Technical Background Report to the Global Atmospheric Mercury Assessment, 2008

This report provides the technical basis for the statements made in the summary report: "The Global Atmospheric Mercury Assessment: Sources, Emissions and Transport, 2008" and is as such the single reference for that report.  This report technical background report prepared to support a global assessment of atmospheric mercury requested by the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council. It compiles and analyzes data on mercury sources, emissions, transport, transformation, deposition, and trends at global and regional scales. The report draws on national emission inventories, scientific literature, environmental monitoring networks, and atmospheric modeling studies. It presents estimates of anthropogenic and natural mercury emissions, examines temporal and geographical patterns in air concentrations and deposition, and evaluates long-range transport processes. Modeling approaches are compared to assess source–receptor relationships and uncertainties.