MERCURY - cpcb.nic.in

1 MERCURY - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS & TOXICITY CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS) Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110 032 E-mail: Website: November, 2009 FOREWORD MERCURY is the only liquid state metal , which finds very wide commercial application in industries, electrical appliances, mercurial catalysts, healthcare sector for extensive use in thermometers, sphygmomanometer, dental amalgams, agriculture for seed treatment, as laboratory reagents etc. Because of extensive commercial use, the MERCURY consumption in the country is quite high. The MERCURY Cell process based Chlor-alkali industries are one of the major users and thus prime source of MERCURY release to the environment alongwith the coal-fired thermal power plants, plastic industries, pulp and paper industries, discarded medical instruments, used electrical appliances, electronic waste, certain pharmaceuticals and agricultural products.

2 The MERCURY is highly toxic in both forms (a) elemental; (b) compounds; irrespective of whether inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. The microbes convert inorganic MERCURY of aquatic environment into methyl MERCURY and various organic MERCURY compounds. These compounds may be bio-accumulated and bio-magnified in food chain, particularly in the body tissue of fresh water and marine organisms and consequently get transferred to human beings. The Environmental issues of elemental MERCURY and its various forms, their toxico-kinetics and human health impacts have been widely documented. The MERCURY compounds are recognized as cumulative poison and are potent neuro and nephro toxic substances.

3 Alkyl MERCURY has been known to cause permanent mental retardation. The potential hazard of MERCURY and its compounds to human health demands strict regulations and standards. Recognizing the need of mass awareness for proper management of MERCURY in the environment, various aspects of environmental implications and toxicity of MERCURY are highlighted herewith. Thankful acknowledgement is extended to my colleagues Dr. R. B. Lal and Dr. C. S. Sharma for compiling and collating the information under the supervision of Dr. S. D. Makhijani. The manuscript has been typesetted by Shri K. P. Srivastava. Shri Kamyotra, Member Secretary supervised the issue.

4 Hopefully, the information contained in this issue will be useful to environmentally conscious community. (S. P. Gautam) 17th November, 2009 CONTENTS Page No INTRODUCTION 1 Nature, Occurrence, Distribution and Chemistry of MERCURY 1 Existence of various forms of MERCURY in Environment 2 Global Production of MERCURY 3 MERCURY Trade in India 4 MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT 4 Natural Sources of MERCURY 4 Anthropogenic Sources of MERCURY 5 Chemo Dynamics of MERCURY 6 MERCURY in Atmosphere 6 MERCURY in Aquatic Environment 7 MERCURY in Soil / Sludges 8 MERCURY in Food and Food Chains 8 Detection Techniques and MERCURY Analytical Methods in Environmental Matrices 9 MERCURY USES AND APPLICATIONS 10 Overview 10 Application of MERCURY in Industries 11 Main Contributors to MERCURY Emission in India 21 MERCURY Release

5 To Environment from Caustic Soda Industries 22 MERCURY Emissions from Coal 26 MERCURY in Electronic waste (e-Waste) 27 EXPOSURE PATHWAYS, UPTAKE, BIO-ACCUMULATION AND BIO-TRANSFORMATION OF MERCURY 30 In Terrestrial Plant / Animals 30 In Aquatic Organisms (Bio-Accumulation and Biological Magnification) 30 In Human Beings 31 Absorption during inhalation 31 Absorption during ingestion 31 Absorption through skin 31 TOXIC EFFECTS OF MERCURY AND ITS COMPOUNDS 32 Long term health effects of exposure to MERCURY 32 Toxico-kinetics of inorganic MERCURY Toxico-kinetics of organic MERCURY Effects on the Nervous System 33 34 34 Effects on Kidney 34 Effects on Skin 34 Disease caused by MERCURY Exposure 36 Chronic MERCURY Exposures Guidelines and Standards 40 SUBSTITUTION OF MERCURY - MERCURY FREE ALTERNATIVES 40 MERCURY RELEASE CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES 42 End-of-Pipe Control Techniques 42 MERCURY Waste Management 43 DECONTAMINATION &

6 RESTORATION OF MERCURY POLLUTED AREAS 43 LEGAL MECHANISM & ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS FOR MERCURY POLLUTION CONTROL 45 United States and at International Level 45 Occupational Exposure Limit in Japan 47 International Convention Agreements 48 International Organizations & MERCURY Control Programmers 49 Legal Mechanisms & MERCURY Regulations At National Level 50 Environmental Legislation Related to MERCURY 50 Occupational Health Legislations 52 RECOMMENDATIONS 52 REFERENCES 54 LIST OF TABLES Table No. Particulars Page No. 1 Estimated world production of primary (mined) MERCURY 03 2 Detection Technique and Analytical Methods for estimation of Total MERCURY 09 3 MERCURY Species and Industrial Uses 10 4 Total MERCURY Imports in India as per DGCI&S 11 5 Estimated Industrial Uses of MERCURY 12 6 Typical MERCURY Concentration in MERCURY bearing Lamps 16 7 State-wise and Production Technology-wise Distribution of Chlor-alkali Industries in India 23 8 State wise Status of MERCURY Cell Technology based Caustic Soda industries 23 9 Ambient Air Quality with respect to MERCURY at Singrauli 27 10 Health Effects of MERCURY 35 11 Guidelines and Standards for Chronic MERCURY Exposure 40 12 Alternatives available for MERCURY Commercial Use 40 13

7 MERCURY Containing Chemicals and their alternatives 41 14 MERCURY Pollution Sources & Control Techniques 42 15 Environmental Standards for MERCURY in United States 45 16 Regulatory Environmental Standards for MERCURY in Drinking Water 46 17 Guideline Limit of MERCURY for Water for Protection of Aquatic Life 46 18 Guideline and Baseline Values Standard for Soil and Sediments 47 19 Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) for MERCURY 48 20 Environmental Legislation related to the MERCURY in India 50 21 Occupational Health Legislations 52 LIST OF FIGURES Figure No. Particulars Page No. 01 Environmental Chemistry of MERCURY in Environment 3 02 Typical Sources of Man Made MERCURY Pollution in the Environment in Developed countries 6 03 MERCURY oxidation.

8 Reduction and mass transfer process in the atmosphere 6 04 Aquatic MERCURY Cycle 7 05 Dynamic interactions between the various MERCURY species in ocean waters 7 06 Pathways of MERCURY to the Environment 8 07 Coal fired Thermal Power Station 13 08 Fluorescent Lamps containing MERCURY 16 09 Main contributors to MERCURY Emissions in India 21 10 Technology conversion trend in Chlor alkali Industries 24 11 MERCURY Purchased by Chlor alkali Industries 24 12 Typical Caustic Soda Manufacturing Unit 25 13 Piles of e-Waste containing various toxic metals including MERCURY 28 14 E-Waste containing various toxic metals including MERCURY 28 15 Discarded Computers - another source of MERCURY 29 16 Electronic Waste processing for recovery of various electronic parts for recycling 29 17 Electronic Waste processing for recycling in a household 29 18 MERCURY , some interactions and effects of the different chemical species within the body 33 19 MERCURY Poisoning as Pink Disease 35 20 Home made Bread prepared from methyl MERCURY treated wheat 39 21 MERCURY Free Digital Thermometer / MERCURY free Alkaline Batteries 42 INTRODUCTION NATURE, OCCURRENCE, DISTRIBUTION & CHEMISTRY OF MERCURY MERCURY is the only metal element, which is liquid at ambient temperature and sometimes called Quicksilver because of its silvery white appearance.

9 It rarely occurs free in nature and is mainly found as bright red crystalline solid Cinnabar ore (HgS). MERCURY is a heavy, odourless, lustrous liquid metal that sinks in water. It is mobile, ductile and converts into malleable mass on being solidified at 39 0C, which may be cut with a knife. There are about 1,501,430,636,558,496,585,414 atoms in grams of MERCURY . Each and every atom of MERCURY is capable bio-chemically to disable an enzyme or other critical protein in our body. Thus, MERCURY has the potential to produce significant health effects through series of bio chemical reactions in our body. Physical Chemistry of MERCURY Chemical Symbol Hg (Hydrargyrum) Atomic Weight Atomic Number 80 Valency 1 - 2 Density Boiling Point 0C Solidity -39 0C MERCURY has very wide commercial and industrial applications.

10 It is an excellent conductor of electricity, therefore it is widely used in electrical apparatuses meters, switches, batteries etc. Being highly mobile, it cannot be disintegrated into harmless components. In the industrial processes, MERCURY is actually not consumed, therefore whatever MERCURY is used comes back with wastes, effluents, air emissions or in the products. The MERCURY hazards have been recognized since last few decades due to environmental awareness. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of the MERCURY used in the industrial processes literally vanishes into various environmental components. Chlor-alkali industries had been the major source of MERCURY release to the environment till sometimes back, because of obsolete technology.