Characteristics of heavy metals in soils and grains of wheat and maize from farmland irrigated with sewage

The farmland irrigation with the sewage is a common and better pathway to save the resource of groundwater in Northern China. The investigation was conducted in the farmland along the Fuhe River to explore characteristics of heavy metals in soils and grains of wheat and maize from a long-term sewage-irrigated area of Baoding region. The results showed that the topsoil with long-term sewage irrigation accumulated more Cd, Pb, and Hg compared with that of soil irrigated with groundwater and their corresponding natural background values. Cd concentrations in 48% of sewage-irrigated soil samples exceeded the Chinese safety limitation at 0.6 mg/kg, but less Cd accumulated in crop grains and did not pose the potential health risk. On the contrary, Pb levels in soils irrigated with sewage were lower than the safety limitation but Pb concentrations in 24% of wheat grain samples exceeded the Chinese national safety limit. Long-term sewage irrigation did not increase As, Cr, and Ni concentrations in soils or crop grains. The target hazard quotient (THQ) of heavy metals in edible grains of crops was selected to assess their risk to human health. Total THQ values were higher than 1.0 for the wheat samples from sewage-irrigated area and both sewage-irrigated and smelter-impacted areas, and As is the main contributor to the total THQ and posed the potential risk to human health. Therefore, the accumulation of Cd, Pb, Hg, and As in soils and crops in sewage-irrigated area should be monitored continuously to ensure food safety and security.

     

Uptake and distribution of phenanthrene and pyrene in roots and shoots of maize (Zea mays L.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as byproducts of carbon-based fuel combustion are an important group of pollutants with wide distribution in the environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known as toxic compounds for almost all organisms. Different plant species can uptake polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by roots and translocate them to various aerial parts. The aim of this study is to investigate the uptake, translocation, and accumulation of pyrene and phenanthrene in maize under controlled conditions. Seeds were cultivated in perlite containing 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm of phenanthrene and pyrene, and their concentrations in the roots and shoots of the plants were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography technique after 7, 14, and 21 days. The results revealed that phenanthrene naturally existed in maize and its concentration showed a time-dependent decrease in shoots and roots. In contrast, the concentration of pyrene was increased in the roots and reduced in the shoots. Although pyrene had higher uptake than phenanthrene in roots of maize, the translocation factor value for pyrene was lower than for phenanthrene. According to these findings, phenanthrene could be metabolized in maize in the shoot and root tissues, but pyrene had more tendency to be accumulated in roots.

     

Scaling up a treatment to simultaneously remove persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals from contaminated soils

Soil washing is a treatment process that can be used to remediate both organic and inorganic pollutants from contaminated soils, sludges, and sediments. A soil washing procedure was evaluated utilizing about 100 g samples of soil that had been field-contaminated with arsenic, chromium, copper, pentachlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The highest level of mobilization/detoxification was achieved in three soil washes with a mixture of 0.1M [S,S]-ethyelnediaminedisuccinate ([S,S]-EDDS) and 2% Brij 98 at pH 9 with 20 min of ultrasonication treatment at room temperature. This combination mobilized 70% of arsenic, 75% of chromium, 80% of copper, 90% of PCP, and 79% of PCDDs and PCDFs, so that the decontaminated soil met the maximum acceptable concentrations of the generic C-level criteria regulated by the Ministère du Développement Durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs for the Province of Québec, Canada.The organic pollutants were back-extracted from the aqueous suspension with hexane. Heavy metals were virtually completely precipitated from the aqueous washing suspension with Mg⁰ particles at room temperature. The PCP was detoxified by catalytic hydrodechlorination with a stream of 5% (v/v) H₂-supercritical CO₂ that transported the organosoluble fraction through a reaction chamber containing 2% Pd/γ-Al₂O₃.In toto, this soil washing procedure demonstrates that persistent organic pollutants and selected heavy metals can be co-extracted efficiently from a field-contaminated soil with three successive washes with the same soil washing solution containing [S,S]-EDDS and a non-ionic surfactant (Brij 98) in admixture. An industrial-scale ex situ soil washing procedure with a combination of a non-ionic surfactant and a complexing reagent seems to be a plausible remediation technique for this former wooden utility pole storage facility.     

比较两种表面活性剂淋洗去除土壤中的重金属

以停车场和湿地2种土壤为研究对象,分别使用表面活性剂鼠李糖脂和月桂基醚硫酸钠对土壤样品进行淋洗,考察2种表面活性剂对这2种土壤中重金属的去除能力差异及形态分布的影响,并分析淋洗后残留在土壤中表面活性剂的生物毒性。结果表明,2种表面活性剂均可在一定程度上去除2种土壤中的Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn。与湿地土壤相比,2种表面活性剂对停车场土壤中重金属的去除率均较高,且月桂基醚硫酸钠的去除能力优于鼠李糖脂。2种表面活性剂对可交换态重金属的去除效果最好,对残渣态重金属去除率较低。淋洗后2种土样中残留的鼠李糖脂及停车场土样中残留的月桂基醚硫酸钠的生物毒性低,湿地土壤中残留的月桂基醚硫酸钠具有一定生物毒性。     

重金属-多氯联苯复合污染土壤同步洗脱

电子垃圾拆解区土壤具有重金属与有机物复合污染的特性,尤其以Cu、Pb、Cd和多氯联苯(PCBs)的复合污染较为突出。为了同步脱除土壤中重金属与PCBs,选用增溶物质:Tween 80、TX-100、SDBS、β-环糊精与螯合剂柠檬酸依次组合进行复合污染土壤淋洗实验,应用批量平衡震荡法研究它们对重金属(Cu、Pb、Cd)与PCBs(Aroclor 1254)的洗脱效果。通过比较洗脱效果、环境友好性等方面,得出非离子表面活性剂Tween 80与天然螯合剂柠檬酸2种淋洗剂复合最佳;进一步研究两者的淋洗先后顺序、浓度配比、洗脱时间及淋洗剂pH对污染土壤洗脱效果的影响,结果表明,在Tween 80和柠檬酸均为10 g/L、pH=6、淋洗时间12 h时淋洗效果达到最佳,对Cu、Pb、Cd及PCBs的洗脱率分别达到98.77%、55.92%、66.82%和58.01%。因此,利用Tween80和柠檬酸组合可同时有效去除土壤重金属和PCBs,是复合污染土壤淋洗修复的有效淋洗剂。     

过磷酸钙与石灰混施对污染农田低累积玉米生长和重金属含量的影响

通过田间实验,研究了过磷酸钙和石灰混施对重金属污染农田上低累积玉米产量以及籽粒、茎叶重金属含量的影响,并分析了施用过磷酸钙和石灰后土壤pH和有效重金属含量的变化。结果表明,与单施过磷酸钙和单施石灰相比,过磷酸钙和石灰混施更能显著提高玉米生物产量,且过磷酸钙和石灰均有一定的后效。单施石灰处理、石灰与过磷酸钙混施处理都均显著降低玉米籽粒Cd、Zn和Cu含量,其中以中量(0.4 kg/m2)、高量石灰(0.6 kg/m2)+中量过磷酸钙(0.2kg/m2)处理效果最佳,其玉米籽粒Cd、Zn和Cu含量降低到了国家食品卫生标准允许的含量水平。石灰处理均不同程度地提高了玉米籽粒Pb含量,配施过磷酸钙也不能明显降低玉米籽粒Pb含量,但仍低于饲料卫生标准允许的含量水平。另外,单施石灰处理和石灰与过磷酸钙混施处理均显著降低了玉米茎叶Cd、Pb、Zn和Cu含量,可以安全用作有机肥。     

重金属与土壤微生物的相互作用及污染土壤修复

阐述了微生物与重金属间的相互作用 ,指出土壤重金属污染影响微生物活性、生物量 ,且重金属对微生物具有一定的生态毒性。可通过微生物的氧化 还原作用、生物吸附富集和溶解作用 ,达到修复重金属污染土壤的目的。     

Characterization of extractable and non-extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils and sediments from the Pearl River Delta, China

Formation of bound residues of pollutants in soils and sediments is an important process to control the fate of pollutants in the environment. The most of bound residue is not solvent extractable. In this paper, we measured both extractable and non-extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different organic matter fractions of samples from the Pearl River Delta, China. Non-extractable PAHs concentration was 234.45-1424.57 μg/kg and accounted for 33.78-57.44% of total PAHs. 2-3 Ring PAHs were the dominant species and differed in concentration substantially between the samples. The atomic ratio of PAHs over organic-C in the fractions ordered as solvent soluble organic matter > humin > humic acids, matching the content of aliphatic moieties in the fractions of organic matter. The ratio of extractable and non-extractable PAHs may relate to the aging process of PAHs in soil and sediment.     

Seasonal and spatial patterns of metals at a restored copper mine site II. Copper in riparian soils and Bromus carinatus shoots

Soil and plants were sampled throughout winter and spring near a perennial stream traversing a restored mine site in a winter-rainy climate. Within 1m of an acidic reach of the stream, soil had pH 3-5 and 50-100 microg/g "bioavailable" copper (extractable with 0.01 M CaCl2). Soil 2-3 m from the stream had pH 5-8 and lower (less than 3 microg/g) bioavailable copper. "Oxide-bound" copper (extractable with 2N HCl) was 50-100 microg/g at most locations. Copper concentrations in the shoots of field-collected Bromus carinatus declined from 20 microg/g in winter to 2 microg/g in spring at all sampling sites. A similar temporal pattern was found in plants grown under controlled conditions. Thus B. carinatus has a developmental program for control of shoot copper concentration, causing a seasonally-varying pattern of copper phytoaccumulation over a large range of copper availability in the soil.     

Heavy and toxic metals in staple foodstuffs and agriproduct from contaminated soils

This article presents basic data on the content of Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, and Pb in staple foodstuffs and agriproduct grown in Russia (Astrakhan region and the town of Belovo) and Egypt (Helwan region). The dependence of the concentration of metals in agriproducts on the content and chemical form of existence in irrigation water and soils is indicated.     

EDTA及其回收溶液治理重金属污染土壤的研究

试验结果表明,EDTA能够有效地萃取土壤重金属,由于其价格较贵和不易被降解等特点,限制了它的广泛运用.在运用MINTEQA2模型对萃取液中重金属离子形态分析的基础上,选用Na2S沉淀法将重金属从EDTA萃取液中有效分离.同时将回收的EDTA连续进行萃取土壤重金属,由于回收EDTA浓度下降的原因,其效果比新鲜EDTA的要稍微差一点,但从经济和效率上来说,仍旧可以用来治理重金属污染的土壤.     

Potential availability of heavy metals to phytoextraction from contaminated soils induced by exogenous humic substances

Effective phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals depends on their availability to plant uptake that, in turn, may be influenced by either the existing soil humus or an exogenous humic matter. We amended an organic and a mineral soil with an exogenous humic acid (HA) in order to enhance the soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 1% and 2%. The treated soils were further enriched with heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni) to a concentration of 0, 10, 20, and 40 microg/g for each metal and allowed to age at room temperature for 1 and 2 months. After each period, they were extracted for readily soluble and exchangeable (2.5% acetic acid), plant-available (DTPA, Diethylentriaminepentaacetic acid), and occluded (1 N HNO(3)) metal species. Addition of HA generally reduced the extractability of the soluble and exchangeable forms of metals. This effect was directly related to the amount of added HA and increased with ageing time. Conversely, the potentially plant-available metals extracted with DTPA were generally larger with increasing additions of exogenous HA solutions. This was attributed to the formation of metal-humic complexes, which ensured a temporary bioavailability of metals and prevented their rapid transformation into insoluble species. Extractions with 1 N HNO(3) further indicated that the added metals were present in complexes with HA. The observed effects appeared to also depend on the amount of native SOC and its structural changes with ageing. The results suggest that soil amendments with exogenous humic matter may accelerate the phytoremediation of heavy metals from contaminated soil, while concomitantly prevent their environmental mobility.     

柠檬酸浸出土壤中铜、锌的优化设计

以某工业废弃地土壤为供试材料,采用批次实验方法,研究了柠檬酸对重金属Cu、Zn的浸出效果。并在单因素实验基础上,探讨不同pH值、柠檬酸浓度、固液比和浸提时间等对浸出效果的影响,进而对实验条件进行正交优化组合,确定优化工艺参数为：pH值为3.2,柠檬酸浓度为0.4 mol/L,壤土固液比为1/10,土壤中Cu、Zn接近平衡的时间分别为1 h和1.5 h。结果表明,在此条件下,对这2种金属来说,Cu较Zn易释放,Cu、Zn的最大浸出率分别为74.8%和65.3%。柠檬酸浸提前后,土壤中有机质含量下降范围为0.61%~3.16%。单从土壤有机质含量来看,柠檬酸对土壤质量影响较小,具有较好的应用前景。     

Simultaneous removal of organic compounds and heavy metals from soils by electrokinetic remediation with a modified cyclodextrin

Thousands of sites are contaminated with both heavy metals and organic compounds and these sites pose a major threat to public health and the environment. Previous studies have shown that electrokinetic remediation has potential to remove heavy metals and organic compounds when they exist individually in low permeability soils. This paper presents the feasibility of using cyclodextrins in electrokinetic remediation for the simultaneous removal of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from low permeability soils. Kaolin was selected as a model low permeability soil and it was spiked with phenanthrene as well as nickel at concentrations of 500 mg kg-1 each to simulate typical mixed field contamination. Bench-scale electrokinetic experiments were conducted using hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD) at low (1%) and high (10%) concentrations and using deionized water in control test. A periodic voltage gradient of 2VDC cm-1 (with 5 d on and 2 d off) was applied to all the tests, and 0.01 M NaOH was added during the experiments to maintain neutral pH conditions at anode. In all tests, nickel migrated as Ni2+ ions towards the cathode and most of it was precipitated as Ni(OH)2 within the soil close to the cathode due to high pH condition generated by electrolysis reaction. The solubility of phenanthrene in the flushing solution and the amount of electroosmotic flow controlled the migration and removal of phenanthrene in all the tests. Even though high flow was generated in tests using deionized water and 1% HPCD, migration and removal of phenanthrene was low due to low solubility of phenanthrene in these solutions. The test with 10% HPCD solution showed higher solubility of phenanthrene which caused it migrate towards the cathode, but further migration and removal was retarded due to reduced electric current and electroosmotic flow. Approximately one pore volume of flushing resulted in approximately 50% removal of phenanthrene from the soil near the anode. Sustained higher electroosmotic flow with higher concentration cyclodextrin and maintaining low soil pH near cathode should be investigated to increase removal efficiency of both phenanthrene and nickel.     

Immobilization of heavy metals in polluted soils by the addition of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash

The use of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash for the immobilization of pollutants in contaminated soils was investigated in experimental plots in the Guadiamar Valley (SW Spain). This area was affected by a pyrite slurry spill in April 1998. Although reclamation activities were completed in a few months, residual pyrite slurry mixed with soil accounted for relatively high leachable levels of trace elements such as Zn, Pb, As, Cu, Sb, Co, Tl and Cd. Phytoremediation strategies were adopted for the final recovery of the polluted soils. The immobilization of metals had previously been undertaken to avoid leaching processes and the consequent groundwater pollution. To this end, 1100 kg of high NaP1 (Na6[(AlO2)6(SiO2)10] .15H2O) zeolitic material was synthesized using fly ash from the Teruel power plant (NE Spain), in a 10 m3 reactor. This zeolitic material was manually applied using different doses (10000-25000 kg per hectare), into the 25 cm topsoil. Another plot (control) was maintained without zeolite. Sampling was carried out 1 and 2 years after the zeolite addition. The results show that the zeolitic material considerably decreases the leaching of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn. The sorption of metals in soil clay minerals (illite) proved to be the main cause contributing to the immobilization of these pollutants. This sorption could be a consequence of the rise in pH from 3.3 to 7.6 owing to the alkalinity of the zeolitic material added (caused by traces of free lime in the fly ash, or residual NaOH from synthesis).     

Assessment of Ni accumulation capability by fungi for a possible approach to remove metals from soils and waters

ABSTRACT

Abandoned industrial sites and mines may constitute possible hazards for surrounding environment due to the presence of toxic compounds that may contaminate soils and waters. The possibility to remove metal contaminants, specifically nickel (Ni), by means of fungi was presented exploiting a set of fungal strains isolated from a Ligurian dismissed mine. The achieved results demonstrate the high Ni(II) tolerance, up to 500 mg Ni l^?1, and removal capability of a Trichoderma harzianum strain. This latter hyperaccumulates up to 11,000 mg Ni kg^?1, suggesting its possible use in a bioremediation protocol able to provide a sustainable reclamation of broad contaminated areas.     

Bioaccessibility of metals in soils and dusts contaminated by marine antifouling paint particles

Fragments of antifouling paint and environmental geosolids have been sampled from the island of Malta and analysed for total and bioaccessible metals. Total concentrations of Ba, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn were two to three orders of magnitude higher in spent antifouling composites relative to respective values in background soils and road dusts. Paint fragments were visible in geosolids taken from the immediate vicinity of boat maintenance facilities and mass balance calculations, based on Ba as a paint tracer, suggested that the most contaminated soils, road dusts and boatyard dusts contained about 1%, 7% and 9%, respectively, of antifouling particles. Human bioaccessibilities of metals were evaluated in selected samples using a physiologically based extraction technique. Accessibilities of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the most contaminated solids were sufficient to be cause for concern for individuals working in the boat repair industry and to the wider, local community.     

混合洗脱剂对土壤中重金属和多氯联苯的同步高效洗脱

针对电子垃圾拆解、焚烧场地周边污染土壤中的重金属和疏水性有机物的复合污染问题,对重金属和有机物同步高效洗脱方法进行了研究。将皂素、吐温-80和柠檬酸按照不同浓度配比组合并制成混合洗脱剂,采用批量平衡振荡的方法,研究其对Cu、Pb、Cd和多氯联苯（PCBs）复合污染土壤的洗脱效果,以及浓度配比、pH和洗脱时间对洗脱效果的影响,并找出最优的洗脱条件。结果表明：在混合洗脱剂中皂素、吐温-80和柠檬酸的浓度分别为12、10和5 g·L-1,pH值为5,批量平衡振荡洗脱时间为6 h的条件下,洗脱效果最佳,对Cu、Pb、Cd和PCBs的洗脱率分别为88.32%、82.75%、94.89%和80.56%,实现了复合污染土壤中重金属和疏水性有机物的同步高效洗脱。     

Removal of heavy metals and arsenic from contaminated soils using bioremediation and chelant extraction techniques

A combined chemical and biological treatment scheme was evaluated in this study aiming at obtaining the simultaneous removal of metalloid arsenic and cationic heavy metals from contaminated soils. The treatment involved the use of the iron reducing microorganism Desulfuromonas palmitatis, whose activity was combined with the chelating strength of EDTA. Taking into consideration that soil iron oxides are the main scavengers of As, treatment with iron reducing microorganisms aimed at inducing the reductive dissolution of soil oxides and thus obtaining the release of the retained As. The main objective of using EDTA was the removal of metal contaminants, such as Pb and Zn, through the formation of soluble metal chelates. Experimental results however indicated that EDTA was also indispensable for the biological reduction of Fe(III) oxides. The bacterial activity was found to have a pronounced positive effect on the removal of arsenic, which increased from the value of 35% obtained during the pure chemical treatment up to 90% in the presence of D. palmitatis. In the case of Pb, the major part, i.e. approximately 85%, was removed from soil with purely chemical mechanisms, whereas the biological activity slightly improved the extraction, increasing the final removal up to 90%. Co-treatment had negative effect only for Zn, whose removal was reduced from 80% under abiotic condition to approximately 50% in the presence of bacteria.     

The use of maize and poplar in chelant-enhanced phytoextraction of lead from contaminated agricultural soils

Chelant-enhanced phytoextraction of heavy metals is an emerging technological approach for a non-destructive remediation of contaminated soils. The main objectives of this study were (i) to assess the extraction efficiency of two different synthetic chelating agents (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS)) for desorbing Pb from two contaminated agricultural soils originating from a mining and smelting district and (ii) to assess the phytoextraction efficiency of maize (Zea mays) and poplar (Populus sp.) after EDTA application. EDTA was more efficient than EDDS in desorbing and complexing Pb from both soils, removing as much as 60% of Pb. Maize exhibited better results than poplar when extracting Pb from the more acidic (pH approximately 4) and more contaminated (up to 1360 mg Pb kg(-1)) agricultural soil originating from the smelting area. On the other hand, poplars proved to be more efficient when grown on the near-neutral (pH approximately 6) and less contaminated (up to 200 mg Pb kg(-1)) agricultural soil originating from the mining area. Furthermore, the addition of EDTA led to a significant increase of Pb content especially in poplar leaves, proving a strong translocation rate within the poplar plants.