The thermal stabilization characteristics of mercury species (inorganic and organic) in the presence of different chemical modifiers, including PdCl2 + ascorbic acid, (NH4)2PdCl6 + citric acid, (NH4)3RhCl6 + citric acid and a mixture of the last two salts, were investigated. The results indicate that PdCl2 + ascorbic acid can stabilize mercury species upto a temperature of 5008C whereas, with t...

In most ecosystems, atmospheric deposition is the primary input of mercury. The total wet deposition of mercury in atmospheric chemistry models is sensitive to parameterization of the aqueous-phase reduction of divalent oxidized mercury (Hg). However, most atmospheric chemistry models use a parameterization of the aqueous-phase reduction of Hg that has been shown to be unlikely under normal amb...

Spatial patterns in mercury cycling and bioaccumulation at the landscape level in the Everglades were investigated by collecting and analyzing multimedia samples for mercury species and biogeochemical characteristics from 228 randomly located stations. Higher total mercury (THg) in environmental compartments (surface water, soil, flocculent detrital material (floc), and periphyton) generally oc...

Mercury amalgamation is used indiscriminately in the recovery of gold by small-scale native gem winners in Ghana. Mercury is released into the environment in the form of wastewater, tailing and vapor from the roasting of amalgam to separate gold. The study looked at the levels of total mercury concentration in surface soil and cassava crop from farms located within the vicinities of Bogoso and ...

This review summarizes information obtained from published literature to determine to what degree biomagnification of organic compounds and metals occurs in freshwater and marine food webs. This review was conducted by: (1) examining data from studies conducted in laboratory experiments to establish body burden ratios between trophic levels (trophic transfer coefficients; TTCs); (2) comparing l...

[1] Mercury (Hg) contamination is widespread in remote areas of the northeastern United States. Forested uplands have accumulated a large reservoir of Hg in soil from decades of elevated anthropogenic deposition that can be released episodically to stream water during high flows. The objective of this study was to evaluate spatial and temporal variations in stream water Hg species and organic m...

The effect of bitter kola on the hepatotoxicity following mercury poisoning (mercuric chloride solution of 10ppm) was investigated in rats for a duration of six weeks. Thirty (30) acclimatized Wistar rats were divided into five groups(n=6).Group I served as control and were fed on normal rat chow and clean water ad libitum, group II received normal chow and mercury contaminated water (10ppm), g...

We have established the optimal conditions for use of sodium borohydride as the reducing agent before the direct determination of mercury in water, urine, and blood by atomic absorption spectroscopy. We evaluated the effects of pH, temperature, and cupric sulfate concentration on the direct determination of both organic and inorganic compounds of mercury. Accurate and precise quantification of ...

Sulfur forms deposited on carbonaceous surfaces after exposure to hydrogen sulfide were analyzed using XPS and XANES. Higher temperatures promote the formation of organic sulfur and the presence of H2S during the cooling process increased elemental sulfur content. Temperatures between 400–600 C were found to be optimal for producing effective mercury uptake sorbents. The increased amount of sul...