Russia mercury

Sum of mercury production in Russia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan (USSR dissolved Dec. 1991). 

Spain, which until 1989 was the world s largest producer of mercury, ceased mine production after 1990, although 100 t of mercury were produced in 1991 from stockpiled materials. China, Mexico, and Russia were the largest producers in 1992 (14). 

Exposure. The exposure of humans and animals to mercury from the general environment occurs mainly by inhalation and ingestion of terrestrial and aquatic food chain items. Pish generally rank the highest (10—300 ng/g) in food chain concentrations of mercury. Swordfish and pike may frequently exceed 1 p.g/g (27). Most of the mercury in fish is methyl mercury [593-74-8]. Worldwide, the estimated average intake of total dietary mercury is 5—10 p-g/d in Europe, Russia, and Canada, 20 pg/d in the United States, and 40—80 pg/d in Japan (27). 

Haines, T.A., V. Komov, and C.H. Jagoe. 1992. Lake acidity and mercury content in Darwin National Reserve, Russia. Environ. Pollut. 78 107-112. 

The spatial distribution of mercury depositions over Europe is shown in Figure 10. The highest deposition fluxes are observed in Central and Southern Europe in the countries with significant anthropogenic emissions and their neighbors. In these countries the annual mercury depositions can exceed 30 g/km2/yr. The lowest depositions were in Scandinavia and in the northern part of Russia (lower than 5 g/km2/yr). Levels of mercury deposition vary from country to country appreciably. 

For each sea the contribution of various emission sources to atmospheric depositions was assessed. It is obvious that the countries with high emissions, located close to the seas, make the highest contributions to anthropogenic depositions. For example, the most significant contribution to the North Sea comes from the United Kingdom (28%) and Germany (16%). The main anthropogenic contributor to the Caspian Sea is Russia (46%), followed by Azerbaijan (22%) and Turkey (12%). Similar information is also available for cadmium and mercury. 

Catalytic conversions were experimentally studied in Russia toward the end of the nineteenth century, and especially in the twentieth century, and regularities were empirically established in a number of cases. The work of A. M. Butlerov (1878) on polymerization of olefins with sulfuric acid and boron trifluoride, hydration of acetylene to acetaldehyde over mercury salts by M. G. Kucherov (1881) and a number of catalytic reactions described by V. N. Ipatieff beginning with the turn of the century (139b) are widely known examples. S. V. Lebedev studied hydrogenation of olefins and polymerization of diolefins during the period 1908-13. Soon after World War I he developed a process for the conversion of ethanol to butadiene which is commercially used in Russia. This process has been cited as the first example of commercial application of a double catalyst. Lebedev also developed a method for the polymerization of butadiene to synthetic rubber over sodium as a catalyst. Other Russian chemists (I. A. Kondakov I. Ostromyslenskif) were previously or simultaneously active in rubber synthesis. Lebedev s students are now continuing research on catalytic formation of dienes. 

Migdisov A. A. and Bychkov A. Y. (1998) The behaviour of metals and sulphur during the formation of hydrothermal mercury-antimony-arsenic mineralization, Uzon caldera, Kamchatka, Russia. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 84, 153-171. 

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as of 2008, the world s primary mercury resources can be found in Ghina, Krygyzstan, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and Ukraine. In the United States, mercury is found in states such as Alaska, Arkansas, Galifornia, Nevada, and Texas. 

Fig. 14-6. Relation of carbon dioxide in soil air and geology at Sakhalinsk mercury deposit, northwest Caucasus, Russia (reproduced with permission from Ovchinnikov et al., 1972).

Major mercury producing countries (primary production from mining operations) in the world currently include Algeria, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the Ukraine (USGS 1997). The world reserves of mercury are estimated to be sufficient to supply enough product for 100 years, given current production and consumption estimates (Jasinski 1993). 

P.V. Koval, G.V. Kalmychkov, V.F. Gelety et al.. Correlation of Natural and Technogenic Mercury Sources in the Baikal Polygon, Russia, /. Geochem. Explor. 66(1-2), 277-289, July (1999). 

Although the United States and Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]) were, formally speaking, allies during World War II, the postwar occupation of Eastern Europe by the USSR behind an iron curtain, its mercurial and murderous Communist leader Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), and the pervasive fear of nuclear weapons contributed to the start of the cold war. The USSR detonated its first atomic bomb in 1949 and the ensuing arms race would dominate the second half of the 20th cenmry. 

Mercury (Hg) occurs naturally as the sulphide in the ore known as cinnabar, and also in the metallic form quicksilver. It is mined chiefly in Spain, but also in Italy, Russia, USA and elsewhere. The ore is not particularly hazardous to miners, as the sulphide is insoluble. Risk is greater in other industries, such as in the manufacture of sodium hydroxide and chlorine, electrical and scientific instruments, fungicides, explosives, paints and in dentistry. 

The third episode of mercury poisoning during gestation was reported from Russia where women had eaten grain treated with methylmercury (Bakulina, 1968). No detailed case histories were given in the report, however, severe mental retardation was seen in three cases and decreased birth weight and reduced muscle tone in a few others. 

Environmental friendliness is of course only one important aspect to be considered. Explosives that show extraordinary properties such as stability, sensitivity, initiation efficiency, compatibility, or other properties can find their application in some special cases even though they will not meet the green criteria. Typical examples of such explosives may be the mercury salt of tetrazole or cirkon (cadmium(ll)tris-carbonohydrazide) perchlorate used in Russia [12, 13]. 

In spite of the advantages of the membrane technolc, about 75% of all chlorine is produced in mercury and diaphragm cells, operating in ca. 500 plants around the world. Diaphragm technolc prevails in the United States (70%), Russia, and China, and mercury technology in Western Europe (64 %). Continued production from these plants is economical under special circumstances. 

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