Lead contamination in tea leaves and non-edaphic factors affecting it

Recent tests have detected high lead (Pb) concentrations in some commercial brands of tea leaves and this finding has raised concerns due to the possible health-related problems associated with Pb poisoning. In present research, we investigated the Pb contamination in tea leaves produced in Zhejiang province in China. Pb concentrations in all tea leaves sampled were below 5 mg/kg, the permissible levels given by Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, indicating that Pb contamination in this province is not excessive. We then investigated the non-edaphic factors that may potentially contribute to Pb accumulation in tea leaves. Pb concentration in tea leaves was found to be positively correlated with the industrialization level of a district (R = 0.83, the significant level at P < 0.05), and greater amounts of Pb were washed from the leaves of plants in districts with more industrial activity. This suggests that Pb accumulation in tea leaves could, in part, be attributed to industrial activity through the precipitation of atmospheric Pb. Furthermore greater amounts of Pb were washed from the leaves of plants growing near road than those growing farther away from road. This trend indicates that automobile activity was another likely contributor to Pb accumulation in tea. Pb content of green tea was also affected by the processing of the leaves in the factory. In particular the twisting and water-removal stages caused increases in Pb content in the tea product. This study suggests that non-edaphic factors also contribute to the Pb accumulation in tea.     

Lead and zinc bioavailability to Eisenia fetida after phosphorus amendment to repository soils

Four phosphorus forms were investigated as potential soil amendments to decrease the bioavailability of Pb and Zn in two repository soils to the earthworm, Eisenia fetida. Treatments were evaluated by examining differences in bioaccumulation factors between amended and non-amended soils. Triple super phosphate at 5000 mg P/kg decreased both Pb and Zn bioavailability in both soils. Rock phosphate at 5000 mg P/kg decreased Zn bioavailability, but not Pb bioavailability in both repository soils. Monocalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate at 5000 mg P/kg did not significantly decrease Pb or Zn bioavailability to earthworms in either repository soil. In order to optimize phosphorus amendments, additional phosphorus (up to 15,000 mg P/kg) and lowered pH were used in a series of tests. The combination of lowering the pH below 6.0 and increasing phosphorus concentrations caused complete mortality in all triple super phosphate amended soils and partial mortality in the highest rock phosphate amended soils. Results indicate that triple super phosphate and rock phosphate are viable soil amendments, but care should be taken when optimizing amendment quantity and pH so that adverse environmental effects are not a by-product.     

Al3+胁迫对茶园土壤微生物区系及生理群的影响

以茶园土壤为研究对象,通过外源添加Al3+溶液,研究了Al3+胁迫对茶园土壤微生物区系及生理群的影响.结果表明,茶园土壤中的不同种类的微生物对Al3+的敏感性不同,Al3+添加量升至0.8 g/kg时,放线菌、真菌有一定的耐受性,而细菌数量呈快速下降趋势,亚硝化细菌几乎不能成活,但随着Al3+添加量的进一步升高,放线菌...     

Antimony bioavailability in mine soils

Five British former mining and smelting sites were investigated and found to have levels of total Sb of up to 700 mg kg(-1), indicating high levels of contamination which could be potentially harmful. However, this level of Sb was found to be biologically unavailable over a wide range of pH values, indicating that Sb is relatively unreactive and immobile in the surface layers of the soil, remaining where it is deposited rather than leaching into lower horizons and contaminating ground water. Sb, sparingly soluble in water, was unavailable to the bacterial biosensors tested. The bioluminescence responses were correlated to levels of co-contaminants such as arsenic and copper, rather than to Sb concentrations. This suggests that soil contamination by Sb due to mining and smelting operations is not a severe risk to the environment or human health provided that it is present as immobile species and contaminated sites are not used for purposes which increase the threat of exposure to identified receptors. Co-contaminants such as arsenic and copper are more bioavailable and may therefore be seen as a more significant risk.     

Assessment of the impact of pesticide residues on microbiological and biochemical parameters of tea garden soils in India

The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of pesticidal residues on soil microbial and biochemical parameters of the tea garden soils. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal (BSR) and substrate induced respirations (SIR), beta-glucosidase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activity (FDHA) of six tea garden soils, along with two adjacent forest soils (control) in West Bengal, India were measured. The biomass and its activities and biochemical parameters were generally lower in the tea garden soils than the control soils. The MBC of the soils ranged from 295.5 to 767.5 micro g g(- 1). The BSR and SIR ranged from 1.65 to 3.08 mu g CO2-C g(- 1) soil h(- 1) and 3.08 to 10.76 micro g CO2-C g(- 1)h(- 1) respectively. The beta-glucosidase and FDHA of the soils varied from 33.3 and 76.3 micro g para-nitrophenol g(- 1) soil h(- 1) and 60.5 to 173.5 micro g fluorescein g(- 1)h(- 1)respectively. The tea garden soils contained variable residues of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, which negatively affected the MBC, BSR, SIR, FDHA and beta -glucosidase activity. Ethion and chlorpyriphos pesticide residues in all the tea garden soils varied from 5.00 to 527.8 ppb and 17.6 to 478.1 ppb respectively. The alpha endosulfan, beta endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate pesticide residues in the tea garden soils ranged from 7.40 to 81.40 ppb, 8.50 to 256.1 ppb and 55 to 95.9 ppb respectively. Canonical correlation analysis shows that 93% of the total variation was associated with the negative impact of chlorpyriphos, beta and alpha endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate on MBC, BSR and FDHA. At the same time ethion had negative impact on SIR and beta-glucosidase. Data demonstrated that the pesticide residues had a strong impact on the microbial and biochemical components of soil quality.     

Assessment of the impact of pesticide residues on microbiological and biochemical parameters of tea garden soils in India

The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of pesticidal residues on soil microbial and biochemical parameters of the tea garden soils. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal (BSR) and substrate induced respirations (SIR), β -glucosidase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activity (FDHA) of six tea garden soils, along with two adjacent forest soils (control) in West Bengal, India were measured. The biomass and its activities and biochemical parameters were generally lower in the tea garden soils than the control soils. The MBC of the soils ranged from 295.5 to 767.5 μ g g^{? 1}. The BSR and SIR ranged from 1.65 to 3.08 μ g CO₂-C g^{? 1} soil h^{? 1} and 3.08 to 10.76 μ g CO₂-C g^{? 1}h^{? 1} respectively. The β -glucosidase and FDHA of the soils varied from 33.3 and 76.3 μ g para-nitrophenol g^{? 1} soil h^{? 1} and 60.5 to 173.5 μ g fluorescein g^{? 1}h^{? 1}respectively. The tea garden soils contained variable residues of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, which negatively affected the MBC, BSR, SIR, FDHA and β -glucosidase activity. Ethion and chlorpyriphos pesticide residues in all the tea garden soils varied from 5.00 to 527.8 ppb and 17.6 to 478.1 ppb respectively. The α endosulfan, β endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate pesticide residues in the tea garden soils ranged from 7.40 to 81.40 ppb, 8.50 to 256.1 ppb and 55 to 95.9 ppb respectively. Canonical correlation analysis shows that 93% of the total variation was associated with the negative impact of chlorpyriphos, β and α endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate on MBC, BSR and FDHA. At the same time ethion had negative impact on SIR and β -glucosidase. Data demonstrated that the pesticide residues had a strong impact on the microbial and biochemical components of soil quality.     

Antimony mobility in Japanese agricultural soils and the factors affecting antimony sorption behavior

The mobility of antimony (Sb) in Japanese agricultural soils was studied by radiotracer experiments using 124Sb tracer. The soil-solution distribution coefficients (Kd) of Sb were measured for 110 soil samples. These Kds ranged from 1 to 2065 L kg(-1); the geometric mean was 62 L kg(-1) excluding one extremely high value, 2065 L kg(-1). Experimental measurement of Kd showed a decrease with both increasing pH and increasing phosphate concentration. The latter suggested that one aspect of the Sb sorption phenomena in Japanese soil was influenced by specific adsorption of anions such as phosphate. However, other aspects could not be explained by this specific adsorption mechanism, because only 20-40% of soil-sorbed Sb could be extracted by phosphate solution.     

Lead sorption in calcareous soils

The sorption of lead by three soils that differed in texture and calcium carbonate content was studied at three different temperatures. Lead sorption was found to conform to both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. Soil adsorption maxima were derived from the reciprocal of the slope obtained by a least-squares fit of Langmuir plots for each soil. The highest adsorption capacity was exhibited by CaCO(3)-rich soil (773.55 mmol Pb kg(-1)). Raising the temperature from 298 K to 308 and 318 K increased the sorption capacity of all of the soils.     

Scale and causes of lead contamination in Chinese tea

We investigated the scale and causes of Pb contamination in Chinese tea. Lead concentrations in 1,225 tea samples collected nationally between 1999 and 2001 varied from <0.2 to 97.9 mg kg(-1) dry weight (DW), with 32% of the samples exceeding the national maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of 2.0 mg kg(-1) DW and a significant difference between tea types. There was an increasing trend in tea Pb concentration from 1989 to 2000. Proximity to highway and surface dust contamination were found to cause elevated Pb concentrations in tea leaves. Furthermore, Pb concentration in tea leaves correlated significantly and positively with soil extractable Pb, and negatively with soil pH, suggesting that root uptake of Pb from soils also contributed to Pb accumulation in tea. Potential contributions to human Pb intake from drinking tea were small at the median or national MPC Pb values, but considerable at the highest concentration found in the study.     

Influence of ageing on zinc bioavailability in soils

Currently, soil quality criteria or soil risk assessments of metals are based on laboratory toxicity tests which are carried out in soils freshly spiked with metal salts. With these data, species sensitivity distributions are fitted, from which hazardous concentrations and predicted no effect concentrations are derived. However, due to long-term processes, called ageing, soil metal availability decreases with time. Here we show that pH is the most important parameter determining the effect of ageing on zinc partitioning in soils, with the effect of ageing becoming more important with increasing pH. Furthermore, zinc bioavailability, expressed as the internal zinc concentrations in red clover (Trifolium pratense) is closely related to pore water zinc concentration. In addition, there is a clear dose-response relationship between the survival of the earthworm Eisenia fetida and the calcium chloride-extracted zinc fraction. These results indicate that zinc partitioning can be used to predict zinc bioavailability to terrestrial organisms. However, the use of spiked soils in toxicity assays can result in an over-estimation of the effects of zinc, especially at a high pH.     

Dioxin contamination in soils of Southern Vietnam

Dioxin is the common name for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and is abbreviated as PCDD/Fs. In the case of Southern Vietnam, is of high concern dioxin contamination in the areas affected by past-use chemical defoliants. Our study related to the zone considered as a "hot spot"--Bien Hoa Airbase and surrounding areas (Bien Hung Lake). Although the war ended over 30 years ago, the adverse effects on this territory still continue. Soil and sediment were selected for our research as they act as a sink for PCDD/Fs. The samples were taken and analyzed in CECOTOX laboratory following certified procedures. The total amounts of PCDD/Fs (2,3,7,8 related congeners) in the samples were converted into WHO-TEQ and compared with standard values proposed by Canadian environmental quality guidelines. The obtained data shows a relatively high risk (up to 20.4 times higher than (probable effect level) PEL value for sediment and 46 times higher than standard value for soil). The research is continuing on the assessment of dioxin transport in food chain. Moreover, considering the obtained data a complete solution should be found urgently to solve the problem of dioxin contamination in the studied areas.     

Cadmium contamination in orchard soils and fruit trees and its potential health risk in Guangzhou, China

This study examines cadmium (Cd) contamination in orchard soils and fruit trees in Guangzhou, China, and assesses its potential health risk. Soils and tissues samples of three species of fruit trees were collected from three orchards. The average soil Cd concentration was 1.27, 1.84 and 0.68 mg/kg in orchards I, II, and III, respectively. The carambola (Averrhoa carambola) accumulated exceptionally high concentrations of Cd (7.57, 10.84, 9.01 and 2.15 mg/kg dw in root, twig, leaf and fruit, respectively), being 6.0-24 times and 4.0-10 times the corresponding tissue Cd in the longan (Dimocarpus longan) and wampee (Clausena lansium), respectively. Furthermore, all Cd concentrations (0.04-0.25 mg Cd/kg fw) of the fruits exceeded the tolerance limit of cadmium in foods of PR China (0.03 mg/kg fw). Our results indicate that the carambola tree has high Cd accumulation capacity and might be a Cd accumulator; and its fruit, among the three species of fruits studied, also poses the highest potential health risk to local residents.     

Highly charged swelling mica reduces Cu bioavailability in Cu-contaminated soils

This is the first test of a highly charged swelling mica's (Na-2-mica) ability to reduce the plant-absorbed Cu in Cu-contaminated soils from Chile. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was grown in two acid soils (Sector 2: pH 4.2, total Cu = 172 mg Cu kg⁻¹ and Sector 3: pH 4.2, total Cu = 112 mg Cu kg⁻¹) amended with 0.5% and 1% (w/w) mica, and 1% (w/w) montmorillonite. At 10 weeks of growth, both mica treatments decreased the shoot Cu of ryegrass grown in Sector 2 producing shoot Cu concentrations above 21-22 mg Cu kg⁻¹ (the phytotoxicity threshold for that species), yet the mica treatments did not reduce shoot Cu concentrations when grown in Sector 3, which were at a typical level. The mica treatments improved shoot growth in Sector 3 by reducing free and extractable Cu to low enough levels where other nutrients could compete for plant absorption and translocation. In addition, the mica treatments improved root growth in both soils, and the 1% mica treatment reduced root Cu in both soils. This swelling mica warrants further testing of its ability to assist re-vegetation and reduce Cu bioavailability in Cu-contaminated surface soils.     

Lead reduces shell mass in juvenile garden snails (Helix aspersa)

In an earlier paper examining inherited tolerance to Pb, the shell growth of laboratory-bred offspring of Helix aspersa from contaminated sites was compared with that ofjuveniles from naive populations on dosed and undosed diets. Eight-week-old snails were fed either 500 microg g(-1) Pb or a control food in competitive trials between two populations. In the first series of trials, a parental history of exposure to Pb did not confer any advantage to either of two populations (BI and MI) competing with a na?ve population (LE). whether Pb was present in the diet or not. However, in the analysis of their metal concentrations reported here, LE are found to retain higher levels of Pb in the soft tissues than either BI or MI. Compared to their siblings on the unleaded diet, dosed LE and BI juveniles had lower soft tissue concentrations of Ca and Mg. Although the growth in shell height is unaffected by diet, LE and BI juveniles build lighter shells on the Pb-dosed diet, achieving around 75% of the shell mass of their controls. In contrast, the shell weights of dosed MI juveniles are depressed by only 15% and show no change in the essential metal concentrations of their soft tissues. A second experiment using five populations fed only the dosed food show that the shell weight/soft tissue weight ratios are comparable to the dosed snails of the previous experiment. Building a lighter shell thus appears to be the common response of all Helix populations to a high Pb diet, at least amongst juveniles. The reduction in its mass means that less Ca and Mg is added to the shell and, along with the lowered soft tissue concentrations observed in some populations. may be a consequence of an increased effort to excrete Pb. The possibility that the MI population shows a genotypic adaptation. perhaps as some form of modification of its Ca metabolism, is briefly discussed.     

Microbial indicators of heavy metal contamination in urban and rural soils

Urban soils and especially their microbiology have been a neglected area of study. In this paper, we report on microbial properties of urban soils compared to rural soils of similar lithogenic origin in the vicinity of Aberdeen city. Significant differences in basal respiration rates, microbial biomass and ecophysiological parameters were found in urban soils compared to rural soils. Analysis of community level physiological profiles (CLPP) of micro-organisms showed they consumed C sources faster in urban soils to maintain the same level activity as those in rural soils. Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni were the principal elements that had accumulated in urban soils compared with their rural counterparts with Pb being the most significant metal to distinguish urban soils from rural soils. Sequential extraction showed the final residue after extraction was normally the highest proportion except for Pb, for which the hydroxylamine-hydrochloride extractable Pb was the largest part. Acetic acid extractable fraction of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were higher in urban soils and aqua regia extractable fraction were lower suggesting an elevated availability of heavy metals in urban soils. Correlation analyses between different microbial indicators (basal respiration, biomass-C, and sole C source tests) and heavy metal fractions indicated that basal respiration was negatively correlated with soil Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn inputs while soil microbial biomass was only significantly correlated with Pb. However, both exchangeable and iron- and manganese-bound Ni fractions were mostly responsible for shift of the soil microbial community level physiological profiles (sole C source tests). These data suggest soil microbial indicators can be useful indicators of pollutant heavy metal stress on the health of urban soils.     

Comparison between fractionation and bioavailability of trace elements in rhizosphere and bulk soils

Rhizosphere is a microbiosphere and has quite different chemical, physical and biological properties from bulk soils. A greenhouse experiment was performed to compare the difference of fractionation and bioavailability of trace elements Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd between rhizosphere soil and bulk soil. In the meantime, the influence of air-drying on the fractionation and bioavailability was also investigated by using wet soil sample as a control. Soils in a homemade rhizobox were divided into four zones: rhizosphere, near rhizosphere, near bulk soil and bulk soil zones, which was designated as S1, S2, S3 and S4. Elemental speciations were fractionated to water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate bound (B1), Fe-Mn oxide bound (B2), and organic and sulfide bound (B3) by a sequential extraction procedure. Speciation differences were observed for elements Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd between the rhizosphere and bulk soils, and between the air-dried and wet soils as well. The concentrations of all six heavy metals in fraction B1 followed the order of S2 > S3 > S1 > S4 and for B2, the order was S2 > S3 S4 > S1. For B3, the order was S1 > S3 S4 > S2, while for Cd the order was S2 > S3 approximately/= S4 > S1. The air-drying increased elemental concentration in fractions B1 and B2 by 20-50% and decreased in fraction B3 by about 20-100%. Correlation analysis also indicated that the bioavailability correlation coefficient of fraction B1 in rhizosphere wet soil to plants was better than that between either air-dried or nonrhizosphere soils. Therefore, application of rhizosphere wet soils should be recommended in the future study on the speciation analysis of trace elements in soils and bioavailability.     

Microbial bioavailability of pyrene in three laboratory-contaminated soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Changes in bioavailability of pyrene in three uncontaminated soils were examined under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Three soils were aerobically aged with pyrene and [(14)C]pyrene for 63 days, then incubated with water, nitrate, or sulfate under aerobic or anaerobic conditions for one year. Under aerobic conditions, microorganisms in two soils mineralized 58-82% of the added [(14)C]pyrene. The two soils amended with nitrate were seen to have enhanced aerobic mineralization rates. In one of these soils, non-extractable pyrene was seen to decrease over the course of the study due to desorption and mineralization, nitrate amendment enhanced this effect. Under anaerobic conditions, generated with a N(2):CO(2)(g) headspace, two soils with nitrate or sulfate amendment showed an increase in extractable [(14)C]pyrene at 365 days relative to inhibited controls, presumably due to microbially mediated oxidation-reduction potential and pH alteration of the soil environment. These observations in different soils incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions have important implications relative to the impact of microbial electron acceptors on bioavailability and transport of non-polar organic compounds in the environment suggesting that, given enough time, under the appropriate environmental conditions, non-extractable material becomes bioavailable. This information should be considered when assessing site specific exposure risks at PAH contaminated locations.     

Characteristics of oxytetracycline sorption and potential bioavailability in soils with various physical-chemical properties

Veterinary antibiotics are widely used for disease treatment, prevention and animal growth promoting. Frequent detection of veterinary antibiotics in environments, caused by land application of untreated or even treated antibiotics-containing animal wastes, has posed the growing concern of their adverse effect on natural ecosystems. Oxytetracycline (OTC) is one of the most widely-used veterinary antibiotics in livestock industry. OTC present as a cation, zwitterions, or net negatively charged ion in soils complicates predicting its sorption characteristics and potential bioavailability and toxicity. This study was to identify soil properties influencing OTC sorption and its subsequent bioavailability in five soils with various physical-chemical properties. A solution used to determine bioavailable analytes in soils and sediments, 1 M MgCl₂ (pH 8.5), was chosen to desorb the potentially bioavailable fraction of OTC sorbed onto soils. Our results demonstrated that soils with higher illite content and permanent cation exchange capacity have higher OTC sorption capacity, but increase the availability of sorbed OTC indicated by higher release of sorbed OTC from soils into aqueous phase in 1 M MgCl₂ (pH 8.5). Reversely, soil organic matter (SOM), clay, kaolinite, variable cation exchange capacity, DCB-Fe and -Al have lower OTC sorption capacity, but decrease the release of sorbed OTC from soils into 1 M MgCl₂. These findings indicate that SOM and clay greatly influence OTC adsorption and potential availability. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of the potential bioavailability of sorbed OTC and the effects of soil properties on OTC sorption behaviors in soils.     

TXRF analysis of soils and sediments to assess environmental contamination

Total reflection x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) is proposed for the elemental chemical analysis of crustal environmental samples, such as sediments and soils. A comparative study of TXRF with respect to flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy was performed. Microwave acid digestion and suspension preparation methods are evaluated. A good agreement was found among the results obtained with different spectroscopic techniques and sample preparation methods for Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn. We demonstrated that TXRF is suitable for the assessment of environmental contamination phenomena, even if the errors for Pb, As, V, and Ba are ingent.     

Arsenic contamination of soils and agricultural plants through irrigation water in Nepal

This study monitored the influence of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water on alkaline soils and arsenic uptake in agricultural plants at field level. The arsenic concentrations in irrigation water ranges from <0.005 to 1.014 mg L(-1) where the arsenic concentrations in the soils were measured from 6.1 to 16.7 mg As kg(-1). The arsenic content in different parts of plants are found in the order of roots>shoots>leaves>edible parts. The mean arsenic content of edible plant material (dry weight) were found in the order of onion leaves (0.55 mg As kg(-1))>onion bulb (0.45 mg As kg(-1))>cauliflower (0.33 mg As kg(-1))>rice (0.18 mg As kg(-1))>brinjal (0.09 mg As kg(-1))>potato (<0.01 mg As kg(-1)).