Abstract
In the early 1980’s the Amazon region in the North of Brazil was the scene of the most intense gold rush in the history of Brazil. Metallic mercury (Hg) in gold mining activities is used to amalgamate particulate gold. The other sources of Hg emissions in Amazonian are tailing deposits and biomass burning of tropical forests and savannas. Total Hg concentrations in the urban area of Alta Floresta ranged from 20 to 5800 ng/m3. Indoor total Hg concentration in gold shops ranged from 250 to 40600 ng/m3. Particulate Hg accounts for 5 to 20% of total Hg in Alta Floresta. Through Factor and cluster analysis it was obtained a pattern of relationships between total Hg, fine and coarse mode particulate Hg, Pt, Pb, Ag and several other trace elements associated with the amalgamation process. A clear correlation was also observed with the fine mode biomass burning aerosol and coarse mode soil dust.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Artaxo, P., and C. Orsini, 1987, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, B22, 259–263.
Artaxo, P., H. Storms, F. Bruynseels, R. Van Grieken, and W. Maenhaut, 1988, J. Geophys. Res., 93, 1605–1615.
Artaxo, P., W. Maenhaut, H. Storms, an. Van Grieken, 1990, J. Geophys. Res., 95, D10, 16971–16985.
Artaxo, P., F. Gerab, M A. Yamasoe, and J. V. Martins, 1995, J. Geophys. Res., in press.
EPA, 1983, Methods for chemical analysis of water and wastes. Cincinnati, Ohio: EPA - 60/4–79-010.
Farid, L. H., 1992, Diagnostico preliminar dos impactos dos garimpos em Alta Floresta - CETEM/CNPq, pp. 190.
Fitzgerald, W.F., 1986, in: P. Buat-Menard (ed.) The role of air-sea exchange in geochemical cycling. 363–408.
Hacon, S., 1991, Mercury contamination in Brazil, A technical report, Finep.
Iverfeldt, A., and Lindqvist, O., 1986, Atmospheric Environment, 20, 1567–1573.
Kaufman, Y. J., A. Setzer, D. Ward, D. Tanre, B. N. Holbai., 1992, J. Geophys. Res., 97, D13, 14581–14599.
Lacerda, L. D., and Salomons, W., 1991, Mercury in Amazonia: A chemical time bomb. Eds., Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment. The Netherlands, 46 pp.
Lacerda, L. D., anfeiffer, W. C., 1992, Quimicova 15,155.
Lindqvist, O., and Rodhe, H., 1985, Tellus, 37B, 136–159.
Lindqvist, O., 1991, Mercury in the Swedish Environment., Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 261.
Pfeiffer, W. C. and Lacerda, L. D., 1988, Environmental Technology Letters, 9, 325–330.
Pfeiffer, W. C., Lacerda, L. D., Malm, O, Souza, C. M, and Bastos, W., 1989, Sci. Tot. Env., 87, 233–240.
Schroeder, W., Yarwood, G., and Niki, H., 1991, Water, Air and Soil Pollut., 56, 666.
Setzer, A. W., Pereira, M. C., and Pereira, A. C., 1994, Remote Sensing Reviews, 8, 1–5.
Veiga, M M, Meech J. A, and Onate, N, 1994, Nature, 368, 816–818.
Xiao, Z. F., Munthe, J., and Lindqvist, O., 1991, Water, Air and Soil Pollution 56, 141–151.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hacon, S. et al. (1995). Atmospheric Mercury and Trace Elements in the Region of Alta Floresta in the Amazon Basin. In: Porcella, D.B., Huckabee, J.W., Wheatley, B. (eds) Mercury as a Global Pollutant. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0153-0_31
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0153-0_31
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4069-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0153-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive