TITLE:
Elevated Mercury in Ambient Air and Soils Impacts of Historical Air Emissions (1897-1991) from a Chlor-Alkali Plant (CAP)
AUTHORS:
Gary Hunt
KEYWORDS:
Mercury, Air Emissions, Chlor-Alkali (CAP) Manufacturing, Dispersion Modeling, Deposition Rates
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.7 No.3,
February
29,
2016
ABSTRACT: Mercury contamination was found to be
widespread in soils at a property in Upstate New York. Historical site use
suggested that the mercury did not result from prior industrial use of the
property. Soil contamination may have resulted from atmospheric deposition of
mercury released from properties in close proximity to the contaminated
property. The purpose of this forensics investigation was to examine to what
extent atmospheric deposition of elemental mercury may have influenced mercury
levels found in surficial soils on the contaminated property and further to
identify the source(s) of the mercury. Work efforts included an examination of
historical records available for a chlor-alkali plant (CAP) upwind of the
contaminated property to establish historical use and disposal practices for
elemental mercury. Mercury emissions test data from the Upstate New York
chlor-alkali facility were modeled (USEPA ISC3) as a means of estimating
impacts on ambient air and soils vicinal to the facility. Mercury emissions from
the facility were modeled as both a point source and volume source. For
example, at a location 305 meters to the east and 30 meters to the north of the
modeled source centerline elemental mercury concentrations in ambient air were
estimated at 270 ng/m3 (average results based upon 5
years of meteorological data). This value is contrasted to a background
concentration of 1.6 ng/m3 (USEPA Report to Congress
1997). As a result of the modeling data in combination with findings related to
mercury use and disposal practices at the NY CAP documented from the records
review, it was concluded that emissions from the CAP facility during the period
of operation (1897-1991) most likely accounted for the concentrations of
elemental mercury found in surficial soils at properties situated downwind of
the CAP. These findings were further corroborated by information available in
the open literature for CAPs world-wide.