Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant

Mercury contamination of soils and vegetation close to an abandoned Hg-fulminate production plant was investigated. Maximum concentrations of Hg (>6.5 g kg−1 soil) were found in the soils located in the area where the wastewater produced during the washing procedures carried out at the production...

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Main Authors: M. Camps Arbestain, L. Rodríguez-Lado, M. Bao, F. Macías
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2009-01-01
Series:Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/387419
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author M. Camps Arbestain
L. Rodríguez-Lado
M. Bao
F. Macías
author_facet M. Camps Arbestain
L. Rodríguez-Lado
M. Bao
F. Macías
author_sort M. Camps Arbestain
collection DOAJ
description Mercury contamination of soils and vegetation close to an abandoned Hg-fulminate production plant was investigated. Maximum concentrations of Hg (>6.5 g kg−1 soil) were found in the soils located in the area where the wastewater produced during the washing procedures carried out at the production plant used to be discharged. A few meters away from the discharge area, Hg concentrations decreased to levels ranging between 1 and 5 g kg−1, whereas about 0.5 ha of the surrounding soil to the NE (following the dominant surface flow direction) contained between 0.1 and 1 g kg−1. Mercury contamination of soils was attributed (in addition to spills from Hg containers) to (i) Hg volatilization with subsequent condensation in cooler areas of the production plant and in the surrounding forest stands, and (ii) movement of water either by lateral subsurface flow through the contaminated soils or by heavy runoff to surface waters.
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series Applied and Environmental Soil Science
spelling doaj-art-d14210de79e941c4a0289da72bcaf4a52025-08-20T02:19:55ZengWileyApplied and Environmental Soil Science1687-76671687-76752009-01-01200910.1155/2009/387419387419Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production PlantM. Camps Arbestain0L. Rodríguez-Lado1M. Bao2F. Macías3Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, SpainDepartamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, SpainDepartamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, SpainMercury contamination of soils and vegetation close to an abandoned Hg-fulminate production plant was investigated. Maximum concentrations of Hg (>6.5 g kg−1 soil) were found in the soils located in the area where the wastewater produced during the washing procedures carried out at the production plant used to be discharged. A few meters away from the discharge area, Hg concentrations decreased to levels ranging between 1 and 5 g kg−1, whereas about 0.5 ha of the surrounding soil to the NE (following the dominant surface flow direction) contained between 0.1 and 1 g kg−1. Mercury contamination of soils was attributed (in addition to spills from Hg containers) to (i) Hg volatilization with subsequent condensation in cooler areas of the production plant and in the surrounding forest stands, and (ii) movement of water either by lateral subsurface flow through the contaminated soils or by heavy runoff to surface waters.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/387419
spellingShingle M. Camps Arbestain
L. Rodríguez-Lado
M. Bao
F. Macías
Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
Applied and Environmental Soil Science
title Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
title_full Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
title_fullStr Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
title_short Assessment of Mercury-Polluted Soils Adjacent to an Old Mercury-Fulminate Production Plant
title_sort assessment of mercury polluted soils adjacent to an old mercury fulminate production plant
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/387419
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