Tracing Mercury Contamination Sources in Sediments Using Mercury Isotope Compositions

Feng, Xinbin; Foucher, Delphine; Hintelmann, Holger; Yan, Haiyu; He, Tianrong; Qiu, Guangle

doi:10.1021/es9039488

Cited by 153 publications

(110 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Sediments of the Baihua Reservoir, for example, received Hg pollution from the Guizhou Organic Chemical Plant and contain high levels of Hg (0.26-39 mg kg À1 ) [122]. Several studies have been performed that focus on the high potential for Hg methylation [122,123].…”

Section: Mercury In Heavily Contaminated Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental mercury in China: A review

Lin

Vogt

Larssen

2012

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

104

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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.

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Section: Mercury In Heavily Contaminated Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental mercury in China: A review

Lin

Vogt

Larssen

2012

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

104

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“…As a result, the initial studies of Hg isotopes suggest that their analysis within samples from sedimentary deposits, including those within riverine environments, may be used to assess both Hg sources and loading histories [105,193,232,[236][237][238]. Sonke et al [193], for example, found that within the Lot River basin, France metal refining resulted in slag residues that exhibited heavier Hg isotopic values, and both mass-dependent and mass-independent Hg isotopic signatures of contaminated sediments were significantly different (heavier) than that of the local background materials.…”

Section: Mercury Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Assessment of Metal Contaminated Rivers in the 21st Century Using Geochemical and Isotopic Tracers

Miller

2013

Minerals

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Documentation of contaminant source and dispersal pathways in riverine environments is essential to mitigate the potentially harmful effects of contaminants on human and ecosystem health, and is required from a legal perspective (particularly where the polluter pays principle is in effect) in assessing site liability. Where multiple natural and/or anthropogenic sources exist, identification of contaminant provenance has proven problematic, and estimated contributions from a specific source are often the subject of judicial debate. The past, current, and future use of geochemical and isotopic tracers in environmental forensic investigations of contaminant provenance, transport, and fate are analyzed herein for sediment-associated trace metals in riverine environments, particularly trace metals derived from mining and refining operations. The utilized methods have evolved significantly over the past four decades. Of primary significance has been the growing integration of geomorphic and stratigraphic techniques with the use of an increasing number of geochemical tracers including stable isotopes. The isotopes of Pb have been particularly well studied, and have been applied to a wide range of environmental media. Advances in analytical chemistry since the early 1990s have allowed for the precise characterization of other non-traditional stable isotopic systems within geological materials. The potential for using these non-traditional isotopes as tracers in river systems has yet to be adequately explored, but a number of these isotopes (e.g., Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Sb, and Zn) show considerable promise. Moreover, some of these isotopes (e.g., those of Cu, Cr, and Hg) may provide important insights into biogeochemical cycling processes within aquatic environments. This review suggests that future environmental forensic investigations will be characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that combines the use of multiple geochemical tracers with detailed stratigraphic, geomorphic, and hydrologic data, thereby yielding results that are likely to withstand the scrutiny of judicial review.

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“…Fractionation of Hg has been detected in a large variety of environmental compartments, e.g. hydrothermal Hg-bearing ores [8][9][10], coals [11,12], soil/sediments [7,[13][14][15], atmospheric Hg [16] and biological tissues [17]. Above cited studies have unequivocally demonstrated that variations in the Hg isotopic signature could be used in the future as tracers to distinguish between Hg sources and important chemical transformation processes in the environment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This model demonstrated that Hg MIF is a common phenomenon at the global scale and photo-reduction of aqueous Hg is the main MIF inducing process results in negative atmospheric ∆ 199 Hg. Hg for all surface soils (this study), coal samples from Guiyang [19], Hg ore and Hg waste samples collected from WSMM [14,28]. The isotope data in QZPP (n =3) are already published in ref.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%