OBJECTIVES Autometallography (AMG) was applied for tracing mercury in long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) harvested in the Faroe Islands. RESULTS Ample mercury accumulation was found in kidney tubules, in contrast to the largely unstained glomeruli. Hepatocytes, as well as liver macrophages, exhibited high mercury uptake. The muscle tissue accumulated only scant amounts of mercury, ...

Mercury (Hg) contamination is considered a global concern for humans and wildlife, and although the number of studies dealing with that issue continues to increase, some taxonomic groups such as small passerine birds are largely understudied. In this paper, concentration of mercury in the aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) feathers, a globally threatened passerine species, was examined. ...

Air pollution control devices (APCDs) are installed at coal-fired power plants for air pollutant regulation. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems have the co-benefits of air pollutant and mercury removal. Configuration and operational conditions of APCDs and mercury speciation affect mercury removal efficiently at coal-fired utilities. The Ontario H...

A huge amount of coal is always stored in open spaces in coal-fired power plants before combustion. Mercury released from coal by rain or flowing water is an environmental risk and can cause contamination of the soil around the storage area. To better understand mercury pollution and to control mercury emission before combustion, it is necessary to determine the mobility and leaching characteri...

There is increasing concern about the potential neurotoxic effects of exposure to methylmercury for the 6 million people living in the Amazon, even in regions situated far away from the gold mines (garimpos), considered to be the major source of mercury pollution. In November 1998, a spot investigation on mercury contamination was conducted in three fishing villages (Barreiras, Rainha, and Sao ...

SUMMARY M ore than four decades of research provide unequivocal evidence that sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury pollution have altered, and will continue to alter, our nation's lands and waters. The emission and deposition of air pollutants harm native plants and animals, degrade water quality, affect forest productivity, and are damaging to human health. Many air quality policies limit emissions a...

mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals present in aquatic systems, exhibiting a complex behaviour in the environment, where it may persist for decades after the source of pollution is stopped. hence, it is important develop new techniques for its removal from the aquatic systems. in this context, a particularly promising line of research is the use of new materials capable of up taking m...

The 491 U.S. coal-fired power plants are the largest unregulated industrial source of mercury emissions nationwide, annually emitting about 48 tons of mercury—a toxic element that poses health threats, including neurological disorders in children. In 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that mercury emissions from these sources should be regulated, but the agency has not s...

INTRODUCTION Mercury has been recognized as having adverse effects on the environment and human health. Solid scientific evidence has justified the need for international agreements for the reduction of mercury emission [1]. The environmental impact of mercury may not only be limited to areas in close proximity to the source of emission. Mercury can easily volatilize and related emissions could...

Coal-fired power plants in the United States may have to reduce their mercury emissions by up to 90% by 2007 2009 due to proposed regulations that could affect up to 1,100 utility boilers. Air pollution control system components such as electrostatic precipitators, baghouses, NOx reduction catalysts, SO2 scrubbers, and their various configurations in utility applications significantly impact me...