergoes diffusive uptake and accumulation on the sorbent. This method has been shown to have accuracy on par with currently acceptable methodologies for measuring Hg in the atmosphere and demonstrates excellent precision.

ECCC has initiated a pilot study to investigate applying passive sampling of atmospheric Hg on a global scale by combining and coupling with currently existing networks into one (a “network of networks) to reduce areas with no coverage. In Canada, we have initiated the Canadian Arctic Hg passive sampling network in order to complement active air monitoring activities conducted across the country. We are collaborating with the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) network that monitors persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in support of the Stockholm Convention. In this first step, the Hg passive sampler has been deployed at 23 selected sites by GAPS partners. While a good start, we have incomplete global coverage; thus, we are seeking other networks and countries to collaborate. Such networks as the APMMN, LAPAN, NADP, EMEP, AMAP and GMOS were contacted for their interest in participation in this “network of networks”. This study will not be limited to the MERPas but welcomes the use of other currently validated passive Hg technology with the ultimate goal to have comparable and accurate atmospheric Hg concentration information across the world.