Observation of Unusual Organic Mercury Species in Soils and Sediments of Industrially Contaminated Sites

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 1845 - 1850
• Main Authors: Hintelmann, Holger, Hempel, Maximilian, Wilken, Rolf Dieter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.07.1995
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Metals; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Sediments; Soil and sediments pollution; Soils; Slovenia; Europe; Germany; West Germany; Chemical pollution; Industrial area; Mercury Compounds; Soil pollution; Sediments; Pollution source
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es00007a023

Several industrial sites in Germany and a mining area in Slovenia were studied for the occurrence of organic mercury compounds. These sites included a former fungicide plant, a chlor alkali plant, an acetaldehyde plant, and a warehouse for phenyl-mercury chloride-treated seeds. Besides methylmercury compounds, which have been found at all the above-mentioned locations, various organomercury species have been detected. Among them were ethylmercury, methoxyethylmercury, and phenylmercury compounds. In addition, three organomercury species were found that have not been identified yet. Analyses were carried out by a newly developed HPLC/AFS method, which allows the determination of CH sub(3)Hg super(+) and organomercury species other than methylmercury.