Optimum Conditions of Thermal Treatment for Mercury Contaminated Agricultural Soil in Abandoned Mine Areas

In this study, we investigated the feasibility and optimum treatment conditions (temperature and retention time) of thermal desorption for agricultural soil contaminated by mercury in an abandoned mine area.With a retention time of 2 hours, mercury concentration decreased as heating temperature, 100 to 700 , increased.Eventually, a temperature of 200 with a retention time of 3 hours was suggested as the optimum condition of thermal desorption to meet the Korean environmental standard and maintain soil functions for agricultural use.54 % of mercury existed as elemental mercury in the studied soil, and this species was dramatically decreased after the treatment.Therefore, thermal desorption with a lower temperature range and longer retention time has a feasibility for remediation of mercury contaminated soil in abandoned mine areas.