ABSTRACT
Atmospheric releases of mercury from fossil fuel energy generators, waste incinerators, and other industrial sources are suspected to be contributing to this problem. Such releases can be evaluated in a variety of ways, including stack sampling, material balance studies, soil/vegetation sampling, and ambient air monitoring. Ambient air monitoring of mercury presents significant challenges because of the typically low concentrations encountered and numerous opportunities for sample contamination or analyte loss. The data for mercury in ambient air at the weapons plant suggest that the environment and human health have been protected from releases of mercury to the atmosphere during the monitoring period. Fugitive and stack emissions from the steam plant may account for some of the elevated mercury concentrations in ambient air at the monitoring points at Stations 2 and 3 or elsewhere as suggested by the significant decreases in annual averages after coal usage was reduced.
