The solubility of elemental mercury (Hg') at temperatures between 30 and 210?C was determined by direct sampling of mercury saturated water contained in a fixed volume stainless steel autoclave. The temperature dependence of the solubility was best represented by the equation log,^^, = -11.879 + 0.01206T where xHg is the mole fraction of dissolved Hgo and T is the temperature in degrees Kelvin. At temperatures less than 100?C the best literature values are in good agreement with these results. At higher temperatures it is difficult to compare our data with previous studies as they show widely divergent results. Comparison of field results for volatile mercury steam/water partitioning showed that up to 10' times more mercury was retained in solution than would have been indicated from the theoretical distribution coefficients calculated from the solubility data. A kinetic limitation to the mercury steadwater distribution in the Webre separator was the most likely explanation although the presence of other nonvolatile mercury species could not be discounted.

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