title: Mercury distribution in seawater discharged from a coal-fired power plant equipped with a seawater flue gas desulfurization system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  More and more coal-fired power plants equipped with seawater flue gas desulfurization systems have been built in coastal areas. They release large amount of mercury (Hg)-containing waste seawater into the adjacent seas. However, very limited impact studies have been carried out. Our research targeted the distribution of Hg in the seawater, sediment, biota, and atmosphere, and its environmental transportation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seawater samples were collected from five sites: 1, sea areas adjacent to the power plant; 2, near discharge outlets; 3, the aeration pool of the power plant; and 4 and 5, two reference sites. The total gaseous Hg was determined in situ with a Tekran 2537B. Analyses of total Hg (TM) followed the USEPA methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In most part of the study area, TM concentrations were close to the reference values and Hg transfer from the seawater into the sediment and biota was not obvious. However, in the aeration pool and near the waste discharge outlets, atmospheric and surface seawater concentrations of TM were much higher, compared with those at a reference site. The concentration ranges of total gaseous Hg and TM in seawater were 3.83-8.60 ng/m(3) and 79.0-198 ng/L near the discharge outlets, 7.23-13.5 ng/m(3) and 186-616 ng/L in the aeration pool, and 2.98-4.06 ng/m(3) and 0.47-1.87 ng/L at a reference point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that the Hg in the flue gas desulfurization waste seawater was not only transported and diluted with sea currents, but also could possibly be transferred into the atmosphere from the aeration pool and from the discharge outlets.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Oceanography and Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors: Xiyao
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Lumin
authors: L
authors: Sun
authors: Dongxing
authors: D
authors: Yuan
authors: Liqian
authors: L
authors: Yin
authors: Jinsheng
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Yaoxing
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Chengyu
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Liang
authors: Fangfang
authors: F
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011210:Power Plants; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants; D013455:Sulfur; D008628:Mercury