Atmospheric mercury concentrations at Alert, Nunavut, and Little Fox Lake, Yukon

As an identified priority of the Northern Contaminants Programme (NCP) and Environment Canada, the objective of this project is continuous monitoring of atmospheric concentrations of mercury at Alert and Little Fox Lake. Using the results, long-term trends of atmospheric mercury concentration levels, deposition patterns, and mercury processes in the Arctic will be assessed. These data will improve our understanding of the impact of mercury pollution on the Arctic environment, wildlife, country foods, and ultimately human health. The long-term objectives of this project are to address existing gaps of knowledge on the behaviour of mercury in the Arctic environment. This will contribute sound scientific information for the negotiation of national and international control actions to ensure the appropriate protection for the Arctic.