Mercury in European agricultural and grazing land soils

Ottesen, R. T.; Birke, M.; Finne, T. E.; Gosar, M.; Locutura, J.; Reimann, C.; Tarvainen, T.; Albanese, Stefano; Andersson, M.; Arnoldussen, A.; Batista, M. J.; Bel Lan, A.; Cicchella, D.; Demetriades, A.; Dinelli, E.; De Vivo, Benedetto; De Vos, W.; Duris, M.; Dusza, A.; Eggen, O. A.; Eklund, M.; Ernstsen, V.; Filzmoser, P.; Flight, D.; Fuchs, M.; Fugedi, U.; Gilucis, A.; Gregorauskiene, V.; Gulan, A.; Halamic, J.; Haslinger, E.; Hayoz, P.; Hoffmann, R.; Hoogewerff, J.; Hrvatovic, H.; Husnjak, S.; Johnson, C. C.; Jordan, G.; Kaste, L.; Keilert, B.; Kivisilla, J.; Klos, V.; Krone, F.; Kwecko, P.; Kuti, L.; Ladenberger, A.; Lima, Annamaria; Lucivjansky, D. P.; Mackovych, D.; Malyuk, B. I.; Maquil, R.; Mcdonnell, P.; Meuli, R. G.; Miosic, N.; Mol, G.; Négrel, P.; O’Connor, P.; Pasieczna, A.; Petersell, W.; Ponavic, M.; Pramuka, S.; Prazeres, C.; Rauch, U.; Reitner, H.; Sadeghi, M.; Salpeteur, I.; Samardzic, N.; Schedl, A.; Scheib, A.; Schoeters, I.; Sefcik, P.; Skopljak, F.; Slaninka, I.; Šorša, A.; Stafilov, T.; Sellersjö, E.; Trendavilov, V.; Valera, P.; Verougstraete, V.; Vidojevic, D.; Z. Z. O. M. E. N. I.,

doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.12.013

Agricultural (Ap, Ap-horizon, 0–20 cm) and grazing land soil samples (Gr, 0–10 cm) were collected from a large part of Europe (33 countries, 5.6 million km2) at an average density of 1 sample site/2500 km2. The resulting more than 2 2000 soil samples were air dried, sieved to <2 mm and analysed for their Hg concentrations following an aqua regia extraction. Median concentrations for Hg are 0.030 mg/kg (range: <0.003–1.56 mg/kg) for the Ap samples and 0.035 mg/kg (range: <0.003–3.12 mg/kg) for the Gr samples. Only 5 Ap and 10 Gr samples returned Hg concentrations above 1 mg/kg. In the geochemical maps the continental-scale distribution of the element is clearly dominated by geology. Climate exerts an important influence. Mercury accumulates in those areas of northern Europe where a wet and cold climate favours the build-up of soil organic material. Typical anthropogenic sources like coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, chlor-alkali plants, metal smelters and urban agglomerations are hardly visible at continental scales but can have a major impact at the local-scale.

Mercury in European agricultural and grazing land soils / R. T., Ottesen; M., Birke; T. E., Finne; M., Gosar; J., Locutura; C., Reimann; T., Tarvainen; Albanese, Stefano; M., Andersson; A., Arnoldussen; M. J., Batista; A., Bel lan; D., Cicchella; A., Demetriades; E., Dinelli; DE VIVO, Benedetto; W., De Vos; M., Duris; A., Dusza; O. A., Eggen; M., Eklund; V., Ernstsen; P., Filzmoser; D., Flight; M., Fuchs; U., Fugedi; A., Gilucis; V., Gregorauskiene; A., Gulan; J., Halamic; E., Haslinger; P., Hayoz; R., Hoffmann; J., Hoogewerff; H., Hrvatovic; S., Husnjak; C. C., Johnson; G., Jordan; L., Kaste; B., Keilert; J., Kivisilla; V., Klos; F., Krone; P., Kwecko; L., Kuti; A., Ladenberger; Lima, Annamaria; D. P., Lucivjansky; D., Mackovych; B. I., Malyuk; R., Maquil; P., Mcdonnell; R. G., Meuli; N., Miosic; G., Mol; P., Négrel; P., O’Connor; A., Pasieczna; W., Petersell; M., Ponavic; S., Pramuka; C., Prazeres; U., Rauch; H., Reitner; M., Sadeghi; I., Salpeteur; N., Samardzic; A., Schedl; A., Scheib; I., Schoeters; P., Sefcik; F., Skopljak; I., Slaninka; A., Šorša; T., Stafilov; E., Sellersjö; V., Trendavilov; P., Valera; V., Verougstraete; D., Vidojevic; Z. Z. o. m. e. n., I.. - In: APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY. - ISSN 0883-2927. - 33:(2013), pp. 1-12. [10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.12.013]