Estimation of Gaseous Mercury Emissions
in Germany: Inverse Modelling of Source Strengths
at the Contaminated Industrial Site
BSL Werk Schkopau
O. KRUGER, R. EBINGIIAUS, H.H. KOCK , 1. RICHTER-POLITZ, and C. GEII.HUFE
Anthropogenic emission sources of gaseous mercury at the contaminated industrial site BSL Werk
Schkopau have been determined by measurements and numerical modelling applying a local
dispersion model. The investigations are based on measurements from several field campaigns in the
period of time between December 1993 and June 1994. The estimation of the source strengths was
performed by inverse modelling using measurements as constraints for the dispersion model. Model
experiments confirmed the applicability of the inverse modelling procedure for the source strength
estimation at BSL Werk Schkopau. At the factory premises investigated, the source strengths of four
source areas, among them three closed chlor-alkali productions, one partly removed acetaldehyde
factory and additionaly one still producing chlor-alkali factory have been identified with an
approximate total gaseous mercury emission of lower than 2.5 kg/day.
1
Introduction
In recent years, considerable progress has been made in specifying the
anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury (EPRI 1994). For all Europe the
annual anthropogenic emission of mercury has been estimated to be about 726 t,
originating from 928 sources (Axenfeld et al. 1991). The dominating source
categories in Europe are fossil fuel combustion and chlor-alkali plants. Waste
incineration and non-ferrous metal smelting contribute less than 10%. Emissions
from the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), including the different
species of elemental mercury, divalent inorganic mercury and particulate
mercury, accounted for more than 40% of the European total. The contribution
of the GDR originated from a few relatively small but in most cases highly
industrialized areas. According to Hellwig and Neske (1990), extremely high
amounts were emitted in the region Halle/Leipzig/Bitterfeld, due to both burning
of lignite coal in power plants without flue gas desulurization equipment and
high losses of mercury from the chlor-alkali factories.
An important emitter of air pollutants in this region was the former Chemische
Werke Buna (now Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH; hereafter referred to
as the BSL Werk Schkopau) located near Halle/Saale. Before 1989, the company
produced per year 1000 kt calcium carbide, 300 kt acetylene, 420 kt chlorine,
300 kt polyvinylchloride (PVC) and 120 kt synthetic caoutchouc. As a consequence of the reunification of Germany, about 50 production installations which
were considered to be ecologically harmful were closed at the BSL Werk
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
~) Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999
in Germany: Inverse Modelling of Source Strengths
at the Contaminated Industrial Site
BSL Werk Schkopau
O. KRUGER, R. EBINGIIAUS, H.H. KOCK , 1. RICHTER-POLITZ, and C. GEII.HUFE
Anthropogenic emission sources of gaseous mercury at the contaminated industrial site BSL Werk
Schkopau have been determined by measurements and numerical modelling applying a local
dispersion model. The investigations are based on measurements from several field campaigns in the
period of time between December 1993 and June 1994. The estimation of the source strengths was
performed by inverse modelling using measurements as constraints for the dispersion model. Model
experiments confirmed the applicability of the inverse modelling procedure for the source strength
estimation at BSL Werk Schkopau. At the factory premises investigated, the source strengths of four
source areas, among them three closed chlor-alkali productions, one partly removed acetaldehyde
factory and additionaly one still producing chlor-alkali factory have been identified with an
approximate total gaseous mercury emission of lower than 2.5 kg/day.
1
Introduction
In recent years, considerable progress has been made in specifying the
anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury (EPRI 1994). For all Europe the
annual anthropogenic emission of mercury has been estimated to be about 726 t,
originating from 928 sources (Axenfeld et al. 1991). The dominating source
categories in Europe are fossil fuel combustion and chlor-alkali plants. Waste
incineration and non-ferrous metal smelting contribute less than 10%. Emissions
from the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), including the different
species of elemental mercury, divalent inorganic mercury and particulate
mercury, accounted for more than 40% of the European total. The contribution
of the GDR originated from a few relatively small but in most cases highly
industrialized areas. According to Hellwig and Neske (1990), extremely high
amounts were emitted in the region Halle/Leipzig/Bitterfeld, due to both burning
of lignite coal in power plants without flue gas desulurization equipment and
high losses of mercury from the chlor-alkali factories.
An important emitter of air pollutants in this region was the former Chemische
Werke Buna (now Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH; hereafter referred to
as the BSL Werk Schkopau) located near Halle/Saale. Before 1989, the company
produced per year 1000 kt calcium carbide, 300 kt acetylene, 420 kt chlorine,
300 kt polyvinylchloride (PVC) and 120 kt synthetic caoutchouc. As a consequence of the reunification of Germany, about 50 production installations which
were considered to be ecologically harmful were closed at the BSL Werk
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
~) Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999