Effect of organic amendments on the mobility of trace elements in phytoremediated techno-soils: role of the humic substances

The efficiency of aided phytostabilization using organic amendments such as ramial chipped wood (RCW) and composted sewage sludge (CSS) was studied on contaminated techno-soils, on nine experimental plots. The objective was to characterize the role of fulvic (FA) and humic acids (HA) on the mobilization of trace elements, specifically As, Cu, Mo, Pb and Zn. Results showed that the addition of CSS increased the total organic carbon and nitrogen content more than with RCW and as a result, the C/N ratio in the CSS soil was higher than in the RCW and non-amended (NE) soil, reflecting the high decomposition of soil organic matter in the CSS soil compared with the other soils. The RCW and CSS amendments increased the hydrogen index (HI) values and the oxygen index (OI) values compared with the NE soil, especially for the soil treated with CSS which contained more aliphatic than aromatic compounds. The addition of CSS to the techno-soil significantly increased the percentage of C _org associated with the HA fractions compared with the RCW and NE soils. The soil amended with CSS showed the highest E ₄/E ₆ ratio and the lowest E ₂/E ₃ ratio of FA. Zn and As were more abundant in the FA fraction than in the HA fraction, whereas Pb, Cu and Mo were more associated to HA than to FA in the treated and untreated soils, which may explain the difference in their mobility and availability.     

Diffusive gradients in thin films,Rhizon soil moisture samplers,and indicator plants to predict the bioavailabilities of potentially toxic elements in contaminated technosols

The phytoavailabilities and potential remobilization of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Sb were assessed in contaminated technosols from former mining and smelting sites. The PTE concentrations in soil pore water (SPW) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT)-measured concentration (C _DGT) methods were used to assess the bioavailabilities of PTE and their remobilization in this study. Together with classical Chelex-100 DGT probes to measure Zn, Cd, and Pb, novel ferrihydrite-backed DGT were used for As and Sb measurements alongside with Rhizon soil moisture sampler method for SPW sampling. To assess the phytoavailabilities of PTE, a germination test with dwarf beans as a plant indicator was used for this purpose. Dwarf bean primary leaves showed high Zn concentrations in contrast to Pb and Cd which showed low phytoavailabilities. Despite As and Sb are present in high concentrations in the mine tailings, their phytoavailabilities indicate very low bioavailabilities. The amounts of Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Sb extracted with DGT devices correlated well with the total dissolved PTE concentrations in the SPW. The highest R values were observed for Zn, followed by Cd and Pb, indicating the ability of the soil to sustain SPW concentrations, which decreased in that order. Good correlations were also observed between each of dissolved PTE concentrations in SPW, DGT-measured PTE concentrations (C _DGT), and the accumulation of PTE in dwarf bean primary leaves. It could be concluded that the use of Rhizon soil moisture samplers and DGT methods may be considered to be a good methods to predict the PTE bioavailabilities in contaminated technosols.     

A fast one-pot synthesize of crystalline anglesite by hydrothermal synthesis for environmental assessment on pure phase

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anglesite (PbSO4) is a lead sulfate that belongs to the barite group and is naturally ubiquitous in the environment. This work describes a simple way...     

Arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and lead (Pb) availability from Au-mine Technosols: a case study of transfer to natural vegetation cover in temperate climates

Soils from old Au-mine tailings (La Petite Faye, France) were investigated in relation to the natural vegetation cover to evaluate the risk of metals and metalloids (Pb, As, Sb) mobilizing and their potential transfer to native plants (Graminea, Betula pendula, Pteridium aquilinum, Equisetum telmateia). The soils are classified as Technosols with high contamination levels of As, Pb, and Sb. The single selective extractions tested to evaluate available fraction (CaCl₂, acetic acid, A-Rhizo, and DTPA) showed low labile fractions (<5 % of bulk soil contents), but still significant levels were observed (up to 342.6 and 391.9 mg/kg for As and Pb, respectively) due to the high contamination levels of soils. Even at high soil contaminations (considered as phytotoxic levels for plants), translocation factors for native plants studied are very low resulting in low concentrations of As, Sb, and Pb in their aerial part tissues. This study demonstrates the important role of (1) native plant cover in terms of “stabilization” of these contaminants, and (2) the poor effectiveness of extraction procedures used for this type of soil assemblages, i.e., rich in specific mineral phases.     

Environmental and health risk assessment of Pb,Zn, As and Sb in soccer field soils and sediments from mine tailings: solid speciation and bioaccessibility

Areas polluted by the persistent presence of metal(loid)s induce health problems, especially when recreational activities (on land or water) promote human exposure to the pollutants. This study focuses on one of the most encountered worldwide mining waste, i.e. those from the extraction of Pb–Zn–Ag. The representative Pb–Zn-rich tailing (about 64,100 m³) sampled is located near a soccer field and a famous river for fishing. The scientific interests is relative to: (1) mobility and bioaccessibility of metal(oid)s, (2) human risk assessments and (3) relationship between human risks and solid-bearing phases in the environment. Soccer field soils, tailings and sediments from the nearby river were sampled; moreover, metal(loid) speciation (from BCR experiments) and bioaccessibility were measured and solid speciation performed by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in order to highlight metal(loid) dispersion and impact. Results demonstrate that the soccer field is highly contaminated by Pb, Zn, As and Sb due primarily to waste runoff. In terms of risk assessment, Pb and As human bioaccessibility highlights the major health risk (48 and 22.5 % of human bioaccessibility, respectively). Since local populations are regularly in close contact with metal(loid)s, the health risk due to pollutant exposure needs to be reduced through sustainable waste disposal and the rehabilitation of polluted sites.     

Assessment, validation and intercomparison of operational models for predicting tritium migration from routine discharges of nuclear power plants: the case of Loire River

During last decades, a number of projects have been launched to validate models for predicting the behaviour of radioactive substances in the environment. The project of the "Aquatic" working group of the project EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was based on the validation and assessment of models for predicting the behaviour of radionuclides in the aquatic ecosystems. The present paper describes a blind test of models aimed at assessing the dispersion of tritium releases in the Loire River (France), on a large domain ( approximately 350km) and on a period of six months, by comparing the results obtained by operational-to-experimental values of tritium concentration at Angers, a city along the Loire River. The common conclusion is that the models used by the different participants namely 1D models and models based on a schematic hydraulic (box models) are reliable tools for tritium transport modelling. Nevertheless, the importance of proper and detailed hydrological data for the appropriate prediction of pollutant migration in water is demonstrated by the example provided during this study.