Toxico-ecological Analysis of Mercury-contained Waste Management in Ukraine

Relevance. The multifaceted intersectoral problem of human security in contact with mercury has gained global significance in the twentieth century, it is relevant today. Considerable attention is paid to the environmental and hygienic aspects of mercury hazards in the field related to the production and disposal of waste containing Hg. The Aim of the Research. Analyze the data of own research on mercury content in the environment in connection with the management of mercury-containing waste and justify a set of preventive environmental and hygienic, technological and organizational measures to improve safety, public health and improve the environment in the region and the country in general. Materials and Methods. Sampling, sample preparation and determination of mercury content in environmental facilities and bioassays were performed according to MI “Methodical instructions for the determination of mercury in biological material, air, drinking water, food products and the environment.” The concentration of mercury was measured by the method of AAS “cold steam” on the upgraded device “Yulia-2M”. The mercury content in soil and air at the spontaneous dump of mercury lamps in Odessa region, on the border of the sanitary protection zone and in the air of the working zone of the enterprise for utilization of mercury lamps was studied. For sample preparation, chemically pure nitric acid (56%) was used, to reduce mercury during the analysis of chemically pure tin (II) chloride. Results and Conclusions. Mercury lamps have been shown to be hazardous to the environment and human health without proper disposal. Mercury lamps should be collected and disposed of as hazardous waste not only in industrial facilities but also in the general public. The formation of spontaneous unauthorized landfills of mercury lamps is unacceptable. The problem of environmental monitoring needs to be addressed at the state level with the mandatory involvement of specialists in the field of hygiene, toxicology and analytical chemistry of heavy metals in cases of violations to assess the level of danger and make informed decisions on approaches to elimination of mercury sources. Key Words: mercury, mercury lamps, ecology.

The role of aerocosmic research in metallogenic prediction (on the example of antimony-mercury ore formation deposits in Azerbaijan)

Mercury degassing is a global process. In geological development, it begins with the formation of deep fractures that can penetrate the great depths of the mantle. As the linearity lengthens, the temporal degassing and intensity of mercury weaken this connection with the depths of its individual parts and the Earth, or the period of strengthening of this connection will vary depending on the development of the characteristics observed. The concentration of mercury and antimony-mercury ores along the outer frame of circular and oval and other structures can most likely be explained by the Earth's total mercury degassing. In our opinion, the ideal situation is the junction of circular, oval, and other structures with linear nodes, where industrially important deposits of minerals can be formed. Key words: mercury, aerospace research, metallogenic prediction, minerals

Mercury transfer from watersheds to aquatic environments following the erosion of agrarian soils: A molecular biomarker approach

Lake St. Pierre, an important freshwater location for sports and commercial fisheries in Canada, is composed of a 120 km2 stretch of the St. Lawrence River, located at the center of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Receiving its waters from the St. François, Yamaska, Ottawa, and St. Lawrence Rivers, it is subjected to important inputs of mercury (Hg) and suspended particles eroded from its watershed. This study aims at tracing back the origin of terrigenous Hg loadings to Lake St. Pierre. The specific phenol signatures yielded by a mild oxidation of the terrestrial organic matter (TOM) carried in the water column was used as a tracer to identify the different sources of terrigenous Hg to the lake. Our results demonstrate that most of the Hg bound to suspended particulate matter (SPM-bound Hg) found in Lake St. Pierre is associated with TOM. We were also able to distinguish the relative influence that forested soils, mainly drained by the Ottawa River, and agrarian soils, located on nearby watersheds, exert on the lake's Hg burden. Our data strongly suggest that the erosion of vast areas of agrarian soils, drained by the Yamaska and St. François rivers to Lake St. Pierre, greatly facilitates the transfer of Hg from the watersheds to the lake. This study stresses the need to improve the management of agrarian soils and protect them from extensive erosion in order to preserve the integrity of the fish resources harvested in Lake St. Pierre. Key words: Mercury, soil erosion, Lake St. Pierre, lignin biomarkers

Organo(organooxo)mercury(II) chemistry — Synthesis and structure of methyl(phenoxo)mercury(II)

Methyl(phenoxo)mercury(II) may be obtained from the reaction of methyl(chloro)mercury(II) with silver(I) oxide, followed by addition of phenol. The dominant motif of the structure is a pair of independent MeHgOPh aggregates (Hg—C,O 2.05(2) Å, 2.06(1) Å (x2); C-Hg-O 176.6(5)°, 176.3(5)°) loosely associated about a quasi-inversion centre by Hg···O interactions (2.702(9) Å, 2.719(9) Å) to form a dimer (Hg-O-Hg′ 106.0(4)°, 106.5(4)°; O-Hg-O′ 73.0(3)°, 72.6(3)°), the dimer stacking up the short crystallographic c axis (= 6.914(1) Å) at spacings c/2. Vibrational spectroscopic studies are insensitive to the associative interactions. Key words: mercury, methylmercury, organomercury, structure, aryloxide, phenoxide.

Distribution of mercury in soils at a decommissioned gas plant

The range and distribution of mercury in soils at a decommissioned gas plant near Turner Valley, Alberta were investigated in order to facilitate risk assessment and the remediation and development of the site into a tourism area. Although high levels of Hg were thought to be present in some areas on the site, it was unclear whether the source of the Hg was industrial processes or from river deposition of HgS impurities after erosion of upstream sulfide deposits. Background Hg concentrations in undisturbed soils and surficial bedrock near the gas plant were also unknown. Mercury concentrations in surface soil material on the gas plant site were found to range up to 230 mg Hg kg−1 soil, with the highest concentrations found next to process building doorways. Investigation of Hg distribution with soil depth showed that levels were generally highest at the surface, dropping rapidly with depth to near background levels of 0.07 mg Hg kg−1 soil or lower. The highest Hg concentrations were associated with the clay fraction, which contained up to 2300 mg Hg kg−1 soil. The results are consistent with an anthropogenic source from spillage of elemental Hg contained in manometers and pressure monitoring devices used in plant buildings. Mercury concentrations at depth and in uncontaminated surface soils were similar to those reported by Dudas and Pawluk (1976) for surface soils formed in glacial and fluvial deposits elsewhere in Alberta. Key words: Mercury, contamination, soils, Turner Valley

SEASONAL CHANGES IN BACKGROUND LEVELS OF MERCURY IN SURFACE HORIZONS OF FORESTED SOILS IN ALBERTA

Content of mercury in organic soil horizons was monitored to ascertain seasonal changes in background levels. L, F, and H horizons were relatively enriched in mercury in early spring. Levels then diminished and reached seasonal low values in August. Content of mercury then increased twofold during September after which levels declined to summer values. F horizons had the highest content of mercury and H horizons had the lowest. Key words: Mercury cycling, mercury dynamics, heavy metal

Decrease in Mercury Content of Fishes in Ball Lake, Ontario, Since Imposition of Controls on Mercury Discharges

Weight, fork length, and white muscle mercury concentrations of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum), northern pike (Esox lucius), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) from Ball Lake, northwestern Ontario, were compared for 1971, 1972, and 1976. The lake had received mercury from 1962 to 1970; since then there have been increasingly rigorous controls. Adjusted mean white muscle mercury concentrations for walleye at the group mean length of 444 mm were 1.99, 2.71, and 1.39 mg/kg, respectively, for the three sample years. Corresponding values for pike 594 mm long were 5.05, 5.72, and 1.80 mg/kg. Whitefish values for 1972 and 1976 were 0.62 and 0.42 at 441 mm fork length. The changes are discussed in relation to the decreased input of mercury to the lake and it is suggested that mercury in suspension may be a controlling factor. Key words: mercury contamination, walleye, pike, whitefish, Ball Lake