Table of Contents

• Coverage
• Dataset Description
  • Methods & Sampling
  • Data Processing Description
• Data Files
• Parameters
• Instruments
• Project Information
• Funding

Complete methodology, sampling, and analytical procedures are explained in Weiss-Penzias P. S., Coale K., Heim W., Fernandez D., Oliphant A., Dodge C., Hoskins D., Farlin J., Moranville R. and Olson A. (2016) Total- and monomethyl-mercury and major ions in coastal California fog water: Results from two years of sampling on land and at sea. Elementa 4, 000101. doi: 10.12952/journal.elementa.000101

Other relevant publications:

Coale, K.H., Heim, W.A., Negrey, J., Weiss-Penzias, P., Fernandez, D., Olson, A., Chiswell, H., Byington, A., Bonnema, A., Martenuk, S., Newman, A., Beebe, C. and Till, C. (in review). The distribution and speciation of mercury in the California Current: Implications for mercury transport via fog to land. Deep Sea Research II.

M. Fernandez, Daniel & Torregrosa, Alicia & S. Weiss-Penzias, Peter & June Zhang, Bong & Sorensen, Deckard & E. Cohen, Robert & Mckinley, Gareth & Kleingartner, Justin & Oliphant, Andrew & Bowman, Matthew. (2017). Fog Water Collection Effectiveness: Mesh Intercomparisons. Aerosol and Air Quality Research: 18. doi: 10.4209/aaqr.2017.01.0040. 

Fog water samples were collected with a Caltech active strand cloudwater collector. Total Hg was measured with a Tekran 2600 and monomethylmercury was measured with a Tekran 2700. Inorganic ions were measured with an Dionex ion chromatograph with suppressed conductivity detection using 29 mM KOH eluent.

The data were processed using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, ArcGIS 9.0, and OriginLab Origin 2016.

NSF abstract:

Monomethyl mercury (MMHg) is a highly toxic form of mercury in the marine environment, with the ability to bio-concentrate in aquatic food webs and threaten human health. Recent studies have indicated that fog deposition of MMHg may represent an important source of this toxic compound to terrestrial ecosystems that are impacted by fog, however these processes are poorly understood. Researchers from the University of California Santa Cruz, California State University Monterey Bay, and San Jose State University will conduct experiments using a network of fog observation sites (FogNet) along the California coast to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of MMHg in fog and its potential sources. Results from this study will help to better elucidate the role of fog in transporting MMHg to terrestrial ecosystems.

Broader Impacts: This study will provide scientific training for undergraduate and graduate students, including individuals from underrepresented groups, in a number of universities in California. FogNet will create a collaborative research network between state universities, federal entities, and non-governmental organizations. Results from this study will benefit society at large through furthering general knowledge on the cycling of toxic mercury.