Basic Chemical Principals of Mercury
Solid-Water Interface Mineralogical transformation biomineralization dissolution precipitation Mn+ Oxidation Reduction Mn+x release Bacteria deposition Organic Matter Mineral adsorption Organic ligand desorption Soil Profile complexation Aqueous Metal Ion degradation Metal-Organic Complex Surface complex
Morel et al., 2002
Air Water Hg(II) (s) Hgo (g) Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Hgo (l) deposition volatilization Water reduction Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Hgo (l) oxidation dissolution Natural concentrations: 5 to 100 pM (1 – 20 ng /L)
Air Water Hg(II) (s) Hgo (g) Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Hgo (l) deposition Air volatilization Water reduction Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Hgo (l) oxidation dissolution Hgo (l) Hgo (aq) K = 10-7.3 (mol/L) Hgo (g) Hg (aq) K = 2.56 x 10-3 (mol / L · atm)
Hg(II) (s) Hgo (g) Air Water reduction Hg(II) Hgo (aq) oxidation
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Microbially mediated (dominant) Photoreduction oxidation Hgo (aq) Hg(II) Limited in freshwater Particle surfaces catalyze O2 oxidation of Hg-halides (HgCl2, for example)
Air Water Hg(II) (s) Hgo (g) Hg(II) Hgo (aq) reduction oxidation Natural concentrations: 5 to 100 pM (1 – 20 ng /L)
Ion Coordination: Hg(II)
Solutions Speciation: Differences in molecular configuration Hg2+, HgCl2o, Hg(OH)2o, Hg(SH)2o, HgS(SH)-, CH3Hg(SH)o
Ion Complexes Cation + Anion (termed ligand) => Complex Hg2+ + Cl- HgCl- Keq = 107.2 (association reaction) Hg(SH)2o Hg2+ + 2 HS- log K = -36.6 (dissociation reaction) Kdiss = (Hg2+) (HS-)2 / (Hg(SH)2o) DG = -RT ln K
Oxic (Aerated) Waters Morel et al. (2002)
Air Water Interaction with Solids Sediment Hg(II) (s) Hgo (g) Hg(II) deposition volatilization Water reduction Hg(II) Hgo (aq) Hgo (l) oxidation Dissolution/precipitation HgS Sediment
Solubility Products HgS = Hg2+ + S2- log Ksp = -53
Guadalupe River Watershed
San Francisco Bay, ‘Stinky Mud’
Energy Electron Donor Electron Acceptor Yield (food) (breathing) CH2O CO2 DGdonor - DGdonor SO42- H2S NH4+ NO3- Fe3+ Fe2+ Fe2+ Fe3+ NO3- NH4+ H2S SO42- O2 H2O Energy Energy
Sulfide Complexes of Hg Hg(SH)2o HgS(SH)- Hg(Sn)SH- Hg2+ + HS-
Methyl Mercury (MeHg) Hg(HS)2 SRB HgS(HS)- MeHg MeHg: CH3HgS- CH3HgCl CH3HgOH
Methylated Species of Hg
Solubility Products HgS = Hg2+ + S2- log Ksp = -53 What about other Hg(II) species?
Role of Sulfide with So
Interaction with Solids
Ion Retention adsorption desorption Aqueous Metal Ion
Adsorption: Chemical versus Electrostatic (strong) (weak) - - Hg2+
Cylcing of Mercury