Remediation Techniques for Hg-Contaminated Sites
M. HEMPEL and J. TIIOEMIN(;
1
Introduction
Mercury-polluted soil is a very serious problem, which we have to face not only
in the highly industrialized regions, but also in developing countries. Although
the production and use of mercury has decreased in the Western World since the
late 1970S (in the USA from 1632 t Hg in 1972 to ca. 411 t Hg in 1990), in some
developing countries the import and use is increasing, e.g. in 1972 Brazil
imported 115 t and in 1990 240 t Hg (Hasse 1994; Jasinski 1995).
The sources and uses of mercury with respect to its chemical form are listed
below (see Table 1). At places of mercury production or use, we often face problems
of environmental contamination. Mercury is generally considered one of the most
toxic elements found in the environment. Especially the organic compounds are
characterized by high toxicity and genotoxicity. Although mercury is often
emitted in the elemental or inorganic form, highly toxic organic compounds can
be formed by biological activity or chemical reaction (Hintelmann et al. 1993). In
contrast to most of the heavy metal compounds, mercury in the elemental form
and also in some of the organic forms is volatile at room temperature. These
chemophysical properties must be taken into account during risk assessment.
Managing sites contaminated with mercury requires the assessment of the
remediation alternatives which may be applied. This chapter shows remediation
techniques either already applied, emerging on the laboratory scale, or just
invented and published. It reviews techniques aimed to immobilize or isolate the
pollutant and focus on cleanup methods which attempt to clean the soil or at
least part of the soil.
2
Remediation Principles
Once investigations of the history of a site, the extent of the contamination, the
concentration of mercury and its organic compounds at the source and on its
pathways to mankind and environment are finished and risk is assessed,
remediation alternatives may need to be considered.
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
CD Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999
M. HEMPEL and J. TIIOEMIN(;
1
Introduction
Mercury-polluted soil is a very serious problem, which we have to face not only
in the highly industrialized regions, but also in developing countries. Although
the production and use of mercury has decreased in the Western World since the
late 1970S (in the USA from 1632 t Hg in 1972 to ca. 411 t Hg in 1990), in some
developing countries the import and use is increasing, e.g. in 1972 Brazil
imported 115 t and in 1990 240 t Hg (Hasse 1994; Jasinski 1995).
The sources and uses of mercury with respect to its chemical form are listed
below (see Table 1). At places of mercury production or use, we often face problems
of environmental contamination. Mercury is generally considered one of the most
toxic elements found in the environment. Especially the organic compounds are
characterized by high toxicity and genotoxicity. Although mercury is often
emitted in the elemental or inorganic form, highly toxic organic compounds can
be formed by biological activity or chemical reaction (Hintelmann et al. 1993). In
contrast to most of the heavy metal compounds, mercury in the elemental form
and also in some of the organic forms is volatile at room temperature. These
chemophysical properties must be taken into account during risk assessment.
Managing sites contaminated with mercury requires the assessment of the
remediation alternatives which may be applied. This chapter shows remediation
techniques either already applied, emerging on the laboratory scale, or just
invented and published. It reviews techniques aimed to immobilize or isolate the
pollutant and focus on cleanup methods which attempt to clean the soil or at
least part of the soil.
2
Remediation Principles
Once investigations of the history of a site, the extent of the contamination, the
concentration of mercury and its organic compounds at the source and on its
pathways to mankind and environment are finished and risk is assessed,
remediation alternatives may need to be considered.
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
CD Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999