Mercury from Gold and Silver Mining: A Chemical Time Bomb?Springer Science & Business Media, 6 dec. 2012 - 147 pagini Due to its inherent characteristics, mercury contamination from gold mining is a major environmental problem compared to past mercury contamination from industrial point sources. The worsening of social-economical conditions and increasing gold prices in the late 1970s resulted in a new rush for gold by individual entrepreneurs for whom Hg amalgamation is a cheap and easily carried out operation. Even after the present-day mining areas are exhausted, the mercury left behind will remain part of the biochemical cycle of the tropical forest. This book reviews the current information on mercury from gold mining, its cycling in the environment and its long-term ecotoxicological impact. The book is illustrated with numerous diagrams and photographs. |
Cuprins
1 | |
12 PresentDay Worldwide Utilization of Mercury Amalgamation | 4 |
13 PresentDay Amalgamation Mining Techniques | 6 |
Estimating Losses of Mercury to the Environment | 15 |
22 Mercury Emissions from Historical Gold and Silver Mining | 18 |
23 The Second Gold Rush in the South | 22 |
Mercury in the Atmosphere | 29 |
Burning of Amalgam | 30 |
443 Mercury Cycling in Artificial Tropical Reservoirs | 66 |
45 Mercury Methylation | 70 |
Mercury in Biota | 79 |
52 Aquatic Macrophytes | 80 |
53 Animals Excluding Fish | 83 |
54 Fish | 85 |
541 Mercury Concentrations and Distribution in Fish | 86 |
542 MethylMercury in Fish from Gold Mining Areas | 90 |
Degassing from Contaminated Soils Waters and Tailings | 33 |
32 Mercury Concentrations in Air of Urban and Rural Areas | 35 |
33 Chemical Forms Reactivity and Fate of Hg in the Atmosphere | 36 |
34 Impacted Areas Through the Atmospheric Transport Pathway | 39 |
342 Lakes | 44 |
Mercury in Tropical Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems | 47 |
42 Leaching from Tailings | 48 |
422 Mercury Export from Tailings to Adjacent Aquatic Systems | 51 |
43 Rivers | 53 |
432 Mercury and Its Associations in River Sediments | 56 |
433 Hydrological Effects on Hg Dispersion | 58 |
434 Dispersion of Mercury in River Systems | 60 |
44 Tropical Reservoirs | 64 |
441 Atmospheric Inputs | 65 |
543 Fish Response Changes in Hg Environmental Concentrations | 91 |
55 The Atmospheric Link in the Mercury Content of Fish | 93 |
Mercury Contamination of Humans in Gold and Silver Mining Areas | 97 |
61 Exposure Characteristics to Human Groups | 98 |
62 Mercury Concentrations in Humans from Occupational Exposure | 99 |
63 Mercury Concentrations in Humans Due to Environmental Exposure | 104 |
631 Mercury Concentrations in Human Blood | 105 |
Perspectives on the Temporal Development of Mercury Inputs into the Environment | 111 |
72 The Decrease in Mercury Inputs from Industrial Point Sources | 112 |
The Second Gold Rush and Before | 117 |
Summary and Outlook | 121 |
125 | |
143 | |
Alte ediții - Afișează-le pe toate
Mercury from Gold and Silver Mining: A Chemical Time Bomb? ; with 29 Tables Luiz Drude de Lacerda Previzualizare limitată - 1998 |
Mercury from Gold and Silver Mining: A Chemical Time Bomb? Luiz D.de Lacerda,Wim Salomons Nu există previzualizare disponibilă - 2013 |
Termeni și expresii frecvente
activity amalgamation Amazon America amount aquatic associated atmosphere background basin blood bottom sediments Brazilian central Brazil close collected compared contamination countries cycling decrease deposition dispersion distribution drainage ecosystems effects emissions environment environmental estimated example exposure factors fish gold and silver gold dealer gold mining gold mining areas groups hair Hg concentrations Hg2+ Hgº higher human important increase industrial inputs involved Italy Lacerda lakes levels Madeira River major Malm measured Mercury concentrations metals methyl-Hg methylation mining sites natural nearly Negro River Nriagu occurs operation organic matter particles pathway Pfeiffer plant Pollut population present production ranging rates reach region relatively released reported reservoir samples season sediments showed significant silver mining similar soils species studies suggest surface Table tailings Tapajós River tion tons total Hg transport tropical typical ug g urban urine values vapor