CCOP-GSJ/AIST-GAI CASM-AsiaWorkshop on the State-of-the Art of Science and Technology to

Protect the Environment and People

Environmental Sampling for

Mercury StudyDr. B.Tumenbayar*, Dr. S. Murao**, J. Uramgaa*,

T. Maidar* (* BEMM/SFP, Mongolia, **JGS/AIST Japan)

27-29 November 2006, Bandung, Indonesia

This is not mercury sampling

ASM family

During the sampling for mercury study we must always remember properties

of Metallic Mercury (Hg)• Metallic mercury is a liquid at room temperature

(Hg is the only metal with this property)

• Also evaporates to create a vapor at room temperature• Vapor saturation concentration: 13.2 mg/m3 (20°C)*• Vapor has a high absorption rate in the airway (80% or more in

humans)*• Human,inhalation: 150 µg/m3 /46 days** (toxicities reported)

• Human, oral ingection: 43 mg/kg*** (toxicities reported)

• References:* - Preventive Measures against Environmental Mercury Pollution and Its Health Effect. Japan Health Association (2001)** - Archives of Environmental Health 33,186,1978*** - Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology 31, 487,1993

Sampling for Mercury study

• Soil (Surface soil, bottom sediment of river, lake)

• Air (Village center, nomad’s home)

• Water (river and lake)Dr. Viktor Magalambayan’s kindly shared with his sampling methodology, material distributed

• Human exposure (in hair, nail, blood and urine) analyzed by PIXE ( Dr. K.Sera and S. Murao.)

Our survey area was in Northern Forest part of Mongolia

Our survey area named Boroo was near the several hard rock gold deposits, where

active ASM

Sampling of polluted soil is followed by instructions from the Japan Public Health Association. (Preventive Measures against Environmental Mercury Pollution and Health Effect. 2001)

1. Surface soil Sampling• In 1 point we took 5 samples from

different places in 10 cm deep within 900-1000 m3 space.

• Used Shovels • Don’t forget to use Mask, glows

One of surface sampling point. In the each point taken 5 samples.

We are carefully mixed all 5 samples in the pan than took one sample from it. Before we removed foreign objectives ( pebbles, shells, pieces of animals, plants and other) from the sampleAnd stored in Glass can (in our case) or possible use plastic bag, too.

One of our staff was very carifull man, always use mask during the sampling surface dusty soil

2. Bottom soil Sampling

• We also took 5 samples (20 cm deep )in 1 point from different places of river bottom trying to cover more different places

• Used hand made simple grab like EckmanGrab. (possible to use Peterson grab, too)

• Don’t forget to use gloves and robber boots, in case of shallow water.

Eckman grab for sampling bottom if river or lake (we not used)

Eckman Grab for sampling bottom sediment(Peterson Grab also looks same)

In case of shallow water we used Shovel, grab and removed pebbles, shells, pieces of animals, plants and other) from the sample

Always used rubber boots and gloves

In case of need to took detail sample by laeyrs, we dig pit and sampled

Air sampling, it was very complicated for our survey, and didn’t give good result due to strong

wind in Mongolia

Sample storage• Glass container is best (although other container may be also used)• Wash the containers beforehand using hydrochloric acid other

agents free from Mercury

Soil sampling• One Sampling point (mixture of 5 locations about every

1000m2)• Not contain gravel or wood chips• Collect 10 cm of the surface layer (if river or lake from

the bottom)• Remove pebbles, shells, pieces of animals, plants and

other foreign objectives from the sample• Try to collect clay layer under the sand on the bottom of

river• All samples should be well mixed and passed through a

2 mm mesh sieve• Samples should be placed in a stopped glass bottle.• Date, location (GPS), general condition (appearance,

color, smell, impurities etc.) should be recorded.

Some useful information

• The soil surrounding the contamination source should be sampled.• Location and topography (including geological strata if possible)

should be recorded• When contamination source is less than 10 m above the ground and

has radius of 10 m, soil samples should be collected from the intersections of a 30 m grid centered on the contamination source are

• When the contamination source is 20-40 m. above the ground and spread over a radius that exceed 100m, topography and other factors should be considered and samples should be collected from the intersections of 30 m grid oriented in the down-wind direction.

Analytical methods

• Determination of mercury content by means of cold vapor spectrometer

• PIXE analysis (later will be presented by Dr. K.Sera and Dr. S. Murao)

• Possible use another instruments like Lumex (see next page)

Portative Mercury analyzer

Lumex Ltd.Russia190005 St. Petersburg, 19 Moskovsky pr.tel. (812) 718-53-90/91, fax. (812) 718-53-99e-mail: aac@lumex.ru

RESULTof soil sampling in the fences of Bor nuur village.70-85 % of fences has high content of Mercury

Mandal bag

Mandal bag Bichigt district

Bichigt district

Lognormal Distribution of Mercury in the Boroo river Bottom sediment

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33.33.63.94.2

BS

-300

BS

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BS

-310

BS

-315

BS

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BS

-325

BS

-330

BS

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-345

BS

-350

BS

-355

BS

-360

BS

-365

BS

-370

BS

-375

BS

-380

BS

-385

BS

-397

3680(ppm)

Mer

cury

Boroo river (22.03 km) Kharaa river (18.27 km)

Permissible Hg content

Bayangol(Baruunkharaa)

0.15

Fig.50. Mercury content of the bottom sediments of the Boroo and Kharaa rivers.

Boroo gold recovery plant with mercury spill

Distribution of Mercury in the river

0

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0.002

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Sample

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Boroo River

SujigteiKhargana

Zuunmod

Tsagaan chuluut

Ikh Dashir

Boroo River

Permissible Hg content

Kharaa River

Mercury permissible level*• 0.0005 mg/l (ppb) Water pollution control Law of Japan

• Soil 0,15- 0,2 mg/kg (ppm)• If more 1,0 mg/kg (ppm) there is a risk of

discharge from the soil into the other environmental sector

• Mercury contamination in nearby water systems must be therefore also be investigated in this case

References:* - Preventive Measures against Environmental Mercury Pollution and Its Health Effect. Japan Health Association (2001)

• From this study, approximately 2-3 tons of mercury have been show to have accumulated along a distance of 40 kms of the Boroo River and Kharaa River

Soil pollution in fenced-off yards related to urine mercury content

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0.02

0.03

0.04

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0.027 0.044 0.128 0.343 0.405 5.23

Mercury in households yard ml/kg

Mer

cury

in u

rine

Mkg

/ml

Gantsetseg 41(Sumber) Dolgormaa 20

(Sumber)Amraa 1(Sumber)

Uranchimeg 84(Bayangol)

Oyunsuren 52(bayangol)

Narlagmaa 129(Bornuur)

Permissible Hg content

Perm

issi

ble

Hg

cont

ent

THANK YOU

(please don’t forget take off your gold rings)