Application of a new dynamic 3-D model to investigate human impacts on the fate of mercury in the global ocean
2020
Kawai, Toru | Sakurai, Takeo | Suzuki, Noriyuki
We developed a new global model to predict biogeochemical cycling of mercury in the ocean. We describe and evaluate the model, and discuss mercury levels, distribution, and budgets based on a simulation with a total time span of 260 years. The model is based on a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean chemical transport model, and considers methylated mercury production in the water column, followed by biotransfer to lower-order marine organisms including spatial and temporal variations in partitioning properties. Model validation shows that we can simulate total dissolved mercury (Hgᵀ) concentrations in the surface ocean with model data differences at a maximum of one order of magnitude. The simulated oceanic Hgᵀ content is currently (2010) 1.6–16.9 times larger than previously modeled estimates. The estimated overall turnover time of oceanic Hgᵀ determined by our model is 320 years, which is shorter than suggested by previous modeling studies.
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