Uptake of arsenic by alkaline soils near alkaline coal fly ash disposal facilities

The attenuation of arsenic in groundwater near alkaline coal fly ash disposal facilities was evaluated by determining the uptake of arsenic from ash leachates by surrounding alkaline soils. Ten different alkaline soils near a retired coal fly ash impoundment were used in this study with pH ranging from 7.6 to 9.0, while representative coal fly ash samples from two different locations in the coal fly ash impoundment were used to produce two alkaline ash leachates with pH 7.4 and 8.2. The arsenic found in the ash leachates was present as arsenate [As(V)]. Adsorption isotherm experiments were carried out to determine the adsorption parameters required for predicting the uptake of arsenic from the ash leachates. For all soils and leachates, the adsorption of arsenic followed the Langmuir and Freundlich equations, indicative of the favorable adsorption of arsenic from leachates onto all soils. The uptake of arsenic was evaluated as a function of ash leachate characteristics and the soil components. The uptake of arsenic from alkaline ash leachates, which occurred mainly as calcium hydrogen arsenate, increased with increasing clay fraction of soil and with increasing soil organic matter of the alkaline soils. Appreciable uptake of arsenic from alkaline ash leachates with different pH and arsenic concentration was observed for the alkaline soils, thus attenuating the contamination of groundwater downstream of the retired coal fly ash impoundment.     

Arsenic mobilization and attenuation by mineral-water interactions: implications for managed aquifer recharge

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has potential for addressing deficits in water supplies worldwide. It is also widely used for preventing saltwater intrusion, maintaining the groundwater table, and augmenting ecological stream flows, among many other beneficial environmental applications. However, field MAR sites have experienced arsenic mobilization from aquifer formation minerals due to induced changes in groundwater chemistry. To address this environmental concern, it is crucial to understand the potential sources and sinks impacting arsenic mobilization. This paper outlines important mineral-water interactions that can occur at MAR sites. Detailed information on minerals of concern, physiochemical processes for arsenic mobilization or attenuation, and the potential impact of microbial activity and hydrology on these processes is provided. Based on these mineral-water interactions, guidelines for predicting arsenic mobility are presented, and recommendations are made concerning MAR site monitoring. The review emphasizes important aspects in correlating interfacial reactions to reactive transport modeling and elucidating future challenges, a first step toward developing safer and more sustainable MAR operations.     

Heavy metal concentrations in groundwaters and soils of Thane Region of Maharashtra, India

Thane district is one of the most industrialized districts in Maharashtra. The heavy industrialization and the increasing urbanization are responsible for the rapidly increasing stress on the water and soil environment of the area. Therefore, an attempt has been made through comprehensive study on the groundwater contamination and soil contamination due to heavy metals in Thane region of Maharashtra. The area undertaken for the study was Thane and its suburbans Kalwa, Divajunction, Dombivali, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar. Industrialization and urbanization lead to generation of large volumes of wastewater from domestic, commercial, industrial, and other sources, which discharged in to natural water bodies like river and creek in this region. Groundwater samples and soil samples were collected from residential, commercial, agriculture, and industrial areas. Groundwater samples were analyzed for various water quality parameters. The analytical data shows very high concentration of total dissolved solids, total hardness, total alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand, chloride etc. Groundwater and soil samples were analyzed for ten heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma (ICPE-9000) atomic emission spectroscopy. The analytical data reveal that, very high concentration level of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and nickel throughout the industrial area. The random dumping of hazardous waste in the industrial area could be the main cause of the groundwater and soil contamination spreading by rainwater and wind. In the residential areas the local dumping is expected to be the main source for heavy metals. A comparison of the results of groundwater with WHO guidelines show that most of the groundwater sampling station are heavily contaminated with organic matter and heavy metals. Groundwater samples are heavily contaminated by arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and nickel. Similarly, the results of heavy metals in soil compared with Swedish soil guideline values for polluted soil show that soil samples collected from residential, commercial and industrial areas are heavily contaminated by arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and nickel.     

活性氧化铝去除地下水中微量砷的实验

研究了活性氧化铝对地下水中低浓度砷的吸附效果。结果表明,活性氧化铝对砷的吸附作用与溶液的pH值有关,pH值在5～6之间对砷的吸附率最高,最大活性氧化铝砷吸附量为75mg/g。活性氧化铝不仅对砷有吸附作用,对氟化物也有较强的吸附作用。     

Contamination Levels and Preliminary Assessment of the Technical Feasibility of Employing Natural Attenuation in 5 Priority Areas of Presidente Bernardes Refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil

Five priority areas of potential impact by contaminants (API) were investigated at the Presidente Bernardes Refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil with the following aims: (i) to identify both organic and inorganic contaminants present in soil and groundwater; (ii) to define the environmental conditions relevant for microbial activity at the site and (iii) to evaluate the feasibility of employing natural attenuation for treatment of the hydrocarbon contamination. One area (API 1) was an uncontrolled landfill, where waste materials from the refinery were deposited between 1954 and 1986, and four areas (API 4, 5, 7 and 11) were located in the operational section of the refinery. Soil contamination by regulated BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, total xylenes) was restricted to two samples from API 1. Nonregulated ethylbenzene was detected in one soil sample from API 4, one from API 5 and two from API 1. No soil contained regulated PAH above threshold levels. Several nonregulated PAHs were found in 6 soil samples from API 1, 3 soil samples from API 4 and 1 soil sample from API 5. Site soils contained very high aluminium concentrations, but metal contamination was restricted to one soil sample from API 1, which contained nickel above threshold limits. BTEX contamination of groundwater was due mostly to benzene. Of the 17 PAH molecules tested, only naphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene occurred in groundwater. The sum of total BTEX and total PAH exceeded 200 μg/L in only a few monitoring wells in API 4, 5 and 11 and was always below 2.640 μg/L. Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl and Zn were not detected in groundwater, which was contaminated in a few locations by aluminium (mostly below 1 mg/L), lead (<0.066 mg/L) and arsenic (<0.056 mg/L). S, K, Ca, Mg and Fe were present in groundwater in excess of physiological requirements for microbial growth, but low concentrations of N and P could become growth limiting. However, BTEX were efficiently degraded in saturated and unsaturated zone microcosms and nutrient amendments did not stimulate biodegradation rates measurably. The inorganic carbon pool in groundwater was up to one order of magnitude larger than the organic carbon pool. Total inorganic carbon (TIC) in API groundwater exceeded TIC of clean groundwater by factors of 2 (API 4), 6 (API 5, 7 and 11) or 10 (API 1). Most of the inorganic carbon incorporated into groundwater beneath the refinery originated from biodegradation in the unsaturated soil, which contained a microbiota (10⁶ cells/g on average) capable of growth with most of the pure (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) and mixed hydrocarbons tested (diesel oil, gasoline, naphtha, condensate, aromatic residue and fuel oil). A viscous hydrocarbon paste uncovered in API 1 was insoluble in water but dissolved in dichloromethane. Many organic components of this paste were biodegradable as evidenced by weight reduction of the hydrocarbon paste and by the growth of suspended and attached biomass in saturated zone microcosms, where the paste was the only carbon source. This study indicates that monitored natural attenuation may be a technically feasible and efficient means for plume control in API 1, 4 and 5, provided the plumes in API 4 and 5 are not expanding. This technique is not suitable for contaminant reduction in API 11.     

Leachable 226Ra in Philippine phosphogypsum and its implication in groundwater contamination in Isabel, Leyte, Philippines

Phosphogypsum (PG), the major waste material in phosphate fertilizer processing, has been known to contain enhanced levels of naturally-occurring radionuclides especially (226)Ra.The lack of radioactivity data regarding Philippine phosphogypsum and its environmental behavior in the Philippine setting has brought concern on possible contamination of groundwater beneath the phosphogypsum ponds in Isabel, Leyte, Philippines. The radioactivity of Philippine phosphogypsum was determined and the leaching of (226)Ra from phosphogypsum and through local soil was quantified. Level of (226)Ra in groundwater samples in Isabel, Leyte, Philippines was also quantified to address the primary concern. It was found that the (226)Ra activity in Philippine phosphogypsum is distributed in a wide range from 91.5 to 935 Bq/kg. As much as 5% of (226)Ra can be leached from Philippine PG with deionized water. In vitro soil leach experiments suggest that the soil in the phosphate fertilizer plant area would be able to deter the intrusion of (226)Ra into the water table. Compared to reported values of natural groundwater levels of (226)Ra, the concentration of this radionuclide in Isabel, Leyte groundwater suggest that there is no (226)Ra intrusion brought about by the presence of phosphogypsum ponds in the area.     

The Swedish System for Quality Assessment of Agricultural Soils

Soil quality assessment is based on the concept of soilfunctions. The performances of three soil functions, cropproduction, biological decomposition and matter exchange withthe atmosphere and groundwater, are used as quality criteria.Soil properties that can be used as indicators for the degreeof functional performance were identified. Each soil propertyselected was graded into five classes – from best (class 1) toworst (class 5). Grading was based biological on boundaryconditions as well as on statistical distribution. The systemoutlined can be used to interpret the quality state ofagricultural soils, provides for a relative comparison betweensoils, and may be helpful in an environmental monitoringprogram to assess trends in data.     

沧州地区氟元素在不同介质中的分布

以沧州地区的地下水、土壤和小麦中的氟元素为研究对象,探讨氟元素在地下水、土壤和小麦等不同介质中的含量、空间分布与来源成因。通过绘制各介质中氟元素分布图,获得氟元素在各介质中不同深度的含量及水平空间上的分布特征。结果显示,当地深层地下水氟含量平均为2.25 mg/L,高于浅层地下水的平均值0.80 mg/L;深层和浅层土壤氟含量接近,平均值分别为557.18、569.20 mg/kg;小麦中的氟含量最高值为0.96 mg/kg,当地小麦氟含量均低于国家标准限值(1.0 mg/kg)。根据氟元素的分布特点分析,当地深层地下水与土壤的氟元素来源一致,而不同于浅层地下水中的氟;小麦的氟元素分布受浅层土壤氟影响较大。     

城市交通干道绿地砷污染评价

为了研究城市砷污染的现状及不同区域砷污染的空间差异性,以吉林市表层土壤为研究对象,在交通干道的绿化带和磨盘山保护区采集35个土壤样本,进行pH、有机质及砷含量的测定。采用单项污染指数、污染累计指数法等对土壤砷污染进行评价,并运用方差分析的方法对不同区域的砷污染进行了差异比较。研究表明:吉林市街道砷含量为26.43 mg/kg,为磨盘山自然土壤砷含量的4.08倍,为吉林市砷土壤背景值7.26倍;吉林市砷总体超标率12.9%。江北工业区、吉林大街和解放大路的单项污染指数分别为1.34、0.95、0.87,整体达到轻微污染水平。江北工业区和吉林大街、解放大路的变异系数相差不大,依次为0.13、0.11、0.17。土壤砷的污染累积指数为3.21,且由北向南递减,因此,砷污染主要来自于江北工业区的工业"三废"污染。     

Regional assessment of groundwater quality for drinking purpose

Owing to limited surface water during a long-term drought, this work attempted to locate clean and safe groundwater in the Choushui River alluvial fan of Taiwan based on drinking-water quality standards. Because aquifers contained several pollutants, multivariate indicator kriging (MVIK) was adopted to integrate the multiple pollutants in groundwater based on drinking- and raw-water quality standards and to explore spatial uncertainty. According to probabilities estimated by MVIK, safe zones were determined under four treatment conditions—no treatment; ammonium–N and iron removal; manganese and arsenic removal; and ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and arsenic removal. The analyzed results reveal that groundwater in the study area is not appropriate for drinking use without any treatments because of high ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and/or arsenic concentrations. After ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and arsenic removed, about 81.9–94.9% of total areas can extract safe groundwater for drinking. The proximal-fan, central mid-fan, southern mid-fan, and northern regions are the excellent locations to pump safe groundwater for drinking after treatment. Deep aquifers of exceeding 200 m depth have wider regions to obtain excellent groundwater than shallow aquifers do.     

Evaluation of hydrochemical changes due to intensive aquifer exploitation: case studies from Mexico

The impact of intensive aquifer exploitation has been observed in numerous places around the world. Mexico is a representative example of this problem. In 2010, 101 out of the 653 aquifers recognized in the country, showed negative social, economic, and environmental effects related to intensive exploitation. The environmental effects include, among others, groundwater level decline, subsidence, attenuation, and drying up of springs, decreased river flow, and deterioration of water quality. This study aimed at determining the hydrochemical changes produced by intensive aquifer exploitation and highlighting water quality modifications, taking as example the Valle de Toluca, Salamanca, and San Luis Potosi aquifers in Mexico's highlands. There, elements such as fluoride, arsenic, iron, and manganese have been detected, resulting from the introduction of older groundwater with longer residence times and distinctive chemical composition (regional flows). High concentrations of other elements such as chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and vanadium, as well as pathogens, all related to anthropogenic pollution sources (wastewater infiltration, irrigation return flow, and atmospheric pollutants, among others) were also observed. Some of these elements (nitrate, fluoride, arsenic, iron, and manganese) have shown concentrations above Mexican and World Health Organization drinking water standards.     

Site environmental assessment to an old paint factory in China

High ethyl-benzene and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) were found in the soil samples and groundwater samples during a site environmental assessment for an old paint factory in the city Changchun, Jilin province of China. The target old paint plant had been in operation for near 30 years by manufacturing resin and house paint. Driving force for this study was to identify potential environmental contamination existing in this paint factory which is located next to a new resident area under construction. The assessment result would be used as baseline environmental data input for remediation plan when the factory site will be changed into potential resident area in near future. The analytical data from the soil samples from different area of the factory which had high exposure to operation showed that solid waster storage area was contaminated with high heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn) and waster paint storage areas were contaminated with ethyl-benzene, xylene and C9-C30 aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. The analytical data from the groundwater samples from different area of the factory showed that resin plant area and waster paint storage areas were contaminated with high concentration of naphthalene, ethyl-benzene and xylene which exceed the reference standard. Remediation action is recommended.     

An analytical model for the assessment of pesticide exposure levels in soils and groundwater

The movement and degradation of pesticide residues in soils and groundwater are complex processes affected by soil physical, (bio)chemical, and hydrogeological properties, climatic conditions, and agricultural practices. This work presents a physically-based analytical model suitable for long-term predictions of pesticide concentrations in groundwater. The primary interest is to investigate the impact of soil environment, related physical and (bio)chemical processes, especially, volatilization, crop uptake, and agricultural practices on long-term vulnerability of groundwater to contamination by pesticides. The soil is separated into root and intermediate vadose zones, each with uniform properties. Transport in each soil zone is modeled on the basis of complete mixing, by spatial averaging the related point multiphase-transport partial differential equation (i.e., linear-reservoir models). Transport in the aquifer, however, is modeled by a two-dimensional advection-dispersion transport equation, considering adsorption and first-order decay rate. Vaporization in the soil is accounted for by assuming liquid-vapor phase partitioning using Henry's law, and vapor flux (volatilization) from the soil surface is modeled by diffusion through an air boundary layer. Sorption of liquid-phase solutes by crops is described by a linear relationship which is valid for first-order (passive) crop uptake. The model is applied to five pesticides (atrazine, bromacil, chlordane, heptachlor, and lindane), and the potential for pesticide contamination of groundwater is investigated for sandy and clayey soils. Simulation results show that groundwater contamination can be substantially reduced for clayey soil environments, where bio(chemical) degradation and volatilization are most efficient as natural loss pathways for the pesticides. Also, uptake by cross can be a significant mechanism for attenuating exposure levels in ground-water especially in a sandy soil environment, and for relatively persisting pesticides. Further, simulations indicate that changing agricultural practices can have a profound effect on vulnerability of groundwater to mobile and relatively persisting pesticides.     

Potential health risk of arsenic and cadmium in groundwater near Xiangjiang River, China: a case study for risk assessment and management of toxic substances

As part of our efforts to find effective methods to the drinking water risk management, the health risk assessment of arsenic and cadmium in groundwater near Xiangjiang River was analyzed. The results suggest that although the arsenic and cadmium concentrations in 97% of groundwater sources are less than the requirement of Water Quality Standards for Drinking Water (GB5749-2006) in China, the residents served by almost all of the investigated centralized drinking water sources have a significant potential health risk by consumption, especially cancer risk. It is justified through analyses that risk assessment is an effective tool for risk management, and the maximum permissible concentration of arsenic and cadmium in drinking water (0.01 and 0.005?mg L^-1, respectively) is suitable for China at present, considering the current economic status of China. Risk managers develop cleanup standards designed to protect against all possible adverse effects, which should take into account highly exposed individuals, effects of mixtures of toxic substances, attendant uncertainties, and other factors such as site-specific (or generic) criteria, technical feasibility, cost?Cbenefit analyses, and sociopolitical concerns.     

Determination of arsenic content of some Romanian natural mineral groundwaters

Romania is one of the countries that have natural arsenic groundwater problems. This paper presents the results of a study of arsenic concentration monitoring in natural mineral waters collected from 23 sampling sites located in the northern, central, and western regions of Romania. The sampling sites are both natural springs and drilled wells. The graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used for arsenic content determination. The Piper??s classification principle was applied in order to find out the hydrochemical type of the analyzed waters. Depending on the concentration of arsenic, the water analyzed can be classified into three main categories: (1) mineral natural waters containing less than 10???g/L arsenic, (2) mineral natural waters containing arsenic at concentrations several times higher than the limit of 10???g/L but less than 100???g/L, and (3) mineral natural waters containing arsenic at concentrations of ten to a hundred times higher than the allowed limit of 10???g/L. The last-mentioned waters are of bicarbonatate sodium type and were sampled from seven sources only, being prohibited for human and animal use.     

Is benzene exposure from gasoline carcinogenic?

This article questions the basis for benzene as the carcinogenic surrogate in deriving health risk-based 'clean-up levels' for gasoline-impacted soil and groundwater at leaking underground storage tank properties. The epidemiological evidence suggests that acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) associated with chronic occupational benzene exposure can be best described by sigmoid dose-response relationships. A review of the molecular toxicology and kinetics of benzene points to the existence of threshold mechanisms in the induction of leukemia. The toxicological and epidemiological literature on chronic exposure to unleaded gasoline indicates that the benzene exposures required to induce a measurable carcinogenic response are substantially greater than exposures likely to be encountered from exposure to gasoline at contaminated properties. Thus, assuming that theoretical cancer risks associated with exposure to benzene from gasoline reflect actual health risks associated with such environmental exposures to gasoline and using these theoretical cancer risks and cancer potency factors for benzene to dictate soil and groundwater clean up of gasoline are not scientifically defensible.     

Arsenic contamination in groundwater and its possible sources in Hanam, Vietnam

This study investigated the arsenic (As) level in groundwater, and the characteristics of aquifer sediment as related to the occurrence of As in groundwater in Hanam, Vietnam. The deposition and transport of As-containing substances through rivers were also examined. Arsenic concentrations in 88% of the groundwater samples exceeded the As limit for drinking water based on the WHO standards. The dominating form of arsenic was As(III). The maximum total As content in bore core sediment was found in a peat horizon of the profiles and generally, elevated levels of As were also found in other organic matter-rich horizons. Total As contents of the bore core sediments were significantly correlated with crystalline iron oxide, silt and clay contents, suggesting that As in aquifer sediment was mainly associated with iron (hydr)oxides and clay mineral. In the groundwater, As concentration showed significant correlations with the total concentrations of Fe and HCO (3)(-). Significant correlations between HCl-extractable As and non-crystalline Fe oxide, total C, N, and S were also observed in the profiles. The results support the hypothesis that under favorable reductive conditions established by the degradation of organic matter, the dissolution of iron (hydr)oxides releases adsorbed As into the groundwater. The deposition of As in the sediments from the Red River were significantly higher than that in the Chau Giang River, suggesting that the Red River is the main source of As-containing substances deposited in the study area.     

再生铅企业土壤-地下水中重金属污染迁移特征

为了解某再生铅企业厂区土壤和浅层地下水重金属污染状况,采集了96个土壤样品和4个地下水样品,定量分析了其Pb,Cd,As的含量及空间分布特征,探讨企业生产对环境造成的影响。结果表明,该区域土壤中Cd、As、Pb超标率分别为67.0%,35.1%,11.7%,在厂区呈现局部富集现象,最大值是土壤背景值的几十倍乃至数千倍;在垂直方向上由于Pb,Cd,As在土壤中迁移率较低,其值随深度增加呈总体下降趋势;该区域地下水中Pb,Cd,As值远低于地下水质量标准值。     

基于综合环境风险的砷污染场地优控筛选方法

污染场地的优控筛选是国家和地区污染场地管理的关键环节,有利于提高污染场地修复的高效性和经济性。研究以污染源强、污染途径脆弱性和受体敏感性作为筛选的主要因素,构建了基于综合环境风险的优控重金属污染场地筛选方法。通过调查某市15个砷渣污染场地,利用综合环境风险指数法分析区域不同污染场地的危害程度,据此推算不同污染场地危害 程度大小次序,并设置不同情景进行敏感性分析,从而筛选出某市优控砷渣污染场地名单。结果表明:污染场地H15和H12在不同权重情景下均处于高危害程度水平,为优控污染场地；H2在多数情景下危害程度较高,确定为备选优控污染场地。     

菏泽市主要河流中氟的分布及其影响因素

菏泽市地处鲁西南高氟地区,其河流中的高浓度氟化物不仅会通过径流过程影响南四湖水质,还会影响当地水生态平衡及人体健康。通过分析菏泽市主要河流中氟化物的时空分布特征,并结合地下水、土壤及废污水调查结果,探讨了影响河流中氟化物分布的主要因素。结果表明:研究区河流中氟化物的平均浓度在0.98~1.45 mg/L之间,氟化物浓度分布呈现出枯水期＞平水期＞丰水期、下游＞上游、支流＞干流的特征。氟化物浓度较高的河流呈现高pH、低钙的特点,水化学组分以Na-HCO₃型、Na-SO₄型为主。河流中氟化物的浓度主要受蒸发浓缩和岩石风化作用的影响。研究区地下水和土壤中氟化物的背景浓度整体较高。枯水期高氟地下水可能通过直接补给河流对河流水体产生影响,丰水期土壤中的氟也会通过径流过程汇入河流。人类工农业生产过程大量开采利用当地高氟地下水,而高氟废水最终则会进入河流,导致河流中氟化物的含量升高。