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Assessment of the Impact of a Motorway on Content andSpatial Distribution of Mercury in Adjacent Agricultural Soils. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11111221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The distribution of Hg in the vicinity of roads is probably not exclusively dependent on car emissions, but also on the presence of other point or diffuse sources of Hg emissions located from metres to several km away. The source of mercury in urbanised areas is pollution derived from the burning of fuels and industrial and transport waste, while in agricultural areas, it is constituent in mineral fertilisers and crop protection products. The research objective was to evaluate the content and spatial distribution of mercury in arable soils adjacent to the A1 motorway in Poland. The research material consisted of 40 soil samples taken from 20 test points on four transects at distances of 5, 10, 25 and 50 m from a noise barrier and in the direction of an arable field, and 10 m from the noise barrier in the direction of the motorway. Total mercury content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry using an AMA 254 analyser. The spatial relationship between adjacent observations of variables was assessed using Moran’s I overall autocorrelation coefficient. Probability maps of mercury distribution in the field and pollution indicators were elaborated in ArcGIS 10.4.1. using Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation. Analysis of the spatial correlation of Moran’s I showed a lack of spatial dependence between tested points, which may evidence that the motorway does not affect mercury contents in the soil. The elevated mercury content at a single test point may indicate a random event unrelated to the motorway’s operation.
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Kompiš M, Ballová ZK. The influence of preferred habitat and daily range of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals: a case study from the West Carpathians. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:52093-52105. [PMID: 34002308 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14363-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Spišská Magura mountain range, located in the Middle Spiš, is one of the regions in Slovakia most contaminated by heavy metals resulting from mining and smelting activities. Heavy metals and other potentially toxic elements have accumulated in mountain areas via atmospheric transport. The influence of the daily range size of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals was investigated in three habitat types (forest, woodland edge, meadow) in the Spišská Magura mountain range in the West Carpathians. Individual hares (n = 21) were traced and located by GPS following snowfall. Pair samples of their faeces (n = 64) and food (n = 64) were collected from feeding sites. The maps created were used for determination of the size of the daily range as being small or large. All hares that have a small daily range avoid meadows and open spaces due to the higher predation risk. However, individuals with a large daily range feed in all habitats, including meadows. Hares with a small daily range in a forest habitat ingested higher amounts of bio-elements Ca, Cr, S, and Mn as well as higher amounts of heavy metals Ba and Pb than hares with a large daily range. Moreover, dominant hares with a small daily range, with access to abundant food sources in a forest habitat, may gradually take on higher levels of bio-elements including heavy metals that are present in their food source. In contrast, in the woodland edge, hares with a small daily range had a smaller concentration of Ca, Cr, Mn, S, Ba, and Pb compared to hares with a large daily range. Caecotrophy plays a very significant role as far as the intake of nutrients and other elements is concerned. We found significant dependence between concentrations of the elements Cr, S, Ba, Pb, and Cd in the food of European hares and in their faeces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kompiš
- Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Javorina 7, SK-05956, Tatranská, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Kompišová Ballová
- Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Javorina 7, SK-05956, Tatranská, Slovakia.
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Ursinyova M, Masanova V, Uhnakova I, Murinova LP, Patayova H, Rausova K, Trnovec T, Stencl J, Gajdos M. Prenatal and Early Postnatal Exposure to Total Mercury and Methylmercury from Low Maternal Fish Consumption. Biol Trace Elem Res 2019; 191:16-26. [PMID: 30499063 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-018-1585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of low fish consumption on prenatal and early postnatal exposure to mercury species. The samples of umbilical cord blood and maternal milk as well as interviewer-administered questionnaires were collected from 142 Slovak mother-child pairs. The mean total mercury (THg) concentrations in cord blood and milk were 0.949 μg/L and 0.376 μg/kg, respectively. The mean methylmercury (MeHg) concentration in cord blood was 0.504 μg/L. Fish eaters had significantly higher cord blood MeHg concentrations than non-fish eaters (p = 0.030); no difference was found in milk or cord blood THg concentrations. The bivariate analysis showed a positive correlation between cord blood MeHg and consumption of sea fish and shellfish (rs = 0.320, p < 0.001); after adjustment for the potential confounders, the association was weakened (β = 0.173, p = 0.059). Nevertheless, the decision tree method showed sea fish and shellfish consumption to be the best predictor of cord blood MeHg. Furthermore, a negative association was found between THg concentrations in maternal milk and freshwater fish consumption (β = - 0.193, p = 0.017), which might indicate a beneficial effect of freshwater fish consumption. The results suggest there is a need for future research to investigate the benefits versus the adverse effects of low maternal fish consumption on child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Ursinyova
- Department of Metallomics, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
| | - Vlasta Masanova
- Department of Metallomics, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Iveta Uhnakova
- Department of Metallomics, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Lubica Palkovicova Murinova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Henrieta Patayova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Katarina Rausova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Tomas Trnovec
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Jan Stencl
- Honorary Rector, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Martin Gajdos
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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Shen H, Tsai CM, Yuan CS, Jen YH, Ie IR. How incense and joss paper burning during the worship activities influences ambient mercury concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments of an Asian temple? CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 167:530-540. [PMID: 27764746 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.09.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study firstly investigated the species, concentration variation, and emission factors of mercury emitted from the burning of incenses and joss papers in an Asian temple. Both indoor and outdoor speciated mercury (GEM, GOM, and PHg) were sampled by manual samplers, while ambient GEM at an indoor site was in-situ monitored by a continuous GEM monitor. Field measurement results showed that the total atmospheric mercury (TAM) concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments were in the range of 8.03-35.72 and 6.03-31.35 ng/m3, respectively. The indoor and outdoor ratios (I/O) of TAM in the daytime and at nighttime were in the range of 0.64-0.90 and 1.50-2.04, respectively. The concentrations of GEM, GOM, and PHg during the holiday periods were approximately 1-4 times higher than those during the non-holiday periods. GEM was the dominant mercury species in the indoor and outdoor environments and accounted for 63-81% of TAM, while the oxidized mercury accounted for 19-37% of TAM. Burning incenses and joss papers in a combustion chamber showed that the concentration of GEM from joss paper burning ranged from 4.07 to 11.62 μg/m3, or about 13.97 times higher than that of incense burning, while the concentration of PHg from incense burning ranged from 95.91 to 135.07 ng/m3, or about 3.29 times higher than that of joss paper burning. The emission factors of incense burning were 10.39 ng/g of GEM and 1.40 ng/g of PHg, while those of joss paper burning were 12.65 ng/g of GEM and 1.27 ng/g of PHg, respectively. This study revealed that speciated mercury emitted from worship activities had significant influence on the indoor and outdoor mercury concentrations in an Asian temple. Higher intensity of worship activities during holidays resulted in a higher concentration of speciated mercury in indoor and outdoor air, which might cause health threats to worshipers, staffs, and surrounding inhabitants through long-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huazhen Shen
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Mou Tsai
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chung-Shin Yuan
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Yi-Hsiu Jen
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Iau-Ren Ie
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC
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Gworek B, Dmuchowski W, Baczewska AH, Brągoszewska P, Bemowska-Kałabun O, Wrzosek-Jakubowska J. Air Contamination by Mercury, Emissions and Transformations-a Review. WATER, AIR, AND SOIL POLLUTION 2017; 228:123. [PMID: 28316351 PMCID: PMC5336545 DOI: 10.1007/s11270-017-3311-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The present and future air contamination by mercury is and will continue to be a serious risk for human health. This publication presents a review of the literature dealing with the issues related to air contamination by mercury and its transformations as well as its natural and anthropogenic emissions. The assessment of mercury emissions into the air poses serious methodological problems. It is particularly difficult to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic emissions and re-emissions from lands and oceans, including past emissions. At present, the largest emission sources include fuel combustion, mainly that of coal, and "artisanal and small-scale gold mining" (ASGM). The distinctly highest emissions can be found in South and South-East Asia, accounting for 45% of the global emissions. The emissions of natural origin and re-emissions are estimated at 45-66% of the global emissions, with the largest part of emissions originating in the oceans. Forecasts on the future emission levels are not unambiguous; however, most forecasts do not provide for reductions in emissions. Ninety-five percent of mercury occurring in the air is Hg0-GEM, and its residence time in the air is estimated at 6 to 18 months. The residence times of its HgII-GOM and that in Hgp-TPM are estimated at hours and days. The highest mercury concentrations in the air can be found in the areas of mercury mines and those of ASGM. Since 1980 when it reached its maximum, the global background mercury concentration in the air has remained at a relatively constant level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Gworek
- Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Krucza 5/11d St., Warsaw, 00-548 Poland
| | - Wojciech Dmuchowski
- Department of Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159 St., Warsaw, 02-776 Poland
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Botanical Garden - Center for Biological Diversity Conservation, Prawdziwka 2 St., 02-973 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aneta H. Baczewska
- Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Krucza 5/11d St., Warsaw, 00-548 Poland
| | - Paulina Brągoszewska
- Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Krucza 5/11d St., Warsaw, 00-548 Poland
| | - Olga Bemowska-Kałabun
- Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Krucza 5/11d St., Warsaw, 00-548 Poland
| | - Justyna Wrzosek-Jakubowska
- Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Krucza 5/11d St., Warsaw, 00-548 Poland
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Submicron Particle-Bound Mercury in University Teaching Rooms: A Summer Study from Two Polish Cities. ATMOSPHERE 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos7090117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Pyta H, Rogula-Kozłowska W. Determination of mercury in size-segregated ambient particulate matter using CVAAS. Microchem J 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Styszko K, Szramowiat K, Kistler M, Kasper-Giebl A, Samek L, Furman L, Pacyna J, Gołaś J. Mercury in atmospheric aerosols: A preliminary case study for the city of Krakow, Poland. CR CHIM 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crci.2015.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Yuan CS, Wang G, Xue SH, Ie IR, Jen YH, Tsai HH, Chen WJ. Enhanced mercuric chloride adsorption onto sulfur-modified activated carbons derived from waste tires. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2012; 62:799-809. [PMID: 22866581 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2012.676998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A number of activated carbons derived from waste tires were further impregnated by gaseous elemental sulfur at temperatures of 400 and 650 degrees C, with a carbon and sulfur mass ratio of 1:3. The capabilities of sulfur diffusing into the micropores of the activated carbons were significantly different between 400 and 650 degrees C, resulting in obvious dissimilarities in the sulfur content of the activated carbons. The sulfur-impregnated activated carbons were examined for the adsorptive capacity of gas-phase mercuric chloride (HgC1) by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The analytical precision of TGA was up to 10(-6) g at the inlet HgCl2 concentrations of 100, 300, and 500 microg/m3, for an adsorption time of 3 hr and an adsorption temperature of 150 degrees C, simulating the flue gas emitted from municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators. Experimental results showed that sulfur modification can slightly reduce the specific surface area of activated carbons. High-surface-area activated carbons after sulfur modification had abundant mesopores and micropores, whereas low-surface-area activated carbons had abundant macropores and mesopores. Sulfur molecules were evenly distributed on the surface of the inner pores after sulfur modification, and the sulfur content of the activated carbons increased from 2-2.5% to 5-11%. After sulfur modification, the adsorptive capacity of HgCl2 for high-surface-area sulfurized activated carbons reached 1.557 mg/g (22 times higher than the virgin activated carbons). The injection of activated carbons was followed by fabric filtration, which is commonly used to remove HgCl2 from MSW incinerators. The residence time of activated carbons collected in the fabric filter is commonly about 1 hr, but the time required to achieve equilibrium is less than 10 min. Consequently, it is worthwhile to compare the adsorption rates of HgCl2 in the time intervals of < 10 and 10-60 min.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Shin Yuan
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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Seigneur C, Vijayaraghavan K, Lohman K, Karamchandani P, Scott C. Global source attribution for mercury deposition in the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2004; 38:555-569. [PMID: 14750733 DOI: 10.1021/es034109t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
A multiscale modeling system that consists of a global chemical transport model (CTM) and a nested continental CTM was used to simulate the global atmospheric fate and transport of mercury and its deposition over the contiguous United States. The performance of the CTMs was evaluated against available data. The coefficient of determination (r2) for observed versus simulated annual mercury wet deposition fluxes over North America was 0.50 with average normalized error and bias of 25% and 11%, respectively. The CTMs were used to conduct a global source attribution for selected receptor areas. Three global emission scenarios were used that differed in their distribution of background emissions among direct natural emissions and re-emissions of natural and anthropogenic mercury. North American anthropogenic sources were calculated to contribute only from 25 to 32% to the total mercury deposition over the continental United States. At selected receptors, the contribution of North American anthropogenic emissions ranges from 9 to 81%; Asian anthropogenic emissions were calculated to contribute from 5 to 36%; natural emissions were calculated to contribute from 6 to 59%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Seigneur
- Atmospheric & Environmental Research, Inc., Suite 120, 2682 Bishop Drive, San Ramon, California 94583, USA.
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Kim KH. Effects of changes in environmental conditions on atmospheric mercury exchange: Comparative analysis from a rice paddy field during the two spring periods of 2001 and 2002. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2003jd003375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Camargo JA. Contribution of Spanish-American silver mines (1570-1820) to the present high mercury concentrations in the global environment: a review. CHEMOSPHERE 2002; 48:51-57. [PMID: 12137057 DOI: 10.1016/s0045-6535(02)00047-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
In this review I evaluate the contribution of Spanish-American silver mines during the period 1570-1820 (a Spanish colonial period of 250 years) to the present high mercury concentrations in the global environment. The evaluation is based upon the following bibliographic information: (1) total amount of mercury consumed in Spanish-American silver mines between 1570 and 1820; (2) percentage of the total amount of mercury consumed in Spanish-American silver mines that may have been emitted to the atmosphere; (3) global natural input of mercury to the atmosphere; (4) worldwide anthropogenic emissions of mercury to the atmosphere; (5) residence time of mercury in the atmosphere; and (6) capacity of mercury to be deposited in the sediments of aquatic systems. From all this information, and owing to the relatively long time that has passed since Spanish-American silver mines were operational, I conclude that most of the mercury lost during the refining of silver via the patio amalgamation process is now sequestered into the sediments of aquatic systems, mainly in marine sediments. The high mercury concentrations now being reported in the global environment essentially are a consequence of the huge pollution caused by human activities during the past 20th century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Camargo
- Departamento Interuniversitatrio de Ecología, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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