Environmental mercury in China: A review

Abstract

Abstract-Mercury is a global pollutant that can be transported over long distances and can bioaccumulate. Currently, China is the country that contributes most to atmospheric Hg emissions and has the greatest intentional (industrial) use of Hg. Mercury in the Chinese environment is generally elevated, particularly in air and water bodies. Remote areas in China also show elevated Hg levels in air and water bodies compared to other rural regions in the world. Large river estuaries are often heavily affected by upstream industrial sources.

Distribution and elevated soil pools of mercury in an acidic subtropical forest of southwestern China

“…This result was consistent well with observations reported by other studies which stressed the affinity of atmospheric mercury to accumulate in the surface layers of soils Pena-Rodriguez et al, 2014). Generally, THg concentrations in surface soils in the TNFP were comparable to mercury levels from other forest soils in China (Lin et al, 2012;Fu et al, 2010a;Liu et al, 2003). But THg concentrations in the soils of our study area were slight lower than THg levels from some remote areas of Eastern Europe which were generally more than 200 ng g À1 for organic layers, primarily due to much higher atmospheric deposition to the forest (Szopka et al, 2011;Gunda and Scanlon, 2013;Navr atil et al, 2014).…”

Mercury in terrestrial forested systems with highly elevated mercury deposition in southwestern China: The risk to insects and potential release from wildfires

“…Declining mercury concentrations with soil depth are commonly observed: Zhou et al (2013) reported declining mercury concentrations from top horizons to deep horizons in a broad-leaf primary forest in Southwestern China; soil concentrations decreased sharply with depth in mineral horizons in Jeffrey pines forest in USA (Obrist et al, 2009);and Liu et al (2003) reported decreasing mercury concentrations in the peat blog of Xiaoxing'an Mountain, northeastern China with highest mercury concentrations in the top horizons. Mercury concentrations in organic soils in the study forest were higher to the data reported from other forest sites in China (Lin et al, 2012) and North America (St. Louis et al, 2001;Biswas et al, 2008). This is in a good agreement with the elevated loading of mercury in TFP.…”

Colorimetric Method for the Detection of Mercury Ions Based on Gold Nanoparticles and Mercaptophenyl Boronic Acid

“…1,2 Mercury exists in a variety of different forms such as inorganic mercury, mercury vapors, and organic mercury derivatives. 3 Inorganic mercury can cause serious damage to the kidneys, brain, endocrine system and central nervous system of both humans and animals.…”