Mercury contamination of riverine sediments in the vicinity of a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant in Sagua River, Cuba

Bolaños-Álvarez, Yoelvis; Alonso-Hernández, Carlos; Morabito, Roberto; Díaz-Asencio, Misael; Pinto, Valentina; Gómez-Batista, Miguel

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.025

Cited by 34 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The EnF values of Hg in samples from the electrolysis factory (EF), the mercury disposal area (ZD), and the wastewater channel (K) are significantly higher than 50, which indicates that these samples showed an extremely severe enrichment of mercury pollution. These values of the enrichment factor for Hg were more elevated than those in the sample that was taken near to a chlor–alkali plant, as presented in the work of Bolaños-Álvarez et al [8]. During a NATO bombing in 1999 [26], the analyzed Petrochemical complex was destroyed, and a significant amount of Hg polluted the environment.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…With the increase of industrialization and urbanization, the pollution by elements will increase [5,6] and the exposure to them can lead to acute and chronic toxicity [7]. For assessing soil and sediment contamination, researchers recommended the calculation of pollution indices [1,4,8,9,10,11]. Besides being a significant pollutant of soil and sediments, potentially toxic elements (PTE) can also pose a substantial threat to human health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pollution and Health Risk Assessments of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Sediment Samples in a Petrochemical Industry and Surrounding Area

et al. 2019

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The pollution state and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in soil and sediment samples of the petrochemical industry and its surrounding area are evaluated in this study. The pseudo-total contents of Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, As, Hg, and Se were measured by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES) in analyzed samples. Instead of determining total content, we performed aqua regia of the samples. The silicate matrix remained, and the quantities of elements that are within the silicate matrix do not represent an environmental danger. The soils from the chlor–alkali plant are highly polluted by Hg (the enrichment factor values were above 6000), and by Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn, while the sediment samples from the wastewater channel are polluted with Cr, Cd, and Hg. The measured element contents are used for calculating health risk criteria for a composite worker (a worker who is exposed, long-term, during the work day) and for residential people. Hg is the element that mainly contributes to non-carcinogenic risks within the petrochemical area. The highest value of total carcinogenic risk obtained in the sediment sample from the wastewater channel, and the metal that mostly contributes is Cr. The areas closest to the petrochemical industry have higher values of health risk criteria parameters and pollution indices. The areas that are located further to the north and south from the petrochemical industry are less burdened with the analyzed elements, which is significant because the closest city and village are situated in those directions.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollution and Health Risk Assessments of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Sediment Samples in a Petrochemical Industry and Surrounding Area

et al. 2019

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“…However, all of the studies mentioned in Table 4 report concerns associated with one or several of the following: wet and dry deposition of Hg in soils, a potential re-release of Hg from sinks including soils and sediments, leaching from wastes disposed on the plants' territory, and bioaccumulation of Hg in the site's biota. There are increasingly more reported cases of Hg pollution resulting from operations of chlor-alkali (e.g., Sagua La Grande, Cuba [95,96]; Angara River, Russia [97]; Neratovice, Czech Republic [98]) and aldehyde plants (e.g., Ravenna, Italy [99]) worldwide indicating how prevailing is the problem. They also demonstrate the value in reporting the current situation and sharing lessons learned in environmental assessment, risk characterization, and remediation responses of all individual cases.…”

Section: Comparison With Cases From Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury (Hg) Contaminated Sites in Kazakhstan: Review of Current Cases and Site Remediation Responses

Güney

Akimzhanova

Kumisbek

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Mercury (Hg) emissions from anthropogenic sources pose a global problem. In Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s central and northern regions are among the most severely Hg-contaminated territories. This is due to two former acetaldehyde (in Temirtau) and chlor-alkali (in Pavlodar) plants, discharges from which during the second half of the 20th century were estimated over 2000 tons of elemental Hg. However, the exact quantities of Hg released through atmospheric emissions to the environment, controlled discharges to the nearby aquatic systems, leakages in the cell plant, and contaminated sludge are still unknown. The present review is the initiation of a comprehensive field investigation study on the current state of these contaminated sites. It aims to provide a critical review of published literature on Hg in soils, sediments, water, and biota of the impacted ecosystems (Nura and Irtysh rivers, and Lake Balkyldak and their surrounding areas). It furthermore compares these contamination episodes with selected similar international cases as well as reviews and recommends demercuration efforts. The findings indicate that the contamination around the acetaldehyde plant site was significant and mainly localized with the majority of Hg deposited in topsoils and riverbanks within 25 km from the discharge point. In the chlor-alkali plant site, Lake Balkyldak in North Kazakhstan is the most seriously contaminated receptor. The local population of both regions might still be exposed to Hg due to fish consumption illegally caught from local rivers and reservoirs. Since the present field data is limited mainly to investigations conducted before 2010 and given the persisting contamination and nature of Hg, a recent up-to-date environmental assessment for both sites is highly needed, particularly around formerly detected hotspots. Due to incomplete site remediation efforts, recommendations given by several researchers for the territories of the former chlor-alkali and acetaldehyde plant site include ex-situ soil washing, soil pulping with gravitational separation, ultrasound and transgenic algae for sediments, and electrokinetic recovery for the former and removal and/or confinement of contaminated silt deposits and soils for the latter. However, their efficiency first needs to be validated. Findings and lessons from these sites will be useful not only on the local scale but also are valuable resources for the assessment and management of similar contaminated sites around the globe.

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“…Trace elements can enter the human body via dust inhalation, dermal absorption, and ingestion of water, soil, and food grown in contaminated sites; ingestion of contaminated vegetables can represent up to 70% of the dietary intake of trace elements (Otte et al 2001). These elements can also have a significant impact on soil microbiota, altering microbial activity and the metabolism of microorganisms (Bolaños et al 2016;Hongyan et al 2016;Muñiz 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First national-wide survey of trace elements in Cuban urban agriculture

Alfaro¹,

Nascimento

Ugarte³

et al. 2017

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Over the last three decades, urban agriculture has been improving food security in Cuba by providing fresh vegetables within and on the outskirts of cities and villages. However, organic fertilizers and substrates that are used in urban agriculture systems can be contaminated by trace elements and accordingly pose risks to human health. This study was carried out to measure the concentrations of cadmium, lead, arsenic, selenium, mercury, nickel, and chromium in composts and substrates used in Cuba's urban agriculture, as well as in vegetables grown in this cropping system to assess risks to human health. Extraction of trace elements from samples was performed with a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid in a microwave oven. Cadmium, lead, nickel, and chromium were determined via optical emission spectrometry, and mercury, selenium, and arsenic were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer coupled with a hydride generation system. We demonstrated that the concentrations of trace elements in organic fertilizers, with the exception of compost from municipal solid waste, were within permissible values and do not pose risks to human health. The compost produced from municipal solid waste and the substrates prepared with this material presented cadmium and lead concentrations above maximum permissible concentrations. This work represents the first national-wide survey of trace elements in Cuban urban agriculture. As a result of this investigation, the use of municipal-solidwaste compost for food production was forbidden in Cuba.

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Mercury contamination of riverine sediments in the vicinity of a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant in Sagua River, Cuba

Cited by 34 publications

References 31 publications

Pollution and Health Risk Assessments of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Sediment Samples in a Petrochemical Industry and Surrounding Area

Pollution and Health Risk Assessments of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Sediment Samples in a Petrochemical Industry and Surrounding Area

Mercury (Hg) Contaminated Sites in Kazakhstan: Review of Current Cases and Site Remediation Responses

First national-wide survey of trace elements in Cuban urban agriculture

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