70
R. Ferrara
to evaluate the contribution of the single sources present, which is fundamental
knowledge required for a rational environmental policy aimed at a pollution
containment and recovery.
Just a few years ago it was the general belief that in mining districts in which
all activity had ceased, the air ventilated from shafts and natural degassing from
the ground and from the large piles of roasted cinnabar were the most significant
sources of atmospheric mercury.
Recent results have instead made it obvious that the abandoned mining
structures (in particular the smelting and condensation towers) are the main
emitting sources, with values 20-30 times higher than those of the cinnabar banks.
Plants grown in these mineralized areas present noticeably higher values of
mercury concentration than the same species from unpolluted sites; but these
organisms show no clear morphological or physiological alterations. This finding
could be due to the presence of a mercury tolerance mechanism allowing plants
to overcome the toxic effect of the intracellular metal.
The rivers which drain the catchment of the three districts do not present
particularly high mercury concentrations in the dissolved phase (an exception
are the waters coming directly from the active plant of Almaden). The suspended
particulate matter and the sediments show, on the other hand, high levels, and
their effect on the aquatic cycle is quite evident at the mouth of the river and
along the relative coast line. In fact, in these areas, the sediments are greatly
enriched by metal and through the food chain this has caused the presence of
consistent mercury concentrations in organisms belonging to higher rings of the
food chain.
References
Bacci E, Leonzio C, Renzoni A (1978) Mercury decontamination in a river of Mount Amiata. Bull
Environ Con tam Toxicol 20:577-581
Bacci E, Gaggi C, Duccini M, Bargagli R, Renzoni A (1994) Mapping mercury vapours in an
abandoned cinnabar mining area by azalea (AzaLea indica) leaf trapping. Chemosphere 29:641-656
Baldi F, Bargagli R (1982) Chemical leaching and specific surface area measurements of marine
sediments in the evaluation of mercury contamination near cinnabar deposits. Mar Environ Res
6:69
Bargagli R (1990) Mercury emission in an abandoned mining area: assessment by epiphytic lichens.
Encyclopedia of environmental control technology. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas, pp
613-640
Bargagli R, Baldi F (1984) Mercury and methylmercury in higher fungi and their relation with the
substrata in a cinnabar mining area. Chemosphere 13:1059-1071
Bargagli R, losco FP, Barghigiani C (1987) Assessment of mercury dispersal in an abandoned mining
area by soil and lichen analysis. Water Air Soil Pollut 36:219-225
Barghigiani C, Ristori T (1994) Mercury levels in agricultural products of Mt. Amiata (Tuscany, Italy).
Arch Environ Con tam Toxicol 26:329-334
Barghigiani C, Siegel BZ, Bargagli R, Siegel SM (1989) The contribution of mercury from thermal
springs to the environmental contamination of Mt Amiata. Water Air Soil Pollut 4P69-175
Biester H, Hess A, Miiller G (1997) Mercury phases in soils and sediments in the ldrija mining area.
Report of the Meeting ldrija as a Natural and Anthropogenic Laboratory ldrija 24-25 May 1996.
ldrija Mercury Mine, ldrija, Slovenia (in press)
R. Ferrara
to evaluate the contribution of the single sources present, which is fundamental
knowledge required for a rational environmental policy aimed at a pollution
containment and recovery.
Just a few years ago it was the general belief that in mining districts in which
all activity had ceased, the air ventilated from shafts and natural degassing from
the ground and from the large piles of roasted cinnabar were the most significant
sources of atmospheric mercury.
Recent results have instead made it obvious that the abandoned mining
structures (in particular the smelting and condensation towers) are the main
emitting sources, with values 20-30 times higher than those of the cinnabar banks.
Plants grown in these mineralized areas present noticeably higher values of
mercury concentration than the same species from unpolluted sites; but these
organisms show no clear morphological or physiological alterations. This finding
could be due to the presence of a mercury tolerance mechanism allowing plants
to overcome the toxic effect of the intracellular metal.
The rivers which drain the catchment of the three districts do not present
particularly high mercury concentrations in the dissolved phase (an exception
are the waters coming directly from the active plant of Almaden). The suspended
particulate matter and the sediments show, on the other hand, high levels, and
their effect on the aquatic cycle is quite evident at the mouth of the river and
along the relative coast line. In fact, in these areas, the sediments are greatly
enriched by metal and through the food chain this has caused the presence of
consistent mercury concentrations in organisms belonging to higher rings of the
food chain.
References
Bacci E, Leonzio C, Renzoni A (1978) Mercury decontamination in a river of Mount Amiata. Bull
Environ Con tam Toxicol 20:577-581
Bacci E, Gaggi C, Duccini M, Bargagli R, Renzoni A (1994) Mapping mercury vapours in an
abandoned cinnabar mining area by azalea (AzaLea indica) leaf trapping. Chemosphere 29:641-656
Baldi F, Bargagli R (1982) Chemical leaching and specific surface area measurements of marine
sediments in the evaluation of mercury contamination near cinnabar deposits. Mar Environ Res
6:69
Bargagli R (1990) Mercury emission in an abandoned mining area: assessment by epiphytic lichens.
Encyclopedia of environmental control technology. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas, pp
613-640
Bargagli R, Baldi F (1984) Mercury and methylmercury in higher fungi and their relation with the
substrata in a cinnabar mining area. Chemosphere 13:1059-1071
Bargagli R, losco FP, Barghigiani C (1987) Assessment of mercury dispersal in an abandoned mining
area by soil and lichen analysis. Water Air Soil Pollut 36:219-225
Barghigiani C, Ristori T (1994) Mercury levels in agricultural products of Mt. Amiata (Tuscany, Italy).
Arch Environ Con tam Toxicol 26:329-334
Barghigiani C, Siegel BZ, Bargagli R, Siegel SM (1989) The contribution of mercury from thermal
springs to the environmental contamination of Mt Amiata. Water Air Soil Pollut 4P69-175
Biester H, Hess A, Miiller G (1997) Mercury phases in soils and sediments in the ldrija mining area.
Report of the Meeting ldrija as a Natural and Anthropogenic Laboratory ldrija 24-25 May 1996.
ldrija Mercury Mine, ldrija, Slovenia (in press)