Mercury contamination in the vicinity of a derelict chlor-alkali plant
| Autor: | Mikhail A. Ilyushchenko, Susanne M. Ullrich, Trevor W. Tanton, Grigory A. Uskov |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2007 |
| Předmět: |
Hydrology
geography Environmental Engineering geography.geographical_feature_category biology Floodplain chemistry.chemical_element biology.organism_classification Pollution Soil contamination Mercury (element) Food chain chemistry Bioaccumulation Environmental chemistry Freshwater fish Environmental Chemistry Environmental science Water pollution Waste Management and Disposal Surface water |
| Zdroj: | Science of The Total Environment. 381:290-306 |
| ISSN: | 0048-9697 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.02.020 |
| Popis: | This study investigated the environmental impact and level of risk associated with mercury (Hg) contamination near a derelict chlor-alkali plant in Pavlodar, Northern Kazakhstan. Several species of fish were sampled from the highly polluted Lake Balkyldak and the nearby river Irtysh, to assess the extent of Hg bioaccumulation in the aquatic food chain and potential human health risks. A small number of bovine tissue samples, water samples, soil and plant samples from a nearby village were also investigated in order to make a preliminary assessment of potential impacts on the terrestrial food chain. Mercury levels in fish caught from Lake Balkyldak ranged from 0.16 to 2.2 mg kg − 1 and the majority of fish exceeded current human health criteria for Hg. Interspecies comparisons indicated that Hg is accumulated in the order dace > carp > tench. Site-specific bioaccumulation factors (BAF) were calculated for THg, and were estimated for MeHg. Fish from the river Irtysh and floodplain oxbow lakes contained between 0.075 and 0.159 mg kg − 1 of Hg and can be regarded as uncontaminated. Soils were found to be impacted by past atmospheric emissions of Hg. Cattle grazing in the surroundings of the factory are exposed to Hg from contaminated soils, plants and surface water, but the consumption of contaminated fish from the lake appears to be the main route of exposure for humans. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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