Mercury from volcanic and geothermal sources

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6169511

Varekamp, J C; Buseck, P R

The natural global flux of mercury from continents to the atmosphere is poorly known. Important sources are areas with a convective heat flow regime and soil degassing. The authors measured Hg/SO/sub 2/ weight ratios in volcanic vapors and applied published estimates of the volcanic sulfur flux to calculate a volcanic Hg flux. Mt. Etna. Mt. Shast, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and Volcan Colima were sampled during periods of passive degassing. They show Hg/SO/sub 2/ ratios within one order of magnitude with an average of 3.7x10/sup -6/, leading to a Hg flux of 30 Mg/Yr. Hg/SO/sub 2/ ratios from active volcanoes are larger but also more variable. An average ratio of 10/sup -4/, based on published Hg/SO/sub 2/ ratios in volcanic plumes and compatible with Hg/S ratios in non-degassed igneous rocks, lead to a maximum flux estimate of 800 Mg/yr. The geothermal Hg flux is calculated at 60 Mg/yr by combining the enthalpy and average volatile Hg content of geothermal water at 100/sup 0/C with a heat flow estimate from all continental hydrothermal sources. The total estimated volcanic and geothermal Hg flux (890 Mg/yr) is small compared to the anthropogenic Hg flux, which is estimated between 3000 and 11,500 Mg/yr.

• Research Organization: Wesleyan Univ., Middletown, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6169511
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Journal Information: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
DEGASSING
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
VOLCANIC GASES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
GEOCHEMISTRY
OREGON
SOILS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
VOLCANOES
WASHINGTON
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
FEDERAL REGION X
FLUIDS
GASES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA
580400* - Geochemistry- (-1989)