US EPA

2486237 

Journal Article 

Chemical availability of mercury in stream sediments from the Almaden area, Spain 

Martian-Doimeadios, RCR; Wasserman, JC; Bermejo, LFG; Amouroux, D; Nevado, JJB; Donard, OFX 

2000 

Yes 

Journal of Environmental Monitoring
ISSN: 1464-0325
EISSN: 1464-0333 

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY 

CAMBRIDGE 

2 

4 

360-366 

11249793 

WOS:000088440300016 

The chemical speciation, fractionation and availability of mercury in sediments from a cinnabar mining area (Almaden, Spain) was studied with different extraction and analytical procedures, in order to determine the degree to which the ecosystem is harmed by this pollutant. Three total extraction procedures, a sequential extraction and the speciation of organo-mercury compounds were performed in nine sediment samples. In the study area, although concentrations of mercury can be extremely high (up to 1000 mg kg(-1)), no organo-mercury compounds were detected (< 2 mu g kg(-1)) and the availability of this element seems restricted. One of the methods for total extraction presented considerably lower recovery in Almaden's sediments, yet the results were controlled with certified reference materials. This disagreement was attributed to the fact that the mercury is in a refractory form. Sequential extraction was able to show that most of the mercury is associated with sulfides (probably as metacinnabar) or in the residual refractory phase (probably as red cinnabar).