Mercury contamination of terrestrial vegetation near a Caustic Soda factory in Thailand

Safety tests and antinutrient analyses of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) leaf

“…Indonesians also eat the leaves with fish, as a raw vegetable or fruit side dish with rice known as ‘lalab’, as a steamed vegetable, and as a vegetable–coconut–sambal dish called ‘oorab’ 4. The consumption of noni leaves was so widespread in the Samut Prakarn province of Thailand that contamination of this plant by heavy metal emissions from a local factory was considered a public health problem 5…”

Reduction of mercury pollution in the vicinity of a caustic soda plant in Thailand

“…Unfortunately, the extent of the samples was restricted to 45 m. It showed, however, that the most effective sedimentation of Hg does not occur at very short distances, but at a distance more than 45 m. Similar delayed Hg fail-out was also observed in grass, Sporobolus virginicus, growing near the TACSCO area (Suckcharoen, 1979b).…”

“…Therefore, eating a large amount of fish from this area is a risk. The degree of this risk is aggravated by the fact that some edible aquatic and terrestrial plants near the factory are also loaded with Hg (Suckcharoen, , 1979bPaasivirta et al, 1979). Thus, the local inhabitants may receive Hg-contaminated food from several sources.…”

“…Although the Hg in the fish is decreasing, there exists no evidence for the decrease of Hg fail-out in terrestrial plants (Suckcharoen, 1979b). This may be the major pathway for the release of Hg into the Thai environment and may increase the baseline Hg load, and consequently deteriorate the Hg eliminating capacity of the natural environment.…”

The environmental impact of a chloro-alkali factory in a river basin in Eastern India

“…The Third World countries, in the throes of development, are falling victims to eco-pollution. Heavy metals, like Hg, As, Cd, Pb, etc., now pose a serious problem in various parts of the world (Suckcheroen, 1980). Mercury contamination at Minamata, in Japan, focussed attention to such dangers in an advanced country, and the holocaust at Bhopal, India, more recently highlighted these problems in a developing nation.…”