The study of the mercury cycle in polar regions: An international study in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic pollutant and it can be strongly accumulated in the food chain, especially in Polar Regions. This paper presents a part of the work that has been on-going for 3-4 years in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard within the frame of an international collaboration. In Ny-Alesund in spring 2003, the atmospheric chemistry of mercury has been studied so as to better understand the formation of oxidized mercury species in the atmosphere that could be deposited onto snow surfaces. The role of snow as a potential source of mercury to the atmosphere or as a sink has also been approached to better understand the behavior of this metal. Chemical and biological processes seem to play a major role in Hg storage in snow. When melting, snow could be a major source of Hg into the various ecosystems and this toxin could therefore be accumulated into the food chain.