MERCURY IN SOUTHERN NEW-ENGLAND COASTAL RAINS

Mercury analyses were performed on nine different rain samples collected from Connecticut and Cape Cod coastal locations. Concentrations of Hg averaged 10 +/- 5 ng l-1 for 29 determinations. Total washout of Hg from the atmosphere was not observed, suggesting that the quantity of Hg in rain may depend on the simple solution of various volatile species of Hg according to Henry's law. Existing global models use concentrations of 30-80 ng l-1 and appear to overestimate the rainfall Hg flux to the ocean.-Authors