Effects of Long Term Hg Contamination on Soil Mercury Speciation and Soil Biological Activities

Long-term mercury (Hg) contamination from the Idrija mining site, carried by the Isonzo River for centuries, does not appear to significantly stress soil biological activities despite high Hg levels. A study found that while total Hg concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 80 μg g–1 near the riverbanks, most soil microbial biomass and activities remained unaffected, except for arylsulphatase and acid phosphatase, which showed negative correlations with Hg. Elemental mercury and mercuric sulfide dominated the speciation. Among plants, Rubus spp. exhibited notable Hg uptake (up to 1 μg g–1). Though microbial resilience suggests limited ecological impact, Hg transfer through the food chain remains a concern.

Piani, A., Acquavita, A., Catalano, L., Contin, M., Mattassi, G., & Nobili, M. D. (2013). Effects of Long Term Hg Contamination on Soil Mercury Speciation and Soil Biological Activities. E3S Web of Conferences, 1, 8001. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20130108001