Integrating Point Sources to Map Anthropogenic Atmospheric Mercury Emissions in China, 1978–2021

A comprehensive emission inventory has been developed at a resolution of 0.25°×0.3125° for total mercury (HgT) and each mercury species, namely gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0), gaseous oxidized mercury (HgII), and particulate-bound mercury (HgP). The inventory stems from the Point-source Integrated China Atmospheric Mercury Emission Model, ensuring both temporal and spatial coherence. The inventory underwent validation by comparing observed atmospheric mercury concentrations with simulations from a global 3-D atmospheric chemistry model (GEOS-Chem). This rigorous validation process enhances confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the emission estimates, affirming their suitability for studying anthropogenic emissions, evaluating atmospheric pollution dynamics, and assessing potential health implications.The dataset covers a spatial range from 70°E, 15°N to 140°E, 55°N, with a spatial resolution of 0.3125° in longitude and 0.25° in latitude. The variables included in the data are HgT, Hg0, HgII and HgP. The following is a detailed explanation of the variables. HgT: total mercury, Hg0: gaseous elemental mercury, HgII: gaseous oxidized mercury, and HgP: particulate-bound mercury.