Lichen and soil as indicators of an atmospheric mercury contamination in the vicinity of a chlor-alkali plant (Grenoble, France)

Abstract

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) deposition around a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant located near Grenoble, south-east France, was assessed using Hg concentrations in lichens and soils. Hg content in the epiphytic Xanthoria parietina lichen ranged from ∼0.07 to ∼2.51 μg g −1, and concentrations decreased with increasing distance to the plant, with a contamination radius of ∼2 km. Soil Hg concentration profiles were consistent with an atmospheric origin, with higher concentrations in the upper part of the profiles. Concentration of Hg in lichens and top soils (0–10 cm depth) as a function of the distance to the chlor-alkali plant exhibited highly similar variations. Using a simple first-order deposition model, mean Hg fallouts for the whole history of chlor-alkali plant are estimated to ∼36 g Hg day −1 in this area, compatible with values reported for reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) emissions of similar industrial plants. Using literature data on RGM to total Hg emission ratio, we estimate that the plant emitted ∼650 kg Hg year −1. Two kilometres away from the plant, Hg content in top soils falls to values of (0.13 ± 0.07) μg g −1 Hg, which is the local anthropogenic geochemical background level, but higher than unperturbed geochemical background found at the bottom of soil profiles (below 40 cm depth) estimated to (0.04 ± 0.01) μg g −1 Hg. The present study evidences that lichens are a pertinent proxy for soil Hg contamination around chlor-alkali plants. They are attractive biomonitoring tools since sampling and preparations protocols for lichens are less time consuming than those used for soils.