Mercury
Source of Mercury
Mercury (Hg) is one of the least abundant elements in the earth's crust. It exists in two forms, an inorganic salt or an organic compound (methyl mercury). Mercury detected in drinking water is of the inorganic type. Organic mercury inters the food chain through fish and comes primarily from industrial chemical manufacturing waste or from the leaching of coal ash. If inorganic mercury inters the body, it usually settles in the kidneys. Where as organic mercury attacks the central nervous system. The MCL (maximum contamination level) for mercury set by the US EPA is 0.002 mg/l.
Treatment of Mercury
Activated carbon filtration is very effective for the removal of mercury. Reverse osmosis will remove 95 - 97 00 of it.