"April 1972." Prepared for the Office of Research and Monitoring, Environmental Protection Agency under contract no. 68-01-0090. Includes bibliographical references (pages 41-43).

Laboratory studies demonstrated the feasibility of using waste wool and wool/polyester blend fibers to remove mercury pollution from waters and bottom deposits. Nylon fiber was shown to have limited potential. Within 24 hours, 90-95% of mercury at the 1-ppm level was removed by the wool fiber. At higher levels of mercury, larger quantities were removed, but the percentage decreased. Changes in pH (2 to 10) and temperature (5 to 35 C) did not markedly alter efficacy of wool, nor did anaerobic conditions or variation in water hardness. However, the presence of sulfide in water or sediment reduced effectiveness of wool. Sources of mercury were mercuric chloride, methyl mercuric chloride, phenyl mercuric acetate, bis (2-methoxyethyl) mercury, and dissolved metallic mercury.