Use of otoliths and eye lenses for measuring trace-metal incorporation in fishes: a biogeographic study

The otoliths and lenses of the temperate damselfish Parma microlepis (Günther) (Pomacentridae) showed similar differences in trace-metal profile for selected locations along the coast of New South Wales, Australia. Otoliths and lenses displayed a differential ability to accumulate metals. Metal concentrations were ranked differently in the two structures (e.g. Sr > Ba > Pb > Rb > Hg in otoliths, and Hg > Sr ≃ Rb > Pb > Ba in lenses), and where similar metals were accumulated, they were accumulated at vastly different concentrations (e.g. Ba concentrations in otoliths are a thousand-fold greater than in lenses). Analyses of the otoliths and lenses of P. microlepis from locations close to Sydney and up to 100 km from the city were able to distinguish amongst these locations with respect to a number of metals, namely Ba, Mn and Hg. Multivariate analyses of otolith and lens data gave similar results among locations (agreement was obtained for 11 out of 15 pair-wise comparisons), and differences were attributable to the differential ability of the two structures to accumulate metals such as Mn and Hg. Trace-metal differences between locations were found to coincide with the proximity of sewage (including industrial waste) and petroleum storage facilities to the different locations. Received: 23 June 1997 / Accepted: 4 August 1997     

Variation in concentrations of trace elements in otoliths and eye lenses of a temperate reef fish, Parma microlepis, as a function of depth, spatial scale, and age

 Territorial Parma microlepis (Günther) (Pomacentridae) were collected at different depths, at three sites in each of four estuaries near Sydney, Australia. Element concentrations were measured by induc- tively-coupled–plasma mass spectrometry. Significant differences in concentrations of Mn and Ba were found in the otoliths of fish sampled in different depth strata, with concentrations generally greatest in fish found in water <4 m deep. Depth-related differences varied among estuaries (e.g. 0 to 1.2 μg Ba g⁻¹ otolith). In most estuaries there was a negative linear relationship between concentrations of Mn and Ba in otoliths and actual depth. Great variation was found within an estuary among sites separated by 0.5 to 3 km. In the eye lenses, concentrations of Rb differed according to depth of capture of fish. The age of fish (1+ to 34 yr) had no influence on the concentrations of elements in otoliths or lenses. Multivariate comparisons of elemental composition (= fingerprints) detected significant differences among depth strata. Fish collected from shallow water had the clearest multivariate classification according to depth. There was a close match between our shallow strata and the average depths reached by low-salinity/high-temperature estuarine plumes. The element composition of whole otoliths and lenses represents average concentrations experienced by the fish. The temporal resolution of differences in ambient conditions is likely to be coarse in the fish (i.e. months to years). Received: 9 April 1999 / Accepted: 29 February 2000     

Chemical speciation and bioaccessibility of lead in surface soil and house dust,Lavrion urban area,Attiki, Hellas

In the Lavrion urban area study, Hellas, a five-step sequential extraction method was applied on samples of ‘soil’ (n = 224), affected by long-term mining and metallurgical activities, and house dust (n = 127), for the purpose of studying the potential bioaccessibility of lead and other metals to humans. In this paper, the Pb concentrations in soil and house dust samples are discussed, together with those in rocks and children’s blood. Lead is mainly associated with the carbonate, Fe–Mn oxides and residual fractions in soil and house dust. Considering the very low pH of gastric fluids (1–3), a high amount of metals, present in soil (810–152,000 mg/kg Pb) and house dust (418–18,600 mg/kg Pb), could be potentially bioaccessible. Consequently, children in the neighbourhoods with a large amount of metallurgical processing wastes have high blood-Pb concentrations (5.98–60.49 μg/100 ml; median 17.83 μg/100 ml; n = 235). It is concluded that the Lavrion urban and sub-urban environment is extremely hazardous to human health, and the Hellenic State authorities should urgently tackle this health-related hazard in order to improve the living conditions of local residents.     

Changes in metabolic substrates during early development in anchoveta Engraulis ringens (Jenyns 1842) in the Humboldt Current

We assessed the ontogenetic changes in protein content and free amino acids (FAA) in eggs and early larvae of Engraulis ringens (anchoveta) off central Chile on different dates during the spawning season. On all sampling dates, a reduction in embryonic yolk-sac volume, proteins and FAA concentrations occurred during development. Protein electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) of eggs and larvae showed at least 22 protein bands: 11 were consumed early and not detected after hatching. The proportion of essential FAA (EFAA) was higher than the proportion of non-essential FAA (NEFAA) in early eggs and in 7 day-old larvae (82.5-73% EFAA respectively). During egg development, the FAA pool was dominated by leucine, alanine and lysine, three amino acids contributing 35–44% of the total FAA in eggs. During larval development, histidine was the most abundant FAA. In July, total FAA constituted 13–18% of the egg dry weight. A similar proportion (45–51%) occurred in July between protein plus FAA and total lipids. The differences in egg size during the spawning season along with variability in batch composition suggests that the female spawning condition is a major factor determining egg quality and early offspring success.     

Food effects on statolith composition of the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)

The concentration of trace elements within cephalopod statoliths can provide a record of the environmental characteristics at the time of calcification. To reconstruct accurately the environmental characteristics at the time of calcification, it is important to understand the influence of as many factors as possible. To test the hypothesis that the elemental composition of cuttlefish statoliths could be influenced by diet, juvenile Sepia officinalis were fed either shrimp Crangon sp. or fish Clupea harengus under equal temperature and salinity regimes in laboratory experiments. Element concentrations in different regions of the statoliths (core–lateral dome–rostrum) were determined using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA- ICPMS). The ratios of Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, Mn/Ca and Y/Ca in the statolith’s lateral dome of shrimp-fed cuttlefish were significantly higher than in the statolith’s lateral dome of fish-fed cuttlefish. Moreover, significant differences between statolith regions were found for all analysed elements. The fact that diet adds a considerable variation especially to Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca must be taken into account in future micro-chemical statolith studies targeting cephalopod’s life history.     

Arsenic mineralization,source, distribution,and abundance in the Kutahya region of the western Anatolia,Turkey

Environmental exposure to arsenic (As) in the Kutahya region of the western Anatolia, Turkey has been reported to cause various types of arsenic-associated skin disorders (Dogan, Dogan, Celebi, & Baris, 2005). A geological and mineralogical study was conducted to find the sources and distribution of the As. Geogenic (background) levels were measured in samples collected from various sources in the Gediz, Simav, Tavsanli, Emet, Yoncali, Yenicekoy, and Muratdagi areas of the Kutahya region. Based on this analysis, we determined that natural sources are a domineering factor affecting the distribution of As, which was found: (1) mainly in evaporitic minerals, including colemanite (269–3900 ppm) and gypsum (11–99,999 ppm), but also in alunite (7–10 ppm) and chert (54–219 ppm); (2) in secondary epithermal gypsum, which has a high concentration of As in the form of realgar and orpiment along fracture zones of Mesozoic and Cenozoic carbonate aquifers; (3) in rocks, including limestone/dolomite (3–699 ppm) and travertine (5–4736 ppm), which are relatively more enriched in As than volcanics (2–14 ppm), probably because of secondary enrichment through hydrological systems; (4) in coal (1.9–46.5 ppm) in the sedimentary successions of the Tertiary basins; (5) in thermal waters, where As is unevenly distributed at concentrations varying from 0.0–0.9 mg/l. The highest As concentrations in thermal water (Gediz and Simav) correlate to the higher pH (7–9.3) and T (60–83°C) conditions and to the type of water (Na–HCO₃–SO₄ with high concentration of Ca, Mg, K, SiO₂, and Cl in the water). Changes in pH can be related to some redox reactions, such as the cation exchange reactions driving the dissolution of carbonates and silicates. Fe-oxidation, high pH values (7–9.3), presence of other trace metals (Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Al), increased salinity (Na, Cl), high B, Li, F, and SiO, high Fe, SO₄ (magnetite, specularite-hematite, gypsum), and graphite, and the presence of U, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, and B, especially in the Emet, Gediz, and Simav areas, are the typical indicators for the geothermally affected water with high As content. A sixth source of As in this region is the ground (0.0–10.7 mg/l) and the surface waters (0.0022–0.01 mg/l), which are controlled by water–rock interaction, fracture system, and mixing/dilution of thermal waters. The high As concentration in groundwater corresponds to the areas where pathological changes are greatest in the habitants. Arsenic in ground water also effects ecology. For example, only Juriperus oxycedrus and J. varioxycedrus types of vegetation are observed in locations with the highest concentration of As in the region. Branches and roots of these plants are enriched in As.     

Effects of ethynylestradiol and bisphenol A on the development of sea urchin embryos and juveniles

The effects of various concentrations of a synthetic estrogen, ethynylestradiol (EER), and an estrogenic compound, bisphenol A (BPA), on the development of two sea urchin species, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus and Strongylocentrotus nudus, were examined. At concentrations of 2.5 μM or higher of EER the zygotes did not hatch; at 0.98–1.25 μM they developed but had abnormal morphology; and at concentrations lower than 1 μM there was no effect on embryogenesis. The dose dependency was the same for both species, but more embryos of S. nudus showed exogastrulation at 3–10 μM EER. The effect of BPA on early development was less remarkable than that of EER; most embryos developed normally even in the presence of 2.5 μM BPA. The feeding larvae progressed and finally metamorphosed into juveniles even at 0.1–3 μM EER. The chemicals had opposing effects on the growth of the juveniles. A low dose of EER (0.1–1 μM) promoted growth and the average diameter of the test was bigger than that of the control group; the same dose of BPA suppressed growth and the test was smaller than that of the control group. These results show that the sensitivity and response to endocrine disrupter chemicals changes markedly during the ontogeny of sea urchins. Physical and Chemical Impacts on Marine Organisms, a Bilateral Seminar Italy-Japan held in November 2004     

Seasonal AVS–SEM relationship in sediments and potential bioavailability of metals in industrialized estuary, southeastern Brazil

In anoxic sediments, as those found in estuaries, the mobility of metals can be controlled by the formation of stable sulfide complexes. The potential bioavailability of a metal can then be predicted on the basis of the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) criterion. Distributions of AVS and SEM (Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Ni) along the sediment profiles were determined seasonally for three rivers that constitute the Santos-Cubat?o estuarine system (SE Brazil), which is located in one of the most industrialized areas of Latin America. AVS and SEM concentrations varied significantly, from 0.04 to 31.9 μmol g⁻¹ and 0.086–6.659 μmol g⁻¹, respectively. The highest AVS levels in sediments were detected in the winter, whereas high SEM values predominated in the summer. Considering SEM–AVS molar differences as a parameter to evaluate potential bioavailability, sediments nearest to the industrial area represent higher risk to biota, especially during the summer. It is due to relatively low AVS values and not necessarily high concentrations of metals.     

Watershed land use as a determinant of metal concentrations in freshwater systems

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and pH were synthesized from 30 publications to determine the factors regulating concentrations and behavior of metals in freshwater systems. Results from the review suggest that contrasting watershed land use can directly (erosion and runoff) and indirectly (in-lake processes including metal–DOM–pH interactions) affect the metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Among the watershed land uses considered here, concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Cu were observed in the following order: arctic lakes < forested < agricultural < urbanized < mined. A drastic difference in mean metal concentrations has been observed when undisturbed or low impact watersheds (arctic and forested) were changed by agricultural, urban, and mining developments. Relationships between metal concentrations and pH revealed that metals precipitate at high pH (pH > 5). Additionally, at pH < 5, metal concentrations were significantly correlated with DOM due to metal–DOM complexation. High ratios of metal: DOM occur only at low DOM concentrations. Collectively, two general conclusions can be drawn from this review. First, lakes, rivers, and streams with urbanized watersheds are the most susceptible to increased concentrations of metals. Secondly, these results also suggest that regardless of high or low DOM in the water column, pH would affect metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Nonetheless, free metal ions would be higher in freshwater systems with acidic water and low DOM.     

Chemistry and adsorption-desorption properties of manganese oxides deposited in Forehill Water Treatment Plant,Grampian, Scotland

Manganese oxide coatings on sand particles within filtration beds from a water treatment plant in Grampian, Scotland were examined to determine their control on metal mobility. This study first sought to characterise the oxides, notably their mineralogy and metal content, to provide a foundation for studies on the adsorption of dissolved metals from the treated water by the oxides. The oxides were examined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). These techniques showed the oxide coatings were amorphous but uniformly distributed over each sand grain. The oxides were selectively removed from the sand grains prior to analysis by AAS using a hydroxylamine hydrochloride selective leaching method. The compositional range of the extracts was 100–150 mg L⁻¹ Mn; 30–55 mg L⁻¹ Fe; 17–56 mg L⁻¹ Ca; 4.6–7.0 mg L⁻¹ Ni; 4.6–6.8 mg L⁻¹ Zn and 1.3–5.7 mg L⁻¹ Mg. When these results are expressed as mg of metal per mg of Mn, the metal content of the oxides is remarkably uniform: 0.25–0.37 mg Fe; 0.14–0.35 mg Ca; 0.035–0.042 mg Ni; 0.035–0.040 mg Zn; 0.01–0.04 mg Mg. The greatest metal concentrations were consistently found in the upper 3 cm of the filtration bed, and these decrease with increasing depth. After the beds are cleaned a more uniform distribution of metals occurs throughout the bed. The metals taken up by the manganese coating are retained over a wide pH range with the exception of Ca and Mg which desorb to a significant extent. The percentage of calcium and magnesium lost from the coating ranges from 30–94%, the amount being dependent on the final pH of the solution. The presence of manganese oxide in the filtration beds appears to be advantageous in terms of removal of transition metals from the treated water.     

Temporal variation in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid concentrations in Paramuricea clavata (Anthozoa, Octocorallia): evidence for summer–autumn feeding constraints

Temporal variations in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid levels were studied in a passive suspension feeder, the gorgonian Paramuricea clavata. The samples were collected every month for mature and immature colonies over a three-year period (1997–2000). The relationship between biochemical composition and reproductive output was examined on the basis of the 1998 and 1999 data. In female and male P. clavata colonies, the tissue displayed differences in lipid concentrations only in winter–spring, due to the high lipid levels attained by female colonies in this period. Immature colonies showed significant differences in lipid concentration only with respect to mature females in spring. There were clear seasonal trends in the lipid and carbohydrate levels in P. clavata, with maximum values in winter–spring [male lipid 212±75 SD μg mg⁻¹ of organic matter (OM) and female lipid 274±103 SD μg mg⁻¹ of OM; male and female carbohydrate 68±14 SD μg mg⁻¹ of OM], coinciding with maximum food concentration/quality, and minimum values in summer–autumn (male and female lipid 155±57 SD μg mg⁻¹ of OM; male and female carbohydrate 56±14 SD μg mg⁻¹ of OM), coinciding with low food concentration/quality. The relationship between reproductive output and tissue concentrations of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins was not straightforward, although there was an evident overlap of the lipid accumulation and the gonadal development. The results of this study show that protein, carbohydrate, and lipid levels may provide a record of episodes in the ecological cycle bearing on the trophic aspects of the target species. The results indicate that information on seasonal biochemical levels may explain benthopelagic coupling processes, provided factors such as natural diet, feeding rates, reproduction, and growth are well understood.     

Risk to humans of consuming metals in anchovy (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coilia</Emphasis> sp.) from the Yangtze River Delta

Concentrations of metals were determined in four species of anchovy (Coilia sp.) from the Yangtze River, Taihu Lake, and Hongze Lake in Jiangsu Province, China. Concentrations of Cr in anchovy fish muscle ranged from 2.6 × 10⁻² to 5.0 mg/kg ww, and Coilia nasus taihuensis in Jiaoshan, Taihu Lake contained the highest concentrations of Cr, which was almost 111-fold higher than the mean value at other locations. Concentrations of Pb ranged from 1.5 × 10⁻² to 1.3 × 10⁻¹ mg/kg ww. Comparisons of concentrations of lead (Pb) among the four species indicated that anadromous species contained higher concentrations of Pb than did freshwater species. However, concentrations of Pb in C. nasus from the Nanjing and Haimen locations in the Yangtze River were not significant higher than those of two freshwater species: C. nasus taihuensis from Taihu Lake and C. brachygnathus from Hongze Lake (Duncan’s test, α = 0.05). While concentrations of Cd and Zn ranged from 7.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 3.6 × 10⁻³ mg/kg ww and 3.4 to 4.8 mg/kg ww, respectively, there were no significant differences in concentrations among the eight locations. The only concentration of the metals studied that exceeded the Chinese National Standard was Cr in Coilia from Jiaoshan, Taihu Lake, which was 2.5-fold higher than the standard. These results indicate that people who consume the genus Coilia are not at risk due to concentrations of metals, except Cr in C. nasus taihuensis from Jiaoshan in Taihu Lake. Concentrations of all of the metals studied except for Cr were similar to or less than those of metals in most other areas in the world.     

Feeding rates of the jellyfish Aurelia aurita on fish larvae

We quantified feeding rates of field caught Aurelia aurita feeding on yolk sac cod (Gadus morhua) larvae in a series of incubation experiments. A short-time (~1 h) functional response experiment with a wide range of prey concentrations (0.5–16 prey l⁻¹, initial concentration) revealed that ingestion rates increased linearly over this range, such that clearance rates were similar between the different prey concentrations. This suggests that A. aurita is capable of efficiently utilizing dense prey patches. This indication was further supported by a linear increase of prey captured by A. aurita during 2.5 h of feeding at extremely high prey concentration (>200 prey l⁻¹). Clearance rate in darkness scaled with jellyfish diameter to a power of ~1.7 for jellyfish 3.9–9.5 cm in diameter. The jellyfish did not alter their umbrella pulse frequency in response to presence of fish larvae. There were no significant differences between A. aurita feeding rates in light and darkness for yolk sac prey ages 0–7 days (at 7.5°C). Although prey vision and escape abilities of fish may develop rapidly during early larval ontogeny, these factors apparently have little impact on interactions with predators such as A. aurita during the yolk sac stage.     

Flux capacities and acclimation costs in Trichodesmium from the Gulf of Mexico

Phytoplankton function and acclimation are driven by catalytic protein complexes that mediate key physiological transformations, including generation of photosynthetic ATP and reductant, and carbon and nitrogen fixation. Quantitation of capacities for these processes allows estimation of rates for key ecosystem processes, and identification of factors limiting primary productivity. We herein present molar quantitations of PSI, PSII, ATP synthase, RuBisCO and the Fe protein of nitrogenase of Trichodesmium collected from the Gulf of Mexico, in comparison to determinations for a range of cyanobacteria growing in culture. Using these measurements, estimates were generated for Trichodesmium capacities for carbon fixation of 1–3.4 g C g chl a ⁻¹ h⁻¹ and nitrogen fixation of 0.06–0.17 g N g chl a ⁻¹ h⁻¹, with diel variations in capacities. ATP synthase levels show that ATP synthesis capacity is sufficient to support these levels of carbon and nitrogen fixation, and that ATP synthase levels change over the day in accordance with the ATP demands of nitrogenase and RuBisCO activity. Levels of measured complexes indicate that Trichodesmium manifests n-type diel light acclimation through rapid changes in RuBisCO:PSII, supported by significant investment of cellular nitrogen. The plasticity in the levels and stoichiometry of these core complexes show that changes in the abundance of core protein complexes are an important component of acclimation and regulation of metabolic function by Trichodesmium populations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Bioavailability of trace metals in brownfield soils in an urban area in the UK

Thirty-two brownfield sites from the city of Wolverhampton were selected from those with a former industrial use, wasteland or areas adjacent to industrial processes. Samples (<2 mm powdered soil fraction) were analysed, using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES) for 20 elements. Loss on ignition and pH were also determined. A five-step chemical sequential extraction technique was carried out. Single leach extraction with 0.12 M hydrochloric acid of Pb, Cu and Zn in soil was determined as a first approximation of the bioavailability in the human stomach. Some of the sites were found to have high concentrations of the potentially toxic elements Pb, Zn, Cu and Ni. The partitioning of metals showed a high variability, however a number of trends were determined. The majority of Zn was partitioned into the least chemically stable phases (steps 1, 2 and 3). The majority of Cu was associated with the organic phase (step 4) and the majority of Ni was fractionated into the residue phase (step 5). The majority of Pb was associated with the residue fraction (step 5) followed by Fe–Mn oxide fraction (step 3). The variability reflects the heterogeneous and complex nature of metal speciation in urban soils with varied historic histories. There was a strong inverse linear relationship between the metals Ni, Zn and Pb in the readily exchangeable phase (step 1) and soil pH, significant at P < 0.01 level. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the partitioning of Cu, Ni and Zn into step 4 (the organic phase) in soils with a higher organic carbon content (estimated by loss on ignition). Copper was highly partitioned into step 4 as it has a strong association with organics in soil but this phase was not important for the partitioning of Ni or Zn. The fractionation of Ni, Cu and Zn increased significantly in step 3 when the total metal concentration increases (P < 0.01). The Fe–Mn oxide fraction becomes more important in soils elevated in these metals, possibly due to the scavenging of metals by oxides. Cu and Pb extracted by HCl was statistically similar to the sum of the metals in steps 1 to 4 (P < 0.01) and HCl available Zn was statistically similar to the sum of Zn in steps 1 to 3 (P < 0.01). Step 4 (the organic phase) was not an important phase for Zn, so it was concluded that any Cu, Zn and Pb present in soil in a nonresidue phase would be potentially available for uptake into the human system once soil has been ingested.     

Evaluation of heavy metal contamination in Phaeozem of northeast China

Surface and profile Phaeozem soil samples from 31 locations affected by various anthropogenic activities such as mining, chemical manufacturing, traffic emission and pesticide application were collected in Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province, northeast China. The range of total concentrations of four heavy metals Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the soil was 0.011–3.137, 10.31–62.34, 9.74–51.21 and 39.54–247.59 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, determined using the acidic digestion procedure. Four methods including single contamination evaluation, background concentration comparison, surface/subsurface concentration comparison and exchangeable fraction evaluation were used to evaluate the extent of metal contamination in Phaeozem. The results indicated that different activities increased the concentrations of the heavy metals in surface soils, where high concentrations of cadmium and lead were found close to chemical plants and in the suburbs of the investigated cities. The four methods showed a general trend of increased soil contamination with heavy metals. Cadmium was of the most concern compared with the other contaminated elements in the study area, due to the long-term phosphatic fertilizer utilization and industrial activities. The proper evaluation method for cadmium contamination was the background concentration comparison, while for zinc and copper was the single contaminative index evaluation. Cadmium and lead could be the potential environmental risk in the Phaeozem area based on the different evaluations.     

Allocation of nitrogen and carbon in an estuarine salt marsh in Portugal

Above and below-ground biomass and nitrogen and carbon composition ofSpartina maritima, Halimione portulacoides andArthrocnemum perenne, dominating species in plant communities of the lower, middle and higher salt marsh, respectively, were compared in an estuarine salt marsh in Portugal. Plant and soil nitrogen and carbon pools were estimated. For all three species root biomass was significantly higher (70–92% of total biomass) than above-ground biomass. The percentage of root biomass was related to the location of the plants in the marsh: higher values were found in plants growing in the lower salt marsh where the sediment was more unstable and subject to tidal action, which stresses the role of the roots as an anchor. For all three species nitrogen concentrations were highest in leaves, reflecting the photosynthetic role of the tissue. For carbon higher concentrations were found in the stems, with the exception ofS. maritima. In general, lower nitrogen concentrations were found in summer, which can be explained by dilution processes due to plant growth. For both nitrogen and carbon, higher concentrations were found in the soil surface layers. Higher soil nitrogen and carbon levels were associated with higher organic matter contents. Most of the nitrogen in the salt marsh occurred in the sediments (0–40 cm) and only ca. 5.7–13.3% of the total was found in the plants. The greater portion (76.5%–86%) of carbon was found in the sediment.     

Assessment of toxicity of heavy metal contaminated soils by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure

The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in soils near a lead–zinc mine located in Shangyu, Zhejiang Province, China, were determined and their toxicity was assessed using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The TCLP method is a currently recognized international method for evaluation of heavy metal pollution in soils. The available levels of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd were 8.2–36, 23–143, 6.4–1367 and 0.41–2.2 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, while the international standards were 15, 25, 5 and 0.5 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Soils around the mine were more polluted with Zn and Pb, followed by Cd and Cu. Moreover, the levels of heavy metals in the soils extracted by TCLP indicated that extraction fluid 2 was more effective than extraction fluid 1 in extracting the heavy metals from the polluted soils and there was a positive correlation between fluids 1 and 2. Available heavy metal contents determined by TCLP were correlated with soil total heavy metal contents.     

Bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated medium using Lemna minor,Daphnia magna and their consortium

Single, dual and triple mixtures of totally seven different mixture combinations of the metals Al, Ba and Fe were examined in Lemna minor (L) culture, Daphnia magna (D) culture and in a consortium culture consisting of L. minor and D. magna. In this study: (a) differences in removed metal proportions at the end of 24 and 48?h, (b) differences in removed metal amounts due to cultures, (c) differences in the removed proportions of a metal in distinct mediums and (d) removal correlation of the metals due to cultures were investigated. The study results showed that among the metals Al, Ba and Fe, Al has the most toxic effect on organisms involved in this study. Although similar toxicity results of Al and Fe on test groups were observed, Ba gave different toxicity results on test groups. An overview of the bioremediation results indicates that L. minor removes the metals Al and Fe more successfully than Ba. Different mixture combinations of metals performed dissimilar removal results in the same cultures. According to the correlations analysis for the metals Ba and Fe, a high correlation was recorded between the consortium group and test groups containing only D. magna, r?=?0.88, r?=?0.91, respectively.     

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of arsenic in an abandoned mine tailings of Korea

The mineralogical and chemical characteristics of As solid phases in arsenic-rich mine tailings from the Nakdong As–Bi mine in Korea was investigated. The tailings generated from the ore roasting process contained 4.36% of As whereas the concentration was up to 20.2% in some tailings from the cyanidation process for the Au extraction. Thin indurated layers and other secondary precipitates had formed at the surfaces of the tailings piles and the As contents of the hardened layers varied from 2.87 to 16.0%. Scorodite and iron arsenate (Fe₃AsO₇) were the primary As-bearing crystalline minerals. Others such as arsenolamprite, bernardite and titanium oxide arsenate were also found. The amorphous As–Fe phases often showed framboidal aggregates and gel type textures with desiccation cracks. Sequential extraction results also showed that 55.7–91.1% of the As in tailings were NH₄-oxalate extractable As, further confirmed the predominance of amorphous As–Fe solid phases. When the tailings were equilibrated with de-ionized water, the solution exhibited extremely acidic conditions (pH 2.01–3.10) and high concentrations of dissolved As (up to 29.5 mg L⁻¹), indicating high potentials for As to be released during rainfall events. The downstream water was affected by drainage from tailings and contained 12.7–522 μg L⁻¹ of As. The amorphous As–Fe phases in tailings have not entirely been stabilized through the long term natural weathering processes. To remediate the environmental harms they had caused, anthropogenic interventions to stabilize or immobilize As in the tailings pile should be explored.