Heavy metals' content of automotive shredder residues (ASR): evaluation of environmental risk

Every year between 8 and 9 millions of vehicles in the European Union arrive to their end of life. Car wastes can have a very high metal content, falling into hazardous waste class. A preliminary evaluation of these wastes could be made by metals' leaching test runs which is the main objective of the present study. Evaluation of the total metal content was carried out by X-ray fluorescence and the mobility of these metals using two simple standardized extractions such as the TCLP (Toxicity Characterisation Leaching Procedure) of the US EPA and the German leaching test DIN 38414-S4. Additionally, an extraction test with acetone was performed in order to recognise metals bounded to organic matter. The results show that the total metal content of the ASR can overpass the established values for inert residues. Lead and zinc contents are fairly well correlated with grain-size, whilst other metals' contents do not exhibit clear grain-size dependence.     

Effects of three pesticides on the avoidance behavior of earthworms in laboratory tests performed under temperate and tropical conditions

Little research has been performed on the impact of pesticides on earthworms under tropical conditions. Taking into consideration the often-limited resources in tropical countries, simple screening tests are needed. Therefore, it was investigated whether three pesticides relevant for the Brazilian Amazon (benomyl, carbendazim, lambda-cyhalothrin) affect the avoidance behavior of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. The tests were performed for two days according to ISO guideline 17512 but were adapted to tropical conditions (i.e. test substrate, test organism and temperature). The results indicate that this test gives reproducible and reliable results. Toxicity values (NOEC, EC50) are lower than those determined in 14 day-acute mortality tests and are approximately in the same range such as those found in 56 day-chronic reproduction tests with the same earthworm species, which were performed in parallel. Therefore, the use of the earthworm avoidance tests is recommended as a screening tool for the risk assessment of pesticides.     

Multiscale analysis of heavy metal contents in Spanish agricultural topsoils

This study characterized and mapped the spatial variability patterns of seven topsoil heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg and Cd) within the Ebro river basin (9.3 million ha) by Multivariate Factorial Kriging. The variograms and cross-variograms of heavy metal concentrations showed the presence of multiscale variation that was modeled using three variogram models with ranges of 20km (short-range), 100km (medium-range) and 225km (long-range). Our results indicate that the heavy metal concentration is influenced by bedrock composition and dynamics at all the spatial scales, while human activities have a notorious effect only at the short- and medium-range scale of variation. Sources of Cu, Pb and Zn (and secondary Cd) are associated with agricultural practices (at the short-range scale of variation), whereas Hg variation at the short- and medium-range scale of variation is related to atmospheric deposition.     

Combined photo-Fenton and biological oxidation for pesticide degradation: effect of photo-treated intermediates on biodegradation kinetics

Biodegradability of a partially photo-oxidized pesticide mixture is demonstrated and the effect of photo-Fenton treatment time on growth and substrate consumption of the bacteria Pseudomonas putida CECT 324 is shown. Four commercial pesticides, laition, metasystox, sevnol and ultracid, usually employed in citric orchards in eastern Spain, were chosen for these experiments. The active ingredients are, respectively, dimethoate, oxydemeton-methyl, carbaryl and methidathion. Judging by biomass measurements, dissolved organic carbon measurements and biodegradation efficiency, it may be concluded that 90min相似文献   

Effect of vegetation type on throughfall deposition and seepage flux

This paper compares different vegetation types (coniferous and deciduous forest, grassed and pure heathland) in terms of input (throughfall deposition) and output (seepage flux) in a region with intermediate nitrogen load (+/-20kg Nha(-1)y(-1) via bulk precipitation) in comparable conditions in north Belgium. Coniferous forest (two plots Pinus sylvestris and two plots Pinus nigra) received significantly higher nitrogen and sulphur throughfall deposition than deciduous forest and heathland. Grassed and pure heathland had significantly highest throughfall quantities of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), respectively. The observed differences in throughfall deposition between the different vegetation types were not univocally reflected in the ion seepage flux. Considerable seepage fluxes of NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-), Ca(2+) and Al(III) were only found under the P. nigra plots. We discuss our hypothesis that the P. nigra forests already evolved to a situation of N saturation, while the other vegetation types did not.     

Monitoring aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation by functional marker genes

The development of biological treatment technologies for contaminated environments requires tools for obtaining direct information about the biodegradation of specific contaminants. The potential of functional gene array analysis to monitor changes in the amount of functional marker genes as indicators of contaminant biodegradation was investigated. A prototype functional gene array was developed for targeting key functions in the biodegradation of naphthalene, toluene and xylenes. Internal standard probe based normalization was introduced to facilitate comparison across multiple samples. Coupled with one-colour hybridization, the signal normalization improved the consistency among replicate hybridizations resulting in better discrimination for the differences in the amount of target DNA. During the naphthalene biodegradation in a PAH-contaminated soil slurry microcosm, the normalized hybridization signals in naphthalene catabolic gene probes were in good agreement with the amount of naphthalene-degradation genes and the production of 14CO2. Gene arrays provide efficient means for monitoring of contaminant biodegradation in the environment.     

Photolysis of 14C-sulfadiazine in water and manure

Photolysis of 14C-sulfadiazine in aqueous solution under simulated sunlight followed first-order kinetics. The impact of H2O2, humic acid, fulvic acid and acetone to enhance the photodegradation of sulfadiazine (SDZ) was studied. Six photoproducts, 4-OH-SDZ, 5-OH-SDZ, N-formyl-SDZ, 4-[2-iminopyrimidine-1(2H)-yl] aniline, 2-aminopyrimidine, and aniline were identified. Extrusion of SO2 was found to be the main degradation process during irradiation. These photoproducts can occur in water and soil upon sunlight exposure, when soil is treated with SDZ contained in manure. Due to photodegradation the experimental half-life of the SDZ in water was 32h and in the presence of photosensitizers the half-life values were 19.3-31.4h, 17.2-31.4h, 12.6-29.8h, and 3.8-30.7h for H2O2, humic acid, fulvic acid, and acetone, respectively depending on the concentration of the photosensitizers. The presence of photosensitizers markedly reduced SDZ persistence, indicating that indirect photolytic processes are important factors governing the photodegradation of SDZ in aqueous environments. Investigation revealed further persistence behavior of SDZ in manure. The half-life value of SDZ in manure was 158h.     

Traffic and catalytic converter - related atmospheric contamination in the metropolitan region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In this work, 24-h PM10 samples were collected in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and analysed for trace elements (Cd, Ce, Cu, La, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pd, Rh, Sb and Sn). The sampling was carried out at five locations (Bonsucesso; Centro, downtown city; Copacabana; Nova Igua?u and Sumaré) with different traffic densities and anthropogenic activities. An analytical method based on the EPA method for the determination of trace elements in airborne particulate matter (PM), using ultrasonic-assisted extraction and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied. Our results suggest that vehicular traffic is the most important source of environmental pollution at the studied sites. The presence of Mo, Pd and Rh in the analysed filters reflects an additional source of pollution caused by the erosion and deterioration of automotive catalytic converters.     

Adsorption of chloridazon from aqueous solution on modified kerolite-rich materials

The adsorption of chloridazon (5-amine-4-chloro-2-phenylpyridazin-3(2H)-one) on kerolite samples heated at 110 degrees C (K-110), 200 degrees C (K-200), 400 degrees C (K-400), 600 degrees C (K-600) and acid-treated with H(2)SO(4) solutions of two different concentrations (0.25 and 0.5 M) (K-0.25 and K-0.5, respectively) from pure water at 25 degrees C has been studied by using batch and column experiments. The adsorption experimental data points were fitted to the Freundlich equation in order to calculate the adsorption capacities (K(f)) of the samples; K(f) values ranged from 184.7 mg kg(-1) (K-0.5) up to 2253 mg kg(-1) (K-600). This indicated that the heat treatment given to the kerolite greatly increases its adsorption capacity for the herbicide whereas the acid treatment produces a clear decrease in the amount of chloridazon adsorbed. The removal efficiency (R) was also calculated; R values ranging from 52.8% (K-0.5) up to 88.3% (K-600). Thus, the results showed that the 600 degrees C heat-treated kerolite was more effective in relation to adsorption of chloridazon and it might be reasonably used in removing this herbicide from water.     

Preparation of a porous clay heterostructure and study of its adsorption capacity of phenol and chlorinated phenols from aqueous solutions.

A porous clay heterostructure (PCH) from a Mexican clay was prepared and characterized, and its aqueous phenol and dichlorophenols (DCPs) adsorption capacities were studied using a batch equilibrium technique. The PCH displayed a surface area of 305.5 m2/g, 37.2 A average porous diameter, and a basal space of 23.2 A. The adsorption capacity shown by the PCH for both phenol and DCPs from water (14.5 mg/g for phenol; 48.7 mg/g for 3,4-DCP; and 45.5 mg/g for 2,5-DCP) suggests that the PCH has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics, as a result of the presence of silanol and siloxane groups formed during the pillaring and calcination of the PCH. The values of maximal adsorption capacity for dichlorophenols were higher than those reported for aluminum pillared clays and some inorgano-organo clays and comparable with some ionic exchange resins.