Mirlean Nicolai, Baisch Paulo, Machado Isabel, Shumilin Evgueni
Department of Geosciences, Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, CP 474, Rio Grande, RS 96201-900, Brazil.
Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2008 Sep;81(3):305-8. doi: 10.1007/s00128-008-9480-z. Epub 2008 Jun 28.
This study was aimed at determining the range and spatial distribution of mercury in a geographical area influenced by the emissions of phosphate fertilizers industries in Rio Grande, Brazil. The case study demonstrated that mercury concentrations in a fine fraction of the surface soil close to the fertilizer factory reached levels as high as 800 microg kg(-1). Increased mercury concentrations were detected up to 60 cm below the soil surface. Further, a significant impact of the elevated mercury levels was manifested in a 1-km zone around the factory. Technical grade sulfuric acid employed in superphosphate production is considered the principal source of this mercury contamination.
