The Mercury Content in Hot Springs

Abstract

The present paper deals with a method of determination of mercury inhot spring waters by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Further, themercury content and the chemical behavior of the elementary mercury in hot spring are described. Sulfide and iodide ions interfered the.determination of mercuryby the reduction-vapor phase technique. These interferences could, however, be minimized by the addition of potassium permanganate.
Waters collected from 55 hot springs were found to contain up to 26.O ppb mercury. High concentration of mercury have been found in waters from Shimoburo Springs, Aomori (10.0ppb), Osorezan Springs, Aomori (1.3 18.8 ppb), Gosyogake Springs, Akita (26.Oppb), Manza Springs, Gunma (O.30 19.5 ppb) and Kusatu Springs, Gunma (1.70N4.50 ppb). These hot springs' were acid waters containing relatively high quantity of chloride or sulfate.