The Legacy of the Idrija Mine Twenty-Five Years after Closing: Is Mercury in the Water Column of the Gulf of Trieste Still an Environmental Issue?
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 18(19)2021 09 28.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34639493
ABSTRACT
Mercury (Hg) contamination in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) due to mining activity in Idrija (Slovenia) still represents an issue of environmental concern. The Isonzo/Soca River's freshwater inputs have been identified as the main source of Hg into the Gulf, especially following periods of medium-high discharge. This research aims to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of dissolved (DHg) and particulate (PHg) Hg along the water column in the northernmost sector of the Gulf, a shallow and sheltered embayment suitable for the accumulation of fine sediments. Sediment and water samples were collected under unperturbed and perturbed environmental conditions induced by natural and anthropogenic factors. Mercury in the sediments (0.77-6.39 µg g-1) and its relationship to grain size were found to be consistent with previous research focused on the entire Gulf, testifying to the common origin of the sediment. Results showed a notable variability of DHg (Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Poluentes Químicos da Água
/
Mercúrio
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Environ Res Public Health
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália