Effects of foliar application with compost tea and filtrate biogas slurry liquid on yield and fruit quality of washington navel orange (Citrus sinenesis Osbeck) trees

Sixteen-year-old navel orange trees at a private orchard located in Kafer El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, were used in this study. Compost tea (CT) and filtrate biogas slurry liquid (FLB) were applied at two different concentrations (50% and 100%); control trees were sprayed with water Trees treated with CT at 100% were the highest in yield, fruit weight, and vitamin C, whereas the highest percentage of fruit set, fruit number and soluble solid content (SSC), lowest fruit drop, and highest reducing and total sugars were in trees treated with 100% FLB. Concentrations at 50% for both foliar application (CT and FLB) improved yield and fruit characteristics than control treatment. Generally, using a foliar application of compost tea and filtrate biogas slurry liquid at (100%) treatments as food nutrients could be recommended to improve the yield and fruit quality of navel orange fruits under the current study conditions.     

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.     

The Impact of Gold Smelter Emissions on Vegetation and Soils of a Sub-Arctic Forest-Tundra Transition Ecosystem

Gold smelters near Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories have emitted large quantities of sulfur dioxide and arsenic since inception of roasting in 1941. Although particulate wastes are well contained by baghouse fitters in the one remaining operating smelter, significant gaseous emissions continue. Soil and vegetation were sampled at 52 sites over an area of about 40 km radius from the source. Plant ecology was studied at 43 of those sites. After preliminary multi-element screening that indicated only arsenic was a serious persistent contaminant, x-ray fluorescence was used to measure arsenic content in sampled materials. The plant ecology data were synthesized into an Index of Vitality with numerical ratings of pertinent factors. In the marginal forests and rocky outcrops of the area, indicator species of vegetation permitted a division into zones of severe, moderate, mild, or no impact in order of increasing distance from the current center of emissions. Severe impact, including killing of trees, is local only. Analyses of foliage indicate little uptake of arsenic which, together with the presence of S0₂ symptoms, point to S0₂ as the main factor causing decline of vegetation. A separate study, abstracted here, supports this view by providing data that show a frequency of at least 2 significant fumigation episodes per growing season. Soil analyses indicate extremely high arsenic contamination near the stack. A monotonie pattern of dispersion yielded a function explainable in terms of rapid condensation of gaseous emissions. The relationship of arsenic in surface soil and vegetation to distance is approximately an inverse square.     

二段铁盐沉淀深度脱除高浓度含砷废水中的砷

探索高浓度含砷废水中砷的深度脱除方法及脱除机理。采用预氧化-二段铁盐沉淀的方法脱除炼铅烟尘浸出液中的砷,研究影响砷脱除效率的控制条件和因素,砷脱除机理。结果表明,用双氧水氧化原料液中的低价铁和砷,加FeCl3调节铁砷比=1,在pH=4~5、T=60~70℃反应60 min,砷的脱除率达到99.95%,XRD分析结果表明,沉淀物为非晶态砷酸铁形态;在二段除砷中,控制铁砷比=5、pH=7~8,除砷后液中的砷含量小于0.014 mg/L,远低于允许的排放限值。采用二段铁盐脱砷工艺可以将高砷溶液中的砷深度脱除。     

A methodological approach for the identification of arsenic bearing phases in polluted soils

A methodological approach is used to characterize arsenic pollution in three soils and to determine arsenic speciation and association with solid phases in three polluted soils. HPLC-ICP-MS was used for arsenic speciation analysis, SEM-EDS and XRD for physical characterization of arsenic pollution, and sequential chemical extractions to identify arsenic distribution. Arsenic was concentrated in the finest size fractions also enriched in iron and aluminium. Total arsenic concentrations in soils are close to 1%. Arsenic was mainly present as arsenate, representing more than 90% of total arsenic. No crystallised arsenic minerals were detected by XRD analysis. SEM-EDS observations indicated arsenic/iron associations. Modified Tessier's procedure showed that arsenic was mainly extracted from amorphous iron oxide phase. The results of this methodological approach lead to predict the formation of iron arsenates in the case of one of the studied soils while arsenic sorption on iron amorphous (hydr)oxides seemed to be the determinant in the two other soils.     

针对含砷硫酸烧渣酸浸液的铁盐沉淀固砷

为考察含砷硫酸烧渣中酸浸脱砷效果和铁盐沉淀固砷行为,采用常温常压酸浸法脱除硫酸烧渣中的砷,并对进入浸出液中的砷以铁盐沉淀的形式脱除,进而对沉淀渣的浸出毒性进行研究。同时,研究了磨矿细度、酸浓度、固液比、浸出时间对硫酸烧渣中砷脱除效率的影响。结果表明,通过控制浸出参数可以将硫酸烧渣中砷的质量分数降低到0.2%以下,通过调节浸出液的pH和Fe/As摩尔比将其中的砷以沉淀的形式脱除。当Fe/As > 2、pH = 4~6时,溶液中砷浓度降到了0.5 mg·L-1以下。沉淀砷渣主要是以非晶态的形式存在,提高铁砷比有利于提高砷渣稳定性,从而降低浸出毒性。在Fe/As = 3、pH = 6.04~6.22的条件下,得到的沉淀渣的浸出毒性为0.711 mg·L-1。因此,通过酸浸脱除硫酸烧渣中的砷,进而采用铁盐沉淀的方法能够实现硫酸烧渣中砷的安全处置。     

Mobilization of arsenic from subsurface sediments by effect of bicarbonate ions in groundwater

Arsenic leaching by bicarbonate ions has been investigated in this study. Subsurface sediment samples from Bangladesh were treated with different carbonate and bicarbonate ions and the results demonstrate that the arsenic leaching efficiency of the carbonate solutions decreased in the order of Na2CO3>NaHCO3>BaCO3>MnCO3. Sodium carbonate and bicarbonate ions extracted arsenic most efficiently; Na2CO3 leached maximum 118.12 microg/l of arsenic, and NaHCO3, 94.56 microg/l of arsenic from the Ganges delta sediments after six days of incubation. The arsenic concentrations extracted in the batch experiments correlated very well with the bicarbonate concentrations. The kinetics study of arsenic release indicates that arsenic-leaching rate increased with reaction time in bicarbonate solutions. Bicarbonate ions can extract arsenic from sediment samples in both oxic and anoxic conditions. A linear relationship found between arsenic contents in core samples and those in leachates suggests that dissolved arsenic concentration in groundwater is related to the amount of arsenic in aquifer sediments. In batch experiment, bicarbonate solutions effectively extracted arsenic from arsenic adsorbed iron oxyhydroxide, reflecting that bicarbonate solutions may mobilize arsenic from iron and manganese oxyhydroxide in sediments that are ubiquitous in subsurface core samples. Carbonate ion may form complexes on the surface sites of iron hydroxide and substitute arsenic from the surface of minerals and sediments resulting in release of arsenic to groundwater. Like in the batch experiment, arsenic and bicarbonate concentrations in groundwater of Bangladesh correlated very well. Therefore, bicarbonate leaching is presumed to be one important mechanism to mobilize arsenic in bicarbonate dominated reducing aquifer of Bangladesh and other parts of the world as well.     

Adsorption of arsenic(V) onto fly ash: a speciation-based approach

Arsenic (As) poses a significant water quality problem and challenge for the environmental engineers and scientists in the world. The large volume of coal fly ash produced around the world is a potentially significant anthropogenic source of arsenic. Currently the leaching behavior of arsenic from fly ash is not well understood. Batch methods were used in this study to investigate arsenic leaching using a raw ash, and arsenic adsorption using a clean, washed ash. Experimental results indicated that pH had a significant effect on arsenic leaching or adsorption. Between pH 3 and 7, less arsenic was in the dissolved phase. When pH was less than 3 or greater than 7, increasing amounts of arsenic were leached or desorbed from fly ash. The leaching and adsorption behavior of arsenic was interpreted with the speciation of surface sites and arsenic. In a new approach, a speciation-based model was developed to quantify the arsenic adsorption as a function of pH and surface acidity parameters. This work is important in offering insight into the leaching mechanism of arsenic from coal fly ash, and providing a robust model based upon specific, measurable parameters to quantify arsenic adsorption by other solid media in addition to fly ash.     

矿区含砷尾矿及废渣稳定化研究

通过"硫酸-硝酸法"浸出实验,以砷的浸出浓度为控制指标,选用FeCl2为稳定药剂,对矿区砷渣进行药剂稳定化研究。考察Fe/As摩尔比、pH值、粒度、温度及稳定时间对砷浸出浓度的影响,通过研究稳定化前后砷形态的变化,探讨重金属迁移转化规律。结果表明:砷浸出浓度随FeCl2投加量增加而降低,当Fe/As摩尔比为1,pH=6.5~7.5时,常温下稳定化1 h后,砷浸出浓度低于2.5 mg/L且基本达到稳定,达到《危险废物填埋污染控制标准》(GB 18598-2001)的入场要求;随反应温度升高,砷浸出浓度略有升高;矿渣稳定化处理后,砷从生物有效性高和毒性大的形态逐渐转化为毒性小、稳定性强的形态,但矿物组成和化学组成不同,砷形态的迁移转化也略有不同。     

Arsenic behavior in newly drilled wells

In the present paper, inorganic arsenic species and chemical parameters in groundwater were determined to investigate the factors related to the distribution of arsenic species and their dissolution from rock into groundwater. For the study, groundwater and core samples were taken at different depths of two newly drilled wells in Huron and Lapeer Counties, Michigan. Results show that total arsenic concentrations in the core samples varied, ranging from 0.8 to 70.7 mg/kg. Iron concentration in rock was about 1800 times higher than that of arsenic, and there was no correlation between arsenic and iron occurrences in the rock samples. Arsenic concentrations in groundwater ranged from <1 to 171 microg/l. The arsenic concentration in groundwater depended on the amount of arsenic in aquifer rocks, and as well decreased with increasing depth. Over 90% of arsenic existed in the form of As(III), implying that the groundwater systems were in the reduced condition. The results such as high ferrous ion, low redox potential and low dissolved oxygen supported the observed arsenic species distribution. There was no noticeable difference in the total arsenic concentration and arsenic species ratio between unfiltered and filtered (0.45 microm) waters, indicating that the particulate form of arsenic was negligible in the groundwater samples. There were correlations between water sampling depth and chemical parameters, and between arsenic concentration and chemical parameters, however, the trends were not always consistent in both wells.     

Pesticide bioconcentration modelling for fruit trees

The model presented allows simulating the pesticide concentration evolution in fruit trees and estimating the pesticide bioconcentration factor in fruits. Pesticides are non-ionic organic compounds that are degraded in soils cropped with woody species, fruit trees and other perennials. The model allows estimating the pesticide uptake by plants through the water transpiration stream and also the time in which maximum pesticide concentration occur in the fruits. The equation proposed presents the relationships between bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the following variables: plant water transpiration volume (Q), pesticide transpiration stream concentration factor (TSCF), pesticide stem-water partition coefficient (K(Wood,W)), stem dry biomass (M) and pesticide dissipation rate in the soil-plant system (k(EGS)). The modeling started and was developed from a previous model "Fruit Tree Model" (FTM), reported by Trapp and collaborators in 2003, to which was added the hypothesis that the pesticide degradation in the soil follows a first order kinetic equation. The FTM model for pesticides (FTM-p) was applied to a hypothetic mango plant cropping (Mangifera indica) treated with paclobutrazol (growth regulator) added to the soil. The model fitness was evaluated through the sensitivity analysis of the pesticide BCF values in fruits with respect to the model entry data variability.     

FeMnCa-LDHs材料对不同程度砷镉复合污染土壤的钝化修复

针对土壤砷镉复合污染同时修复较为困难的问题,制备了新型FeMnCa-LDHs材料以实现对土壤中As、Cd的同时钝化。通过土壤培养实验和小白菜盆栽实验,研究了在不同污染水平下FeMnCa-LDHs材料施用量对土壤As、Cd的形态转化及对小白菜各部位中As、Cd质量分数的影响,并分析了两者的相关性。结果表明,在高污染水平下施用1.0%的FeMnCa-LDHs材料,可使弱酸提取态As和弱酸提取态Cd的质量分数分别下降12.1%和28.9%,As和Cd由弱酸提取态向更稳定的形态转化;材料对As的吸附作用及对土壤pH的提高是其同时钝化As和Cd的主要原因。在高污染水平下,0.5%的材料施用量可使小白菜地上部分中As和Cd的质量分数分别减少61.2%和53.0%。相关性分析结果表明,小白菜各部位中As和Cd的质量分数与土壤中弱酸提取态As和弱酸提取态Cd的质量分数呈显著正相关,与残渣态As和残渣态Cd的质量分数呈显著负相关,这说明FeMnCa-LDHs材料通过改变土壤中As、Cd的形态分布降低了As、Cd的生物有效性。本研究可为土壤As、Cd复合污染提供参考。     

Bacteria, hypertolerant to arsenic in the rocks of an ancient gold mine, and their potential role in dissemination of arsenic pollution

The aim of the present study was to find out if bacteria present in ancient gold mine could transform immobilized arsenic into its mobile form and increase its dissemination in the environment. Twenty-two arsenic-hypertolerant cultivable bacterial strains were isolated. No chemolithoautotrophs, which could use arsenite as an electron donor as well as arsenate as an electron acceptor, were identified. Five isolates exhibited hypertolerance to arsenic: up to 500 mM of arsenate. A correlation between the presence of siderophores and high resistance to arsenic was found. The results of this study show that detoxification processes based on arsenate reductase activity might be significant in dissemination of arsenic pollution. It was concluded that the activity of the described heterotrophic bacteria contributes to the mobilization of arsenic in the more toxic As(III) form and a new mechanism of arsenic mobilization from a scorodite was proposed.     

Total arsenic accumulation in edible pods and seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate whether arsenic accumulated in the edible pods and seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris, cv. Helda, above the Spanish maximum recommended concentration for food crops, 1 mg kg(-1) on a fresh weight basis. Only organic arsenicals were used because they are: a) the only arsenic species allowed for agricultural applications and b) more mobile than inorganic species. Selection of French beans, a sensitive plant to arsenic, was based on the fact that arsenic upward translocation is higher in sensitive than in tolerant plants. A 2 x 3 factorial experiment was conducted with two organic arsenic species: methylarsonic acid (MAA) or dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) and three arsenic concentrations: 0.2, 0.5, or 1.0 mg L(-1). Arsenic phytotoxicity was primarily determined by soluble arsenic concentration. Experimental results showed that the low bean plant tolerance to arsenic is possibly due to the high arsenic upward transport to shoots, which could result in profound negative metabolic consequences. Even under extremely adverse conditions, arsenic residues in edible beans were below the maximum statutory limit set by the Spanish legislation. It can be concluded that the major danger of organic arsenical herbicides is that of decreased productivity rather than high arsenic uptake by consumers.     

载铁活性炭烧结滤芯的制备及其除砷性能

为实现高砷地下水分布区居民饮用水高效除砷,通过氧化法对椰壳活性炭进行载铁改性处理,采用成型活性炭烧结加工工艺,制备高效除砷滤芯。结果表明：所制得的长度为25.4 cm的除砷滤芯可将初始浓度为500 μg·L^-1的高砷水,以1 L·min^-1的流量过滤处理为砷含量在10 μg·L^-1以下的安全饮用水,使用寿命达260 L,相对于普通活性炭烧结滤芯,使用寿命提高了4倍;通过SEM和EDS分析,改性处理后的活性炭表面负载了铁的氧化物,导致其对砷的吸附能力提高了50%;同时滤芯加工过程中的高压处理使得载铁活性炭颗粒之间呈片状紧密堆叠在一起,含砷溶液透过致密活性炭层中的5~20 μm孔隙时,溶液中的砷与活性炭及铁的氧化物接触而被吸附去除。该滤芯可应用于高砷地下水分布区居民家庭分散式净水除砷。     

Temporal and spatial variation of arsenic species in the Dahuofang reservoir in northeast China

Overlying water, pore water, and sediment samples were collected from the Dahuofang reservoir in November 2011 and April 2012, respectively. Total arsenic and arsenic species including arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic, and dimethylarsinic were analyzed by ICP-MS and HPLC–ICP-MS. The results indicated that the environments of the Dahuofang reservoir were in reduced conditions, arsenite was the predominant species in pore water and sediments in the reservoir. Arsenic concentrations in overlying water were very low in all the samples but showed different trend during the different time. In November, arsenic concentrations in the reservoir inlet were higher than that in the other sites, whereas arsenic showed accumulation from the upstream to downstream of the reservoir in samples collected in April. In pore water, arsenic concentrations were about 23 and 37 times higher than those in overlying water in November and April, respectively, and relatively high levels of arsenite were also detected in the pore water. In surface sediments, total arsenic and arsenic species content in the reservoir inlet showed the following decreasing order: R1?>?R10?>?R4. The results also showed that moderate ecological risks exist in pore water and sediments in the Dahuofang reservoir.     

Effect of chlorine pollution on three fruit tree species at Ranoli near Baroda, India

This paper describes the effect of chlorine pollution from an alkalies and chemical plant at Ranoli, near Baroda, on three tropical fruit tree species-Mangifera indica L. (mango) Manilkara hexandra Dubard. (rayan) and Syzygium cumini Skeels (Jamun). As compared to controls growing in a less polluted area, trees growing close to the plant showed reduced mean leaf area, a higher percentage of leaf area damaged, a reduction in fruit yield, chlorophyll pigments, protein and carbohydrate content, and higher accumulation of chloride in the foliar tissues. The accumulation of pollutaant, chloride, in the foliar tissues was very high in mango and jamun. Based on the degree of damage to the plants, the species studied were arranged in decreasing order of their sensitivity to chlorine pollution-mango, jamun and rayan.     

TOTAL ARSENIC ACCUMULATION IN EDIBLE PODS AND SEEDS OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS

The main objective of this study was to evaluate whether arsenic accumulated in the edible pods and seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris, cv. Helda, above the Spanish maximum recommended concentration for food crops, 1 mg kg^?1 on a fresh weight basis. Only organic arsenicals were used because they are: a) the only arsenic species allowed for agricultural applications and b) more mobile than inorganic species. Selection of French beans, a sensitive plant to arsenic, was based on the fact that arsenic upward translocation is higher in sensitive than in tolerant plants. A 2 × 3 factorial experiment was conducted with two organic arsenic species: methylarsonic acid (MAA) or dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) and three arsenic concentrations: 0.2, 0.5, or 1.0 mg L^?1. Arsenic phytotoxicity was primarily determined by soluble arsenic concentration. Experimental results showed that the low bean plant tolerance to arsenic is possibly due to the high arsenic upward transport to shoots, which could result in profound negative metabolic consequences. Even under extremely adverse conditions, arsenic residues in edible beans were below the maximum statutory limit set by the Spanish legislation. It can be concluded that the major danger of organic arsenical herbicides is that of decreased productivity rather than high arsenic uptake by consumers.     

Sequential soil washing techniques using hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide for remediating arsenic-contaminated soils in abandoned iron-ore mines

Sequential washing techniques using single or dual agents [sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) solutions] were applied to arsenic-contaminated soils in an abandoned iron-ore mine area. We investigated the best remediation strategies to maximize arsenic removal efficiency for both soils and arsenic-containing washing solution through conducting a series of batch experiments. Based on the results of a sequential extraction procedure, most arsenic prevails in Fe-As precipitates or coprecipitates, and iron exists mostly in the crystalline forms of iron oxide. Soil washing by use of a single agent was not effective in remediating arsenic-contaminated soils because arsenic extractions determined by the Korean standard test (KST) methods for washed soils were not lower than 6mg kg(-1) in all experimental conditions. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that iron-ore fines produced mobile colloids through coagulation and flocculation in water contacting the soils, containing dissolved arsenic and fine particles of ferric arsenate-coprecipitated silicate. The first washing step using 0.2M HCl was mostly effective in increasing the cationic hydrolysis of amorphous ferrihydrite, inducing high removal of arsenic. Thus, the removal step of arsenic-containing flocs can lower arsenic extractions (KST methods) of washed soils. Among several washing trials, alternative sequential washing using 0.2M HCl followed by 1M HCl (second step) and 1M NaOH solution (third step) showed reliable and lower values of arsenic extractions (KST methods) of washed soils. This washing method can satisfy the arsenic regulation of washed soil for reuse or safe disposal application. The kinetic data of washing tests revealed that dissolved arsenic was easily readsorbed into remaining soils at a low pH. This result might have occurred due to dominant species of positively charged crystalline iron oxides characterized through the sequential extraction procedure. However, alkaline extraction using NaOH was effective in removing arsenic readsorbed onto the surface of crystalline minerals. This is because of the ligand displacement reaction of hydroxyl ions with arsenic species and high pH conditions that can prevent readsorption of arsenic.     

Arsenic in marine sediments from French Mediterranean ports: Geochemical partitioning,bioavailability and ecotoxicology

This work investigates arsenic mobility, bioavailability and toxicity in marine port sediments using chemical sequential extraction and laboratory toxicity tests. Sediment samples were collected from two different Mediterranean ports, one highly polluted with arsenic and other inorganic and organic pollutants (Estaque port (EST)), and the other one, less polluted, with a low arsenic content (Saint Mandrier port (SM)). Arsenic distribution in the solid phase was studied using a sequential extraction procedure specifically developed for appraising arsenic mobility in sediments. Toxicity assessment was performed on sediment elutriates, solid phases and aqueous arsenic species as single substance using the embryo-toxicity test on oyster larvae (Crassostrea gigas) and the Microtox test with Vibrio fischeri. Toxicity results showed that all sediment samples presented acute and sub-chronic toxic effects on oyster larvae and bacteria, respectively. The Microtox solid phase test allow to discriminate As-contaminated samples from the less contaminated ones, suggesting that toxicity of whole sediment samples is related to arsenic content. Toxicity of dissolved arsenic species as single substance showed that Vibrio fischeri and oyster larvae are most sensitive to As(V) than As(III). The distribution coefficient (Kd) of arsenic in sediment samples was estimated using results obtained in chemical sequential extractions. The Kd value is greater in SM (450 L kg^?1) than in EST (55 L kg^?1), indicating that arsenic availability is higher for the most toxic sediment sample (Estaque port). This study demonstrates that arsenic speciation play an important role on arsenic mobility and its bioavailability in marine port sediments.