AGREEMENT US-EPA & CNR-IIA
Co-operative Agreement Between the US-EPA and CNR-IIA on Developing Strategies for Assessing and Reducing the Impact of Mercury Pollution on Regional and Global Scales
Keywords: Mercury
Funding: US-Environmental Protection Agency - (Contr. No. X4-83097301-0)
Period: December 2003– December 2007
Total project budget: ---
Total budget CNR IIA: ---
Scientific Responsible: Nicola Pirrone
Abstract of the project
This agreement provides the framework for cooperation in the fields of environmental health and environmental monitoring and assessment for mercury and other atmospheric pollutants between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Rende Division of the Institute for Atmospheric Pollution of the National Research Council (CNR-IIA) of Italy.
Specific Areas Covered by the Agreement Are:
to make speciated mercury measurements at industrial, urban and remote sites;
• to model dynamic processes of mercury on local, regional and global scales; specific attention will be devoted to the assessment of the interaction between the atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems;
• to provide stewardship of mercury as a global commodity, and the development of policy options; specific attention will be devoted to link atmospheric emissions - deposition to marine ecosystems - methylation processes and mercury concentrations in fish - risk associated to mercury exposure to mercury contaminated fish; the ultimate goal is to identify for specific socio-economic scenarios the optimal cost-benefit strategies to reduce risk to human and ecological health;
• to improve mercury emission inventories through better characterization of anthropogenic (combustion and non-combustion) and natural sources (including chemical speciation);
• identify technologies to reduce emissions or remove mercury from waste streams;
• assess health-based standards for mercury exposure / reference dose;
• to conduct human health surveys and biomonitoring for mercury in hair and in blood including ecological biomarkers;
• to conduct surveys on fish mercury concentrations;
to develop communication tools for mercury to promote pollution prevention and risk management solutions.
to make speciated mercury measurements at industrial, urban and remote sites;
• to model dynamic processes of mercury on local, regional and global scales; specific attention will be devoted to the assessment of the interaction between the atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems;
• to provide stewardship of mercury as a global commodity, and the development of policy options; specific attention will be devoted to link atmospheric emissions - deposition to marine ecosystems - methylation processes and mercury concentrations in fish - risk associated to mercury exposure to mercury contaminated fish; the ultimate goal is to identify for specific socio-economic scenarios the optimal cost-benefit strategies to reduce risk to human and ecological health;
• to improve mercury emission inventories through better characterization of anthropogenic (combustion and non-combustion) and natural sources (including chemical speciation);
• identify technologies to reduce emissions or remove mercury from waste streams;
• assess health-based standards for mercury exposure / reference dose;
• to conduct human health surveys and biomonitoring for mercury in hair and in blood including ecological biomarkers;
• to conduct surveys on fish mercury concentrations;
to develop communication tools for mercury to promote pollution prevention and risk management solutions.
Specific Activities:
MEDEX: Measurement and Modeling the Mercury Depletion Events in the Arctic at the Ny-Alesund site
Joint International Workshop on mercury measurements, modeling, health effects and policy. To be held in May 2004. (More news once invited speakers and timetable are confirmed)
Speciated Atmospheric Mercury Monitoring Activity in China - The overall goal is to perform a preliminary assessment of atmospheric mercury pollution in China
Technical Assistance for the Chlor-alkali Sector in Developing Countries - to contribute to the achievement of the goals of the UNEP Mercury program in terms of capacity building and technical assistance for the chlor-alkali sector in developing countries.
MEDEX: Measurement and Modeling the Mercury Depletion Events in the Arctic at the Ny-Alesund site
Joint International Workshop on mercury measurements, modeling, health effects and policy. To be held in May 2004. (More news once invited speakers and timetable are confirmed)
Speciated Atmospheric Mercury Monitoring Activity in China - The overall goal is to perform a preliminary assessment of atmospheric mercury pollution in China
Technical Assistance for the Chlor-alkali Sector in Developing Countries - to contribute to the achievement of the goals of the UNEP Mercury program in terms of capacity building and technical assistance for the chlor-alkali sector in developing countries.
CNR - Institute of Environmental Pollution Research (CNR-IIA) - COORDINATOR
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA)
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA)