Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 22, Issue 14, Pages 10529-10538Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4258-4
Keywords
Gaseousmercury capture; Reduction ofmercury; Mercury evasion; Mercury-humics interaction; Elemental mercury
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Funding
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) supported GEOSINKS [PSC0106]
- Department of Science and Technology, India
- CSIR
- UGC
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This study demonstrates that under abiotic dark conditions in aquatic system, humic substances are not only capable of converting Hg(II) to Hg-0 but also able to bind Hg(II) ion. The degree of Hg(II) reduction is significantly influenced by the ratio of -COOH/-OH groups and the sulfur content in the HS, revealing a strong competition between complexation and reduction of Hg(II). This study suggests that abiotic and dark Hg(II) reduction depends on the pH and salinity of aqueous medium. At lower pH (similar to 4.0) and lower salinity (a parts per thousand currency sign5.0 PSU), the reduction of Hg(II) to elemental mercury (Hg-0) was comparatively rapid. Higher -COOH/-OH ratios in HS, favors dark abiotic reduction of Hg(II) as did a lower sulfur (S) content of HS. This study provided a rigorously controlled experimental design that showed that dark abiotic Hg(II) reduction by HS can potentially be important in the aquatic environment and is independent of the photochemical reduction observed in both fresh water and sea water.
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