Summary
This study documents the dynamics of mercury volatilisation from contaminated floodplain soils, a significant but understudied source of atmospheric mercury pollution. Field measurements and controlled laboratory experiments demonstrate that mercury emissions increase exponentially with temperature (R² 0.49–0.99) and are influenced by soil moisture dynamics driven by flood cycles. The findings suggest that floodplain management and restoration strategies should account for seasonal temperature and hydrological cycles as key drivers of gaseous mercury mobilisation from polluted soils.
Regional applicability
This research concerns mercury-polluted floodplain areas in continental Europe (Germany); findings on temperature–flux relationships and flood dynamics are relevant to UK floodplain remediation and environmental monitoring programmes, particularly given the potential for seasonal mercury re-mobilisation in contaminated lowland areas during warming and inundation cycles.
Key measures
Total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes (ng m⁻² h⁻¹); air and soil temperature; soil water content; seasonal variation; R² values for temperature–flux relationships
Outcomes reported
The study quantified seasonal variations in total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes from heavily polluted floodplain soils and experimentally assessed the effects of temperature and soil moisture on mercury volatilisation rates. TGM emissions ranged from 10 to 850 ng m⁻² h⁻¹, substantially exceeding non-polluted sites.
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