Publication details
Influence of coal-power plants and industrial activities on levels of mercury in Bílina river sediments
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Mercury (Hg) is an element of special concern due to its toxicity, accumulation and biomagnification in aquatic food chains. During the middle of the 20th century the River Bílina (Czech Republic) was used as a water source for chemical industries and coal-power plants in the area, producing a notably increase of Hg content in the river sediments. The main aim of this study was to identify mercury species and apply sequential extraction and quantification of Hg phases in order to estimate the mobility and potential bioavailability of Hg in Bílina river sediments. Separation of Hg phases and mobility evaluation was performed by means of a selective sequential extraction procedure. Mercury species were identified by an optimized thermodesorption procedure developed and optimized at INCAR-CSIC. |