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The metallic mercury solubility in hydrocarbons (pentane, hexane, heptane, and octane) was determined in the temperature range from 5 to 40 °C by the cold-vapor atomic absorption method. The results, for pentane at 25 °C, were found to agree well with Kuntz’s result obtained by means of the ultraviolet absorption method, while those for hexane, heptane, and octane were found to agree well with Spencer’s results, which were obtained using a radioactivetracer technique in the above temperature range. The liquid-liquid distribution constant for metallic mercury between the above hydrocarbons and water was measured at 25 °C, and in each case was found to be equal to the ratio of the independent solubility in the hydrocarbon and in water.

The 1-octanol/water partition coefficient of metallic mercury was measured as a useful parameter for predicting the environmental behavior or fate of mercury. The partition coefficient obtained was 4.15±0.20 at 298 K; it slightly decreased from 4.80 to 3.80 as the temperature rose from 278 to 308 K. The partition coefficient of metallic mercury is very low in comparison with those of such nonpolar organic compounds as benzene and tetrachloromethane. Therefore, it was found that metallic mercury has a tendency to be further concentrated in the atmosphere.

The volatilization rate of mercury was studied, together with the oxygen reaeration rate, in a laboratory scale under various mixing conditions. The rates of both mercury and oxygen were controlled by mass transfer in the aqueous phase. The obtained ratio of the mercury-volatilization rate constant to the oxygen-reaeration rate constant was 0.94 at temperatures ranging from 283 to 303. If the oxygen-reaeration rate constant is available in a real-water body or in a wastewater-treatment facility, multiplying its value by the ratio of 0.94 permits the determination of the volatilization rate constant of mercury without the direct measurement of the mercury.