Mercury deposition/accumulation rates in the vicinity of a lead smelter as recorded by a peat deposit

. Recent findings show that Hg records from peat tend to overestimate historical levels of Hg deposition. Therefore we used the mass loss compensation factor (MLCF) to normalize Hg accumulation rates. These corrected Hg accumulation rates were significantly lower (maximum 129 mg m À2 yr À1 ) and better corresponded to changes in historical smelter emissions, which were highest in the 1960s. The agreement between the corrected Hg accumulation rates in the uppermost peat sections (2-38 mg m À2 yr À1 ) and biomonitoring of atmospheric deposition by mosses in several recent years (4.7-34.4 mg m À2 yr À1 ) shows the usefulness of MLCF application on Hg accumulation in peat archives. However, the MLCF correction was unsuitable for Pb. The recent Pb deposition rates obtained by an independent biomonitoring study using mosses (0.5-127 mg m À2 yr À1 ) were better correlated with net Pb accumulation rates recorded in peat (7-145 mg m À2 yr À1 ) than with corrected rates obtained by the MLCF approach (1-28 mg m À2 yr À1 )

Mercury speciation in forest soils

We compared distribution of Hg in soil profiles with different level of Hg content in forest floor humus. Detailed study of soil profiles revealed that at the locality with lower Hg content in humus was higher Hg content in mineral horizons in comparison to locality with higher content in organic horizons. Most of the Hg in forest soils was bound to organic matter

Mercury content and speciation in contaminated soils

The study deals with the determination of Hg distribution and speciation in soils with different level of contamination in the CR. The highest concentrations of Hg were found in topsoil horizons and declined with increasing depth and decreasing content of humus. Thermodesorption analysis distinguished Hg2+ weakly bound to clay minerals from Hg bound to organic matter or sulfides

Mercury speciation determined by thermo-desorption analysis at two sites contaminated by mining

Historic mercury mining represents an envinrnmental threat due to high llg concentration in waste materia|. Mercur1'ores \\'ere mined for more than l50 years at t\ťo siles in the centr.a| ('zech Republic, hut thc extent of Hg contamination in the vicinity of former l-lg mining sites has not been yet inr'stigatď. The objectives of the study weÍe to eva|uate thc Hg sorrrces in mine wastes. assess the extent of Hg contamination in historical ntining area ancl to cstimate potential mohility of Hg in the mine waste and soils. The method of thermal tlesorption in combination tvith Í(.P-oES (TDA-lCP.oEs) has been app|ie<l to dctermine llg speciation irr solid samples. Mine rvaste matďa| was samp|e<| at two mining sites. .|edová Hora and Svatá, in ccntral Bohemia. Three soi| profi|es were col|cclď to caphlre likely high and low impact sites rvithin the mining area at Jedová l{ora' Database of thcmto-<|esorption cun,cs o[ I{g chemica| conrpottnds ant| rcference materia|s was crcated for the TDÁ ftrr comparativc purposes. Both mine wastes and soils collected near the llg nines were highly elcvated in total l-lg corcentrations (up to 120 pg g-r and l0 pg g-', respectively). Soils exhibited the highest tlg concentrations mostly in subsurface Ah soil horizons. Higher lJg concentrations in Ah horizons relative..