Jiangxi Province boasts abundant mineral resources, especially non-ferrous metal mineral reserves. Long-term mining and utilization activities have led to the release of thallium contained in minerals, which gradually accumulates in the ecological environment and causes thallium pollution in surface water. The widespread thallium contamination in water environment may lead to ambiguous targets for the treatment of thallium pollutants in industrial wastewater. Therefore, competent environmental departments have formulated targeted safety discharge standards for thallium pollutants in industrial wastewater to guarantee regional water quality safety.
Relevant Local Standards
DB36/ 1149-2019, a local environmental standard of Jiangxi Province, has been officially implemented since 2019 and is under the supervision of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment. The standard comprehensively specifies the discharge specifications, monitoring specifications, as well as implementation and supervision requirements for thallium pollutants in industrial wastewater.
Investigation and Monitoring Work of Thallium Pollutants in Industrial Wastewater in Jiangxi
Starting from September 2018, the standard compilation team of Jiangxi Province launched a systematic investigation and research on regional thallium pollution. The core work was carried out from three dimensions as follows:
- Investigation on Pollution Treatment Status of Thallium-related Industries
In accordance with the relevant regulatory requirements issued by the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, the team analyzed massive regional survey data, selected typical enterprises engaged in thallium-related production and processing for on-site investigation, and conducted real-time monitoring and sampling detection of thallium content in enterprise industrial wastewater.
- Investigation on Environmental Pollution Risks Related to Thallium
The team sorted out typical environmental pollution cases caused by thallium emissions, focused on analyzing the source, discharge path and discharge volume of thallium-containing industrial wastewater, and further explored the migration, transformation and diffusion rules of thallium in various environmental media after entering the water ecosystem.
- Water Quality Investigation of Water Source Areas
Special monitoring and analysis were carried out for the water quality of key water source areas. With the support of TL-900 online thallium analyzer for water bodies, the team conducted real-time online monitoring of thallium concentration in water source areas and nearby sewage outlets. By analyzing abnormal water quality indicators, the actual impact of thallium pollution on regional water source safety was scientifically verified.
