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- Title
IMPACT OF MERCURY POLLUTION ON SOIL, SURFACE WATER AND SEDIMENT ECOSYSTEMS IN THE AREA OF AN OLD MERCURY MINE.
- Authors
Popescu, Luisa Roxana; Iordache, Mihaela; Ungureanu, Eleonora-Mihaela; Buica, George-Octavian
- Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of mercury pollution on soil, surface water, and sediment ecosystems in the area of old mercury mines. The study was performed in the touristic area of Sântimbru Băi and Sâncrăieni villages from the Harghita County, Romania. More than twenty years ago, a mine for the extraction of mercury operated in Sântimbru Băi. The area was decontaminated, but no monitoring studies have been made for over 15 years. During these original monitoring studies over four years, soil, surface water and sediment samples were taken upstream and downstream from the studied areas. They were analyzed in respect with the mercury content by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results showed different mercury concentration levels in the surface water (between <1.0 and 6.3 µg/L), soil (between <0.02 and 81.81 mg/Kg DW) and sediment (between <0.02 and 1.859 mg/Kg DW) samples, depending on sampling point and harvesting period. Regarding the soil samples, it was observed that mercury pollution persists over time in the old mine area, although it was closed down for decades.
- Subjects
MERCURY &; the environment; SOIL pollution; SEDIMENTS; BIOTIC communities; DECONTAMINATION (From gases, chemicals, etc.)
- Publication
Environmental Engineering & Management Journal (EEMJ), 2016, Vol 15, Issue 5, p1087
- ISSN
1582-9596
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.30638/eemj.2016.121