South African Highveld concentrations of outdoor Total Gaseous Mercury

Abstract

It is well-known that the Highveld is one of the country's poorest air quality regions. This is due to the abundance of anthropogenic activities such as coal-fired power plants, mining, and cement production among others. The formerly mentioned source is regarded globally and has been extensively studied as the leading source of ambient mercury. Mercury is recurrently oxidized and reduced between its environmental forms. Methyl-mercury poses adverse effects on humans if inhaled/consumed in excessive amounts. In this research, the authors conducted a first-ever characterization of total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations over the Highveld region