[Distribution and species of mercury in water and sediments from Huangpu River]
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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
Zhen-Hua Ding1, Wen-Hua Wang, Cai-E Liu
1School of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Abstract:
Levels of total mercury, soluble mercury and particle mercury in water of Huangpu River change greatly, their average values are (0.4 +/- 0.44) ng/mL, (0.27 +/- 0.42)ng/mL, (0.13 +/- 0.10) ng/mL respectively. Mercury in water is mainly in the form of soluble mercury. Average mercury content in sediment of Huangpu River is relative high and up to (204.03 +/- 97.41) ng/g, with a range of 70.52 ng/g - 387.30 ng/g. Mercury content is high in the middle reach of Huangpu River, especially in section of Xidu-Nanpu Bridge, and low in upstream and downstream. Distribution of mercury is hightly related with distribution of industry plants and farming. Locations with high mercury content in sediment are in the downstream of locations with high mercury content in water. Mercury (in sediments) is mainly in the form of residue, exchangeable ions, and humics-bound, seldom is in the form of carbonate-bound. Contrary to residue-bound mercury, exchangeable mercury is low in the middle reach, and high in upstream and downstream. There mainly are residue-bound mercury and little humics-bound mercury, exchangeable mercury, and carbonate-bound mercury in sediment in profile, and the residue-bound mercury increases irregularly with depth. Nearing the Mouth of Yangtze River, mercury in sediment becomes more active.
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