The document summarizes anthropogenic mercury mobilization and emissions in the US and Florida from 1930 to 2000. It finds that mercury mobilization peaked in the US around 1960-1990 due primarily to coal combustion and use of mercury in products like batteries, paint, and instruments. The peak US atmospheric mercury emission rate was approximately 400 tons per year during this period. Mercury flow and emissions in Florida increased rapidly in the late 1960s before declining sharply in the 1990s due to environmental regulations.

3. Mercury Sources Mercury is a building block of planet Earth (trace element). Mercury metal is liquid and evaporates, depending on temperature and barometric pressure. Natural systems, wind, rain, volcanic disturbances shift mercury location. MAN-MADE sources add to the environmental burden by taking mercury from its geological deposits and redistributing mercury to AIR , LAND and WATER. Mercury in environment is either in elemental form or reactive gaseous mercury (RGM). Atmospheric residence time Hg o order of 90 days Hg 2+ (RGM) order of days.

7. Mercury Mobilized in Petroleum Unlike for coal, the Hg content of crude oil is highly variable and the data are sparse. Measured crude oil Hg concentration ranges between 10 and 30,000 ppb. “ Other” still gas, naphtas, unfinished oils, petroleum coke (consumed at refineries and electric utilities), etc Fate of Hg in Crude Oil Assuming 10 ppb in crude oil

16. Mercury Flow in Florida Mercury flow in Florida has been steadily increasing until the 1980s The electrical sector (batteries) was dominant throughout the period The electrical sector contributed 50% of the cumulative Hg flow (1930-2000). Cumulative Hg Flow: ~2000 Mg/70 yrs

20. Broward County mercury flow and emissions Paint and electrical goods contribution was the largest in the Broward County.