英文摘要 |
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant, which is distributed worldwide due to atmospheric long-range transport. Via dry and wet atmospheric deposition, Hg enters aquatic ecosystems, where it could be transformed to highly toxic methylmercury (MeHg) by microorganisms. MeHg can be bioaccumulated and biomagnified through food chain to higher concentrations in some fish that could be hazardous to human health through consumption. To ease this global Hg pollution issue, international collaboration is required to clarify the mechanisoms of emissions, long-range transport, physical and chemical transformation, deposition, source-receptor relationships. The effectiveness of the Minamata Convention can be evaluated besed based on the collected information and data, and strategy can be adjusted accordingly, to protect human health and the environment from the hazards of Hg and its compounds. Although East, Southeast and South Asia are major emission source regions of Hg to the atmosphere, the ultra-trace level sampling and analytical techniques required for quantifying atmospheric Hg concentrations and fluxes are lacking in many countries, making Southeast and South Asia a blank area of atmospheric Hg monitoring. Therefore, this project is aimed to ameliorate this situation with following objectives: (1) assisting the Ministry of Environment of Taiwan to handle atmospheric Hg related international collaborative activities; (2) continuing operation of the Center for Environmental Monitoring and Technology; (3) continuing operation of the atmospheric Hg monitoring education and training platform of the Asia-Pacific region; providing consultation and training in environmental monitoring techniques; assisting APMMN partner countries in environmental monitoring capacity enhancement.
Based on the existing foundation in bilateral environmental protection collaboration, we assisted the Ministry of Environment of Taiwan to work with US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) on the following tasks: making Center for Environmental Monitoring and Technology the regional technical center; continuing operation of the APMMN and expanding regional atmospheric Hg monitoring activities; assisting regional countries in Hg analysis of atmospheric samples and strengthening the QA/QC procedures; providing personnel training and assisting regional countries in capacity building in ultra-trace level Hg sampling and analysis to enhance monitoring capacity; promoting multilateral cooperation in atmospheric Hg monitoring, and information exchange and data sharing; studying the distribution characteristics, variation, and influence of regional atmospheric Hg.
Major results of this project include:
(1) Discussion of APMMN activities and developing plan with MOE, USEPA and NADP via video conference;
(2) Extension of the Taiwan-Japan mercury wet deposition sampler inter-comparison study to May 2024;
(3) Collaboration with USEPA on a pilot study of passive atmospheric Hg sampling;
(4) Quality control/quality assuance of wet deposition sample Hg analyses;
(5) Maintenance and update of the APMMN website;
(6) Attended “The 2023 NADP Spring meeting MELD Workshop” virtually;
(7) Attended“The 2023 NADP Fall meeting MELD Workshop” virtyually;
(8) Attende “The 31st Pacific Islands Environment Conference”;
(9) Participated the 2nd round of UNEP ROAP mercury laboratory proficiency testing. Lab performance is satisfactory;
(10) Participated the Environment and Climate Change Canada project “Passive air sampling for mercury on a global scale”;
(11) Hg analyses of 289 samples from APMMN partners, including 196 wet deposition samples and 93 quality assurance samples;
(12) Hg analyses of 222 wet deposition sampler inter-comparison samples;
(13) Collection and compilation of the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide atmospheric mercury monitoring information;
(14) Collection and compilation of international mercury wet deposition information;
(15) Assessment of the impact of atmospheric mercury outflow from the Asia-Pacific region on Taiwan;
(16) Collection of new mercury monitoring technigues;
(17) Assisted partner countries in the operation and maintenance of wet Hg deposition sampling stations;
(18) Completed the Hg analysis of 38 passive air samples from APMMN partner countries;
(19) Assisted the mercury wet deposition monitoring capacity building in Palau;
(20) Organized “the 12th Annual Asia-Pacific Mercury Monitoring Network Partners Meeting”;
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