Simple synthesis and characterization of l-Cystine functionalized δ-FeOOH for highly efficient Hg(II) removal from contamined water and mining waste.

l-Cystine functionalized δ-FeOOH nanoparticles (Cys-δ-FeOOH) were prepared by a cheap and straightforward method for using as an adsorbent of Hg(II) in aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that Cys-δ-FeOOH was successfully synthesized. Cys-δ-FeOOH with 14 nm crystal size, 34 m2 g-1 surface area, and 9 nm pore size were produced. The functionalization of the δ-FeOOH surface with cysteine decreases the point of zero charge of the iron oxyhydroxide from 8.4 in δ-FeOOH to 5.7 in Cys-δ-FeOOH, which is beneficial for the adsorption of Hg(II) near neutral pH. The maximum Hg(II) adsorption capacity of the δ-FeOOH and Cys-δ-FeOOH at pH 7 were found to be 35 mg g-1 and 217 mg g-1, respectively. The kinetics data were best fitted by a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting chemical adsorption on the surface and pores of Cys-δ-FeOOH nanoparticles. Finally, δ-FeOOH and Cys-δ-FeOOH filters were constructed for purifying mercury-contaminated water. The filters were highly efficient to treat mercury-contaminated water from a Brazilian river, reducing the concentration of mercury in water to values below the allowed limits by the current legislation.

Removal of mercury from gold mine effluents using Limnocharis flava in constructed wetlands.

Phytoremediation has received increased attention over the recent decades, as an emerging and eco-friendly approach that utilizes the natural properties of plants to remediate contaminated water, soils or sediments. The current study provides information about a pilot-scale experiment designed to evaluate the potential of the anchored aquatic plant Limnocharis flava for phytoremediation of water contaminated with mercury (Hg), in a constructed wetland (CW) with horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF). Mine effluent used in this experiment was collected from a gold mining area located at the Alacran mine in Colombia (Hg: 0.11 ± 0.03 µg mL-1) and spiked with HgNO3 (1.50 ± 0.09 µg mL-1). Over a 30 day test period, the efficiency of the reduction in the heavy metal concentration in the wetlands, and the relative metal sorption by the L. flava, varied according to the exposure time. The continued rate of removal of Hg from the constructed wetland was 9 times higher than the control, demonstrating a better performance and nearly 90% reduction in Hg concentrations in the contaminated water in the presence of L. flava. The results in this present study show the great potential of the aquatic macrophyte L. flava for phytoremediation of Hg from gold mining effluents in constructed wetlands.

Efficient removal of mercury from aqueous solutions and industrial effluent.

The objective of this study was to examine the ability of a solid waste produced during beneficiation of ornamental rocks to remove mercury (Hg) from an industrial effluent and aqueous solutions under various conditions. Batch studies have been carried out by observing the effects of pH, concentration of the adsorbate, contact time, and so on. Various sorption isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Tóth have been applied for the adsorbent. Film and intraparticle diffusion were both found to be rate-limiting steps. Adsorption was properly described by the Freundlich model (capacity constant of 0.3090 (mg g(-1))(mg L(-1))(-1/n) and adsorption intensity indicator of 2.2939), which indicated a favorable sorption and encouraged subsequent studies for treatment of Hg-containing industrial effluent. Industrial effluent treatment efficiency reached Hg removals greater than 90% by using ornamental rock solid waste (ORSW). Besides, desorption studies indicated that the maximum recovery of mercury was 100 ± 2% for 1 mol L(-1) HNO3 and 74 ± 8% for 0.1 mol L(-1) HNO3. The ORSW could be reused thrice without significant difference on the Hg removal rate from industrial effluent. These findings place ORSW as a promising efficient and low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Hg from aqueous solutions and industrial effluent.

Mercury fractionation in dourada (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) of the Madeira River in Brazil using metalloproteomic strategies.

This paper presents the results of mercury fractionation in muscle samples of dourada (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) from the JIRAU Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Madeira River Basin in the Amazon region of Brazil. The proteome of the dourada muscle was separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE). The mercury present in the protein spots was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after acid mineralisation in an ultrasound bath. The protein spots in which the presence of mercury was detected were characterised by electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) after tryptic digestion. The GFAAS determinations indicated that 65% of the mercury was linked to the protein fraction with a molar mass (Mm) of less than 90 kDa. The mercury concentrations in the seven spots in which this protein fraction was present were in the range of 11.40-35.10 µg kg(-1). Based on the mercury concentrations, it was possible to estimate that the protein spots contained approximately 1-3 mercury atoms per protein molecule. The ESI-MS/MS analysis allowed characterisation of the seven protein spots as the following proteins: protein NLRC5 (molar mass=18.10, pI=6.30); 39S ribosomal protein L36 mitochondrial (molar mass=15.40, pI=8.23); N-alpha-acetyltransferase 20 (Mm=15.95, pI=8.80); Mth938 domain-containing protein (Mm=15.01, pI=9.60); ubiquitin-40S ribosomal protein S27a (Mm=9.80, pI=7.60); parvalbumin alpha (Mm=12.40, pI=3.80) and parvalbumin beta (Mm=13.10, pI=3.45).

Characterization of Hg-phytochelatins complexes in vines (Vitis vinifera cv Malbec) as defense mechanism against metal stress.

An approach to understand vines (Vitis vinifera) defense mechanism against heavy metal stress by isolation and determination of Hg-phytochelatins (PCs) complexes was performed. PCs are important molecules involved in the control of metal concentration in plants. PCs complex toxic metals through -SH groups and stores them inside cells vacuole avoiding any toxic effect of free metals in the cytosol. The Hg-PCs identification was achieved by determination of Hg and S as hetero-tagged atoms. A method involving two-dimensional chromatographic analysis coupled to atomic spectrometry and confirmation by tandem mass spectrometry is proposed. An approach involving size exclusion chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on roots, stems, and leaves extracts describing Hg distribution according to molecular weight and sulfur associations is proposed for the first time. Medium-low molecular weight Hg-S associations of 29-100 kDa were found, suggesting PCs presence. A second approach employing reversed-phase chromatography coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry analysis allowed the determination of Hg-PCs complexes within the mentioned fractions. Chromatograms showed Hg-PC2, Hg-PC3 and Hg-PC4 presence only in roots. Hg-PCs presence in roots was confirmed by ESI-MS/MS analysis.

A new method for preconcentration and determination of mercury in fish, shellfish and saliva by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry.

The development of a method using solid phase extraction for preconcentration and determination of mercury by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry is described. Hg (II) ions are sorbed on a minicolumn packed with Amberlite XAD-4 sorbent functionalised with 2-(2'-benzothiazolylazo)-p-cresol (BTAC). Then, a reducing solution was used for desorption and the transport of the analyte for subsequent detection. The assay presented a limit of detection of 0.011 µg L⁻¹ (0.011 µg g⁻¹, for solid samples), a limit of quantification of 0.038 µg L⁻¹ (0.038 µg g⁻¹, for solid samples), a precision of 0.50% (1.000 µg L⁻¹ Hg solution) and an enrichment factor of 46. The proposed method was applied to the determination of mercury in human saliva (0.055-0.200 µg L⁻¹). The following seafood collected in Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil was also analysed: bass (0.169-0.195 µg g⁻¹), mullet (0.043-0.361 µg g⁻¹), shrimp (0.075-0.374 µg g⁻¹) and mussel (0.206-0.397 µg g⁻¹).

Assessment of modified matrix solid-phase dispersion as sample preparation for the determination of CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ in fish.

This paper reports, for the first time, the development of an analytical method employing modified matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) for the extraction of CH3Hg(+) and Hg(2+) species from fish samples. Separation and determination of mercury species were performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Important MSPD parameters, such as sample mass, type and mass of solid support, concentration of extraction solution (HCl and NaCl), and stirring time, were investigated by the response surface methodology. The derivatization step and the separation of mercury species were also evaluated for the determination by GC/MS. Quantitative recoveries were obtained with 0.2 g of fish sample, 0.5 g of SiO2 as the solid support, 0.5 mol L(-1) NaCl and 4.2 mol L(-1) HCl as the extraction solution, and 1 min stirring time. The MSPD method showed to be suitable for the extraction and determination of mercury species in certified reference materials of dogfish liver (DOLT-3) and dogfish muscle (DORM-2). It had good agreement (about 99%) with the certified values, and the relative standard deviation was lower than 9.5%. The limits of detection were 0.06 and 0.12 µg g(-1), for CH3Hg(+) and Hg(2+), respectively. A matrix effect was observed, and the quantification was carried out by the matrix-matched calibration. The method was applied to tuna fish ( Thunnus thynnus ), angel shark ( Squatina squatina ), and guitarfish ( Rhinobatos percellens ) samples. The results of the mercury speciation by MPSD and GC/MS were compared to the total mercury concentration determined by flow injection cold vapor generation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, after microwave-assisted digestion. Agreement ranged from 102% to 105%.

Características biogenéticas e de resistência ao mercúrio em amostras de Escherichia coli isoladas de sistemas aquáticos no Rio de Janeiro / Biogenetic characteristics and resistance to mercury in Escherichia coli isolated from aquatic systems in Rio de Janeiro

Escherichia coli é uma bactéria com potencialidades de virulência para seres humanos tendo impacto significativo na Saúde Pública, principalmente, de países em desenvolvimento. Em alguns casos, esta bactéria pode carrear determinantes genéticos de resistência ao mercúrio, o que a torna uma alternativa promissora para processos de biorremediação. O objetivo desse estudo foi isolar amostras de E. coli a partir de ambientes aquáticos no Estado do Rio de Janeiro e investigar características biogenéticas e de resistência ao mercúrio. Para atingir a presente proposta foram realizados testes bacteriológicos para o isolamento, a análise do padrão de susceptibilidade ao mercúrio e a antimicrobianos e, ensaios moleculares de amplificação visando a investigação do potencial de enteropatogenicidade, da diversidade genética e da presença do gene merA. Foram incluídas no estudo 178 amostras de Escherichia coli isoladas de sistemas aquáticos no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Os resultados obtidos revelaram a presença do gene merA em 14 amostras, cuja diversidade foi revelada por eletroforese em gel desnaturante. A filogrupagem revelou uma população bacteriana distribuída nos grupos A (91,6 por cento), B2 (3,4 por cento) e D (5 por cento) e os genes de enterovirulência foram detectados em 11,2 por cento das amostras permitindo a classificação nos patotipos ETEC, ATEC e STEC. A análise do genoma total por ensaios de amplificação randômica do DNA polimórfico revelou uma elevada diversidade genética entre as amostras de E. coli carreadoras do marcador de resistência ao mercúrio. A resistência aos antimicrobianos foi detectada em 37 por cento das amostras e definiu 23 perfis de resistência distintos (I-XXIII) e o fenótipo de multirresistência foi observado para até 07 dos antimicrobianos testados. Concluimos que amostras de Escherichia coli com propriedades e potencialidades de virulência circulam amplamente em diferentes sistemas aquáticos no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, alertando para ações específicas na área de vigilância epidemiológica. Em função das potencialidades patogênicas nas amostras bacterianas resistentes ao Hg, análises mais precisas são requeridas visando aplicações em processos de biorremediação.

Migration of As, Hg, Pb, and Zn in arroyo sediments from a semiarid coastal system influenced by the abandoned gold mining district at El Triunfo, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Extensive waste deposits (tailings) and ash from the ignition oven of the abandoned gold mine of mining district El Triunfo (MD-ET) in Baja California Sur, Mexico have released trace elements into the sediments of the Hondo-Las Gallinas-El Carrizal arroyo, which connects to the Pacific Ocean through an evaporitic basin. Migration of these elements through the arroyo is mainly caused by winds or tropical hurricanes that occur sporadically during the summer and cause the otherwise dry arroyo to overflow. To evaluate the concentration and distribution of the elements As, Hg, Pb, and Zn along the 48 km arroyo, surface sediments were collected from 26 sites, ranging from close to the MD-ET to the mouth of the arroyo at the Pacific Ocean. Concentrations in tailings and ash were for As 8890 and 505 000 mg kg(-1); for Hg 0.336 and 54.9 mg kg(-1); for Pb 92,700 and 19,300 mg kg(-1); and for Zn 49,600 and 1380 mg kg(-1). The average of the Normalized Enrichment Factor (Av-NEF) in surface sediments, calculated using background levels, indicates that the sediments are severely contaminated with As and Zn (Av-NEF = 22), Pb (Av-NEF = 24) and with a moderate contamination of Hg (Av-NEF = 7.5). The anthropogenic influence of those elements is reflected in the arroyo sediments as far as 18 km away from the MD-ET, whereas the samples closest to the discharge into the Pacific Ocean show a natural to moderate enrichment for As and Zn and low or no enrichment for Hg and Pb. A principal components analysis identified four principal components that explained 90% of the total variance. Factor 1 was characterized by a high positive contribution of the anthropogenic source elements, especially As, Pb, and Zn (37%), whereas Factor 2 was strongly correlated with the oxy-hydroxides of Fe and Mn (27%). Factor 3 was correlated with Li (16%) and Factor 4 with Al (10%), which indicates more than one source of lithogenic composition, though they played a minor role in the distribution of the elements.

Mercury levels in locally manufactured Mexican skin-lightening creams.

Mercury is considered one of the most toxic elements for plants and animals. Nevertheless, in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, whitening creams containing mercury are being manufactured and purchased, despite their obvious health risks. Due to the mass distribution of these products, this can be considered a global public health issue. In Mexico, these products are widely available in pharmacies, beauty aid and health stores. They are used for their skin lightening effects. The aim of this work was to analyze the mercury content in some cosmetic whitening creams using the cold vapor technique coupled with atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS). A total of 16 skin-lightening creams from the local market were investigated. No warning information was noted on the packaging. In 10 of the samples, no mercury was detected. The mercury content in six of the samples varied between 878 and 36,000 ppm, despite the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the limit for mercury in creams should be less than 1 ppm. Skin creams containing mercury are still available and commonly used in Mexico and many developing countries, and their contents are poorly controlled.

Characterization of the metabolically modified heavy metal-resistant Cupriavidus metallidurans strain MSR33 generated for mercury bioremediation.

BACKGROUND: Mercury-polluted environments are often contaminated with other heavy metals. Therefore, bacteria with resistance to several heavy metals may be useful for bioremediation. Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 is a model heavy metal-resistant bacterium, but possesses a low resistance to mercury compounds. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To improve inorganic and organic mercury resistance of strain CH34, the IncP-1ß plasmid pTP6 that provides novel merB, merG genes and additional other mer genes was introduced into the bacterium by biparental mating. The transconjugant Cupriavidus metallidurans strain MSR33 was genetically and biochemically characterized. Strain MSR33 maintained stably the plasmid pTP6 over 70 generations under non-selective conditions. The organomercurial lyase protein MerB and the mercuric reductase MerA of strain MSR33 were synthesized in presence of Hg(2+). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (mM) for strain MSR33 were: Hg(2+), 0.12 and CH(3)Hg(+), 0.08. The addition of Hg(2+) (0.04 mM) at exponential phase had not an effect on the growth rate of strain MSR33. In contrast, after Hg(2+) addition at exponential phase the parental strain CH34 showed an immediate cessation of cell growth. During exposure to Hg(2+) no effects in the morphology of MSR33 cells were observed, whereas CH34 cells exposed to Hg(2+) showed a fuzzy outer membrane. Bioremediation with strain MSR33 of two mercury-contaminated aqueous solutions was evaluated. Hg(2+) (0.10 and 0.15 mM) was completely volatilized by strain MSR33 from the polluted waters in presence of thioglycolate (5 mM) after 2 h. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A broad-spectrum mercury-resistant strain MSR33 was generated by incorporation of plasmid pTP6 that was directly isolated from the environment into C. metallidurans CH34. Strain MSR33 is capable to remove mercury from polluted waters. This is the first study to use an IncP-1ß plasmid directly isolated from the environment, to generate a novel and stable bacterial strain useful for mercury bioremediation.

Biosorption of mercury by Macrocystis pyrifera and Undaria pinnatifida: influence of zinc, cadmium and nickel.

This study investigated the adsorption of Hg(II) on Macrocystis pyrifera and Undaria pinnatifida in monometallic system in the presence of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II). The two biosorbents reached the same maximum sorption capacity (q(m) = 0.8 mmol/g) for mercury. U. pinnatifida showed a greater affinity (given by the coefficient b of the Langmuir equation) for mercury compared to M. pyrifera (4.4 versus 2.7 L/mmol). Mercury uptake was significantly reduced (by more than 50%) in the presence of competitor heavy metals such as Zn(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II). Samples analysis using an environmental scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis showed that mercury was heterogeneously adsorbed on the surface of both biomaterials, while the other heavy metals were homogeneous distributed. The analysis of biosorbents by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry indicated that Hg(II) binding occurred on S = O (sulfonate) and N-H (amine) functional groups.

Methylmercury and inorganic mercury determination in blood by using liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and a fast sample preparation procedure.

Despite the necessity to differentiate chemical species of mercury in clinical specimens, there are a limited number of methods for this purpose. Then, this paper describes a simple method for the determination of methylmercury and inorganic mercury in blood by using liquid chromatography with inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS) and a fast sample preparation procedure. Prior to analysis, blood (250microL) is accurately weighed into 15-mL conical tubes. Then, an extractant solution containing mercaptoethanol, l-cysteine and HCl was added to the samples following sonication for 15min. Quantitative mercury extraction was achieved with the proposed procedure. Separation of mercury species was accomplished in less than 5min on a C18 reverse-phase column with a mobile phase containing 0.05% (v/v) mercaptoethanol, 0.4% (m/v) l-cysteine, 0.06molL(-1) ammonium acetate and 5% (v/v) methanol. The method detection limits were found to be 0.25microgL(-1) and 0.1microgL(-1) for inorganic mercury and methylmercury, respectively. Method accuracy is traceable to Standard Reference Material (SRM) 966 Toxic Metals in Bovine Blood from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The proposed method was also applied to the speciation of mercury in blood samples collected from fish-eating communities and from rats exposed to thimerosal. With the proposed method there is a considerable reduction of the time of sample preparation prior to speciation of Hg by LC-ICP-MS. Finally, after the application of the proposed method, we demonstrated an interesting in vivo ethylmercury conversion to inorganic mercury.

Hg(II) removal from water by chitosan and chitosan derivatives: a review.

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals commonly found in the global environment. Its toxicity is related to the capacity of its compounds to bioconcentrate in organisms and to biomagnify through food chain. A wide range of adsorbents has been used for removing Hg(II) from contaminated water. Chitosan is obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin. The adsorption capacity of chitosan depends on the origin of the polysaccharide, and on the experimental conditions in the preparation, that determine the degree of deacetylation. A great number of chitosan derivatives have been obtained by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde or epichlorohydrin among others or by grafting new functional groups on the chitosan backbone with the aim of adsorbing Hg(II). The new functional groups are incorporated to change the pH range for Hg(II) sorption and/or to change the sorption sites in order to increase sorption selectivity. The chemical modification affords a wide range of derivatives with modified properties for specific applications. Hg(II) adsorption on chitosan or chitosan derivatives is now assumed to occur through several single or mixed interactions: chelation or coordination on amino groups in a pendant fashion or in combination with vicinal hydroxyl groups, electrostatic attraction in acidic media or ion exchange with protonated amino groups. This review reports the recent developments in the Hg(II) removal in waste water treatment, using chitosan and its derivatives in order to provide useful information about the different technologies. When possibly the adsorption capacity of chitosan and chitosan derivatives under different experimental conditions is reported to help to compare the efficacy of the Hg(II) removal process. A comparison with the adsorption capacity of other low-cost adsorbents is also tabled.

Use of rice straw as biosorbent for removal of Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) ions in industrial effluents.

Adsorption experiments were carried out using waste rice straw of several kinds as a biosorbent to adsorb Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) ions from aqueous solutions at room temperature. To achieve the best adsorption conditions the influence of pH and contact time were investigated. The isotherms of adsorption were fitted to the Freundlich equation. Based on the experimental data and Freundlich model, the adsorption order was Cd(II)>Cu(II)>Zn(II)>Hg(II) on the rice straw. This quick adsorption process reached the equilibrium before 1.5h, with maximum adsorptions at pH 5.0. Thermodynamic aspects of the adsorption process were investigated. The biosorbent material was used in columns for the removal of ions Cu, Zn, Cd and Hg of real samples of industrial effluent and its efficiency was studied.

Mercury fractionation in stream sediments from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero gold mining region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The Iron Quadrangle (IQ) region, located in the state of Minas Gerais, has been the most important gold producing area in Brazil since the end of seventeenth century. The use of mercury for gold amalgamation in small scale mines has been responsible for large release of Hg to aquatic and terrestrial environments during 300 years of mining. The present work sought to evaluate the fractionation of Hg in stream sediments is the southern region of the IQ by utilizing sequential extraction. Since mobility and availability of Hg are related to its distribution among sediment partitions, fractionation methods provide detailed information on the ecotoxicological impact and risks associated to the presence of Hg in sediments. The total Hg concentration varied from 179.3 to 690.1 microg kg( - 1) and Hg(0) accounted for the majority at all sample sites, ranging from 42% to 56% of the total.

Optimizing the procedure for mercury recovery from dental amalgam.

Mercury, as any other heavy metal, may cause environmental damages due to its accumulation and biotransformation. Dental offices, whether private or institutional, use dental amalgam as a restorative material on a daily basis. Dental amalgam is composed of mercury (50%), silver (30%) and other metals. Approximately 30% of the amalgam prepared in dental offices (0.6 g per capsule) are wasted and inadequately discarded without any treatment. Methods for mercury recovery have been proposed previously, using high temperatures through exposure to direct flame (650 degrees C), long processing time, and hazardous reagents as potassium cyanide. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to replace the direct flame by an electrical mantle in the process of mercury recovery. Results showed an average mercury recovery of 90% from 2 kg of amalgam after 30 minutes of processing time, thus optimizing the procedure. The proposed modifications allowed a significant reduction in processing time and a mercury recovery with high purity. The modified process also provided minimization of operator exposure to physical, chemical and ergonomic hazards, representing a technological advance compared to the risks inherent to the original method. It also provided environmental health and economy of energy resources by replacing a finite energy source (fossil and organic) by a more environmentally appropriate electric source, resulting in significant improvement of the procedure for mercury recovery from dental amalgam.

Methylmercury production in the water column of an ultraoligotrophic lake of Northern Patagonia, Argentina.

Methyl-mercury (CH3Hg+) production was studied in freshwaters from lake Moreno, an ultraoligotrophic system belonging to Northern Patagonia. Hg2+ labelled with high specific activity 197Hg was spiked to water samples in concentrations of 10 ng l(-1), and incubated in laboratory for 3d time trends under different conditions. Experimental water was sampled daily to evaluate CH3(197)Hg+ production. Lake water used in the experiments was sampled just below the upper limit of the metalimnion ( approximately 30 m depth), where maximum values of chlorophyll a have been measured previously. Sampling was performed in late autumn, when the plankton fraction <50 microm exhibited mercury concentrations up to 260 microg g(-1) dry weight. The experiments analysed lake water filtered through 50, 20, and 0.2 microm (filter-sterilized) mesh nets. ASTM grade 1 water was also incubated for control. All the experiments were run in an environmental chamber under controlled temperature and light regime. High Hg2+ conversion to CH3Hg+, up to 50%, was measured in lake water, in a process stimulated by light. CH3Hg+ production was two-fold higher after 3d of incubation with illumination compared to total darkness. Sterile lake water showed conversions up to 30%, while the planktonic components seem to enhance the CH3Hg+ production. Overall, our results provide evidence that lake Moreno waters favour CH3Hg+ production in processes stimulated by light. Although biotic components certainly contribute to enhance mercury methylation, water chemistry plays a key role in this process. We hypothesize that dissolved organic matter, particularly its quality, could be decisive.

Optimizing the procedure for mercury recovery from dental amalgam

Mercury, as any other heavy metal, may cause environmental damages due to its accumulation and biotransformation. Dental offices, whether private or institutional, use dental amalgam as a restorative material on a daily basis. Dental amalgam is composed of mercury (50 percent), silver (30 percent) and other metals. Approximately 30 percent of the amalgam prepared in dental offices (0.6 g per capsule) are wasted and inadequately discarded without any treatment. Methods for mercury recovery have been proposed previously, using high temperatures through exposure to direct flame (650°C), long processing time, and hazardous reagents as potassium cyanide. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to replace the direct flame by an electrical mantle in the process of mercury recovery. Results showed an average mercury recovery of 90 percent from 2 kg of amalgam after 30 minutes of processing time, thus optimizing the procedure. The proposed modifications allowed a significant reduction in processing time and a mercury recovery with high purity. The modified process also provided minimization of operator exposure to physical, chemical and ergonomic hazards, representing a technological advance compared to the risks inherent to the original method. It also provided environmental health and economy of energy resources by replacing a finite energy source (fossil and organic) by a more environmentally appropriate electric source, resulting in significant improvement of the procedure for mercury recovery from dental amalgam.