16
R. Ebinghaus et al.
Table 10. Mercury emissions into the environment from different industries in Siberia. (A1ier
Yagolnitser et al. 1996)
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
emissions
emissions
emissions
emissions
(t year ')
(t year ')
(t year ')
(t year ')
Industry
Atmosphere Waters
Soil"
Total
%
Chemical
58.5
109.0
66.7
234.2
78.9
Industry
Nonferrous metallurgy and Hg
10.6
0.2
4.8
15.6
5.3
production
Ferrous metallurgy
1.1
1.1
0.4
Terminal electric power generation
10.8
10.8
3.6
Electrical and electronic engineering
0.11
0.06
0.67
0.8
0.3
Gold mining
10.6
10.6
13.2
34.4
11.5
Total
91.7
119.9
85.4
296.9
100
Percentage
(30.9%)
(40.3%)
(28.8%)
(100%)
.• Soil (including dumps, solid waste, etc.).
processing plants, coking plants, and hydrocarbon-fired thermal electric power
plants.
The estimates of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment in
Siberia are summarized in Table 10. The total mercury emission from all
anthropogenic sources in Siberia is estimated to be approximately 300 t year - I .
The contribution of chemical industries to mercury emission in the environment
is quite significant. Chlorine and caustic soda plants alone account for nearly
80% of the total mercury emitted. These industries together with gold mining
account for more than 90% of total mercury emissions in this region. The
emissions of mercury from anthropogenic sources to air, water and soil in Siberia
are also given in Table 10. It can be noted from the table that mercury emissions
to air, water and soil are each of the same magnitude. Yagolnitser et al. (1996)
calculated an annual average release into the atmosphere of 3.8 g of mercury per
capita for Siberia and compared with the global annual average of 0.9 g
(Lindqvist et al. 1991)
3.4
Anthropopgenic Mercury Emissions in South America
Detailed mercury emission data for South America are available for only one
country, Brazil. The industrial emission of mercury from major sources into the
atmosphere of Brazil has been summarized in Table 11 (Lacerda et al. 1995).
Sources such as the pharmaceutical industry, dentistry, chemical industry, and
oil and gas combustion, although emitting mercury, have" not been considered
due to their low emission to the atmosphere in this region. Practices such as
refuse and waste incineration, which are particularly important due to high
emission factors, are not common in Brazil, and have also not been included. The
chlorine and alkali industry was the major consumer of mercury in Brazil up to
R. Ebinghaus et al.
Table 10. Mercury emissions into the environment from different industries in Siberia. (A1ier
Yagolnitser et al. 1996)
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
emissions
emissions
emissions
emissions
(t year ')
(t year ')
(t year ')
(t year ')
Industry
Atmosphere Waters
Soil"
Total
%
Chemical
58.5
109.0
66.7
234.2
78.9
Industry
Nonferrous metallurgy and Hg
10.6
0.2
4.8
15.6
5.3
production
Ferrous metallurgy
1.1
1.1
0.4
Terminal electric power generation
10.8
10.8
3.6
Electrical and electronic engineering
0.11
0.06
0.67
0.8
0.3
Gold mining
10.6
10.6
13.2
34.4
11.5
Total
91.7
119.9
85.4
296.9
100
Percentage
(30.9%)
(40.3%)
(28.8%)
(100%)
.• Soil (including dumps, solid waste, etc.).
processing plants, coking plants, and hydrocarbon-fired thermal electric power
plants.
The estimates of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment in
Siberia are summarized in Table 10. The total mercury emission from all
anthropogenic sources in Siberia is estimated to be approximately 300 t year - I .
The contribution of chemical industries to mercury emission in the environment
is quite significant. Chlorine and caustic soda plants alone account for nearly
80% of the total mercury emitted. These industries together with gold mining
account for more than 90% of total mercury emissions in this region. The
emissions of mercury from anthropogenic sources to air, water and soil in Siberia
are also given in Table 10. It can be noted from the table that mercury emissions
to air, water and soil are each of the same magnitude. Yagolnitser et al. (1996)
calculated an annual average release into the atmosphere of 3.8 g of mercury per
capita for Siberia and compared with the global annual average of 0.9 g
(Lindqvist et al. 1991)
3.4
Anthropopgenic Mercury Emissions in South America
Detailed mercury emission data for South America are available for only one
country, Brazil. The industrial emission of mercury from major sources into the
atmosphere of Brazil has been summarized in Table 11 (Lacerda et al. 1995).
Sources such as the pharmaceutical industry, dentistry, chemical industry, and
oil and gas combustion, although emitting mercury, have" not been considered
due to their low emission to the atmosphere in this region. Practices such as
refuse and waste incineration, which are particularly important due to high
emission factors, are not common in Brazil, and have also not been included. The
chlorine and alkali industry was the major consumer of mercury in Brazil up to