Control of mercury emissions: policies, technologies, and future trends

Rhee, Shi‐Woo

doi:10.2147/eect.s73403

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Landfills in the chlor-alkali industries require stabilization of mercury (Hg) to prevent air pollution by evaporated Hg . Revegetation of these sites offers a suitable solution to confine the Hg released from the soil in plant biomass, as plants are net sinks that incorporate the atmospheric Hg into leaf tissues .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect Life Traits Are Key Factors in Mercury Accumulation and Transfer within the Terrestrial Food Web

Yung

Bertheau

Cazaux³

et al. 2019

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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16As plants and associated insects are at the bottom of some terrestrial food webs, they are the 17 primary contributors to mercury (Hg) fluxes in ecosystems. In addition to the trophic position 18 of these organisms, factors related to their life traits have been hypothesized to influence their 19 exposure to Hg. This study investigates the transfer of Hg in a soil-nettle-insect system and 20 the insect-related factors affecting their Hg concentrations in a revegetated chlor-alkali 21 landfill. Twenty-three insect species were identified and classified according to their life 22 traits, their relationship with nettle and their morphological characteristics. We observed low 23 total mercury (THg) concentrations in nettles, with only 1% methylmercury (MeHg) being 24 detected, while concentrations ranged from 5 to 3700 µg/kg dry wt. in insects with a MeHg 25 percentage of up to 75%. The nettle-related insects were primarily exposed to Hg through the 26 food web with significant biomagnification, particularly at the level of secondary predators. 27 Within the nettle-unrelated group, the insect habitat was the most explanatory factor, with the 28 highest enrichment being for the insects that spent part of their cycle in direct contact with Hg 29 sources. Therefore, these insects require special attention because they are an essential vector 30 of Hg transfer for terrestrial top predators. 34Landfills in the chlor-alkali industries require stabilization of mercury (Hg) to prevent 35 air pollution by evaporated Hg 1 . Revegetation of these sites offers a suitable solution to 36 confine the Hg released from the soil in plant biomass 2 , as plants are net sinks that incorporate 37 the atmospheric Hg into leaf tissues 3 . These plantations, mainly from Salicaceous species (i.e., 38 willow), favour the appearance of spontaneous herbaceous cover highly dominated by the 39 common stinging nettle, Urtica dioïca L. (Urticaceae) 4 . In natural conditions, this nettle is 40 considered an invertebrate "super-host" providing food for a large diversity of insects with 41 different biology 5 and is involved in strong trophic interactions [6][7][8] . In this context, herbivorous 42 insects on revegetated landfills are potentially exposed to Hg and, more precisely, to 43 methylmercury (MeHg), the form of Hg that biomagnifies readily from soil and sediment to 44 plants 9 . The accumulation of MeHg in herbivorous insects can cause serious physiological, 45 neurological, behavioural and reproductive disorders for insects or invertebrate predators, 46 birds and mammals through their diet 10,11 . 47Studies and reviews focusing on Hg transfer in the terrestrial food chain and its 48 toxicity on specific groups (i.e., birds, invertebrates, mammals, and microorganisms) have 49 increased since 2010 12,13 . Some recent works, mainly targeting high trophic levels taxa, 50 concluded that elevated MeHg concentrations in high trophic wildlife are ubiquitous across 51 the world's ecosystems and that there is a lack of accurate information on...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect Life Traits Are Key Factors in Mercury Accumulation and Transfer within the Terrestrial Food Web

Yung

Bertheau

Cazaux³

et al. 2019

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Recycling studies on spent fluorescent lamps containing mercury are being conducted in several countries [1]. Technologies used to recycle spent fluorescent lamps are recognized as core technologies for treating mercury and can be generally categorized into dry and wet recycling technologies [2]. Internationally, dry technology is preferred for treating mercury because wastewater is not generated and valuable materials are easily recovered.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Energy Consumption in the Mercury Treatment of Phosphor Powder from Spent Fluorescent Lamps Using a Thermal Process

Choi

Rhee

2017

Sustainability

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Abstract:In a pilot-plant-scale thermal mercury treatment of phosphor powder from spent fluorescent lamps, energy consumption was estimated to control mercury content by the consideration of reaction kinetics. Mercury content was analyzed as a function of treatment temperature and time. The initial mercury content of the phosphor powder used in the thermal process was approximately 3500 mg/kg. The target mercury content in the phosphor powder thermal process of the phosphor powder was 5 mg/kg or less at 400 • C or higher because the target mercury content was recommended by Minamata Convention and Basel Convention. During thermal processing, the reaction rate was represented by a first order reaction with the Arrhenius equation. The reaction rate constant increased with temperature from 0.0112 min −1 at 350 • C to 0.0558 min −1 at 600 • C. The frequency factor was 2.51 min −1 , and the activation energy was 6509.11 kcal/kg. Reaction rate constants were used to evaluate the treatment time required to reduce mercury content in phosphor powder to be less than 5 mg/kg. The total energy consumption in a pilot-plant-scale thermal process was evaluated to determine the optimal temperature for removing mercury in phosphor powder.

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“…Korea’s industrial activities, notably its energy sector and manufacturing industries, including gold mining and chlor-alkali plants, are major contributors to the country’s mercury emissions profile. In particular, the reliance on coal for energy production is responsible for releasing significant amounts of mercury into the atmosphere [ 22 ]. This is compounded by the broader context of Asia, responsible for nearly half of the world’s anthropogenic mercury emissions, largely due to industrial and energy-related activities [ 23 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Urinary Mercury/Cadmium Concentrations and Anthropometric Features in Korean Children

Shin,

Kim,

Kwon

et al. 2024

Toxics

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Investigating the impact of urinary mercury and cadmium on anthropometric parameters in Korean children is crucial amid growing concerns about heavy metal exposure and childhood growth. Using data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2015–2017), we assessed age- and sex-specific associations of urinary mercury and cadmium with height and body mass index (BMI) z-scores in 1458 children aged 3–5 (n = 571) and 6–11 years (n = 887). Overall, 5.0% had stunted height (3–5 years: 6.9%, 6–11 years: 3.8%), whereas older children exhibited higher overweight/obesity prevalence (29.2%) than younger ones did (22.2%). In 3–5-year-old boys, urinary mercury correlated negatively with height z-scores (p < 0.001), whereas in girls, urinary cadmium correlated positively (p = 0.015). Boys aged 6–11 years showed positive associations between mercury/cadmium levels and BMI z-scores (p = 0.012). Logistic regression indicated associations between urinary mercury and stunted height likelihood (p = 0.001) and between urinary cadmium and reduced overweight likelihood (p = 0.039) in 3–5-year-old boys. In boys aged 6–11 years, urinary cadmium levels were positively associated with overweight likelihood (p = 0.003). This study underscores the link between elevated urinary mercury, cadmium levels, and growth disruptions in Korean children, emphasizing the need for public health strategies for reducing childhood heavy metal exposure.

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Control of mercury emissions: policies, technologies, and future trends

Cited by 7 publications

References 60 publications

Insect Life Traits Are Key Factors in Mercury Accumulation and Transfer within the Terrestrial Food Web

Insect Life Traits Are Key Factors in Mercury Accumulation and Transfer within the Terrestrial Food Web

Evaluation of Energy Consumption in the Mercury Treatment of Phosphor Powder from Spent Fluorescent Lamps Using a Thermal Process

Associations between Urinary Mercury/Cadmium Concentrations and Anthropometric Features in Korean Children

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