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The Time Stability of Dissolved Mercury in Water Samples‐II. Chemical Stabilization
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1975
Year
Solute MercuryEngineeringChemistryDissolved MercuryEnvironmental ChemistryChemical StabilizationEnvironmental Analytical ChemistryMercury BiogeochemistryMicrobial EcologyAnalytical ChemistryEnvironmental MicrobiologyPolyethylene BottlesAbstract BacteriaTime StabilityWater QualityMercury ChemistryWater AnalysisMicrobial ContaminationEnvironmental EngineeringMicrobiologyEnvironmental ToxicologyMedicineMicrobiological Degradation
Abstract Bacteria were found to be the principal cause of instability of mercury in laboratory solutions. The volatilization loss rate increased rapidly after a variable lag period and then leveled off with increasing time. The marked reduction in the loss rate of mercury is a result of its combination with bacterial cells and metabolites. Reagents which either oxidize or solubilize organics removed mercury most effectively from sample containers in which mercury‐bearing water had been stored. A small amount of mercury was found to have diffused into the polyethylene bottles. Solute mercury was most effectively stabilized in laboratory solutions and water samples with 0.05% KMnO 4 without acidification.