Monitoring and Assessment of Mercury Pollution in
the Vicinity of Electrical Engineering Plants in the CIS
E.P. YANIN and N.N. MOSKALENKO
1
Introduction
Mercury and mercury compounds are widely used in electrical engineering in the
production of different gas-discharge instruments (mercury lamps, mercury
valves, indicators), converters, commutators (switches, relay, etc.), photoresistors, chemical current sources (especially, dry galvanic cells), gas-filled
thyratrons and triodes, semiconducting materials, etc. Production of luminescent
lamps is of special importance, because in this case mercury is a constituent part
of consumer goods. It has been suggested that the main source of the highly toxic
mercury pollution in Russia is luminescent lamps (Avrukh 1994).
However, a complete analysis of this problem with respect to the use and
production of luminescent lamps is lacking. This has led to a definite
exaggeration of the importance of luminescent lamps as the main mercury
emission source in the environment, on the one hand, and, on the other, to an
underestimation of the lighting industry as a pollution source by other
contaminants. The composition of luminescent lamps also includes such
chemical elements as cadmium, thallium, lead, zinc, nickel, manganese,
aluminium, fluorine, tungsten, etc. Glass manufacturing, being a part of electric
lamp plants, is a powerful emission source of lead in the atmosphere. Glass
toning technology, where hydrofluoric acid is used, is a source of intense fluorine
emission. Furthermore, electrical engineering plants usually produce both
luminescent lamps and filament lamps, as well as other lighting sources.
Available data show that besides mercury, electrical engineering plants are an
emission source of many chemical elements and their compounds into the
environment (Burenkov et al. 1993). Intensive pollution of the habitat by different
pollutants may be observed in the vicinity of electrical engineering plants. The
main aim of the present chapter is to sum up all the data available, including the
author's field data, on mercury pollution in the vicinity of electrical engineering
plants of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Large lighting plants
producing different types of electric lamps, including luminescent lamps, are
located in Russia and the CIS.
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999
the Vicinity of Electrical Engineering Plants in the CIS
E.P. YANIN and N.N. MOSKALENKO
1
Introduction
Mercury and mercury compounds are widely used in electrical engineering in the
production of different gas-discharge instruments (mercury lamps, mercury
valves, indicators), converters, commutators (switches, relay, etc.), photoresistors, chemical current sources (especially, dry galvanic cells), gas-filled
thyratrons and triodes, semiconducting materials, etc. Production of luminescent
lamps is of special importance, because in this case mercury is a constituent part
of consumer goods. It has been suggested that the main source of the highly toxic
mercury pollution in Russia is luminescent lamps (Avrukh 1994).
However, a complete analysis of this problem with respect to the use and
production of luminescent lamps is lacking. This has led to a definite
exaggeration of the importance of luminescent lamps as the main mercury
emission source in the environment, on the one hand, and, on the other, to an
underestimation of the lighting industry as a pollution source by other
contaminants. The composition of luminescent lamps also includes such
chemical elements as cadmium, thallium, lead, zinc, nickel, manganese,
aluminium, fluorine, tungsten, etc. Glass manufacturing, being a part of electric
lamp plants, is a powerful emission source of lead in the atmosphere. Glass
toning technology, where hydrofluoric acid is used, is a source of intense fluorine
emission. Furthermore, electrical engineering plants usually produce both
luminescent lamps and filament lamps, as well as other lighting sources.
Available data show that besides mercury, electrical engineering plants are an
emission source of many chemical elements and their compounds into the
environment (Burenkov et al. 1993). Intensive pollution of the habitat by different
pollutants may be observed in the vicinity of electrical engineering plants. The
main aim of the present chapter is to sum up all the data available, including the
author's field data, on mercury pollution in the vicinity of electrical engineering
plants of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Large lighting plants
producing different types of electric lamps, including luminescent lamps, are
located in Russia and the CIS.
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999