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澳洲阿得雷德 ─ 一組澳洲的研究團隊可能找到了一種便宜且環保的方式來解決全球性的汞汙染問題。
根據媒體The Conversation 報導，澳洲水域內汞的主要來源來自供水以及汙水管線, 金屬工業, 原油鑽探以及礦業。滲入水中的汞會被水中生物轉變成甲基汞。
這種有毒物質會在海鮮跟魚類的組織內累積，以及那些在食物鏈頂端的生物也會攝入並累積更高的毒素。人類主要是透過飲食而接觸甲基汞。甲基汞是一種神經毒素，它會攻擊腦部與神經系統，對腎臟以及發育中的胎兒造成傷害。
澳洲福林德斯大學的研究人員為了對抗這個問題，運用硫和柑橘類的皮這兩種廢棄物，創造出名為sulphur-limonene的聚合物來抓住汞。這種暗紅色的物質作用的方式是吸引汞，而汞會與這種聚合物緊密結合，並在作用過程中變成黃綠色。
根據澳洲商業內幕報導，這種無毒材料基於製造成本來說相對便宜，可望用在包覆管線或做為過濾裝置，甚至可以應用在大規模清理重度汙染區域上。
英文原文：
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA — A team of Australian researchers may have found a cheap, sustainable way to solve the global problem of mercury contamination.
According to The Conversation, the major sources of mercury in Australian waters come from industries involved in water supply and sewage, metal manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, and mining. Mercury pollution seeps into waterways and gets turned into methylmercury by organisms in the water.
The toxic substance accumulates in the tissues of seafood and fish, with those at the top of the food chain containing potentially toxic levels, thus exposing people to it mainly through ingestion. As a neurotoxin, methylmercury attacks the brain and nervous system, causing problems for the kidneys and developing fetuses.
To combat this, researchers at Flinders University created a sulphur-limonene polymer using two waste products- sulfur and citrus peel — to act as a mercury trap. The dark red material works by attracting mercury, which binds firmly to the polymer, turning it yellow-green in the process.
With production costs relatively low, the non-toxic material may be used to coat pipes and as filters, or even in large-scale cleanup operations for heavily contaminated areas, reports Business Insider Australia.
