t
\
SK
01
e
542F07010
Treatment Technologies For Mercury
in Soil, Waste, and Water
FACT SHEET AND ORDER INFORMATION
The report Treatment Technologies for Mercury in
Soil, Waste, and Water
provides a synopsis
of the availability,
performance, and cost
of eight technologies
for the treatment
of mercury in soil,
waste, and water.
It describes the
theory, design,
and operation of
the technologies;
provides
information on
commercial
availability
and use; and
includes site-
specific data on
performance and cost,
where available.
Modern uses for mercury include production of chlor-
alkali, in wiring devices and switches, measuring and
control devices, dental work, and in lighting. At waste
sites, mercury may occur in various media, including
soil, groundwater, sediment, sludge, and leachate.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
regulates mercury emissions to air, water, and
waste. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA has
established a maximum contaminant level (MCL)
for mercury of 2 fjg/L in drinking water. Mercury,
particularly the organic methyl mercury form, is a
potent neurotoxin capable of impairing neurological
development in fetuses and young children and of
damaging the central nervous system of adults.
This report identifies eight technologies to treat
mercury-contaminated soil, waste, and water at full or
pilot scale. A total of 34 full-scale and 23 pilot-scale
applications were identified in the report. Of the eight
technologies, only one technology, solidification/
stabilization (S/S), has been used to treat elemental
mercury. S/S is also the most frequently used
technology for soil and waste contamination in
the projects identified. Other technologies for soil
and waste, including soil washing, vitrification, and
thermal treatment may be considered for specific
applications and soil types.
Precipitation/coprecipitation is the most frequently
used technology for mercury-contaminated water.
The effectiveness of this technology is less likely
to be reduced by media characteristics such
as hardness or other co-contaminants that may
affect other technologies such as adsorption and
membrane filtration. Based on data collected for
this report, bioremediation has been used to treat
mercury only in pilot-scale studies.
Innovative treatment technologies, such as
nanotechnology, phytoremediation, air stripping, and
in situ thermal desorption are also being evaluated for
their ability to treat mercury.
Applicability of Mercury Treatment Technologies at
Identified Projectsa
Technology
Solidification/Stabilization
Soil Washing and Acid Extraction
Thermal Treatment
Vitrification
Precipitation/Coprecipitation
Adsorption
Membrane Filtration
Biological Treatment
'o
CO
•
•
•
•
&
V3
CO
•
•
•
•
Water
~£&
jg
is
= CO
<3 =
CO
•
•
Wastewater '
•
•
•
•
Source: Sections 3.0 to 10.0 of the report.
Notes:
• Indicates treatment has been conducted at full or pilot scale.
" Media indicated here only if project-specific data are available. Some
technologies may be applicable to more than one type of media.
" Soil includes soil, debris, sludge, sediments, and other solid-phase
environmental media.
0 Waste includes nonhazardous and hazardous solid waste generated
by industry.
d Groundwater and surface water also includes mine drainage.
e Wastewater includes nonhazardous and hazardous industrial
wastewater and leachate.
Ordering Information
A PDF version of this report is available for viewing
or downloading from the Hazardous Waste Cleanup
Information (CLU-IN) system Web site at
httD://clu-in.ora/542R07003.
-------
Treatment Technologies For Mercury
in Soil, Waste, and Water
Order Form
To order Treatment Technologies for Mercury in Soil, Waste, and Water (EPA 542-R-07-003) please call 1-800-490-9198, or
complete this form and mail or fax it to:
EPA/National Service Center for Environmental Publications
RO. Box42419
Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419
Fax: (301)604-3408
Name
Company_
Address
City/State/Zip
Phone Fax
E-mail
Order on-line at
or download free copies from
00£$ ssn aiBAUd JOj. Aj|Euad
ssauisng le
HO 'li
LfrSfr
|Buo!iBN/Vd3
6jo-uj-np//:duu.
ZOOS Jaqwaidas esuodsay Aoua6jew3 ^
Vd3 PUB
------- |