ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANY OF SAO PAULO STATE – CETESB
REGIONAL CENTRE OF STOCKHOLM CONVENTION ON POPs FOR
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION
V INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM ON ENVIRONMENTAL SOUND
MANAGEMENT ON CHEMICALS AND WASTES, ESPECIALLY ON PERSISTENT
ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPs) AND MERCURY (Hg)
Laboratory of Inorganic Chemical Analysis
Gustavo Barbosa Ferreira
Juliana de Freitas
2016
Sao Paulo – SP – Brazil
Mercury:
Pollution Sources and
Environmental Behavior
Gustavo Barbosa Ferreira – Chemist
Juliana de Freitas – Chemist
Laboratory of Inorganic Chemical Analysis
Contents
1. Mercury chemistry
2. Convention of Minamata
3. Mercury- added products
4. Uses of Mercury in manufacturing
processes
5. Mercury emissions and releases
6. Mercury environmental behavior
Mercury Chemistry
Mercury (Hg) is a metal that exists in liquid
form at room temperature.
Mercury Chemistry
Atomic weight: 200,6
Atomic number: 80
Density: 13,6
Melting point: -38,90 ºC
Boiling point: 356,60 ºC
Mercury Chemistry
Inorganic mercury compounds include
mercurous mercury (monovalent) and
mercuric mercury (divalent) compounds.
+
Hg
Hg2+
Mercury Chemistry
Among the organic Mercury
compounds, methylmercury compounds
have toxicological significance.
Minamata Convention
Regulates on:
-
-
Supply and Trade;
-
Products and processes;
-
Emissions and releases;
Interim storage, waste and contaminated sites;
-
Financial resources and technical assistance;
-
Health aspects.
Minamata Convention
On november 22th, 2015:
-
128 signatories
19 ratifications: USA, Djibouti, Guyana, Uruguay,
Monaco, Gabon, Guinea, Nicaragua, Lesotho,
Seychelles, UAE, Madagascar, Mauritania, Samoa,
Chad, Mongolia, Mexico, Panama and Jordan.
Mercury-added
products
Batteries
Mercury-added products
Switches and relays
Relay containing mercury
Mercury-added products
Lamps
Mercury-added products
Cosmetics
Mercury-added products
Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics
Mercury-added products
Non-electronic measuring devices
-
-
Barometer
-
Hygrometer
-
Manometer
Thermometer
Sphygmomanometer
Mercury-added products
Dental amalgam
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Chlor-alkali production
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Chlor-alkali production
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Acetaldehyde production
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Polyurethane production
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining
Uses of Mercury in
manufacturing processes
Mercury emissions and releases
Mercury emissions and releases
Mercury emissions and releases
Mercury emissions and releases
Mercury wastes:
-
Consisting of Mercury or Mercury compounds;
-
Containing Mercury or Mercury compounds;
-
Contaminated with Mercury or Mercury compounds.
Mercury emissions and
releases
Mercury environmental
behavior
Mercury environmental
behavior
Large carnivore fish
Small fish
Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
Mercury environmental
behavior
Thank you!