Mercury isotope signatures of a pre-calciner cement plant in Southwest China

Xinyu Li; Ji Chen; Li Tang; Tingting Wu; Chengcheng Fu; Zhonggen Li; Guangyi Sun; Huifang Zhao; Leiming Zhang; Qiuhua Li; Xinbin Feng

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123384

Mercury isotope signatures of a pre-calciner cement plant in Southwest China

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Jan 5:401:123384. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123384. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Authors

Xinyu Li¹, Ji Chen², Li Tang³, Tingting Wu⁴, Chengcheng Fu⁵, Zhonggen Li⁶, Guangyi Sun¹, Huifang Zhao¹, Leiming Zhang⁷, Qiuhua Li⁸, Xinbin Feng⁹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; Guizhou Provincial Laboratory for Mountainous Environment, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550001, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; Key Laboratory of Karst Environment and Geohazard Prevention, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550003, China.
⁵ Guizhou Environmental Monitoring Center, Guiyang, 550081, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; College of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal University, Zunyi, 563006, China. Electronic address: lizhonggen@mail.gyig.ac.cn.
⁷ Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, M3H5T4, Canada.
⁸ Guizhou Provincial Laboratory for Mountainous Environment, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550001, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China. Electronic address: Fengxinbin@mail.gyig.ac.cn.

PMID: 32763687
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123384

Abstract

Characterizing the composition of mercury (Hg) isotopes in the atmospheric emissions of cement plants is critical to understand the global circulation of Hg because large quantities of Hg are released from this source annually. A pre-calciner cement plant in Guizhou Province in Southwest China was selected to investigate the mass dependent fractionation (MDF) and mass independent fractionation (MIF) of Hg in the entire production process and the speciated Hg isotope composition in stack gas. Significant MDF and insignificant MIF were observed in this cement plant. Different raw/correction materials have δ²⁰²Hg signals ranging from -1.68 to -2.19‰. Raw meal is featured with lighter Hg (δ²⁰²Hg = -2.83 ± 0.18‰) as results of Hg circulation and accumulation during the clinker production. Cement products possess negative δ²⁰²Hg values (-1.98 ± 0.02‰) due to the input of light δ²⁰²Hg isotopes through additives/retarder limestone, and fly ash and gypsum from coal-fired power plant (CFPPs). Speciated Hg isotopes in the stack gas of the kiln tail and kiln head show no significant differences, and δ²⁰²Hg and Δ¹⁹⁹Hg in the discharged flue gas averaged at -2.03 ± 0. 31‰ and -0.03 ± 0.07‰, respectively, which has negative δ²⁰²Hg characteristics with other anthropogenic sources.

Keywords: Anthropogenic sources; Atmospheric emission; Mass dependent fractionation; Raw meal.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't