Mercury contents of some greek soils

Mercury contents were determined for horizons or layers of eleven profiles in agricutural areas and three in industrial areas of Greece.Mercury contents were determined for horizons or layers of eleven profiles in agricultural areas and three in industrial areas of Greece.Contents ranged from 25 to 98 ppb in profiles from agricultural areas. No trends in distribution within profiles or among kinds of soils were evident. Moreover, the levels are within the ranges found in uncontaminated soils elsewhere in the world. The contents are therefore considered to be normal background levels for soils of Greece. Amounts of mercury were positively correlated with cation exchange capacity but not with proportions of clay and organic matter.Contents of mercury reached a maximum of 325 ppb in upper layers and had a minimum of 45 ppb in the deeper parts of the profiles from the industrial areas. The greater amounts in the surface layers are attributed to enrichment through industrial activity. The maximum amounts are well above 150 ppb, a level proposed elsewhere as an upper limit for natural backgrounds.