Modeling of exposure to mercury in different environmental media over a 30-year period: A case study of Shimen reservoir, northern Taiwan

Abstract

Mercury is affected by the movement mechanisms in the environmental media and is normally present in dry and wet depositions and surface and water vapor, among other things. The rapid growth of mercury-related industries in the past two decades reflects the result of its increased use in water sources such as in the Shimen reservoir, northern Taiwan. Consequently, residents living nearby are exposed to mercury almost every day. In light of the effects of continued exposure to the deleterious properties of mercury, this study provides modeling results of the atmosphere, soil, and freshwater over a 30-year period (2016–2046). The associated influences in the media and mercury contamination during this period will be determined via sensitivity analysis. Finally, the results of this study facilitate the assessment of potential health hazards associated with mercury inhalation and the ingestion of MeHg-contaminated fish. The mean daily dose (mg/kg) and hazard quotient (HQ) in the children and adult were 3.52E-13 (HQ = 4.10E-09) and 1.19E-13 (HQ = 1.39E-09) for Hg inhalation and 6.38E-05 (HQ = 6.38E-01) and 4.47E-05 (HQ = 4.47E-01) for ingestion of MeHg+-contaminated fish.

Keywords:

• environmental media
• mercury
• STELLA
• sensitivity analysis
• health hazards
• adults and children

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the reviewers and the editor for their comments.

Funding

We would also like to express our gratitude to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for financially supporting this research. Contract no. EPA-103-GA11-03-A318.

ORCID

Ling-Ling Chen: 0000-0003-3776-9027