Abstract: Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have released large amounts of mercury, leading to increasingly severe global mercury pollution. However, existing historical records of mercury are insufficient to precisely constrain the anthropogenic atmospheric mercury emissions since the Industrial Revolution. This directly results in imprecise emission inventories used in models and prevents the accurate verification of model simulations. We systematically review the main focus of current global mercury research, that is, the biogeochemical cycle of mercury in contemporary times. There has been significant progress in the study of largescale mercury migration and transformation patterns, including the successful construction of a global inventory of contemporary anthropogenic mercury emissions, in-depth exploration of the migration and transformation patterns of atmospheric mercury, and the revelation of the interaction mechanisms of mercury among the atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems. Meanwhile, we also review the research progress and existing problems of mercury biogeochemical models. Currently, almost all global mercury biogeochemical cycle models are unable to quantify the contribution of global vegetation to atmospheric mercury sink, let alone quantify the impacts of the spatiotemporal dynamic changes of different vegetation types, phenology, and physiological parameters on the global mercury cycle. In addition, we introduce new technologies and methods in the study of mercury biogeochemical cycles. In conclusion, it is urgent to develop new methods to accurately characterize historical mercury deposition and to construct a multi-layer coupled Earth system mercury biogeochemical cycle model that includes atmospheric, vegetation, and soil processes. This will help clarify the biogeochemical cycle of mercury emitted into the atmosphere by human activities since the Industrial Revolution and assess its impact on the environment in China. Such efforts will enhance our understanding of the global mercury biogeochemical cycle patterns and provide strong scientific support for the national major needs, such as the division of responsibility for emission reduction and the assessment of future achievements.

Key words: mercury, biogeochemical cycle, Minamata Convention, human activity, historical mercury emission