Preface to the special issue of Atmospheric Environment "Mercury Research in Europe"

European Land-Ocean Interaction Studies (ELOISE)is an action (called "Thematic Network or Project Cluster") where coastal zone research projects in the European Commission are combined, with additional support, to focus on the important question of how the land-ocean interaction operates and on how this is infuenced by human activities. As an outcome of the third ELOISE conference held in Northwijkerhout, the Netherlands from 1 to 4 December 1999, selected technical papers that focus on different aspects of pollutants dynamics between atmospheric, water and soil ecosystems in coastal zones and open sea are being published in a Special Issue. The aim of these special issues is to provide an overview of the major achievements of research projects undertaken in the framework of ELOISE, as well as the most highlighting recent research results of some of the on-going activities. This special issue of Atmospheric Environment contains 10 submitted technical papers which were accepted after the normal rigorous peer review process of the journal.