Labile Mercury in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Labile mercury and total dissolved mercury were analyzed in river water, seawater and rainwater samples over several days to test stability. The storage tests indicated that labile mercury must be analyzed within hours upon sample collection due to its reactive nature. Labile mercury concentrations in samples from Snow’s Cut at Carolina Beach, Cape Fear River in Wilmington, rainwater, and at Horseshoe Bend (on the Cape Fear River) were <1 pM, 7 pM, 7 pM, and 1 pM, respectively. The percentages of labile mercury in relation to total dissolved mercury for these locations were 13%, 64%, 82%, and 52%, respectively. Another experiment was performed to determine if mercury chloride complexes are categorized as labile. Results from these tests indicate that 70% of mercury chloride complexes are detected as labile mercury in this analysis.