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Zhu W, Li Z, Li P, Sommar J, Fu X, Feng X, Yu B, Zhang W, Reis AT, Pereira E. Legacy Mercury Re-emission and Subsurface Migration at Contaminated Sites Constrained by Hg Isotopes and Chemical Speciation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:5336-5346. [PMID: 38472090 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The re-emission and subsurface migration of legacy mercury (Hg) are not well understood due to limited knowledge of the driving processes. To investigate these processes at a decommissioned chlor-alkali plant, we used mercury stable isotopes and chemical speciation analysis. The isotopic composition of volatilized Hg(0) was lighter compared to the bulk total Hg (THg) pool in salt-sludge and adjacent surface soil with mean ε202HgHg(0)-THg values of -3.29 and -2.35‰, respectively. Hg(0) exhibited dichotomous directions (E199HgHg(0)-THg = 0.17 and -0.16‰) of mass-independent fractionation (MIF) depending on the substrate from which it was emitted. We suggest that the positive MIF enrichment during Hg(0) re-emission from salt-sludge was overall controlled by the photoreduction of Hg(II) primarily ligated by Cl- and/or the evaporation of liquid Hg(0). In contrast, O-bonded Hg(II) species were more important in the adjacent surface soils. The migration of Hg from salt-sludge to subsurface soil associated with selective Hg(II) partitioning and speciation transformation resulted in deep soils depleted in heavy isotopes (δ202Hg = -2.5‰) and slightly enriched in odd isotopes (Δ199Hg = 0.1‰). When tracing sources using Hg isotopes, it is important to exercise caution, particularly when dealing with mobilized Hg, as this fraction represents only a small portion of the sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå SE-90183, Sweden
| | - Zhonggen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- School of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal College, Zunyi 563006, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jonas Sommar
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xuewu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ben Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Ana T Reis
- EPIUnit─Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4050-600, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto 4050-600, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Pereira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE─Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
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Pavithra KG, SundarRajan P, Kumar PS, Rangasamy G. Mercury sources, contaminations, mercury cycle, detection and treatment techniques: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 312:137314. [PMID: 36410499 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is considered a toxic pollutant harmful to our human health and the environment. Mercury is highly persistent, volatile and bioaccumulated and enters into the food chain, destroying our ecosystem. The levels of mercury in the water bodies as well as in the atmosphere are affected by anthropogenic and natural activities. In this review, the mercury species as well as the mercury contamination towards water, soil and air are discussed in detail. In addition to that, the sources of mercury and the mercury cycle in the aquatic system are also discussed. The determination of mercury with various methods such as with modified electrodes and nanomaterials was elaborated in brief. The treatment in the removal of mercury such as adsorption, electrooxidation and photocatalysis were explained with recent ideologies and among them, adsorption was considered one of the efficient techniques in terms of cost and mercury removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Grace Pavithra
- Department of Environmental and Water Resource Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Chennai, 602 105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P SundarRajan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai, 602 105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, 603 110, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR) Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, 603 110, Tamil Nadu, India; School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | - Gayathri Rangasamy
- School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon; University Centre for Research and Development & Department of Civil Engineering, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab, 140413, India
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Wang Z, Zhang Y, Wang L, Li X, Zhou X, Li X, Yan M, Lu Q, Tang Z, Zhang G, Wang D. Characteristics and Risk Assessments of Mercury Pollution Levels at Domestic Garbage Collection Points Distributed within the Main Urban Areas of Changchun City. TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9110309. [PMID: 34822700 PMCID: PMC8620532 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9110309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The mercury that is released from the centralized treatment of municipal solid waste is an important source of atmospheric mercury. We chose the main urban area of Changchun as a representative area. Environmental factors such as total mercury content, temperature, wind speed, and other factors were measured in samples from the trash cans of two types of collection points (trash cans and garbage stations), the topsoil under the selected trash cans, and the ambient air above the selected trash cans. The potential ecological risks of mercury pollution were evaluated. The results showed that the mercury content levels of all sample types in the refuse transfer station were higher than the garbage cans and there were no significant differences observed between soil surface mercury and garbage cans. The mercury content levels in the atmosphere and the surface soil at the garbage collection points were found to increase along the cascade relationship of the garbage collection. However, there were no correlations observed between the atmospheric mercury content levels and the surface soil mercury content levels with the attachments and the sum of the former two. There were no correlations observed between surface soil and the attachments, or among the attachments, surface soil, and the atmospheric mercury content levels. The mercury content levels in the attachments, surface soil, and atmosphere of the garbage collection points in the study area were negatively correlated with the loop lines. Meanwhile, the potential ecological risk indexes of the garbage cans and garbage stations were found to be high. The chronic non-carcinogenic risks of mercury to children and adults were determined to be very low. The risks of mercury to children were higher when compared with adults. The highest non-carcinogenic risks of mercury pollution were determined to be within the central area of Changchun.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaojun Wang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Yangjie Zhang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Xu Li
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Xuhang Zhou
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Xiangyun Li
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Mengping Yan
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Qiuming Lu
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
| | - Zhanhui Tang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Gang Zhang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
- Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130022, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-13844801544
| | - Deli Wang
- School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (Z.W.); (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (X.L.); (X.Z.); (X.L.); (M.Y.); (Q.L.); (Z.T.); (D.W.)
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
- Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130022, China
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Li C, Shi J, Cao Q, Luo Y, Liang H, Du C, Gao Y, Shi J. Role of H +, HF, SO 42- and kaolin in fixing Hg of coal fire sponge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 772:145510. [PMID: 33770854 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coal fire sponges (CFS) are common in coal-fire areas. Due to the enrichment of Hg in CFS, large amounts of Hg are released by CFS into the atmosphere via natural weathering or solar radiation. Therefore, CFS should be of concern in Hg pollution management and control globally. In addition, CFS changes the Hg cycle path by capturing Hg from coal fires that would have entered the atmosphere. In this study, the concentration, distribution, species, and enrichment mechanism of CFS Hg were investigated. The results showed that the Hg concentration in CFS ranged from 1008 to 35,310 ng/g, with an average of 8932 ng/g (CFS number, n = 153). The Hg concentration of CFS in different types of land was found to be significantly inhomogeneous. To determine the status of subterranean spontaneous combustion, the Hg concentration was added, which can improve the effect of coal-fire monitoring. Compared to the background area topsoil, CFS was enriched in Hg, acid, SO42-, and total fluoride. The Hg species in CFS was primarily HgSO4, followed by HgO. However, the primary Hg species in the surrounding topsoil were HgCl2 and HgO. By the simulation experiment, it was determined that hydrofluoric acid (HF) was beneficial to activate the stable species in the coal-fire areas. HgCl2, HgO, or Hg0 were ionized by acid liquor or HF, which can promote Hg migration and increase the adsorbed ratio; in the presence of SO42-, the primary Hg species was HgSO4. Ultimately, Hg was absorbed by clay minerals and organic matter. The high-efficiency activation of steady Hg species by the coal-fire HF should be studied further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhui Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Jingxuan Shi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qingyi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yating Luo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Handong Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Chuan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yu Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiyan Shi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Araújo PRM, Biondi CM, do Nascimento CWA, da Silva FBV, da Silva WR, da Silva FL, de Melo Ferreira DK. Assessing the spatial distribution and ecologic and human health risks in mangrove soils polluted by Hg in northeastern Brazil. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 266:129019. [PMID: 33272678 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The emission of mercury (Hg) by chlor-alkali plants can pollute soils and sediments, posing risks to the environment and human health. Mangrove ecosystems are particularly sensitive to Hg contamination. Here, we studied the Hg spatial distribution and associated human and ecologic risks in mangrove soils impacted by a chlor-alkali plant. Sixty-six samples of superficial soils were collected from the mangrove of the Botafogo River, Brazil. Mercury contents were determined and ecological and human health risks were estimated from the soil. The Hg contents exceeded the local Hg background by up to 180 times, indicating the substantial anthropic contribution that occurred in the area. Mercury concentrations followed a gradient as a function of the distance from the chlor-alkali plant, with an apparent contribution from the estuary's hydrodynamic regime. The ecological risk was considered high in all the soils evaluated, while the daily average exposure for humans, considering multiple exposure routes to soil, is below the tolerable dose recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the risk to human health was unacceptable in the estuary section closest to the plant, mainly for children. Vapor inhalation was the main route for estimating non-carcinogenic risk. The results of this study indicate a severe scenario of Hg pollution with unacceptable risks to the ecosystem and the health of human beings, especially of the communities that live from fishery and shellfish colletion and are exposed daily to soils polluted by mercury. Studies on the organomercurial species in the food chain and Hg levels in individuals living close to the estuary are warranted. This research is an important reference in the world regarding the contamination of mangrove areas by Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Renata Muniz Araújo
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Caroline Miranda Biondi
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | | | - Fernando Bruno Vieira da Silva
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - William Ramos da Silva
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Franklone Lima da Silva
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Djennyfer Karolaine de Melo Ferreira
- Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, S/n - Dois Irmãos, 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
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Environmental Partitioning, Spatial Distribution, and Transport of Atmospheric Mercury (Hg) Originating from a Site of Former Chlor-Alkali Plant. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12020275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the trace toxic and bioaccumulative global pollutants, and due to its long atmospheric lifetime, it presents a significant global challenge. The present study (1) utilizes total gaseous mercury (TGM) measurements made around a former Hg-cell chlor-alkali plant (CAP) located in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, and predicts the spatial distribution of Hg over its premises and the nearby city. It then (2) estimates the environmental repartition of Hg deposited by the CAP using three fugacity models of varying complexity: Level I, QWASI, and HERMES. Finally, it (3) predicts long-range Hg transport via forward trajectory-based cluster analysis. The atmospheric Hg levels measured in Pavlodar and around Lake Balkyldak were elevated: in the range of 1–37 ng/m3 with an urban background level at 4.9 ng/m3. Specifically, concentrations up to 37 ng/m3 close to Lake Balkyldak and up to 22 ng/m3 nearby the city’s industrial zone (where the CAP was located) had been observed. Interpolation maps created using kriging also suggest these locations as the primary sources of atmospheric Hg in the city. The Level I fugacity model indicated that almost all of Hg is expected to end up in the atmosphere. The modeling results obtained using more complex QWASI and HERMES models showed that some significant quantity of Hg would still be associated with the sediments of Lake Balkyldak (a large wastewater discharge pond nearby the CAP). The forward trajectory-based cluster analysis method revealed the long-range atmospheric transportation routes and local, regional, and global impact zones. Furthermore, a source-receptor relationship using air transportation pathways to identify “areas of impact” was addressed. During both heating and non-heating seasons, the frequency-based analysis identified the distribution of Hg reaching the territories of Mongolia, northwest China, southwest Kazakhstan. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT-4) model forward trajectory analysis has confirmed similar patterns during heating and non-heating seasons, except with shorter impact distances during the non-heating period. Even though the CAP was closed more than 30 years ago and those past remediation efforts cleaned up the site, the residual Hg pollution seems significant and should be further investigated in different environmental media.
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Chalkidis A, Jampaiah D, Aryana A, Wood CD, Hartley PG, Sabri YM, Bhargava SK. Mercury-bearing wastes: Sources, policies and treatment technologies for mercury recovery and safe disposal. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 270:110945. [PMID: 32721358 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Due to the lenient environmental policies in developing economies, mercury-containing wastes are partly produced as a result of the employment of mercury in manufacturing and consumer products. Worldwide, the presence of mercury as an impurity in several industrial processes leads to significant amounts of contaminated waste. The Minamata Convention on Mercury dictates that mercury-containing wastes should be handled in an environmentally sound way according to the Basel Convention Technical Guidelines. Nevertheless, the management policies differ a great deal from one country to another because only a few deploy or can afford to deploy the required technology and facilities. In general, elemental mercury and mercury-bearing wastes should be stabilized and solidified before they are disposed of or permanently stored in specially engineered landfills and facilities, respectively. Prior to physicochemical treatment and depending on mercury's concentration, the contaminated waste may be thermally or chemically processed to reduce mercury's content to an acceptable level. The suitability of the treated waste for final disposal is then assessed by the application of standard leaching tests whose capacity to evaluate its long-term behavior is rather questionable. This review critically discusses the main methods employed for the recovery of mercury and the treatment of contaminated waste by analyzing representative examples from the industry. Furthermore, it gives a complete overview of all relevant issues by presenting the sources of mercury-bearing wastes, explaining the problems associated with the operation of conventional discharging facilities and providing an insight of the disposal policies adopted in selected geographical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Chalkidis
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia; Energy Business Unit, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
| | - Deshetti Jampaiah
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia.
| | - Amir Aryana
- Energy Business Unit, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia
| | - Colin D Wood
- Australian Resources Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Kensington, WA 6152, Australia; Curtin Oil and Gas Innovation Centre (CUOGIC), Curtin University, Kensington, WA 6152, Australia
| | - Patrick G Hartley
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia; Energy Business Unit, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
| | - Ylias M Sabri
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | - Suresh K Bhargava
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia.
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Yang L, Li S, Wen T, Meng F, Chen G, Qian X. Influence of ferrous-metal production on mercury contamination and fractionation in farmland soil around five typical iron and steel enterprises of Tangshan, China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 188:109774. [PMID: 31689660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Iron and steel production is one of the main anthropogenic sources of mercury (Hg) emission and release. Oxidized and particulate Hg discharged from iron and steel enterprises deposit into the surrounding soil, which accumulate and introduce environmental risks. Therefore, it is important to assess Hg pollution in the soil surrounding iron and steel enterprises. In this study, the Hg pollution, Hg distribution from steel plants and Hg fractionation in farmland soil around five typical steel plants were analysed in Tangshan of China. The Hg pollution indexes (Pi) of more than 90% soil samples were greater than 3 by the single factor pollution index method, which showed that most soil samples around the five steel plants were strongly contaminated by Hg. The Hg contents in soil increased first and then decreased, and the maximum content presented at 250-300 m away from the boundary of the steel plants. The order of Hg fraction proportion in the soil samples was extractable (35%-43%) > volatile (24%-36%) > residual (10%-26%) > reducible (0-15%) > oxidizable (0-12%). The distribution of Hg fraction in farmland soil had no regular trend with the distance from the steel plants. The volatile Hg and extractable Hg were dominant in farmland soil, and their combined proportion was greater than 60%. These two fractions of Hg are at risk of re-volatilization into the atmosphere or potential absorption by plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Yang
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Shuwu Li
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Tingting Wen
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Fanxu Meng
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Guoliang Chen
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Xiaoming Qian
- School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Liu J, Wang J, Ning Y, Yang S, Wang P, Shaheen SM, Feng X, Rinklebe J. Methylmercury production in a paddy soil and its uptake by rice plants as affected by different geochemical mercury pools. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 129:461-469. [PMID: 31154148 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.04.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The formation of neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) in paddy fields and its accumulation by rice plants is of high environmental concern. The contribution of different geochemical mercury (Hg) pools in paddy soils to MeHg production and its accumulation by rice seedlings is not well-studied up to now. Therefore, we investigated the impact of different inorganic Hg forms, including HgCl2, nano-particulated HgS (nano-HgS), Hg bound with dissolved organic matter (Hg-DOM), β-HgS, and α-HgS, at levels of 5 mg Hg/kg soil and 50 mg Hg/kg soil, on the production of MeHg in the soil during rice growing season. Further, we studied the uptake of MeHg by the roots, stalks, leaves, and grains of rice in the tillering, panicle formation, and ripening growth stages, and compared these treatments to a non-polluted soil (control). MeHg contents in HgCl2 polluted soil were the highest, and were 13.5 times and 36.1 times higher than control in 5 and 50 mg/kg Hg treatments, respectively. MeHg contents in α-HgS, β-HgS, nano-HgS, and Hg-DOM polluted soil were 3.9, 2.6, 2.4, and 1.7 times, and 4.4, 15.1, 6.7, and 10.9 times higher than control in 5 and 50 mg/kg Hg treatments, respectively, suggesting the mobilization and methylation of these Hg complexes. The ratio of MeHg to total Hg in the pore water (indication of methylation potential) in HgCl2 and β-HgS treatments were higher than in Hg-DOM, α-HgS, and nano-HgS treatments. HgCl2 treatment resulted in significantly higher MeHg contents in the root, stalk, leaf, and brown rice than nano-HgS, Hg-DOM, β-HgS, and α-HgS treatments both in 5 and 50 mg/kg Hg polluted soils. Rice grain in HgCl2 treatment showed a potential hazard to human health, as indicated by high health risk index (HRI > 1) of MeHg. Current results improve our understanding of MeHg production in soil polluted with different Hg forms, and the assessment of human health risks from consumption of MeHg-laden rice grain at Hg polluted sites with different Hg forms in soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinling Liu
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Jianxu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; CAS Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Yongqiang Ning
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shaochen Yang
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Pengcong Wang
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Sabry M Shaheen
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment, and Arid Land Agriculture, Department of Arid Land Agriculture, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; University of Kafrelsheikh, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, 33516 Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt.
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; University of Sejong, Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
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