北京市医疗系统污染源对市政污水中汞的贡献研究

根据抽样定律确定高碑店污水处理厂流域113家医疗机构中的北京医院等28家医院作为采样点,测定采样点排水中Hg浓度,计算Hg的总排放量,并分析了Hg排放量与医院床位数和门诊量的关系。结果表明,高碑店流域医疗机构Hg排放浓度较高,医院排水中Hg浓度(Y)与医院床位数(X1)和门诊量(X2)的关系式为:Y=3.11X1 0.098X2 166.94。流域内Hg排放总量为99.6g/d,根据高碑店污水处理厂的进水Hg浓度及日进水量计算出进水的总Hg量为828.0g/d,故高碑店流域内医疗系统对于高碑店污水处理厂进水Hg的贡献率为12.02%,说明流域内医疗系统对于高碑店污水处理厂进水Hg的贡献并不占主要地位。     

Mercury in the natural gas industry in Canada

There are an estimated 1,500 natural gas facilities across Canada, most of which used mercury (Hg) in metering equipment at one time or another. Although the use of mercury has ceased, many gas industry buildings still contain detectable levels of Hg in air. Air Hg levels are generally low but indoor remediation is suggested. Worker exposure to the air Hg levels is not considered a significant hazard. Very high soil Hg levels have been observed at numerous sites. Soil Hg levels do not pose an immediate human hazard but are sufficient to be hazardous to ecological receptors. The area of soil contamination, is generally within the buildings or within a few metres of the nearest door. Downward movement of the Hg does not generally extend more than one metre. Remediation of contaminated soil with on-site thermal desorption is recommended as the appropriate soil clean-up technology.     

The role of microorganisms in elemental mercury formation in natural waters

Gas evasion of elemental Hg (Hg°) from the open ocean plays a prominent role in the global mercury cycle. Elemental Hg is formed primarily by reduction of ionic Hg in the mixed layer of aquatic systems. By culturing phytoplankton in defined media, and by incubating natural seawater and freshwater samples, we have demonstrated that Hg° is produced by microorganisms, with formation rates (0.5 to 10% d^?1) similar to those estimated from mass balance studies. Our results also suggest that <3μm microorganisms are the primary Hg reducers in natural waters. Eucaryotic phytoplankton are capable of reducing ionic Hg to Hg° but the rate of reduction is insufficient to account for the observed reduction rates found in incubated field samples. Bacteria are thus the more likely Hg reducers. In seawater, cyanobacteria such asSynecococcus may account for much of the mercury reduction, while in the eutrophic, polluted Upper Mystic Lake north of Boston other procaryotic microorganisms are contributing to the overall Hg reductive capacity of the medium. By reducing ionic Hg, microorganisms play a pivotal role in the aquatic biogeochemistry of Hg, not only by enabling evasion to the atmosphere, but by directly decreasing the amount of ionic Hg available for methylation.     

Risk Assessment of Mercury in Alta Floresta. Amazon Basin - Brazil

In the last 15 years gold mining activity has been the main source of the mercury (Hg) emissions into the atmosphere in the Amazon Basin. The first phase of gold production takes place in remote areas. In general the second one happens in the local urban area, where the gold is commercialized and sent to the great economic centers. In the last 3 years, this activity started to decline as a consequence of the high cost of the gold production but in the Municipality of Alta Floresta, the gold trade still plays an important role in the local economy. This paper addresses the assessment of the Hg exposure scenarios and their quantitative risk for inhalation of metallic Hg vapor and for ingestion of total Hg, using indirect exposure measurements, for different age groups of the urban area of Alta Floresta. This work took into account the field study which provided background information, such as characteristics of local and regional environment, Hg concentrations in different environmental media, and the character of the local urban population. The mean levels of Hg in the atmosphere of the urban area ranged from 210 ng/m³ to 880 ng/m³. Alta Floresta has no riverside population and there is a low fish consumption rate of 8 g/d among the general population. However, mercury levels in locally consumed carnivorous fish, ranged from 0.3 to 3.6 mg/kg, depending on the species and on the period of the year. The levels of mercury in soil surrounding the residential areas near the Hg emissions sources, ranged from 0.05 to 4.10 mg/kg. Hg in soil may represent an important source of mercury ingestion for local children up to 4 years of age. The mean Hazard Index estimated for the general adult population was 1.4. For the general population, regarding the number of persons exposed in the urban area, inhalation of metallic Hg vapor is the main route of exposure. The results for water ingestion for all groups are negligible. For families of fishermen the Hazard Index was estimated to be 9.3, with a contribution of 92% from fish ingestion.     

Geochemistry of mercury in pristine and flooded ferralitic soils of a tropical rain forest in French Guiana,South America

In ferralitic soils of the dense Guianese forest, mercury (Hg) concentrations of the surface horizons varied from 122 to 318 ng/g d.w. The behaviour and accumulation of Hg is not related to the accumulation of organic matter but to the penetration of humic substances and the progressive adsorption onto iron (Fe) oxy-hydroxydes in the mineral horizons. The flooding of such soils with the creation of a small reservoir has lead to a release of 20% of the Hg initially present. This observation is related to the reduction of the Fe oxy-hydroxydes and to the migration of the organo-metallic complexes to the water column. Although physico-chemical conditions are appropriate for bacterial methylation, methyl Hg (MeHg) levels of these soils are very low. The process regulating MeHg production and its possible loss from the soil are unknown.     

Uncertainty in Paleoecological Studies of Mercury in Sediment Cores

Increased recognition of the ecological damage of mercury (Hg) has focused attention on quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of Hg deposition. Studies are commonly based on core chronologies and use a combination of techniques to measure parameters such as bulk density, percent solids, Hg concentration, and radionuclide activity. Little attention is generally devoted to the propagated error associated with these measurements. We identified the impact of sources of uncertainty on stratigraphic Hg determinations for Florida Everglades and Lake Erie cores. Large errors may be introduced by converting wet sample Hg content to dry-weight concentrations. Drying of sediments at 55 °C caused Hg losses of 18%. Samples, air-dried at room temperature, retained considerable moisture and required corrections for remaining water content. Frozen sediments did not lose Hg during a 72-day storage. Random error in radionuclide analysis of cores resulted in dating uncertainty of ±1.2 yr in 10 yr old deposits. This error increased to ±20 yr in 100 yr old sediments. Propagation of small errors in each step of the analysis (while adhering to strict QA/QC criteria) produced compounded uncertainties of ±11 and ±29% in Hg concentrations under different analytical rigor, and errors of up to ±73% in Hg accumulation rates in older sediments. Enrichment factors, comparing uncertain recent and historic Hg accumulation rates, differed by as much as ±48%. Uncertainty in paleoecological studies of mercury needs to be documented in order to correctly evaluate trends and remediation efforts.     

Swedish experiences of the ban on products containing mercury

The Swedish Parliament has decided that the use of mercury (Hg) must cease. Risk reduction measures are to be carried out with and without the support of legislation. According to decisions taken in May 1994 the aim is, with a few exemptions, to end the use of Hg in processes and products by the year 2000. Special attention has been paid to products containing Hg. Most uses of Hg-containing measuring instruments and electrical components have successively been phased out in Sweden. It can be concluded that most such uses have reliable Hg-free alternatives.     

Evaluating Relative Contribution of Atmospheric Mercury Species to Mercury Dry Deposition in Japan

In this study, we evaluated the relative contribution of atmospheric particulate mercury (Hg(p)) and divalent reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) to mercury dry deposition in Japan. The dry deposition fluxes (on a water surface sampler) and atmospheric PM concentrations of Hg, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and V, which were measured concurrently from April 2004 to March 2006 at 10 sites across the nation, were used in this evaluation. We considered that Hg(p) and RGM, but not Hg⁰, are deposited on the water surface, and that our method of sampling Hg(p) without the use of KCl-coated annular denuders enables the exclusion of a significant amount of RGM artifact. The monthly average dry deposition velocities (= deposition flux/atmospheric PM concentration) of Cd and Pb were found to be similar to each other (Cd/Pb deposition velocities?=?1.06?±?0.58). It was assumed that the deposition velocity of Hg(p) is identical to the mean deposition velocity of Cd and Pb, because the particle size distribution of Hg(p) is likely similar to those of both elements. Using this deposition velocity, the monthly dry deposition flux of Hg(p) was calculated. The average contribution (±1σ) of Hg(p) to the annual deposition flux at ten sites was 26?±?15%. The mercury dry deposition flux increased generally from spring to early summer, which was attributed mostly to the deposition of RGM. This seasonal change correlated to that in photochemical oxidant (primarily O₃) concentration in air at most sites. These suggest that mercury dry deposition in Japan is predominantly deposition of RGM, which was formed via oxidation of Hg⁰ by O₃ in the atmosphere.     

锰改性猪粪炭对水稻吸收累积土壤中汞镉的影响

为了探明KMnO4改性猪粪炭对水稻吸收累积复合污染土壤中汞镉的阻控效果，通过盆栽试验研究添加不同量的锰改性猪粪炭（MZC）对水稻中汞镉累积分布特征、根际土壤有效态汞镉含量和土壤理化性质的影响，并探讨了MZC阻控水稻籽粒吸收累积汞镉的可能机制。结果表明：与空白对照相比，添加0.5%MZC使水稻籽粒的总汞、甲基汞和总镉含量分别降低了50.4%、58.4%和79.3%，同时降低了31.1%和39.9%根际土壤有效态汞和镉的含量，但增加了70.3%根际土壤总Mn含量；且添加0.5%的原始猪粪炭对水稻籽粒中总汞、甲基汞和镉含量的降幅显著小于锰改性猪粪炭的，表明经过KMnO4改性可以显著增强猪粪炭对土壤汞镉的钝化能力。水稻籽粒、茎叶中的汞镉含量和根际土壤有效态汞镉含量都随着MZC添加量的增加呈明显的降低趋势。统计分析显示水稻籽粒和茎叶中的汞镉含量与根际土壤中有效态汞、镉呈显著正相关性，而土壤中有效态汞镉含量与土壤的pH、CEC呈负相关。添加MZC使土壤pH、CEC升高，降低了根际土壤中汞、镉的生物有效性，从而减少了水稻地上部分对汞镉的吸收累积。因此，锰改性猪粪炭是一种具有应用潜力的能保障汞镉复合污染农田水稻安全生产的土壤修复剂。     

The partitioning of mercury in the solid components of dry and flooded forest soils and sediments from a hydroelectric reservoir,Quebec (Canada)

Upon inundation, the soils in a hydroelectric reservoir are subjected to several years of physical, biological, and chemical changes as the transition from a terrestrial to an aquatic ecosystem is achieved. It is suspected that changes in soil Eh and pH alter the metal binding capacity of organic matter, reactive iron (Fe) oxides/oxyhydroxides, and clay minerals, and may cause the mercury associated with these phases to be remobilized. Four cores were collected along a transect from an unflooded forest soil to a pre-impoundment lake bottom sediment. They were subjected to a customized sequential extraction procedure to determine the distribution of Hg between three operationally-defined solid compartments: organic carbon, reactive Fe oxides/hydroxides, and the solid (clay and sulfide) residue. Results indicate that up to 80% of the Hg in the O-horizon of forest soils and flooded soils and up to 85% of the Hg in lake sediments is bound to the NaOH-extractable organic carbon fraction. Furthermore, it was observed that the highest Hg concentrations are associated with degraded organic matter. In the B-horizon of a podzol, 40–60% of the total Hg was found associated with reactive Fe minerals. In contrast, the flooded podzol contains almost no reactive Fe at any depth and associated Hg concentrations are low. We propose that upon inundation, Fe oxides are reduced and Hg released to the pore waters where it is rapidly bound to other available substrates. Analyses of the extractions residues suggest that there is an enrichment of Hg in this fraction immediately above the B-horizon in a flooded soil.     

Mercury cycling in a northern wisconsin seepage lake: The role of particulate matter in vertical transport

During summer stratification, total mercury (Hg_τ) reached maximum concentrations in the O₂ :depleted, hypolimnion of Little Rock Lake, Wl. Initially, the hypolimnetic increase was attributed solely to redox-controlled release of Hg from bottom sediments. However, subsequent depth profiles of Hg indicated that hypolimnetic Hg enrichment could also result from the downward transport and recycling of particulate Hg prior to incorporation in the sediments. Contrasts between Fe and Hg cycles in this lake reinforce this notion. Increases in hypolimnetic Fe were observed during both summer and winter O₂ decreases. In contrast, hypolimnetic Hg concentrations declined during winter. In the ice-free season, the distribution of particulate mercury (Hg_p) correlated with the distribution of chlorophyllous particulates in this lake, re-emphasizing the importance of biotic processes in controlling Hg cycling in the hypolimnion.     

Effect of animal feed enriched with Se and clays on Hg bioaccumulation in chickens: in vivo experimental study

An in vivo experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of sodium selenite, sepiolite, and bentonite on inorganic mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation. For this purpose 160 chickens were fed under different controlled conditions. Chickens were exposed to Hg(II) and MeHg added to feed with or without selenium or clays supplementation. No significant differences were observed in the voluntary intake and feed/gain conversion rates. The target organs of Hg(II) and MeHg in chickens were the liver and kidney, respectively, but the greatest body store was the muscle in both cases. A higher bioaccumulation for MeHg than for Hg(II) was observed. The results showed that addition of sodium selenite, sepiolite, or bentonite induced a decrease of up to 60-100% in the inorganic mercury bioabsorption. Bentonite addition to a MeHg-containing diet also caused a decrease in organic mercury bioaccumulation (29-67%). On the other hand, inorganic selenium and sepiolite did not decrease MeHg accumulation.     

Mercury from Combustion Sources: A Review of the Chemical Species Emitted and Their Transport in the Atmosphere

Different species of mercury have different physical/chemical properties and thus behave quite differently in air pollution control equipment and in the atmosphere. In general, emissions of mercury from coal combustion sources are approximately 20–50% elemental mercury (Hg°) and 50–80% divalent mercury (Hg(II)), which may be predominantly HgCl₂. Emissions of mercury from waste incinerators are approximately 10–20% Hg° and 75–85% Hg(II). The partitioning of mercury in flue gas between the elemental and divalent forms may be dependent on the concentration of particulate carbon, HCl and other pollutants in the stack emissions. The emission of mercury from combustion facilities depends on the species in the exhaust stream and the type of air pollution control equipment used at the source. Air pollution control equipment for mercury removal at combustion facilities includes activated carbon injection, sodium sulfide infection and wet lime/limestone flue gas desulfurization. While Hg(II) is water-soluble and may be removed from the atmosphere by wet and dry deposition close to combustion sources, the combination of a high vapor pressure and low water-solubility facilitate the long-range transport of Hg° in the atmosphere. Background mercury in the atmosphere is predominantly Hg°. Elemental mercury is eventually removed from the atmosphere by dry deposition onto surfaces and by wet deposition after oxidation to water-soluble, divalent mercury.     

The sorption of mercury species by clay minerals

The amount of Hg sorbed by kaolinite and illite, in the absence of ligands, changes little with pH; with montmorillonite, Hg uptake decreases with increasing pH. An overall decrease in the amounts sorbed by these clays occurs in solutions which contain ligands such as cyanide (2:1); acetate (5:1); and nitrilotriacetate (6:5). [Values in parentheses are mole ratio of ligand: Hg.] In the presence of chloride (2:1), the order for the uptake of Hg by the three clays is illite > montmorillonite > kaolin. The addition of thiourea (2:1) results in total precipitation of mercury at pH > 4; in the presence of sulfate or phosphate (> 1:1) Hg is lost from solution by precipitation/sorption at pH 4 but the amount decreases to near zero at pH > 8. Solution processes (i.e. complex formation, precipitation) appear to have a dominating influence on mercury distribution.     

The precise measurement of concentration gradients of mercury in air over soils: A review of past and recent measurements

Measurements of the atmospheric concentration gradients of mercury (Hg) vapor over soils can be used to determine the direction and magnitude of exchange rates of Hg if certain assumptions are met. However, these gradients are quite small and require highly precise sampling to achieve accurate data. We have developed a sampling and analysis procedure which allows quantification of gradients over background soils. With this procedure we can now measure atmospheric Hg at ambient levels with a precision of ～0.5 to 2% (expressed as relative standard error). This level of precision is well above those published in earlier gradient studies. In our recent studies, gradients measured between 25 and 165 cm above background forest soils at Walker Branch Watershed, Tennessee were quite small, ranging from 0.02 to 0.39 ng/m³ (expressed as concentration differences). These gradients indicated that Hg emission was about 3 times more frequent than dry deposition. Gradients measured over soils at Lake Gårdsjön, Sweden were generally smaller but also indicated bidirectional fluxes. By comparison, gradients above Hg-contaminated soils in Tennessee were far larger as expected, ranging from 0.12 to 5.60 ng/m³. These gradients consistently indicated emission of Hg. A number of tests were performed to validate that these gradients were true indications of Hg exchange rates.     

Mercuty in Precipitation and Its Relation to Bioaccumulation in Fish: A Literature Review

Increases in industrial mercury (Hg) emissions in recent years have led many researchers to believe that Hg from the atmosphere constitutes a main source of Hg to aquatic biota in the absence of point source discharges. Established background levels for fish (0.2–1.0 mg kg^-1) now exceed the pre industrial level of 0.15 mg kg^-1, suggesting an anthropogenic origin. This review of recent literature illustrates how levels of mercury (Hg) species in the atmosphere are effectively transported into the aquatic arena, where chemical parameters combine to determine bioaccumulation rates in fish. Limited studies on methyl mercury (MeHg) in precipitation shown that concentrations average from 5% of total-Hg (T-Hg), to 1% in industrial regions. Observations of increased Hg is snow and precipitation from the Arctic Circle, related to poleward atmospheric circulation patterns, also demonstrate a spring maximum accompanying ozone depletion. Increases in oxidants and soil derived Hg in the atmosphere during the summer best explain summer Hg maximums observed in precipitation, while increased temperatures raise fish metabolism increasing Hg uptake through respiration and ingestion rate. The major route of entry for MeHg to fish appears to be biomagnification, after input from precipitation, runoff and inlake methylation. Regions buffered against acid precipitation maintain low fish-Hg levels by reduced MeHg production and maintaining gill function. When considering the bioaccumulation of Hg in fish this study shows that there are many variables to consider, not all of which originate from inside the aquatic arena. Both catchment and atmospheric processes combine with aquatic variables to dictate the overall levels of MeHg observed in fish tissue. There now appears to be sufficient knowledge to develop an axiom for the identification of aquatic systems likely to be susceptible to bioaccumulation from atmospheric derived Hg.     

Use of the mercury cycling model (MCM) to predict the fate of mercury in the Great Lakes

In response to U.S. EPA's proposed Great Lakes water quality criteria for mercury (Hg), a fieldvalidated Hg cycling model (MCM) was used to predict Hg levels in the abiotic and biotic components of Lake Superior and Lake Erie. The U.S. EPA criteria are based on water column Hg concentrations and simple trophic level transfer and, thus, do not consider sediment interactions and water chemistry factors. The model, using data from published reports, was run to simulate a 25 year steady state period. For these simulations, methylmercury (MeHg) represented 5% of total Hg in Lake Erie and 8% of total Hg in Lake Superior. These proportions are roughly 3–5 times lower than U.S. EPA's estimate that MeHg contributes about 25% of total Hg in the water column of the Great Lakes. The predicted median concentrations of total Hg in top-carnivore fish were 0.13 mg/kg in Lake Superior and 0.16 mg/kg in Lake Erie. Predicted median MeHg concentrations in Lake Superior and Lake Erie (water column) were 0.019 and 0.075 ng/L, respectively. For both lakes, most (>55%) of the Hg was partitioned to sediments. Although the MCM simulation does have practical limitations (e.g., lakes are treated as fully-mixed open systems), the results demonstrate that generic assumptions of Hg behavior in all Great Lakes waterbodies are too simplistic.     

贵州水城煤矸石风化土壤-农作物系统中汞分布规律研究

通过冷原子荧光方法测定了贵州水城汪家寨煤矿和那罗煤矿不同年限的煤矸石风化土壤及农作物中总Hg含量和甲基汞含量,并采用BCR连续提取法分析了煤矸石风化土壤中汞的不同赋存形态,系统地对此矿区煤矸石风化土壤-农作物系统中汞的分布规律及其环境效应进行了研究。结果表明,煤矸石风化土壤样中汞含量范围在0.07～1.06 mg.kg-1之间,和pH值存在显著负相关关系（r=-0.68,P〈0.01）。风化年限较长的煤矸石土壤汞浓度接近对照点自然土壤汞含量,而在风化年限较短的煤矸石风化土壤中,大部分样品汞浓度超过了国家Ⅱ类土壤环境标准,不宜在上面种植食用的农作物。煤矸石风化土壤中甲基汞含量在0.52～2.68μg.kg-1之间,和总汞存在显著正相关关系（r=0.65,P〈0.05）。煤矸石风化土壤中汞主要以有机/硫化态和残渣态存在,风化年限较短的煤矸石山土壤中酸交换态汞浓度及比例都明显高于老煤矸石山。虽然汪家寨煤矿风化年限较短的煤矸石山土壤存在着较高的汞含量,但其上种植的马铃薯、玉米、菜豆的汞含量均没有超过国家标准食品中Hg限量值,然而高于风化年限较长的煤矸石山中同类植株的汞含量。     

Mercury contamination of fish in the Ojibwa diet: I. Walleye fillets and skin-on versus skin-off sampling

During the past two years, walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) have been collected and prepared into skin-off fillets and submitted for total mercury analysis. The survey included 105 fish from 18 lakes in 10 counties in northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Fourteen lakes yielded walleye fillets with greater than 0.5 ppm mercury, and six lakes yielded samples in excess of 1.0 ppm mercury. Fourteen fish were collected in the spring and prepared as fillets ground up as either skin-on or skin-off samples. The difference in Hg was significant (T₁₄=?3.26,p=0.006) with skin-on fillets, resulting in an approximately 10% decrease in mercury concentrations. Results of this study suggest that by leaving the skin on the sample, mercury concentrations will be reported 10% lower than if the skin is removed. Obviously, consumption advisories based on skin-off samples could provide more protection for Ojibwa people eating the spring harvest of walleye. In the fall, the difference in Hg samples between skin-on versus skin-off, was less and not statistically significant. However, removal of the skin would be expected to underestimate lipophilic organochlorine burdens and may not be appropriate for fish species where PCBs, DDT, and chlordanes are the major concern. Fall data for 67 fish from 26 lakes in 9 counties are also reported.     

Mercury in Lake Vänern, Sweden Distribution In Surface Sediment And Catchment Budget

Lake Vänern is Sweden's largest lake and freshwater reservoir. Large quantities of mercury were released into the lake during a large part of the 20th century, resulting in serious contamination. The main load originated from one single point source — a chlor-alkali industry. Its releases were drastically reduced in the early 1970's, but nearby sediments displayed alarmingly high concentrations. During summer 2001, fifty-one sediment cores were taken, and analysed for total mercury. It was found that mercury concentrations in surface sediments have decreased significantly between 1974 and 2001, but the influence of the former single point source was still reflected in the concentration patterns. Thirty years ago, sediments around the dominant point source displayed the highest concentrations. Today, the highest concentrations in surface sediments were still found close to it, but also in deep waters in the central part of the lake. Surprisingly, the gradient from the point source is stronger today compared to 1974. A mercury budget, based on the annual sediment accumulation rate, the bulk density, atmospheric load and outflow of mercury, was formed. The surface sediments (0—1 cm, on average corresponding to ～5 yr according to ¹³⁷Cs dating) in accumulation bottoms (water depth >40m) contained approximately 530 kg Hg (corresponding value for year 1974 was 4100 kg Hg). A majority of the present additions of mercury to the lake originates from atmospheric deposition. It was also found that the lake acts as a sink for mercury. In fact, approximately 90—95% of the incoming mercury was retained within the catchment or in the sediments.