Datasets on the spatial distribution of mercury and its controlling factors in the Yellow Sea

Large amount of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emitted from China has been transported and deposited in the northwestern Pacific marginal seas; in particular, the Yellow Sea adjacent to China is immediately affected by Chinese-high Hg emissions [1,2]. This article presents the comprehensive baseline dataset on the mercury concentrations and their controlling factors in surface sediments from the entire Yellow Sea shelf, including Korean and Chinese rivers and coastal zones. These data supported the research article entitled “Sedimentary mercury (Hg) in the marginal seas adjacent to Chinese High-Hg emissions: source-to-sink, mass inventory, and accumulation history” Kim et al. [1]. Some of the data was used in Kim et al.’s research paper [3] with the reference [1]. A total of 492 surface sediments were collected from the Yellow Sea shelf and coastal zones, and the rivers around the Sea. All sediment samples were freeze-dried and ground by agate mortar for analyzing total mercury (THg) and related elemental components (total nitrogen, total carbon, total inorganic carbon, total organic carbon, and aluminum). Most previous studies on the sedimentary Hg were conducted locally, mainly in the river-dominated coastal and inner shelf zones of the Yellow Sea, which are associated with riverine Hg inputs. Thus, the quality and quantity of available sedimentary Hg data, on which we rely for mass inventories of Hg in the Sea, are limited. In this respect, our large dataset may contribute significantly to a better understanding of the behaviors of riverine and atmospheric Hg from Chinese sources and will help to further refine global estimates of Hg discharge to ocean margins and open oceans in East Asia. Additionally, the dataset will be essential for improving numerical model for global budget calculation and prediction.