Speciation of mercury in South African coals

Total mercury (Hg_TOT) concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) for South African Highveld coals. The distribution of Hg in coals was investigated using a four-stage sequential leaching protocol and isotope dilution/gas chromatography coupled to ICP MS (ID-GC-ICP MS). The results show that Hg_TOT ranged from 144 to 303?µg?kg^?1 with a mean of 199?±?26?µg?kg^?1, while Hg_TOT leached from coals using different solvents ranged between 103 and 310?µg?kg^?1 (mean: 218?±?60?µg?kg^?1). Hg leaching rates of 53–78% were achieved in crushed coals. Hg⁰, Hg²⁺, and CH₃Hg⁺ were identified in all coals. CH₃Hg⁺ in studied coals ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 (mean: 0.2) µg?kg^?1. GC ICP MS chromatograms also showed unknown Hg peaks which were identified as other organomercury species such as ethylmercury. Modes of occurrence of Hg in coals were variable with the organic-bound (37–40%) and the sulfide-bound (37–39%) being the dominant mercury forms. Increasing the HCl concentration in the used protocol increased the amount of Hg leached (16%) during this step.     

壳聚糖吸附剂脱除燃煤模拟烟气中汞的试验研究

采用在线检测法检测了纯氮气气氛下及模拟烟气气氛下高分子化合物壳聚糖吸附剂对单质汞的吸附特性,结果表明,温度升高有利于脱汞反应的进行,纯氮气氛下脱除汞单质效率不高,60℃时为28.85%, 120℃时升为38.46%;氮氧化物、硫氧化物对汞的脱除有一定的促进作用,在模拟烟气气氛下120℃时吸附剂出口平衡吸附率为48.05%,平均吸附率约68%.红外光谱分析揭示了壳聚糖吸附剂吸附烟气中汞的机理为2个游离氨基与2个羟基鳌合1个汞原子或汞离子.     

北京市场常见水产品中总汞、甲基汞分布特征及食用风险

以甲苯二次萃取-直接测汞的方法对北京市场常见水产品中的甲基汞进行分析测定,并评价了食用人群的暴露风险。分析样品包括大黄鱼（Pseudosciaena crocea）、虾（Penaeus chinensis）等9种常见海产品以及武昌鱼（Megalobrama amblycephala Yih）、鳙鱼（Aristichthys nobilis）2种淡水海产品。测定结果表明：海产品中总汞和甲基汞质量分数要远高于淡水鱼中的总汞和甲基汞质量分数,总汞绝大多数是以甲基汞的形式存在,所占比例从74.7%到96.0%不等;对其中3种鱼类的鱼体甲基汞分布研究表明：肌肉中的甲基汞质量分数最高,肝脏中次之,鱼鳃中质量分数最低。根据我国水产品甲基汞标准,本研究中水产品甲基汞质量分数均低于国家标准,但根据世界卫生组织（WHO）和美国环保署EPA颁布的甲基汞摄入量参考值,食用银鳕鱼等甲基汞质量分数相对较高的水产品仍然存在一定的风险,应注意限量。     

氧化改性竹炭脱除单质汞的特性与机理分析

将可再生的竹子作为活性炭的前驱体制备得到的竹炭,是一种廉价的多孔材料.在小型试验台架上研究了其脱汞性能,同时为强化竹炭对汞的吸附和氧化作用,采用化学浸渍法对原始竹炭进行了氧化改性,着重研究了改性竹炭的的汞吸附性能,并对改性前后的样品进行了元素分析、XPS表征、FT-IR分析、比表面积及孔径分布分析等以研究表面官能团在改性过程中的转化规律和脱汞机理.结果表明:氧化对竹炭的物理结构破坏严重,比表面积和孔容有明显的下降,但是氧化改性明显提高了竹炭的汞脱除性能.     

贵州省铜仁汞矿区汞污染特征研究

铜仁汞矿位于铜仁市碧江区云场坪镇,曾是贵州省最大的汞矿之一。为了了解该矿在闭坑后矿区的汞污染特征,采集了矿区的大气、水体、矿渣、土壤和农作物样品,分析了汞的分布特征。结果表明,矿区大气汞浓度为7.29~139 ng·m~(-3)、地表水汞浓度为81.6~4.25×103ng·L~(-1)、矿渣汞含量为2.79~510 mg·kg~(-1)、土壤汞含量为3.06~2.92×103mg·kg~(-1)。可见,大气、水体、矿渣和土壤中的汞含量远高于对照区或国家相关标准。共采集了10种农作物玉米(Zea mays L)、高粱(Chinese sorghum)、枣(Ziziphus jujuba Mill)、梨(Pyrus spp)、茄子(Solanum melongena)、丝瓜(Luffa cylindrica)、西红柿(Lycopersicon esculentum)、南瓜(Cucurbita moschata duchesne)、苦瓜(Balsam pear)和辣椒(Capsicum annuum),除了茄子和南瓜外,其余农作物可食部分的汞含量都高于国家《食品安全国家标准》。综上所述,铜仁汞矿开采和冶炼带来的汞污染已严重影响周边生态环境和食品安全,矿区汞污染不容忽视。     

广州市大气气态总汞含量季节和日变化特征

利用高时间分辨率自动测汞仪(tekran 2537B),于2010-11~2011-11对广州市大气气态总汞(TGM)进行了连续1a的观测.结果表明,广州市大气气态总汞的年平均含量为(4.86±1.36)ng/m3,表明该地区受到了一定程度的大气汞污染.TGM浓度按季节表现为:春季>冬季>秋季>夏季.TGM污染呈现春高夏低的现象,气象因素如边界层、静止风是影响其季节分布不同的主要原因.日变化趋势为中午最低,早晚出现2个高峰,边界层和温度对TGM日变化有很大影响.对广州市大气气态汞的可能来源分析结果表明,TGM主要来源于本地人为排放,其中市内燃煤电厂和水泥厂等人为源排放可能是广州市大气气态总汞的主要来源.     

太湖营养状态对沉积物中总汞和甲基汞分布特征的影响

为探讨营养状态对太湖沉积物汞的分布及其甲基化的影响,以太湖不同营养水平的湖区为研究对象,采用PSA和GC-CVAFS方法,分别测定了沉积物总汞(THg)、甲基汞(MeHg)含量;另测定了沉积物有机质含量和水体总氮、总磷浓度.结果显示,太湖表层沉积物THg含量为32.30~150.28ng/g,均值为62.94ng/g,含量高低与营养化程度一致,其垂向分布主要受到人为活动和有机质的影响;MeHg含量为0.32~1.01ng/g,均值为0.51ng/g,不同营养水平的湖湾区MeHg含量差别不大,其分布受有机质的影响,高含量富集在表层,随深度的增加逐渐降低并趋于稳定;甲基化比率比较低主要是太湖水体溶解氧含量高抑制了甲基化过程.     

Inorganic mercury pharmacokinetics in man: a two-compartment model

Excreta data obtained from five human subjects and previously analyzed as part of a multicompartment model (Hall, L.L., P.V. Allen, H.L. Fisher, and B. Most. 1995. The kinetics of intravenously administered inorganic mercury in humans. In Kinetic models of trace element and mineral metabolism, ed. K.N.S. Subramanian and M.E. Wastney, 1-21. Boca Raton: CRC Press) were reanalyzed by means of a two-compartment model. The mobile compartment represents mercury of any form that is available for transport throughout the body. The immobile compartment represents mercury in forms that are not available for transport. The model simulates time profiles for body inorganic mercury and for fecal and urinary excretion. According to the model, intravenously administered mercury enters the body in the mobile form. Following administration, two distinct kinetic profiles were observed. In four of five subjects, mobile mercury in the body declined rapidly and the immobile form became dominant within 6 days. In these subjects, fecal excretion profiles were characterized by an initial phase dominated by excretion of mobile mercury lasting up to 6 days. This was followed by a slower phase during which mobile and immobile mercury were excreted in varying amounts. A similar pattern was seen in urinary profiles, but the initial phase is shorter and less pronounced. In each of these subjects, immobile mercury accounted for 84–94% of the total cumulative urinary excretion. The fifth subject showed a unique kinetic profile. Conversion of mobile to immobile mercury was slow and the two forms did not reach equivalence until approximately 70 days after dosing. Despite this fact, approximately 99% of fecally excreted mercury and 100% of urinary mercury originated in the immobile compartment. Possible explanations for the different profiles are discussed within the context of the model.     

Renal lesions in Greenland sledge dogs ( Canis familiaris ) exposed to a natural dietary cocktail of persistent organic pollutants

Persistent organic pollutants such as Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) are known to exert various adverse health effects in wildlife mammals. The impact from dietary intake of minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) blubber high in organohalogen and other chemical contaminants on renal morphology and function was investigated via a controlled study on West Greenland sledge dogs (Canis familiaris). Our results showed significantly higher frequencies of glomerular, tubular, and interstitial lesions in the exposed group. Furthermore, higher urine protein?:?creatinine ratio and plasma urea levels were found in the exposed group, which indicated a negative impact on kidney function via tubular and glomerular dysfunctions. The lesions were similar to those observed in top predator marine species–such as seals and polar bears–and humans exposed via diet to persistent environmental pollutants. The lesions may have impacts on the overall health of these animals. It is reasonable to suggest that chronic exposure to organic pollutants via a country diet of high trophic level marine organisms may have an impact on renal morphology and function in Arctic apex predators in general as well as Inuit people.     

Effect of dietary factors and environmental chemicals on intestinal drug metabolizing enzymes

The liver is the major site of metabolism of foreign chemicals, but contribution from intestinal biotransformation can influence the overall disposition of chemicals. The intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes are located in the endoplasmic reticulum and they possess biochemical properties similar to those of the hepatic system. In general, the rate of in vitro metabolism of drug substrates in intestines is lower than in the liver. There seem to be differences in regulation and induction of hepatic and intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes. The in vitro intestinal metabolism of foreign chemicals is affected by several factors including the nutritional status of the animal. Dietary components such as vitamins, lipids and vegetables can modify the activities of intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes. Phenobarbital or 3‐methyl‐cholanthrene (3‐MC) pre‐treatment induces the hepatic metabolism of a wide variety of drug substrates in a number of species, while the stimulation of intestinal enzymes is both substrate and species specific. Rabbit intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes seem to be resistant to induction by foreign chemicals.