Katarina Gårdfeldt

UniversityChalmers University of Technology
DepartmentChemistry and Chemical Engineering
DivisionEnvironmental inorganic chemistry
KeywordsKvicksilver, atmosfär, vattenfas, gasfas, flux, redox-reaktioner, fotokemiska reaktioner, abiotisk metylering, tungmetaller, vatten, luft, sjö, hav., Mercury, atmosphere, aqueous phase, gaseous phase, flux, redox-reactions, photochemical reactions, abiotic methylation, heavymetals, air, water, lake, sea.

Networks/thematic areasGothenburg Air and Climate Network (GAC)
SDG:s
Regions
Country

Reasearch / work
Mercury has for a long period of years been a global pollution problem. The metal has been spread into various eco-systems through for example combustion processes. The atmosphere is of great importance for transport and transformation of the metal. Chemical processes in the atmosphere may change the mobility of mercury drastically. Mercury in natural water systems from atmospheric deposition, may be transferred into organic mercury which is bioaccumulated. In order to understand how mercury is spread into various ecosystems it is important investigate emission and transport, but also the relevant chemical processes in the atmosphere. The aim of my research is to investigate transformation processes of mercury in the atmosphere and in natural waters. This includes experimental studies of reaction kinetics, measurements in ambient air and natural water, and development of measuring technique. Examples of research projects are; photochemical induced oxidation of mercury in the aqueous phase, evaporation of mercury (flux) from natural waters, measurements of total particulate mercury in ambient air, abiotic methylation of mercury in the aqueous phase. The research has been supported by the European Commission in the project "Mercury species over Europe - Relative importance of depositional methylmercury fluxes to various ecosystems".