Biota as toxic metal indicators

Metal in the environment arises from both natural sources and human activities. Toxic metals in air, soil, and water have become a global problem. They are potential hazards to aquatic, animal, and human life because of their toxicity, bioaccumulative, and non-biodegradable nature. The major impacts of metal pollutants can be stated as ecosystem contamination and health problems of exposed human populations. Those problems have been a cause of increasing public concern throughout the world. Some trace metals are used by living organisms to stabilize protein structures, facilitate electron transfer reactions, and catalyze enzymatic reactions. But even metals that are biologically essential can be harmful to living organisms at high levels of exposure. An increasing concentration of heavy metals in the environment can modify mineral and enzyme functions of human beings. During the last two decades, the interest in using bioindicators as monitoring tools to assess environmental pollution with toxic metals has increased. Bioindicators are flora and fauna members, which are collected and analyzed to measure the levels of metal contaminants. Bioindicators therefore identify health hazards. Various living organisms, such as microbes, fungi, plants, animals, and humans, are used to monitor toxic metals from air, water, sediment, soil, and food chain. Here, we review recent bioindicators, toxicity assessment, and ecological effects.     

Sustainability of metal recovery from E-waste

The issue of E-waste disposal is concerning all the stakeholders, from policymakers to the end users which have accelerated the research and development on environmentally sound disposal of E-waste. The recovery of metals (gold, tantalum, copper, iron etc.) from E-waste has become an important focus. The mechanical recycling, thermo-chemical processes like pyrolysis, pyro-, hydro- and biometallurgical processes can play important roles in the Metal Recovery from E-waste (MREW) technology. For the industrial application of the MREW technology, it is important to analyze the sustainability. In this paper, two case studies have been presented on E-waste recycling industries in India and China. Based on the literature data, an attempt has been made to assess qualitatively the overall sustainability of MREW technology considering the three pillars, i.e., environmental, economic and social. Two conceptual frameworks with (Option-2) and without (Option-1) pyrolysis for integrated MREW units have been developed and the generalized energy and environmental impact analysis has been made using the principles of LCA. The impacts of two options have been compared. Option 2 has been found to be more efficient and sustainable. It has been realized that climate change, fossil fuel depletion, water depletion, eutrophication, acidification, fresh and marine water ecotoxicity are possible impact categories. The recommendations based on the generalized assessment are in good agreement with the findings of previous researchers on individual steps of MREW unit. The findings of this paper are expected to be beneficial to researchers and stakeholders for research directions and decision making on MREW.

Open image in new window

     

Comparisons of human risk assessment models for heavy metal contamination within abandoned metal mine areas in Korea

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - This study was initiated to develop a model specialized to conduct human risk assessments (HRAs) of abandoned metal mine areas in Korea. The Korean guideline...     

水体中金属(氧化物)纳米颗粒的环境行为与污染控制研究进展

金属(氧化物)纳米材料在生产和使用过程中,可以通过各种途径进入到水环境中,对水生生物、生态环境和人体健康产生威胁.理解纳米颗粒在水体中的环境行为,对于评估纳米材料的归趋及其对环境和人体的健康风险至关重要.本文概述了金属(氧化物)纳米颗粒的性质、来源和毒性危害,汇总了表征纳米颗粒浓度、粒径及形貌的分析方法与技术,分析了它们在水环境中的环境行为以及影响其稳定性的主要环境因素,并总结了水体中金属(氧化物)纳米颗粒的去除方法和效果的最新研究进展.随着金属(氧化物)纳米材料的广泛应用,未来有必要加强对自然水体中纳米颗粒环境行为的研究,并系统开展纳米颗粒健康风险评估工作,为预测纳米材料进入水环境后的归趋和风险提供科学依据.     

Fume emissions during gas metal arc welding

The control of exposure to welding fumes is of increasing importance in promoting a healthy, safe and productive work environment. This article describes the effects of shielding gas composition on the amount and composition of welding fumes produced during gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The amount of fumes generated during welding was measured for steady current over a range of wire-feed speeds and arc voltages using the standard procedures contained in ANSI/AWS F1.2 [American Welding Society. ANSI/AWS F1.2. Laboratory method for measuring fume generation rates and total fume emission of welding and allied processes. Miami, Florida; 1992]. Results of these measurements show that the fume formation rates (FFRs) increase with CO₂ and O₂ in the shielding gas mixture. The lowest FFRs were obtained with the mixtures of Ar?+?2%CO₂ and Ar?+?3%CO₂?+?1%O₂. The highest FFRs were obtained with the mixtures of Ar?+?18%CO₂ and Ar?+?5%CO₂?+?4%O₂. The welding fumes contains mainly iron, manganese, silicon, titanium and sodium under oxide forms. The fume cluster particles have dimensions between 0.5 and 2?µm. The FFR was found to be governed by the transfer modes of molten metal, i.e. the current intensity and arc voltage, as well as by the shielding gas mixtures composition. Thus these parameters have to be taken into consideration before designing a welding process. Whenever possible, users of GMAW should use the lowest current intensity. However, when this is not possible, due to the constraints of process productivity, welders should use higher currents, but with Ar?+?2%CO₂ and Ar?+?3%CO₂?+?1%O₂ shielding mixtures, which will lead to smaller fume emissions.     

Toxic metal health risk by mussel consumption

Seafood is a major dietary food worldwide. However, seafood consumption by humans can induce health risk because seafood may be contaminated by various pollutants. The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is widely distributed in the coastal waters of Montenegro, SouthEast Adriatic Sea. Here, Zn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, As, and Hg contents in M. galloprovincialis from ten sites were analyzed to investigate health risks associated with the consumption of wild and cultivated mussels. Since there is a lack of data on the mussel consumption rate in Montenegro, the amount of mussels that can be ingested weekly over a lifetime with no risk of negative health effects was calculated using provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI). We found that Cd concentrations were the limiting factor for mussels as a food. The weekly consumptions of 0.64–1.2 kg of fresh wild and 0.84–1.2 kg of fresh cultivated mussel would be sufficient to reach the PTWI_Cd, which may result in a risky weekly intake of Cd for long-term exposure. Moreover, weekly intake of 125 g mussels was used to calculate the dietary intake of trace elements by mussel consumption and compared with the prescribed PTWIs. Here, we found that there is no risk for human health for all investigated elements. In this case, the highest Cd level obtained in wild and in cultivated mussels represents 19.8 and 14.9% of the PTWI_Cd, respectively. This is the first study in Montenegro giving an assessment of the health risk from trace elements via the consumption of wild and cultivated M. galloprovincialis.     

青藏铁路沿线土壤重金属的分布规律初探

通过对青藏铁路沿线已经运营路段和正在修建路段两侧采集的土壤样品进行重金属含量测定分析，研究修建青藏铁路对铁路沿线土壤生态环境的影响。分析的重金属元素包括Hg和Pb。其中Hg采用氢化发生等离子发射光谱法，Pb采用等离子发射光谱法进行测定。测定结果表明，已运营铁路沿线重金属铅和汞具有显著的规律性变化。在铁路一侧，铅和汞含量随距离变化呈现正态分布，其最高峰值出现在距铁路50m左右。而且，铅和汞含量高于土壤背景值以及正在修建铁路两侧的土壤含量。通过对土壤理化性质的分析表明，已运营铁路段土壤的理化性质与铅和汞含量变化没有显著的相关性，因此，可以推断，铁路运输已经造成了铁路两侧土壤一定程度的重金属污染。     

Barley lipid-transfer protein as heavy metal scavenger

A lipid-transfer protein was isolated from a domestic cultivar of brewers barley grain, Hordeum vulgare. The presence of Cu (II), Pb (II), Cd (II) and Zn (II) ions in its structure and its ability to bind Hg (II) and Ni (II) ions is known. We investigated its ability to bind other metal ions by differential pulse polarography. Here we demonstrate that the lipid-transfer protein has an affinity to bind Co (II) and Pb (II) and has no affinity towards Cd (II), Cu (II), Zn (II) and Cr (III). These results suggest a new possible role of barley lipid-transfer protein for phytoextraction.Selected article from the Regional Symposium on Chemistry and Environment, Krusevac, Serbia, June 2003, organised by Dr. Branimir Jovancicevic     

Trace metal pollution in a Le'an River tributary affected by non-ferrous metal mining activities in Jiangxi Province,China

Sediment and water samples from the Jishui River were tested to determine the concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn. The concentrations of Cu, Mn and Zn in the surface water close to the Fujiawu copper mine greatly exceeded the criteria maximum concentrations (CMC) of the Environmental Protection Agency. The concentration of Zn at a site near the small smelters also exceeded the CMC. Cd concentrations in surface water samples from 69% of the sampling sites were significantly higher than the CMC. Heavy Cd pollution of surface water resulted from the Shuanghua Smelter, the lead smelter, the lead–zinc mine and the small smelters downstream. The total metal concentrations in the majority of the sediment samples substantially exceeded the probable effect levels (PEL). Levels of As, Cd, Cu and Zn in surface sediment of the site close to the Shuanghua Smelter were 20 times higher than the PELs. The levels of Pb in sediment of the downstream sites near the small smelters and the lead–zinc mine were also elevated. Based on the results of the BCR sequential extract procedures and the risk assessment code, the levels of Cd, Cu, Mn and Zn in the sediment posed high risk.     

Treating n-butane by activated carbon and metal oxides

In order to reduce environmental pollution and regulatory issues, the adsorption of n-butane from vehicle exhaust is one of the necessary requirements. When active carbon was mixed with different proportions of metal oxides, the adsorption capacity of n-butane was markedly improved. Infrared spectroscopy data provided information on functional groups derived from activated carbon composite metal oxide indicating that one of the best adsorption capacities for n-butane was obtained by mixing 3 g TiO₂, 2.7 g CuO, and 2.1 g NaBO₃·4H₂O with 30 g activated carbon. However, more effective results were obtained by mixing 6 g TiO₂, 2.1 g CuO, and 0.9 g NaBO₃·4H₂O with 30 g activated carbon. Data suggest that these chemical complexes may be effective in lowering n-butane pollution.     

重金属污染土壤的微生物响应

土壤微生物在受到重金属污染胁迫后，往往能够在区系组成、生理生化、遗传等方面对重金属作出响应。微生物对土壤重金属污染的上述响应可用来评价土壤的重金属污染状况，并为土壤污染的生物修复提供理论指导。文章对近年来有关重金属胁迫下土壤微生物响应的研究成果作系统综述。     

表面活性剂强化重金属污染植物修复的可行性

表面活性剂因具有亲水亲脂的两亲性，已被广泛用来治理环境污染。利用表面活性剂强化植物萃取土壤重金属的可行性，是建立在表面活性剂、重金属、土壤、植物等四者之问的关系基础上的。文章根据乳化液膜分离、胶团强化超滤、金属液泡吸收等技术探讨了表面活性剂与重金属的关系。表面活性剂在其浓度超过临界胶束浓度时，在溶液中形成胶团，通过静电吸附与超滤，去除溶液中的重金属。超滤技术与ξ电位的试验结果确定了表面活性剂与土壤的关系，即土壤界面的吸附和金属缔合后，通过降低表面张力和增流作用解吸被吸附的金属。细胞膜透性学说揭示了表面活性剂与植物的关系．即表面活性剂改变生物膜的结构和透性，促使植物对重金属的吸收。开发环境友好性的生物表面活性剂是该研究领域的前沿方向。     

The significance of metal hyperaccumulation for biotic interactions

Metal hyperaccumulating plants contain very high metal contents. Because of the general toxicity of metals, chemically-mediated biotic interactions involving hyperaccumulating plants may differ greatly from those of non-hyperaccumulators. Recent research has demonstrated a defensive function for hyperaccumulated metals against herbivores and pathogens. We predict that some herbivore/pathogen species have evolved metal tolerance, and suggest that resulting high metal levels in herbivores/pathogens may defend them against their own predators. Little is known regarding interference and commensal interactions involving hyperaccumulating plants. Decreased competition may occur through an interference interaction similar to allelopathy, in which enrichment of metal in the soil under a hyperaccumulator plant's canopy may inhibit another plant species, thus resulting in “elemental allelopathy”. Metal enrichment of soil under hyperaccumulators also may result in commensalism if another plant species (possibly another hyperaccumulator) derives a benefit from growing in the metal-enriched soil under the canopy of a hyperaccumulating overstory plant. It seems likely that high-metal plant litter will host a specialized microflora of decomposers and may affect nutrient cycling rates. Mutualist biotic interactions also may be affected by the elevated metal contents of hyperaccumulating species. Mycorrhizal fungi may form mutualisms with hyperaccumulators, but the phenomenon is poorly-explored. The few cases investigated to date have not detected mycorrhizae. Pollination and seed dispersal mechanisms may require biotic vectors that might be affected by plant metal content. Hyperaccumulating plants may have solved this dilemma in three ways. First, some may rely on abiotic vectors for pollen or seed dispersal. Second, biotic vectors used by these species may have varied diets and thus dilute metal intake to non-toxic levels. Finally, biotic vectors may have evolved tolerance of elevated dietary levels of metals, and perhaps have become specialists on hyperaccumulator species. Received 7 November 1997; accepted 28 December 1997.     

Kinetics of hexavalent chromium reduction by iron metal

The kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) by metallic iron (Fe⁰) was studied in batch reactors for a range of reactant concentrations, pH and temperatures. Nearly 86.8% removal efficiency for Cr(VI) was achieved when Fe⁰ concentration was 6 g/L (using commercial iron powder (< 200 mesh) in 120 min). The reduction of hexavalent chromium took place on the surface of the iron particles following pseudo-first order kinetics. The rate of Cr(VI) reduction increased with increasing Fe⁰ addition and temperature but inversely with initial pH. The pseudo-first-order rate coefficients (k _obs) were determined as 0.0024, 0.010, 0.0268 and 0.062 8 min^?1 when iron powder dosages were 2, 6, 10 and 14 g/L at 25°C and pH 5.5, respectively. According to the Arrehenius equation, the apparent activation energy of 26.5 kJ/mol and pre-exponential factor of 3 330 min^?1 were obtained at the temperature range of 288–308 K. Different Fe⁰ types were compared in this study. The reactivity was in the order starch-stabilized Fe⁰ nanoparticles > Fe⁰ nanoparticles > Fe⁰ powder > Fe⁰ filings. Electrochemical analysis of the reaction process showed that Cr(III) and Fe(III) hydroxides should be the dominant final products.     

Factors influencing corrosion of metal pipes in soils

Deterioration of buried metal pipes due to corrosive soil environment is a major issue worlwide. Although failures of buried pipe due to corrosive soil is an old problem, yet such failures are still uncontrollable even with the application of advanced corrosion protection technologies. Therefore, understanding factors causing corrosion of buried pipes is necessary. This article reviews factors causing corrosion of buried pipes in soils. Factors include moisture content, soil resistivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and microbial activity. Moreover, we discuss the influence of manufacturing method and the comparison of corrosion behaviour of cast iron, ductile and mild steel pipes. We found that corrosion rate of pipes increases with moisture contents up to the critical moisture value. Although pH affects corrosion, there is no relationship between corrosion and pH and the corrosion rates of buried pipes are inversely proportional to soil resistivity. Soils containing more organic matter show high resistivity. Dissolved oxygen in soil develops differential cell which accelerates corrosion of metallic pipe. Different types of bacteria present in soil develop biofilms on metallic pipes, which deteriorates pipes with time.     

重金属污染预防品种的筛选与培育

植物吸收和累积重金属不仅存在显著植物种间差异,同时存在显著植物种内差异,从而为筛选和培育重金属污染预防品种（PSCs）提供了可能。文章综述了植物吸收和积累重金属的种间差异和种内差异、植物积累重金属品种差异的机理以及重金属污染预防品种的筛选和培育等研究进展,并对未来该领域的研究进行了展望。     

The effects of application of agricultural wastes to firing range soil on metal accumulation in Ipomoea aquatica and soil metal bioavailability

The immobilisation of heavy metals in the soil of a 25-year-old active firing range using durian (Durio zibethinus L.) tree sawdust (DTS), coconut coir (CC) and oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) was investigated. The immobilisation effects were evaluated in terms of metal accumulation in water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) and soil metal bioavailability. A pot experiment was conducted by amending the firing range soil with DTS, CC and EFB at application rates of 0%, 1% and 3% (w/w), respectively. All amendments increased the biomass yield and reduced the uptake of heavy metals in the plant tissue. Zn had the highest values of Bioconcentration Factor (BCF: 0.301–0.865) and Translocation Factor (TF: 1.056–1.883). Pb was the least-accumulated and transported metal in the plant tissues, with the BCF and TF values of 0.019–0.048 and 0.038–0.116, respectively. The bioavailable fraction of heavy metals in the firing range soil decreased following the application of the three agricultural wastes studied. DTS, CC and EFB did not cause toxicity symptoms in the water spinach over the pot experiment. Therefore, DTS, CC and EFB are considered promising immobilising agents for the remediation of metal-contaminated land.     

Impact of heavy metal pollution on plants and leaf-miners

Large-scale effects of diffuse heavy metals pollution on terrestrial ecosystems are still underestimated. We studied the relation between the biodiversity of vascular plants and the feeding Lepidoptera, in our case leaf-miners and pollinating adult butterflies, in a Dutch nature reserve over a period of five years. We found that 5% of the 56 plants species which provide food and habitat to Microlepidoptera during their larval stage were affected by heavy metal pollution. Furthermore, the numerical abundance of leaf-mining larvae remained rather constant, despite of significant increases of the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn pollutants in leaves and litter.     

Surface characteristics of shales and implication on metal sorption

Differences in surface characteristics between alkaline and acidic shales are demonstrated in the present study. The alkaline shales are characterized by convex surface titration profiles, while the acidic shale exhibits a concave titration profile. Analysis of surface functional groups reveal that carboxylic acids predominate in alkaline shales and the acidic shale is characterized by C=S, C=N (pyridine derivative) and urea (C=O) functional groups, while it lacks –COOH group. The close proximity between pH and point of zero charge for the most acidic and alkaline shales indicate that surface complexation may not play a dominant role in sorption when the system pH is controlled by these sediments.