MERCURY IN THE URBAN ATMOSPHERE

The geochemical features of mercury migration in the atmosphere of Yakutsk, a large city located in the permafrost zone, are considered. The average Hg content in suspended matter in the city's surface atmosphere ranges from 0.11-0.22 - snow (winter dust) to 13-14 mg/t - summer dust. The total annual intake of Hg from explosives from the atmosphere to the surface is estimated at 11 μg/m2·year, 99% of which occurs in the warm season. The main sources of Hg entry into the surface atmosphere of Yakutsk are dusting from the soil surface and emissions from energy facilities and vehicles. Hg anomalies near energy facilities that burn natural gas are of low contrast. The occurrence of Hg anomalies in urban soils and soils of the cultural layer has little to do with deposition from the atmosphere and enrichment during the transformation of alluvial deposits.