Natural and Anthropogenic Mercury Sources
15
sources of mercury belong to both, i.e., point and diffuse categories. The mercury
discharged into the air, water, and land has been summarized in Table 9. It is
evident from the table that metallurgical plants still represent the largest fraction
of anthropogenic emission in the Finnish mercury inventory, followed by power
plants. It is also evident from the table that atmospheric mercury emissions from
industrial sources have decreased from 3.5 t year-I in 1987 to 2 t year-I in 1992
due to decreased atmospheric emission from copper smelter at Harjavalta,
decreased chlorine production, and reduced discharges during jerosite production (Mukherjee et al. 1995).
3.3
Anthropogenic Mercury Emissions in Siberia
Detailed mercury emission data also became recently available for one of the
Eastern countries (Yagolnitser et al. 1996). In Siberia, industries emitting
mercury and mercury-containing compounds can be divided into three main
groups. The first group contains plants of the nonferrous metallurgical industry
which produce metallic mercury directly from mercury ores and ore concentrates
and from recycled mercury-containing products. The second group comprises
mainly plants from chemical, electronic, and electrical industries where mercury
is one of the elements in the manufacturing process. The major mercury
consumers in the chemical industry are chlorine and caustic soda plants and
manufacturers of various mercury compounds for other industries such as
mercury oxides and fungicides for agriculture. The third group contains the
enterprises involved in the extraction and processing of various metal ores and
cement producers. In these operations, mercury is a contaminant but its release
can be high. Such plants include ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, oil and gas
Table 9. Total release of mercury (t year I) into the Finnish environment, 1992. (After Mukherjee
et al. 1995)
Categeory
Air
Water
Land
Zn plant
0.9
0.002
1.5
Copper smelter
0.08
0.02
Power plant coal, oil, peat, and wood
0.689
0
0.09
Chlor alkali plant
0.162
0.025
0.008
Refuse incineration
0.004
0
0.02
Iron and steel industry
0.03
0
Cement industry
0.02
0
0
Sludges
0.077
0.15
0.442
Domestic waste and batteries
0
0
1.6
Crematori~s
0.008
0
0.008
Total
2.0
0.20
3.67
Hg discharged in 1987"
3.5
0.15
20.0
- Indicates that the quantity discharged is not known.
" Mukherjee (I 989)
15
sources of mercury belong to both, i.e., point and diffuse categories. The mercury
discharged into the air, water, and land has been summarized in Table 9. It is
evident from the table that metallurgical plants still represent the largest fraction
of anthropogenic emission in the Finnish mercury inventory, followed by power
plants. It is also evident from the table that atmospheric mercury emissions from
industrial sources have decreased from 3.5 t year-I in 1987 to 2 t year-I in 1992
due to decreased atmospheric emission from copper smelter at Harjavalta,
decreased chlorine production, and reduced discharges during jerosite production (Mukherjee et al. 1995).
3.3
Anthropogenic Mercury Emissions in Siberia
Detailed mercury emission data also became recently available for one of the
Eastern countries (Yagolnitser et al. 1996). In Siberia, industries emitting
mercury and mercury-containing compounds can be divided into three main
groups. The first group contains plants of the nonferrous metallurgical industry
which produce metallic mercury directly from mercury ores and ore concentrates
and from recycled mercury-containing products. The second group comprises
mainly plants from chemical, electronic, and electrical industries where mercury
is one of the elements in the manufacturing process. The major mercury
consumers in the chemical industry are chlorine and caustic soda plants and
manufacturers of various mercury compounds for other industries such as
mercury oxides and fungicides for agriculture. The third group contains the
enterprises involved in the extraction and processing of various metal ores and
cement producers. In these operations, mercury is a contaminant but its release
can be high. Such plants include ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, oil and gas
Table 9. Total release of mercury (t year I) into the Finnish environment, 1992. (After Mukherjee
et al. 1995)
Categeory
Air
Water
Land
Zn plant
0.9
0.002
1.5
Copper smelter
0.08
0.02
Power plant coal, oil, peat, and wood
0.689
0
0.09
Chlor alkali plant
0.162
0.025
0.008
Refuse incineration
0.004
0
0.02
Iron and steel industry
0.03
0
Cement industry
0.02
0
0
Sludges
0.077
0.15
0.442
Domestic waste and batteries
0
0
1.6
Crematori~s
0.008
0
0.008
Total
2.0
0.20
3.67
Hg discharged in 1987"
3.5
0.15
20.0
- Indicates that the quantity discharged is not known.
" Mukherjee (I 989)