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Related Experiment Videos

A simple field method to determine mercury volatilization from soils.

Frank Böhme1, Jörg Rinklebe, Hans-Joachim Stärk

  • 1UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Department of Soil Science, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany. frank.boehme@ufz.de

Environmental Science and Pollution Research International
|July 1, 2005
PubMed
Summary

A new, cost-effective field method using a gas suck up chamber (GSC) allows rapid estimation of potential mercury emissions from soils. This mobile system simplifies mercury volatilization assessments in polluted areas.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Geochemistry
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Traditional methods for estimating gaseous mercury volatilization from soils are complex, stationary, and expensive.
  • There is a need for a mobile, simple, cost-effective field method for rapid mercury emission estimates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a mobile and user-friendly field method for rapid estimation of potential mercury (Hg) emissions from soils.
  • To create a cost-effective alternative to complex and stationary measurement techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a novel 'gas suck up chamber' (GSC) system.
  • The system comprises a glass chamber, gold traps, a battery-operated pump, and a gas meter.
  • Total gaseous mercury (TGM) adsorbed in gold traps was quantified using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).

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Main Results:

  • The GSC system demonstrated a strong linear correlation (r = 0.993) between TGM content in gold traps and pumped gas volume.
  • Adsorbed TGM increased proportionally with gas volume, indicating homogenous soil air mercury concentrations.
  • Significant amounts of TGM were detected in soil, consistent with high soil mercury content and high emission potential.

Conclusions:

  • The developed GSC is a suitable setup for rapidly estimating the magnitude of mercury volatilization from soils.
  • Initial measurements suggest the GSC is effective, though further verification at diverse polluted sites is required.
  • Future work includes using a mercury analyzer for faster risk assessments.