期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2019
卷号：26
期号：2
页码：1-7
DOI：10.26444/aaem/105395
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：Introduction. Mercury release in the environment is mainly the result of human activity, particularly from coal-fired power
stations, residential heating systems, waste incinerators, and as a result of mining for mercury, gold and other metals, which
have led to widespread global mercury pollution. Excessive exposure to mercury is associated with a wide range of adverse
health effects, including damage to the central nervous system, digestive and immune systems, and to lungs, kidneys, skin
and eyes.
Objective. The main aim of the study is to summarize the selected mercury sources in the environment of the Slovak
Republic, regarding waste incinerators, landfill waste, crematoria, chemical plants, rivers and soils.
Brief description of state of knowledge. Although the neurologic symptoms of Minamata disease were identified
sufficiently for specialists to classify mercury as the causative agent, the acceptance of mercury´s environmental impacts will
require several decades of research. Several new issues have arisen – the need for energy conservation leads to the use of
fluorescent lighting, which contain mercury; emissions driven by increases in coal combustion, incineration and economic
development have sent more mercury into the air, soil and water.
Conclusions. Mercury is toxic to human health, posing a particular threat to the development of the child in utero and early
in life. The systematic analytical controls of contaminants in water, soil and air are important. The installation of modern
cleaning technologies to comply with the maximum emission level can substantially minimized the environmental impact
of incinerators. Since human cremation is also an increasing practice, further research on mercury emissions is necessary.
关键词：mercury; incinerators; landfill waste; crematoria; soils; water
