Irrigation of certain Mediterranean plants with heavy metals

The ability of some Mediterranean plant species to absorb heavy metals present in wastewater from treatment plants is researched. Their tolerance to high concentrations of heavy metals is also assessed. Myoporum sp., Nerium oleander and Geranium sp. were irrigated with wastewater, normal irrigation water, and irrigation water enriched with metals. The concentration of metals in the wastewater, irrigation water, in the soil, and in the leaves, tissues and roots of the plants were measured. The results show that treatment of plants with wastewater gives slightly increased concentrations of metals in leaves and roots. In contrast, irrigation with high concentrations of Cu₂₊, Mn₂₊ and Zn₂₊ (up to 1000 mg/1) resulted to significantly higher concentrations of these metals in the roots than in the leaves. However, all plants have been shown to tolerate high concentrations of heavy metals except Nerium oleander, which exhibited strong toxicity in leaves. The tolerance of these Mediterranean plant species to polluted environments allows them to be irrigated by wastewater from treatment plants, so as to achieve the best environmental rehabilitation of desertified Mediterranean areas.     

Sub-lethal effects of heavy metals on activated sludge microorganisms

The effects of heavy metals, at sub-lethal concentrations, on activated sludge microbial ecosystem were investigated. Adsorption capacity and rate of copper, chromium, lead and zinc on microbial flocs were much faster than that of organic matters. Metals affected not only the adsorption rate of organic matters but also the COD adsorption capacity of the activated sludge. Effects of heavy metals. on wastewater treatment performance of a sequencing batch reactor were also studied. Metal-laden wastewater at sub-lethal levels affected the performance to different extents, depending on the hydraulic retention time. Metal ions acted as a strong competitor against the organic compounds for active sites on the bioflocs instead of acting as a toxic microbial inhibitor, thus hampering organic adsorption and affecting the COD removal efficiency under shorter HRTs.     

Fate and effects of heavy metals in salt marsh sediments

The fate and effects of selected heavy metals were examined in sediment from a restored salt marsh. Sediment cores densely covered with Spartina patens were collected and kept either un-amended or artificially amended with nickel (Ni) under standardized greenhouse conditions. Ni-amendment had no significant effect on the fate of other metals in sediments, however, it increased root uptake of the metals. Metal translocation into the shoots was small for all metals. Higher Ni concentrations in plants from amended cores were accompanied by seasonal reductions in plant biomass, photosynthetic capacity and transfer efficiency of open photosystem II reaction centers; these effects, however, were no longer significant at the end of the growing season. Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) resembled that of natural salt marshes with up to 20% root length colonized. Although Ni-amendment increased AMF colonization, especially during vegetative growth, in general AMF were largely unaffected.     

Effects of heavy metals on sea urchin embryo development. Part 2. Interactive toxic effects of heavy metals in synthetic mine effluents

Interactive toxic effects between heavy metals were investigated using a sea urchin (Anthocidaris crassispina) bioassay. An effluent from an abandoned mine showed significant inhibitory effects on embryo development as well as producing specific malformations. The effects on the embryos were reproduced by synthetic polluted seawater consisting of eight metals (manganese, lead, cadmium, nickel, zinc, chromium, iron, and copper) at the concentrations detected in the mine effluent. This indicated that the heavy metals were responsible for the effects observed. Five heavy metals were ranked in decreasing order of toxicity as follows: Cu>Zn>Pb>Fe>Mn. Among these, zinc and manganese could cause malformation of the embryos. From bioassay results using 27 combinations of heavy metals, 16 combinations including zinc could produce specific malformations, such as radialized, exo-gastrulal, and spaceship Apollo-like gastrulal embryos. Zinc was one of the elements responsible for causing malformations and its effects were intensified by the presence of the other metals, such as manganese, lead, iron, and copper.     

三峡库区垃圾渗滤液-城镇污水合并处理时的重金属含量研究

应用微波消解-电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法（ICP-OES）测定三峡库区垃圾渗滤液、渗滤液城镇污水合并处理厂进、出水以及剩余污泥中重金属元素的浓度。结果表明,合并处理后,除5个污水厂出水Ni超标（浓度为59.79～104.30 μg/L）外,其余重金属元素均低于GB 18918-2002污水排放标准;剩余污泥中的总重金属含量在15.31～27.73 g/kg之间,各元素含量均远低于污泥农用标准。因此,在目前各合并处理厂的运行条件下,控制渗滤液与城镇污水比例在1∶2 700～1∶50（V/V）范围内,渗滤液汇入生活污水进行合并处理是解决渗滤液重金属污染的有效方式。     

Accumulation of heavy metals and antioxidant responses in Vicia faba plants grown on monometallic contaminated soil

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of soil contamination by selected metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead or zinc) on the antioxidant response of Vicia faba plants. The levels of the antioxidants: glutathione, proline, non-protein thiols, as well as guaiacol peroxidase and catalase activities were measured in the upperparts of plants. Additionally, the potential bioavailability of metals in the soil and their concentrations in V. faba plants were compared. Treatment with metal caused the problem of an elevation in its bioavailability in soil and its concentration in leaves and stems. The most serious problems seemed to be metal elevations in soil, especially Zn and Ni as well as in the aerial parts of V. faba plants. The antioxidant responses appeared to be metal specific. The elevation of guaiacol peroxidase activity in leaves and stems as well as the proline in leaves was the only more general reaction to metal exposure. Upon analysis of the effects of soil metal contamination on V. faba plants, we recommend the use of some measurements such as guaiacol peroxidase activity and proline level as useful tools in biological monitoring.     

4种茄科植物对矿区污染土壤重金属的吸收和富集

采集了湖南及江苏8个矿区或冶炼厂周边4种茄科(Solanaceae)植物及其根际土壤,分析了植物及土壤样品中Cd、Cu、Pb、Mn和Zn 5种重金属浓度.结果表明:番茄(Lycopersicon esculentum)对5种重金属可能有着较强的耐性,但不具有超积累的潜力;刺天茄(Solanum indicum)对Mn、...     

铜、镉对水螅的急性和联合毒性作用

试验研究重金属铜(Cu2 )、镉(Cd2 )对水螅的急性毒性和联合毒性作用,探索水螅(Hydra sp.)对Cu2 、Cd2 以及两者混合的毒性效应,为水产动物病害的防治中合理使用消毒、杀虫剂以及水体污染评价提供一些参考信息.结果表明,Cu2 对水螅的24 h半致死浓度(LC50)、48 hLC50、72 hLC50、96 hLC50分别为0.072、0.054、0.042、0.037 mg/L;Cd2 对水螅的24 hLC50、48hLC50、72 hLC50、96 hLC50分别为0.001 70、0.000 63、0.000 36、0.000 36 mg/L;Cu2 、Cd2 对水螅的安全浓度分别为3.7×10-4、3.6×10-6mg/L.水螅对两种重金属的毒性反应既快速又敏感,其中Cu2 对水螅的毒性较Cd2 快,但Cd2 的毒性比Cu2 的强.等毒性配比的两种重金属混合液对水螅的毒性大于单一毒性,为协同作用.两种重金属对水螅的LC50随试验时间的延长而减小,它们对水螅的安全浓度远低于渔业水质标准.     

不同湿地植物凋落物对汞铊矿废弃物浸出酸性废水中重金属的吸附研究

研究了不同湿地植物(稻草(Oryza sativa L.)、风车草(Cyperus involucratus Rottb.)、芦竹(Arundo donax L.)、美人蕉(Canna indica L.)、水葱(Scirpus validus Vahl.)、香蒲(Typha orientalis C.Presl)和鸢...     

液固比对含重金属水泥熟料制品中重金属释放的影响

通过模拟煅烧试验制取水泥熟料,参照JGJ 55-2000（《普通混凝土配比设计规程》）制取混凝土样品,参考SR003.1和NEN 7375浸出试验,分别研究液固比对粒状及块状混凝土样品中重金属（Cr、Ni和As）释放的影响。结果表明,在不同液固比条件下粒状混凝土中的重金属浸出浓度为Cr>Ni>As,Cr、As浸出浓度基本保持不变,分别为2 500 μg/L左右和5～6 μg/L,Ni在液固比（L∶S）<6时,浸出浓度随着液固比的增加而降低,在L∶S>6时,浸出浓度较稳定,为35.7～41.5 μg/L;浸出量均随着液固比的增加而增大。液固比（L∶S）<10时,块状混凝土中重金属累积释放量及扩散系数均随液固比的增加而增大,当L∶S>10时两者基本保持不变。     

Accumulation of heavy metals from contaminated soil to plants and evaluation of soil remediation by vermiculite

We evaluated the distribution of 15 metal ions, namely Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, La, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn and Zr, in the soil of a contaminated site in Piedmont (Italy). This area was found to be heavily contaminated with Cu, Cr and Ni. The availability of these metal ions was studied using Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure: the fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful for the environment, was much higher than that normally present in unpolluted soils. This soil was hence used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with vermiculite to reduce the availability of the pollutants to two plants, Lactuca sativa and Spinacia oleracea, by pot experiments. The results indicated that the addition of vermiculite significantly reduces the uptake of metal pollutants by plants, confirming the possibility of using this clay in amendment treatments of metal-contaminated soils. The effect of plant growth on metal fractionation in soils was investigated. Finally, the sum of the metal percentages extracted into the first two fractions of Tessier’s protocol was found to be suitable in predicting the phytoavailability of most of the pollutants present in the investigated soil.     

The effects of exogenous plant growth regulators in the phytoextraction of heavy metals

The term "assisted phytoextraction" usually refers to the process of applying a chemical additive to contaminated soil in order to increase the metal uptake by crop plants. In this study three commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs) based on cytokinins (CKs) were used to boost the assisted phytoextraction of Pb and Zn in contaminated soil collected from a former manufactured gas-plant site. The effects of EDTA treatment in soil and PGR treatment in leaves of Helianthus annuus were investigated in terms of dry weight biomass, Pb and Zn accumulation in the upper parts of the plants, Pb and Zn phytoextraction efficiency and transpiration rate. Metal solubility in soil and its subsequent accumulation in shoots were markedly enhanced by EDTA. The combined effects of EDTA and cytokine resulted in an increase in the Pb and Zn phytoextraction efficiency (up to 890% and 330%, respectively, compared to untreated plants) and up to a 50% increase in foliar transpiration. Our results indicate that exogenous PGRs based on CKs can positively assist the phytoextraction increasing the biomass production, the metal accumulation in shoots and the plant transpiration. The observed increase in biomass could be related to its action in stimulation of cell division and shoot initiation. On the other hand, the increase in metal accumulation in upper parts of plant could be related to both the role of PGRs in the enhancement of plant resistance to stress (as toxic metals) and the increase in transpiration rate, i.e. flux of water-soluble soil components and contaminants by the regulation of stomatal opening.     

Fate and effects of nutrients and heavy metals in experimental salt marsh ecosystems

Fate and effects of the macro nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, and the heavy metals zinc, copper and cadmium, brought into experimental salt marsh ecosystems via sediment supply, were studied over a three-year period. The supply of sediment from the Marsdiep (at a low and high rate) and from the harbour of Delfzijl (at a high rate) led to an increase of the macro nutrients and heavy metals in the top soil. The growth of the salt marsh plants Aster tripolium, Puccinellia maritima and Spartina anglica and the uptake of the macro nutrients and heavy metals by the plants was only slightly affected by the addition of sediment. A high load of sediment led to an increase in growth or in the concentrations of the macro nutrients or heavy metals in the plants at a number of sampling dates, but only minor differences between treatments were found. From a mass balance constructed over a three-year study period it could be concluded that about 50% of the macro nutrients and heavy metals were retained in the salt marsh sediment. This was equal to the retained amount of organic matter, indicating that retention of the elements was closely related to retention of organic matter. The 50% loss of the macro nutrients and heavy metals probably occurred via ebb tides after resuspension of sediment and organic matter.     

Leaching and uptake of heavy metals by ten different species of plants during an EDTA-assisted phytoextraction process

In a pot experiment, the potential use of 10 plant species, including six dicotyledon species and four monocotyledon species, was investigated for the EDTA-enhanced phytoextraction of Pb from contaminated soil. Mung bean and buckwheat had a higher sensitivity to the EDTA treatment in soils. In the 2.5 and 5.0 mmol kg(-1) EDTA treatments, the Pb concentrations in the shoots of the six dicotyledon species ranged from 1,000 to 3,000 mg kg(-1) of dry matter, which were higher than those of the monocotyledon species. The highest amount of phytoextracted Pb (2.9 mg Pb pot(-1)) was achieved in sunflowers, due to the high concentration of Pb in their shoots and large biomass, followed by corns (1.8 mg Pb pot(-1)) and peas (1.1 mg Pb pot(-1)). The leaching behavior of heavy metals as a result of applying EDTA to the surface of the soil was also investigated using short soil-leaching columns (9.0-cm diameter, 20-cm height) by the percolation of artificial rainfall. About 3.5%, 15.8%, 13.7% and 20.6% of soil Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd, respectively, were leached from the soil columns after the application of 5.0 mmol kg(-1) of EDTA. The growth of sunflowers in the soil columns had little effect on the amount of metals that were leached out. This was probably due to the shallowness of the layer of soil, the short time-span of the uptake of metals by the plant and the plant's simple root systems.     

底泥性质对重金属生物淋滤效果的影响

生物淋滤技术是一项可以将重金属从污染底泥或土壤中分离出来的环境修复技术,具有反应温和、耗酸少、运行成本较低、去除效率高,以及脱毒后底泥的脱水性能好等优点。然而,底泥成分复杂、流域特异性高,这使得相似的生物淋滤工艺对不同底泥的重金属去除效果不尽相同、淋滤技术的工艺参数标准化难度增加。综述了底泥性质对淋滤反应的3方面影响:底泥中的有机质与酸可挥发性硫化物(AVS)会改变重金属的形态;pH、可还原性硫、水溶性有机物(DOM)会对淋滤功能菌的活性产生影响;底泥粒度和耗酸能力(ACC)也会影响重金属的化学淋出效果。在此基础上提出今后该技术有待开展的研究内容,以期为该技术的进一步推广应用提供理论依据和技术支撑。     

Removal of heavy metals from a metaliferous water solution by Typha latifolia plants and sewage sludge compost

Typha latifolia plants, commonly known as cattails, were grown in a mixture of mature sewage sludge compost, commercial compost and perlite (2:1:1 by volume). Four Groups (A, B, C and D) were irrigated (once every two weeks) with a solution containing different concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Zn, where in the fifth (group M) tap water was used. At the end of the 10 weeks experimental period substrate and plants were dried, weighed and analysed for heavy metals. The amounts of all three metals removed from the irrigation solution, were substantial. In the roots and leaves/stems of T. latifolia the mean concentration of Zn reached values of 391.7 and 60.8 mg/kg of dry weight (d.w.), respectively. In the substrate of Group D all three metals recorded their highest mean concentrations of 1156.7 mg/kg d.w. for Cu, 296.7 mg/kg d.w. for Ni and 1231.7 mg/kg d.w. for Zn. Linear correlation analyses suggested that there was a linear relationship between the concentration of metals in the solutions and the concentration of metals in the substrates at the end of the experiment. The percentage removal of the metals in the substrate was large, reaching 100% for Cu and Zn in some groups and almost 96% for Ni in group D. The total amount of metals removed by the plants was considerably smaller than that of the substrate, due mainly to the small biomass development. A single factor ANOVA test (5% level) indicated that the build up in the concentration of metals in the roots and the leaves/stems was due to the use of metaliferous water solution and not from the metals pre-existing in the substrate. The contribution of the plants (both roots and leaves/stems) in the removing ability of the system was less than 1%.     

灯心草部分生理生化指标对土壤复合重金属胁迫的响应

通过盆栽试验,以叶绿素含量和POD、SOD、CAT3种抗氧化酶活性作为观测指标,研究了Cu、Cd、Pb、Zn和As复合重金属胁迫下灯心草部分生理生化指标的变化趋势和机理.结果表明,灯心草的生理毒害效应呈明显的剂量-效应关系.表现为与对照相比,叶绿素含量减少,叶绿素a/b值降低,叶片失绿现象明显.随着复合重金属胁迫浓度的增加,灯心草3种酶活性均呈先升后降的变化趋势,但出现抗性酶活性高峰所对应的重金属浓度不同,表现出不同的特征变化趋势.总体来说,在接近土壤环境质量标准低浓度设计范围内,酶活性有逐渐被激活的趋势.但在高浓度水平下,酶活性普遍受到抑制.生长在铅锌尾矿和模拟矿毒水污染土壤中的灯心草叶绿素合成受到显著抑制(P＜0.05),但POD和CAT两种酶活性均高于对照.     

重金属对活性污泥微生物毒性的比较研究

采用发光细菌毒性、活性污泥脱氢酶毒性、硝化抑制毒性3种方法测定Hg、Cd、Zn、Pb 4种重金属对活性污泥微生物的毒性,并对测定结果进行了比较.结果表明,发光细菌毒性测定方法的灵敏度最高,测得的重金属半数有效浓度(ECSO)最低,4种重金属对发光细菌发光强度的抑制程度由大到小顺序依次为Hg>Cd>Zn>Pb;活性污泥脱氢酶毒性和硝化抑制毒性的测定结果与发光细菌毒性测定结果相比,灵敏度相对较低,测得的重金属ECSO相对较高,测得的活性污泥脱氢酶活性的抑制程度由大到小顺序依次为Cd>Hg>Zn>Pb,与测得的活性污泥硝化速率抑制程度大小顺序一致.但2者测得的EC50有所差别.为了更准确的判定重金属对活性污泥微生物的毒性影响.至少应取不同的重金属毒性终点指示指标做一组毒性实验,而不能以发光细菌毒性测定结果作为唯一的判定依据,这可能会过分夸大重金属对污水处理工艺的冲击能力,导致污水处理成本无谓增加.     

活性炭上吸附态重金属稳定性

为评价吸附后活性炭上重金属稳定性,采用BCR（European Communities Bureau of Reference）连续浸提法对吸附于活性炭上的重金属形态进行分析,分为可交换态、可还原态、可氧化态和残渣态。结果表明：未改性、硝酸改性、氨改性活性炭上Cr（Ⅵ）、Pb（Ⅱ）、Cd（Ⅱ）以残渣态稳定态为主,均在80%左右,在环境中的迁移性低,且改性后活性炭上重金属残渣态含量高于未改性活性炭。研究表明,应用BCR连续提取法有助于确定活性炭中重金属的污染状况和潜在释放能力。