Mercury contamination in the vicinity of a derelict chlor-alkali plant. Part I: sediment and water contamination of Lake Balkyldak and the River Irtysh.

A mercury-cell chlor-alkali plant operated in Pavlodar, Northern Kazakhstan, for 18 years and caused widespread contamination of the surrounding environment. Untreated wastewater from the plant was discharged to Lake Balkyldak, a shallow impounded lake without an outlet. The nearby River Irtysh was also suspected to be impacted by mercury (Hg) via the transport of contaminated groundwater.