Mercury is outstanding among the global environmental pollutants of continuing th concern. Especially in the last decade of the 20 century, environmental scientists, legislators, politicians, and the public have become more aware of mercury pollu- tion in the global environment. It has often been suggested that anthropogenic emissions are leading to a general increase in mercury on local, regional, and glo- bal scales. Numerous industrial activities, including the mining of gold, silver, and mercury itself, have caused mercury contamination of terrestrial and aquatic eco- systems. Mercury-contaminated sites are abundant worldwide. Mercury has been accumulated as an "industrial legacy" in the rocks, soils, and sediments at, and adjacent to, industrial sites and now may pose significant risks to human and eco- logical health. Direct inputs of mercury into the environment by industrial activi- ties have generally decreased significantly in the Western world over the past three decades. However, sources such as coal combustion and the use of mercury in gold and silver mining continue to be of importance on a global scale. The same is true for diffuse sources such as terrestrial landscapes that have been impacted by mer- cury inputs from the atmosphere in the past. Soils (and vegetation) located close to large atmospheric mercury sources have clearly been sinks while these sources were active in the past. In the long run, however, these soils may have become important diffuse area sources after the original emissions were discontinued.
| ISBN: | 9783642083549 |
| Publication date: | 12th December 2011 |
| Author: | Ralf Ebinghaus |
| Publisher: | Springer an imprint of Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 538 pages |
| Series: | Environmental Science and Engineering. Environmental Science |
| Genres: |
Soil science and management Waste treatment and disposal Geophysics Geology, geomorphology and the lithosphere Waste management Pollution and threats to the environment |
Mercury is outstanding among the global environmental pollutants of continuing th concern. Especially in the last decade of the 20 century, environmental scientists, legislators, politicians, and the public have become more aware of mercury pollu- tion in the global environment. It has often been suggested that anthropogenic emissions are leading to a general increase in mercury on local, regional, and glo- bal scales. Numerous industrial activities, including the mining of gold, silver, and mercury itself, have caused mercury contamination of terrestrial and aquatic eco- systems. Mercury-contaminated sites are abundant worldwide. Mercury has been accumulated as an "industrial legacy" in the rocks, soils, and sediments at, and adjacent to, industrial sites and now may pose significant risks to human and eco- logical health. Direct inputs of mercury into the environment by industrial activi- ties have generally decreased significantly in the Western world over the past three decades. However, sources such as coal combustion and the use of mercury in gold and silver mining continue to be of importance on a global scale. The same is true for diffuse sources such as terrestrial landscapes that have been impacted by mer- cury inputs from the atmosphere in the past. Soils (and vegetation) located close to large atmospheric mercury sources have clearly been sinks while these sources were active in the past. In the long run, however, these soils may have become important diffuse area sources after the original emissions were discontinued.
Mercury Contaminated Sites features in the following genres: Soil science and management, Waste treatment and disposal, Geophysics, Geology, geomorphology and the lithosphere, Waste management, Pollution and threats to the environment
Mercury Contaminated Sites is available in Paperback
Mercury Contaminated Sites was written by Ralf Ebinghaus and published by Springer an imprint of Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Mercury Contaminated Sites has 538 pages
Yes it is part of Environmental Science and Engineering. Environmental Science series