| Abstract Title: | Mercury in Rainwater of Summer Monsoon at Lucknow in Ganga Alluvial Plain, northern India |
| Presenter Name: | Garima Upreti |
| Company/Institution: | Department of Geology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India |
| Session: | Mercury in Freshwater Ecosystems |
| Co-Authors: | Sonu Kumar1,2, Vandana Devi1, Satyendra Singh3, Munendra Singh1 |
Abstract Information :
India is globally referred as ?Mercury hotspot?; whereas a very limited studies have been conducted to understand the dynamics of mercury concentrations in its monsoon precipitation. In the present study, rainwater samples (n=29) were collected during rainy days associated with the summer and winter monsoon seasons over a year (2021) at Lucknow (26ø 52? N, 80ø 56? E; atitude-120 m above mean sea level) located in the central Ganga Alluvial Plain, northern India. Mercury measurements was performed by using the Flow Injection Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy-Mercury Hydride System at the Bioinformatics Center, Biotech Park, Lucknow. The detection limit of Hg analysis system was as low as 0.5 ng/L. Total mercury concentration in the rainwater ranged from 13 to 201 ng/L. About 55 percent of collected rainwater samples were reported mercury concentrations ?below detection limit?. High mercury concentrations were reported in rain events in middle of the monsoon (June ? September) season and during the summer season (March ? May). In the atmospheric environment of the Ganga Alluvial Plain, anthropogenic the major Mercury source is from the emissions to burning of low-grade coal in several thermal power plants located all over the alluvial plain region. Other anthropogenic mercury sources are biomass burning, cement production industry, diesel driven vehicles and waste incineration etc. The present study underscores the regional significance of atmospheric transportation and wet deposition of anthropogenic mercury in the Ganga Alluvial Plain region which supports nearly 7% of the world?s population.
