Mercury
Chemical Groups: Inorganic, Metals
Also Known As:
CASRN: 7439-97-6
Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life
Freshwater
Short Term Concentration (µg/L) No data
Long Term Concentration (µg/L) 0.026
May not prevent the accumulation of methylmercury in aquatic life, therefore, may not protect wildlife that consume aquatic life. Also, may not fully protect higher trophic level fish. Consult the factsheet for details. Consult equally the methylmercury guideline in the Canadian Tissue Residue Guidelines for the Protection of Wildlife Consumers of Aquatic Biota.
Date 2003
Marine
Short Term Concentration (µg/L) No data
Long Term Concentration (µg/L) 0.016
Interim guideline. May not protect fully high trophic level fish.
Date 2003
Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Agriculture
Irrigation
Concentration (µg/L) No data
Date No data
Livestock
Concentration (µg/L) 3
No fact sheet created. For more information on this guideline, please refer to Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CCREM 1987).
Date 1987
Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life
Freshwater
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) ISQG 170
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | I% ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 8 | 34 | 36 |
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) PEL 486
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 8 | 34 | 36 |
Date 1997
Marine
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) ISQG 130
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 8 | 24 | 37 |
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) PEL 700
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 8 | 24 | 37 |
Date 1997
Soil Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Agricultural 6.6
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental Health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996; 2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline. For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Residential/ parkland 6.6
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental Health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996;2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline. For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Commercial 24
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental Health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996; 2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline. For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Industrial 50
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental Health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996; 2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline. For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Date 1999
Tissue Residue Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Widlife Consumer of Aquatic Biota
Concentration (µg/L) see Methylmercury
Date No data
Groundwater Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health
(Coarse Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Agricultural/Residential No data
(Coarse Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Commercial/Industrial No data
(Fine Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Agricultural/Residential No data
(Fine Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Commercial/Industrial No data
Date No data
Resources
- Canada-wide Standard on Mercury for Dental Amalgam Waste
- Canada-wide Standard for Mercury Emissions from Coal-fired Electric Power Generation Plants - 2013/14 Progress Report
- Canada-wide Standard for Mercury Emissions
- Canada-wide Standards for Mercury Emissions from Coal-fired Electric Power Generation Plants
- Canada-wide Standard for Mercury-containing Lamps
- Monitoring Protocol in Support of the Canada-wide Standards for Mercury Emissions from Coal-fired Electric Power Generation Plants
- Mercury (inorganic mercury and methylmercury) - Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life (2003)
- Mercury - Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life (1999)
- Mercury (inorganic) - Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health (1999)
- Methylmercury - Canadian Tissue Residue Guidelines for the Protection of Wildlife Consumers of Aquatic Biota (2000)