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Reduction of mercury (II) by humic substances—influence of pH, salinity of aquatic system

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Abstract

This study demonstrates that under abiotic dark conditions in aquatic system, humic substances are not only capable of converting Hg(II) to Hg0 but also able to bind Hg(II) ion. The degree of Hg(II) reduction is significantly influenced by the ratio of –COOH/–OH groups and the sulfur content in the HS, revealing a strong competition between complexation and reduction of Hg(II). This study suggests that abiotic and dark Hg(II) reduction depends on the pH and salinity of aqueous medium. At lower pH (∼4.0) and lower salinity (≤5.0 PSU), the reduction of Hg(II) to elemental mercury (Hg0) was comparatively rapid. Higher –COOH/–OH ratios in HS, favors dark abiotic reduction of Hg(II) as did a lower sulfur (S) content of HS. This study provided a rigorously controlled experimental design that showed that dark abiotic Hg(II) reduction by HS can potentially be important in the aquatic environment and is independent of the photochemical reduction observed in both fresh water and sea water.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to the Director, NIO, Goa, for his encouragement and support. This work is a part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) supported GEOSINKS (PSC0106). MC acknowledges Department of Science and Technology, India, for providing CV Raman Postdoctoral Fellowship. KV and KC are thankful to UGC and DR is thankful to CSIR for providing the junior research Fellowship. This article bears NIO contribution number 5710.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, India, Dona Paula, Goa, 403004, India

    Parthasarathi Chakraborty, Krushna Vudamala, Mariame Coulibaly, Darwin Ramteke & Kartheek Chennuri

  2. Ecole Normale Supérieure, Abidjan, 22 BP 973, Côte d’Ivoire

    Mariame Coulibaly

  3. Lean Environmental, P.O. Box 309, Apsley, ON, Canada, K0L1A0

    David Lean

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  1. Parthasarathi Chakraborty
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  2. Krushna Vudamala
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  3. Mariame Coulibaly
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  4. Darwin Ramteke
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  5. Kartheek Chennuri
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  6. David Lean
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Correspondence to Parthasarathi Chakraborty.

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Chakraborty, P., Vudamala, K., Coulibaly, M. et al. Reduction of mercury (II) by humic substances—influence of pH, salinity of aquatic system. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 10529–10538 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4258-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4258-4

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