Methods and Problems of Demercurization, New Effective Solutions for Decontamination of Mercury-Contaminated Objects

Maryia Aleksandrovna Kanina; Olga Gennadievna Gorovykh; Alisher Rakhimzhanovich Orazbayev

doi:10.57118/creosar/978-1-915740-01-4_5

Authors

Maryia Aleksandrovna Kanina
Olga Gennadievna Gorovykh
Alisher Rakhimzhanovich Orazbayev

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57118/creosar/978-1-915740-01-4_5

Keywords:

decontamination, demercurization, ozonation, mercury-containing materials

Abstract

Statistical data are presented on the number of trips to eliminate emergency situations related to mercury contamination of premises for various purposes, vehicles and territories in the Republic of Belarus and the United States of America in recent years. The solutions and chemical materials proposed for use by various authors for demercurization works are considered. The problems arising from the use of these demercurizing compositions have been noted. It is shown that the currently used methods on the basis of chemical demercurizing solutions do not allow to carry out demercurization when the concentration of mercury vapor reaches below the maximum permissible concentration in a reasonable time. The importance of solving this problem has been shown. The necessity of development of new approaches to elimination of emergency situations connected with presence of mercury is specified. The method of decontamination of mercury-containing materials by means of ozonization is offered. The experimental unit and the instrument base used in carrying out the experiment are described. The regularities of change of ozone concentration by height of a room are established, at its receipt in the closed kill on its lower level. The obtained experimental data are compared with the theoretical rate of change of ozone concentration by height based on molecular diffusion of ozone. The explanation of the obtained results is offered. The average rate of spontaneous ozone decomposition without access of fresh air and presence of oxidized substances is established. The comparison of calculated theoretically and experimentally determined rate of ozone spontaneous decomposition in time is carried out. It is proposed to use the obtained data for development of methodical recommendations on application of ozone as demerchurizing agent. It is shown that the technology based on the use of ozone will allow to provide decontamination of surfaces and air in this volume efficiently and in the shortest possible time.

References

S.I. Kuzmin, “Environmental impact assessment of mercury in the Republic of Belarus,” Ecology, Minsk, Sci Rep. 64, 2012.

UNEP, “Report of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury on the work of its third meeting United Nations Environment Program,” Geneva, Sci Rep. 62, 2019.

A. Joy, A. Qureshi, “Mercury in dental amalgam, online retail, and the Minamata convention on mercury,” Environ Sci Technol., vol.54(22), р.р.14139–14142, 2020

N.A. Fuchs, Evaporation and droplet growth in gaseous media, London: Pergamon Press, 1959.

D.V. Meleh, “Report on contract No 2009. 18-6 of 09/20/2018 on the implementation of work under the international technical assistance project "Conducting an initial assessment of the conditions for the implementation of the Minamata Convention in the Republic of Belarus,” Ecology, Minsk, 45, 2018.

А. Romanov, “Reducing mercury emissions from coal combustion in the energy sector of the Russian Federation,” The Scientific Research Institute for Atmospheric Air Protection, Saint-Petersburg, 61, 2011.

Reducing mercury emissions from coal combustion in the energy sector of China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 63, 2011.

S. Jennings, “The mean free path in air,” Journal of Aerosol Science, vol. 19, p.159, 1988.

D.Blok, L.Ambrose, L.Ouellette, Е.Seif, B.Riley, В.Judge, “Selling poison by the bottle: availability of dangerous substances found on eBay,” J Emerg Med., vol. 38(4), рр. 846–848, 2020.

Y. Wang, G. Liu, Y. Li, Y Liu, Y Guo, J. Shi, L. Hu, Y. Cai, Y. Yin, G. Jiang, “Occurrence of mercurous [Hg(I)] species in environmental solid matrices as probed by mild 2-mercaptoethanol extraction and HPLC-ICP-MS analysis,” Environ. Sci. Technol., vol 7, рр. 482–488, 2020.

Y. Liu, L. Zhi, Z. Shaoqi, X. Feng, “Effects of mercury binding by humic acid and humic acid resistance on mercury stress in rice plants under high Hg/humic acid concentration ratios,” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., vol. 27, рр. 18650–18660, 2020.

N.B. Vargaftik, Reference book on thermal physical properties of gases and liquids (in Russian, Moscow: "Science" main edition of physical and mathematical literature, 1972.

A.Snegirev, S.Sazhin, V.Talalov “Model and algorithm for calculation of heat exchange and evaporation of dispersed liquid droplets. (in Russian),” Scientific and technical bulletins of SPbPPU. Physical and Mathematical Sciences, vol. 1, рр. 44–55, 2011.

E.J. O’Loughlin, M.I. Boyanov, K.M. Kemmer, K.O. Thalhammer, “Reduction of Hg(II) by Fe(II)-bearing spectate clay minerals. Minerals,” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., vol.10, рр. 1079, 2020.

J. Yang, N. Shi, B. Yan, T. Wang, W.-P. Pan,. “Removal of elemental mercury by solid sorbents at different temperatures: Variation of the desorption activation energy through thermal desorption analysis,” Fuel, vol. 307, рр. 1218, 2022.

A.N. Matveev, Molecular physics: A manual for higher education institutions, Moscow: Higher School, 1981.

V.P. Astapov, B.S. Baringolts, V.G. Tishchenko, M.M. Shishkanov, A.V. Vrublevsky, Demercurization work. Minsk: Law and Economics, 2001.

S. Kumari, R. Jamwal, N.Mishra, D.M. Singh, “Recent developments in environmental mercury bioremediation and its toxicity,” Environ. Nanotechnol. Monit. Manag., vol. 13, р 100283, 2020.

L.Ghezzi, S.Arrighi, R.Giannecchini, M.Bini, M. Valerio, R. Petrini,. “The Legacy of Mercury Contamination from a Past Leather Manufacturer and Health Risk Assessment in an Urban Area,” Sustainability, vol. 14, р 4367, 2022.

C.S. Eckley, C.C. Gilmour, S. Janssen, T.P. Luxton, P.M. Randall, L.Whalin, C.Austin, “The assessment and remediation of mercury contaminated sites: A review of current approaches,” Sci. Total Environ., vol. 707, р 136031, 2020.

P. Duan, S. Khan, N. Ali, M.A. Shereen, R. Siddique, B. Ali, H.M. Iqbal, G. Nabi, W. Sajjad, M. Bilal, “Biotransformation fate and sustainable mitigation of a potentially toxic element of mercuryfrom environmental matrices,” Arab. J. Chem., vol 13, рр. 6949–6965, 2020.