Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the partitioning of Hg among solid, liquid, and gas phases following anaerobicdecomposition of a simulated solid waste. A simulated solid waste was spiked with Hg(NO3)2, placed in anaerobic, leachbed reactors, and allowed to undergo anaerobicdecomposition. Methane yields, volatile fatty acidproduction, and pH indicated that the reactors wereperforming as expected for anaerobic decompositionin a leachbed reactor operated in batch mode. Afteranaerobic digestion, the bulk of the Hg that wasadded to the reactors was recovered in the solidwaste. Essentially no Hg was found in the leachate.Some Hg volatilized during anaerobic decomposition.The percentage of Hg volatilized ranged from about 2to 48% of the Hg added, with the higher percentagesbeing associated with the lower Hg levels. Thepresence of Hg in tubing that connected the reactorsto carbon traps indicated that organic forms of Hgmay have volatilized, most likely dimethylmercury.These results indicate that landfills are apotential source of atmospheric Hg pollution.
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