The calcined mussel shell is the material with the highest
potential Hg adsorption and lowest Hg desorption among
the three kind of mussel shell studied. This shell has the
highest calcite percentage and is the only one containing
dolomite.
The presence of phosphate increases Hg adsorption for
all three shell samples, both in batch type and stirred
flow chamber experiments. The P addition also decreases
Hg desorption in batch type experiments, but increases
desorption of Hg in the stirred flow chamber experiments.
Both calcined and ground mussel shell would be useful
for Hg removal, with or without P in solution, with
calcined shell presenting better results but also higher cost
of production from the raw waste material.