title: The dependence of the methylation of mercury on the landfill stabilization process and implications for the landfill management.
abstract: Mercury species and other chemical characteristics of the leachate from anaerobic and semi-aerobic landfills were analyzed to investigate the factors that control mercury methylation during the landfill stabilization process. At the early landfill stage, the total mercury (THg) and the monomethyl mercury (MMHg) released rapidly and significantly, the THg concentration of the semi-aerobic landfill leachate was obviously higher than that of the anaerobic landfill leachate, while compared with the semi-aerobic landfill, the MMHg concentration in the anaerobic landfill was higher. As the landfill time increased, both of THg and MMHg concentration decreased quickly, the THg concentration in the anaerobic landfill was much higher than that in semi-aerobic landfill, while the MMHg concentration in the anaerobic landfill was lower than that in the semi-aerobic landfill. Generally, the concentrations of dimethyl mercury (DMHg) in the anaerobic landfill leachate were slightly higher than in the semi-aerobic landfill leachate during the stabilization process. A significant positive correlation was found between the DMHg concentrations and the pH value in anaerobic landfill leachate, but this correlation was opposite in the semi-aerobic landfill. The oxidative-reductive potential (ORP) condition was found to be the controlling factor of the methylation process during the early stage. However, the chemical characteristics, especially the TOC concentration, appeared to be the dominant factor affecting the methylation process as the landfill time increased.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Environmental Sanitation Engineering Design Institute, Shanghai 200232, China.
authors.forename: Yongxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China.
authors.forename: Zhonggen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: zhaowt@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wentao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008745:Methylation; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D013997:Time Factors; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Landfill; Leachate; Mercury species; Methylation