International field intercomparison measurements of atmospheric mercury species at Mace Head, Ireland

Eleven laboratories from North America and Europe mel at Mace Head, Ireland for the period 11-15 September 1995 for the first international field inte rcomparison of measurement techniques for atmospheric mercury species in am bient air and precipitation at a marine background location. Different manu al methods for the sampling and analysis of total gaseous mercury (TGM) on gold and silver traps were compared with each other and with new automated analyzers. Additionally, particulate-phase mercury (Hg-part) in ambient air , total mercury, reactive mercury and methylmercury in precipitation were a nalyzed by some of the participating laboratories. Whereas measured concent rations of TGM and of total mercury in precipitation show good agreement be tween the participating laboratories, results for airborne particulate-phas e mercury show much higher differences. Two laboratories measured inorganic oxidized gaseous mercury species (IOGM), and obtained levels in the low pi cogram m(-3) range. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.