title: Remediation of mercury-polluted soils using artificial wetlands.
abstract: Mexico's mercury mining industry is important for economic development, but has unfortunately contaminated soils due to open-air disposal. This case was seen at two sites in the municipality of Pinal de Amoles, State of Queretaro, Mexico. This paper presents an evaluation of mercury dynamics and biogeochemistry in two soils (mining waste soil) using ex-situ wetlands over 36 weeks. In soils sampled in two former mines of Pinal de Amoles, initial mercury concentrations were 424 ± 29 and 433 ± 12 mg kg-1in La Lorena and San Jose, former mines, respectively. Typha latifolia and Phragmites australis were used and 20 reactors were constructed (with and without plants). The reactors were weekly amended with a nutrient solution (NPK), for each plant, at a pH of 5.0. For remediation using soils from San Jose 70-78% of mercury was removed in T. latifolia reactors and 76-82% in P. australis reactors, and for remediation of soils from La Lorena, mercury content was reduced by 55-71% using T. latifolia and 58-66% in P. australis reactors. Mercury emissions into the atmosphere were estimated to be 2-4 mg m-2h-1for both soils.
authors.affiliation: a UNAM, Facultad de Química, DIQ, Edif. E-3 , Laboratorios 301-302-303, Ciudad Universitaria , México D.F. , México.
authors.forename: Héctor Daniel
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: García-Mercadoa
authors.affiliation: b UNAM, Facultad de Ingeniería, Edif. T , Ciudad Universitaria , México D.F. , México.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernándezb
authors.affiliation: c Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN). Investigador Titular. Academia de Ciencias Ambientales, Centro Interdisciplinariol de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR) Unidad Durango , Durango , Dgo. México.
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garzón-Zúñigac
authors.affiliation: a UNAM, Facultad de Química, DIQ, Edif. E-3 , Laboratorios 301-302-303, Ciudad Universitaria , México D.F. , México.
authors.forename: María Del Carmen
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Durán-Domínguez-de-Bazúaa
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D008800:Mexico; D008906:Mining; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D032401:Typhaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Mercury; Phragmites australis; Typha latifolia; soils; speciation