Determination and assessment of mercury content in calcareous soils

• Published in: Chemosphere
• Main Authors: Gil de Carrasco, Carlos, Roca Pérez, Luis, Boluda Hernández, Rafael, Ramos Miras, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier BV 2024
• Subjects: biologia dels sòls; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10550/93242; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.11.001

This paper provides the first available information on the determination of the total mercury content in different Mediterranean calcareous soils by thermal decomposition, amalgamation and atomic absorp- tion spectrophotometry. Fifty-three samples from five soil use groups (natural, dry land, greenhouse, irri- gated and rice farming soils) were analysed. The results show that the levels of mercury in these soils were 9.4-1585 lg kg 1 . Soil organic matter and the zinc equivalent index have been related to Hg content in soils, suggesting that Cu, Ni, Zn and Hg are of a similar origin. The background level (BL), geochemical baseline concentrations (GBC) and the reference value (RV) were established from natural soils. Calcula- tions are according to the log-normal distribution criterion. The BL, GBC and RV values obtained were 25.1, 9.8-64.3, and 64.3 lg kg 1 , respectively. The BL was similar to the baseline concentration in soils obtained at Admiralty Bay (Antarctica) (24.6 lg kg 1 ) and a Spanish peat bog (Galicia) (22 lg kg 1 ). These data show that rice farming soils (gleyic-calcaric Fluvisols, Fluvaquents), irrigated soils (calcaric Fluvisols, Xerofluvents) and some greenhouse soils (cumulic Antrosols) presented much higher levels, indicating con- tamination. Hg accumulation in these soils was associated with local anthropogenic sources.