title: The local impact of a coal-fired power plant on inorganic mercury and methyl-mercury distribution in rice (Oryza sativa L.).
abstract: Emission from coal-fired power plants is one of the major anthropogenic sources of mercury (Hg) in the environment, because emitted Hg can be quickly deposited nearby the source, attention is paid to the effects of coal-burning facilities on levels of toxic methyl-mercury (MeHg) in biota near such sources. Since rice is an agricultural crop that can bio-accumulate MeHg, the potential effects of a large Hg-emitting coal-fired power plant in Hunan Province, China on both inorganic Hg (Hg(II)) and MeHg distributions in rice was investigated. Relatively high MeHg (up to 3.8 μg kg-1) and Hg(II) (up to 22 μg kg-1) concentrations were observed in rice samples collected adjacent to the plant, suggesting a potential impact of Hg emission from the coal fired power plant on the accumulation of Hg in rice in the area. Concentrations of MeHg in rice were positively correlated with soil MeHg, soil S, and gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) in ambient air. Soil MeHg was the most important factor controlling MeHg concentrations in rice. The methylation of Hg in soils may be controlled by factors such as the chemical speciation of inorganic Hg, soil S, and ambient GEM.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.
authors.forename: Xinbin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecosystems Science and Management, University of Wyming, 82071, United States.
authors.forename: Chunhao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.
authors.forename: Jianyang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Zhidong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, CAS, Changsha, 410000, China.
authors.forename: Sensen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China. Electronic address: qiuguangle@vip.skleg.cn.
authors.forename: Guangle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003031:Coal; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D012275:Oryza / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011210:Power Plants; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Coal-fired power plant; Inorganic mercury; Methyl-mercury; Rice; Soil S