Environmental Science and Pollution Research

, Volume 21, Issue 5, pp 3866–3872 | Cite as

Understanding the formation of colloidal mercury in acidic wastewater with high concentration of chloride ions by electrocapillary curves

  • Qingwei Wang
  • Wenqing Qin
  • Liyuan Chai
  • Qingzhu Li
Research Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Acidic wastewater with high concentration of chloride ions was generated from washing elemental mercury (Hg0) existed in the roast flue gas by water. This process was simulated by mercury drops entering the electrolytes with its composition changed according to the characteristics of acidic wastewater. Electrocapillary curves of different electrolytes were determined by dropping mercury electrode to explore the formation mechanism of colloidal mercury in acidic wastewater. The changes of zeta (ζ) potentials were also obtained. The results indicate that chloride ions have a great impact on the formation of colloidal mercury. Thermodynamic calculation demonstrated that the main mercury species in acidic wastewater were HgCl2 (aq), HgCl3 −, and HgCl4 2−. Moreover, the model of colloidal mercury structure in acidic wastewater was established. Based on the changes of Gibbs free energy for ions passing through stern layer and metallic bond theory, it can be inferred that HgCl4 2− was preferentially over-adsorbed on the mercury interface by the weak π chemical bond, and then positive charge ions such as heavy metal ions and H+ were adsorbed due to the electrostatic force; thus, the colloidal mercury was formed.

Keywords

Dropping mercury electrode Electrocapillary curve Acidic wastewater Colloidal mercury Model 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists (50925417), National “Twelfth Five-Year” Plan for Science & Technology Support (2012BAC12B03), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51304251), Postdoctoral Natural Science Foundation of China (2013 M542141), and Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Central South University for the financial support.

References

  1. Agarwal H, Romero CE, Stenger HG (2007) Comparing and interpreting laboratory results of Hg oxidation by a chlorine species. Fuel Process Technol 88(7):723–730CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Berry JB, Ferrada JJ, Dole L, Ally M (2001) Sustainable recovery of by-products in the mining industry. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1–16Google Scholar
  3. Cardoso SP, Lopes CB, Pereira E, Duarte AC, Silva CM (2013) Competitive removal of Cd2+ and Hg2+ Ions from water using titanosilicate ETS-4: kinetic behaviour and selectivity. Water Air Soil Pollut 224(5):1–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Costa R, Pereira CM, Silva F (2010) Double layer in room temperature ionic liquids: influence of temperature and ionic size on the differential capacitance and electrocapillary curves. Phys Chem Chem Phys 12(36):11125–11132CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Feng X, Li G, Qiu G (2004) A preliminary study on mercury contamination to the environment from artisanal zinc smelting using indigenous methods in Hezhang county, Guizhou, China—Part 1: mercury emission from zinc smelting and its influences on the surface waters. Atmos Environ 38(36):6223–6230CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Fernández-Nava Y, Ulmanu M, Anger I, Marañón E, Castrillón L (2011) Use of granular bentonite in the removal of mercury (II), cadmium (II) and lead (II) from aqueous solutions. Water Air Soil Pollut 215(1–4):239–249CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Foss M, Gulbrandsen E, Sjöblom J (2010) Adsorption of corrosion inhibitors onto iron carbonate (FeCO3) studied by zeta potential measurements. J Dispers Sci Technol 31(2):200–208CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Gustafsson JP (2007) Visual MINTEQ, version 2.53. Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmGoogle Scholar
  9. Laudal DL, Brown TD, Nott BR (2000) Effects of flue gas constituents on mercury speciation. Fuel Process Technol 65:157–165CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Li D (1989) Electrochemical theory [M]. Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, in ChineseGoogle Scholar
  11. Li M-L (2004) Concise handbook of chemical date [M]. Chemical Industry, Beijing, in ChineseGoogle Scholar
  12. Li Q, Huang HY, Chen GJ (2008) Structural chemistry [M]. Beijing normal university publishing group, Beijing, in ChineseGoogle Scholar
  13. Lin P, Yan F, Yu J, Chan HL, Yang M (2010) The application of organic electrochemical transistors in cell-based biosensors. Adv Mater 22(33):3655–3660CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Pacyna JM, Pacyna EG, Steenhuisen F, Wilson S (2003) Mapping 1995 global anthropogenic emissions of mercury. Atmos Environ 37:109–117CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Pan D (2001) Structure of Matter [M]. Higher Education, Beijing, in ChineseGoogle Scholar
  16. Park K, Seo Y-C, Lee S, Lee J (2008) Emission and speciation of mercury from various combustion sources. Powder Technol 180(1):151–156CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Pirrone N, Cinnirella S, Feng X, Finkelman R, Friedli H, Leaner J et al (2010) Global mercury emissions to the atmosphere from anthropogenic and natural sources. Atmos Chem Phys 10(13):5951–5964CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Součková J, Skopalová J, Műller L, Vymětalíková M, Barták P (2011) A novel fused-silica capillary dropping mercury electrode with long drop-time and its application on determination of critical micelle concentration. Talanta 84(1):187–191CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Součková J, Skopalová J, Švecová H, Barták P (2013) Fused-silica capillary dropping mercury electrode for electrocapillary measurements. Electroanalysis 25(1):174–178CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Sreedhar N, Nayak MS, Prasad KS, Prasad P, Reddy CN (2010) Electrochemical reduction behaviour of zileuton at a dropping mercury electrode by polarography. J Chem 7(1):166–170Google Scholar
  21. Wang Q (2011) New Technology for treatment of mercury-containing acidic wastewater from gas washing process in Lead and zinc smelting by biologics. Central South University, ChangshaGoogle Scholar
  22. Wang S, Song J, Li G, Wu Y, Zhang L, Wan Q et al (2010) Estimating mercury emissions from a zinc smelter in relation to China’s mercury control policies. Environ Pollut 158(10):3347–3353CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Xu M, Qiao Y, Zheng C, Li L, Liu J (2003) Modeling of homogeneous mercury speciation using detailed chemical kinetics. Combust Flame 132(1):208–218CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Yin R, Feng X, Li Z, Zhang Q, Bi X, Li G et al (2012) Metallogeny and environmental impact of Hg in Zn deposits in China. Appl Geochem 27(1):151–160CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Zahir F, Rizwi SJ, Haq SK, Khan RH (2005) Low dose mercury toxicity and human health. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 20(2):351–360CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Zha Q (2002) An introduction to dynamics in electrode process [M]. Science, Beijing, in ChineseGoogle Scholar
  27. Žic M (2005) Zero charge potential of a dropping mercury electrode drop determined by chronocoulometry. J Electroanal Chem 584(2):215–218CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Qingwei Wang
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
  • Wenqing Qin
    • 1
  • Liyuan Chai
    • 2
    • 3
  • Qingzhu Li
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
  1. 1.School of Minerals Processing and BioengineeringCentral South UniversityChangshaPeople’s Republic of China
  2. 2.School of Metallurgy and EnvironmentCentral South UniversityChangshaPeople’s Republic of China
  3. 3.Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal PollutionChangshaPeople’s Republic of China

Personalised recommendations