Mercury spillage through smoke-stakes of an integrated steel plant: Effects on soil and ground water

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Massive coal consumption has been shown by steel industries. Mercury emission from the stacks of steel industries was reported earlier. The respective samples of soil, ground water and pond water were collected from the susceptible and non-susceptible sites around the steel plant within a distance of 10 km. Samples were analyzed for the presence of mercury by mercury analyzer. Mercury concentration more than 1:0 ppm was observed in soils of high susceptible Sites. Mercury concentration in the range of 0.5-1.0 ppm was observed in the east and west direction of the plant upto a distance of 7 km. In case of ground water and pond water contamination, mercury concentration was found to be more than 10.0 ppb upto a distance of 10 km at high susceptible sites. Concentration range of 10.0 ppb-1.0 ppb was observed within the distance of 7 km at less susceptible sites. Concentration below the permissible limits for drinking water (1.0 ppb) was observed beyond the distance of 7 km at less susceptible sites.</span>