The Legacy of Mercury Contamination from a Past Leather Manufacturer and Health Risk Assessment in an Urban Area (Pisa Municipality, Italy)

Lisa Ghezzi, Simone Arrighi, Roberto Giannecchini, Monica Bini, Marta Valerio and Riccardo Petrini
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Lisa Ghezzi: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Simone Arrighi: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Roberto Giannecchini: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Monica Bini: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Marta Valerio: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Riccardo Petrini: Department of Earth Science, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: An abandoned open green space in the urban setting of the Municipality of Pisa (Tuscany, Italy) has been designed for renewal to foster the development of recreational activities and improve the lives of the surrounding communities. However, the geochemical site characterization revealed Pb, Cu, Zn and Hg concentrations in the soil exceeding the thresholds imposed by Italian regulations for residential use. Pb, Cu and Zn contents likely reflect the effects of urban vehicle traffic, while Hg contamination represents the legacy of a past artisanal tannery that used Hg(II)-chloride in leather processing in the mid-1900s. Mercury is widely distributed in the area, with the highest concentration in the uppermost soil layer, and reaching about 170 mg/kg in the common dandelion rhizosphere. Chemical extractions and thermal desorption experiments have indicated that most Hg is in the elemental free and matrix-bound fraction, with a possible minor amount (less than 4 wt%) of HgS and negligible methylated forms (0.1 wt%). The data suggest that soil processes could reduce Hg 2+ to volatile Hg 0 . Mercury in groundwater, hosted in a shallow aquitard in the area, was below 0.2 µg/L. However, the presence of chloride in groundwater might result in the formation of Hg stable aqueous complexes, increasing Hg release from solids. Future water quality monitoring is hence recommended. The risk assessment highlighted that mercury in soil carries a risk of non-cancerous effects, in particular for children, posing the basis for management planning.

Keywords: mercury contamination; mercury speciation; urban area; risk analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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