Phytoextraction of lead-contaminated soil using vetivergrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vetiveria zizanioides</Emphasis> L.), cogongrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Imperata cylindrica</Emphasis> L.) and carabaograss (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paspalum conjugatum</Emphasis> L.)

Background, Aims and Scope The global problem concerning contamination of the environment as a consequence of human activities is increasing. Most of the environmental contaminants are chemical by-products and heavy metals such as lead (Pb). Lead released into the environment makes its way into the air, soil and water. Lead contributes to a variety of health effects such as decline in mental, cognitive and physical health of the individual. An alternative way of reducing Pb concentration from the soil is through phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is an alternative method that uses plants to clean up a contaminated area. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the survival rate and vegetative characteristics of three grass species such as vetivergrass, cogongrass and carabaograss grown in soils with different Pb levels; and (2) to determine and compare the ability of the three grass species as potential phytoremediators in terms of Pb accumulation by plants. Methods The three test plants: vetivergrass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.); cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica L.); and carabaograss (Paspalum conjugatum L.) were grown in individual plastic bags containing soils with 75 mg kg⁻¹ (37.5 kg ha⁻¹) and 150 mg kg⁻¹ (75 kg ha⁻¹) of Pb, respectively. The Pb contents of the test plants and the soil were analyzed before and after experimental treatments using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. This study was laid out following a 3 × 2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design. Results On the vegetative characteristics of the test plants, vetivergrass registered the highest whole plant dry matter weight (33.85–39.39 Mg ha⁻¹). Carabaograss had the lowest herbage mass production of 4.12 Mg ha⁻¹ and 5.72 Mg ha⁻¹ from soils added with 75 and 150 mg Pb kg⁻¹, respectively. Vetivergrass also had the highest percent plant survival which meant it best tolerated the Pb contamination in soils. Vetivergrass registered the highest rate of Pb absorption (10.16 ± 2.81 mg kg⁻¹). This was followed by cogongrass (2.34 ± 0.52 mg kg⁻¹) and carabaograss with a mean Pb level of 0.49 ± 0.56 mg kg⁻¹. Levels of Pb among the three grasses (shoots + roots) did not vary significantly with the amount of Pb added (75 and 150 mg kg⁻¹) to the soil. Discussion Vetivergrass yielded the highest biomass; it also has the greatest amount of Pb absorbed (roots + shoots). This can be attributed to the highly extensive root system of vetivergrass with the presence of an enormous amount of root hairs. Extensive root system denotes more contact to nutrients in soils, therefore more likelihood of nutrient absorption and Pb uptake. The efficiency of plants as phytoremediators could be correlated with the plants’ total biomass. This implies that the higher the biomass, the greater the Pb uptake. Plants characteristically exhibit remarkable capacity to absorb what they need and exclude what they do not need. Some plants utilize exclusion mechanisms, where there is a reduced uptake by the roots or a restricted transport of the metals from root to shoots. Combination of high metal accumulation and high biomass production results in the most metal removal from the soil. Conclusions The present study indicated that vetivergrass possessed many beneficial characteristics to uptake Pb from contaminated soil. It was the most tolerant and could grow in soil contaminated with high Pb concentration. Cogongrass and carabaograss are also potential phytoremediators since they can absorb small amount of Pb in soils, although cogongrass is more tolerant to Pb-contaminated soil compared with carabaograss. The important implication of our findings is that vetivergrass can be used for phytoextraction on sites contaminated with high levels of heavy metals; particularly Pb. Recommendations and Perspectives High levels of Pb in localized areas are still a concern especially in urban areas with high levels of traffic, near Pb smelters, battery plants, or industrial facilities that burn fuel ending up in water and soils. The grasses used in the study, and particularly vetivergrass, can be used to phytoremediate urban soil with various contaminations by planting these grasses in lawns and public parks. ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Willie Peijnenburg (wjgm.peijnenburg@rivm.nl)     

Relation of waste generation and composition to socio-economic factors: a case study

To develop an effective waste management strategy for a given region, it is important to know the amount of waste generated and the composition of the waste stream. Past research has shown that the amount of waste generated is proportional to the population and the average mean living standards or the average income of the people. In addition, other factors may affect the amount and composition of waste. These are climate, living habits, level of education, religious and cultural beliefs, and social and public attitudes. This paper presents the findings of a study carried out in a suburban municipal area in Sri Lanka to determine the solid waste generation rate and waste composition based on field surveys and to determine the related socio-economic factors. A database was developed that included information on the quantity and composition of waste generated in a sample of households in the study area over a time period. The collected data was analysed to relate waste generation and composition data to various socio-economic factors. Over 400 sample households were selected for the study using a stratified random sampling methodology based on municipal wards and property values. A technique that considers both the number of households in a particular income group (property value range) and the standard deviation of property values within a given income group was used to determine the appropriate sample size for each municipal ward. Through category and regression analyses, the quantities of waste and waste composition were related to several socio-economic factors. The paper describes the basis for the sample selection, the methodology adopted for data collection, the socio-economic parameters used for the analysis, and the relationships developed from the analysis.     

Desorption of arsenic from drinking water distribution system solids

Previous work has shown that arsenic can accumulate in drinking water distribution system (DWDS) solids (Lytle et~al., 2004) when arsenic is present in the water. The release of arsenic back into the water through particulate transport and/or chemical release (e.g. desorption, dissolution) could result in elevated arsenic levels at the consumers' tap. The primary objective of this work was to examine the impact of pH and orthophosphate on the chemical release (i.e. desorption) of arsenic from nine DWDS solids collected from utilities located in the Midwest. Arsenic release comparisons were based on the examination of arsenic and other water quality parameters in leach water after contact with the solids over the course of 168~hours. Results showed that arsenic was released from solids and suggested that arsenic release was a result of desorption rather than dissolution. Arsenic release generally increased with increasing initial arsenic concentration in the solid and increasing pH levels (in the test range of 7 to 9). Finally, orthophosphate (3 and 5 mg PO₄/L) increased arsenic release at all pH values examined. Based on the study results, utilities with measurable levels of arsenic present in their water should be aware that some water quality changes can cause arsenic release in the DWDS potentially resulting in elevated levels at the consumer's tap.     

Deficit analysis: service capacity assessment and planning in developing countries – case study in the Philippines

Current demand analysis methods do not formally cover the case of chronic deficits in quantity or quality of water and sanitation services. These services include drinking water supply (DWS), wastewater and sewage treatment (WST), and municipal solid waste management (MSW). Formal analysis of this case would, at minimum, define the deficit state and evaluate appropriate options for reducing it. This paper proposes for a formal analytical model for municipal sanitation systems (MSS) that operate with deficits in at least one of the constituent services of DWS, WST, or MSW. The model introduces definitions and notation for describing the deficit state for conducting demand analysis on municipal sanitation systems. This model of demand analysis for systems with chronic deficits will hereinafter be referred to as deficit analysis. A case study for Bacoor, Philippines is presented as an example.     

Influence of urbanization and tourist activities on the water quality of the Potrero de los Funes River (San Luis – Argentina)

A study of the water quality of the Potrero de los Funes River (San Luis – Argentina) was carried out in order to evaluate the possible effect of the anthropogenic activities on the river developed in the homonymous town. Samples were collected during the period March 2000–November 2005 at three selected sampling sites (RP₁, RP₂ and RP₃). Different physicochemical and bacteriological parameters (turbidity, pH, conductivity, suspended solids, alkalinity, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chlorides, nitrates, phosphates, sulphates, chemical oxygen demand (COD), 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), dissolved oxygen, total coliforms, Escherichia coli and total heterotrophic bacteria) were analysed according to the Standard Method for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. When comparing the values of total coliforms, E. coli, total heterotrophic bacteria, COD, BOD₅ and phosphates from the zone without anthropogenic influence (RP₁) and the urban zones (RP₂ and RP₃) an important variation in the parameters was observed. These results indicate that the urban activity produces a serious and negative effect on the water quality, thus constituting a sanitary risk and may have a major impact on the trophic status of the Potrero de los Funes dam. As case study, we report on the use of General Quality Index (GQI) to evaluate spatial and seasonal changes in the water quality of Potrero de los Funes River. Results revealed a significant degradation of the water quality at RP₂ and RP₃.     

CHemical and Biological Assessment of an Urban, Estuarine marsh in Northeastern New Jersey USA

Oritani Marsh in the Hackensack Meadowlands of urbanized northeastern New Jersey USA was assessed in 2000 for vegetation, soil/sediment chemistry, abundance/diversity of benthic invertebrates, and bird and mammal usage. Vegetatively, both marsh and uplands are dominated by tall, dense Phragmites australis. Small patches (less than 2 hectares total) dominated by Spartina spp. were found at the lowest elevations. Soil/sediment cores were sliced into 5 intervals and analyzed for metals, pesticides and volatile/semivolatile organic compounds. Thirteen locations had at least one chemical above Long et al.’s [Environmental Management, 19, 1995, 81--97] “Effects Range-Median” (ERM). Seven metals and nine organics exceeded ERM in at least one sample, with mercury showing the most exceedances. The surface 15 cm interval was generally more contaminated with metals than the 15 to 30 cm interval; the reverse was true for semivolatile organic compounds. Twenty taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates were collected, with each location producing from 1 to 9 taxa. Abundance ranged from 11 to 3,889 individuals/m². Number of taxa was moderately (r ² between 0.40 and 0.70) negatively correlated with zinc, beryllium, nickel and arsenic concentrations; no other chemical’s r ² was above 0.25. Diversity was moderately negatively correlated with arsenic and beryllium. These correlations were unexpected: zinc, beryllium, nickel and arsenic were not the chemicals found at the highest concentrations relative to benchmarks. Number of taxa, abundance and diversity were moderately (negatively) correlated with elevation; organic carbon was moderately (positively) correlated with abundance. All other correlations were weak (r ² < 0.35). Live traps captured only one mammal species, the meadow jumping mouse. Bird observations revealed 39 species, dominated by a few common species.     

Testing the use of juvenile Salmo trutta L. as biomonitors of heavy metal pollution in freshwater

Individual specimens of Salmo trutta were captured, from four sampling sites in Galician rivers (NW Spain) affected by different types of contamination: diffuse urban waste, run-off from an unrestored dump at a copper mine and waste from a fish farm. The ages of the captured trouts were established and only those belonging to the 1+ age class were selected for study. The liver and kidney were removed from each fish and analysed to determine the tissue concentrations of Cu, Fe and Zn. The results obtained showed that: (i) the use of 1+ individuals allowed differentiation of contamination scenarios on the basis of the tissue concentrations of metal; (ii) the use of 1+ individuals allowed standardization of the time of exposure, which was sufficiently long for differential uptake to have taken place; (iii) liver tissue provided the best results as, less effort was required than for processing kidney tissue, and significant differences between sampling sites were detected because the intrapopulational variability in metal levels was lower than for kidney, and (iv) the levels of elements detected were not affected by basal tissue concentrations or residual concentrations due to past contamination, which older trouts may have been exposed to. In addition, the use of 1+ trout may provide better results in annual environmental sampling surveys.     

Do differences between metal body residues reflect the differences between effects for Chironomus riparius exposed to different sediments?

Sediment characteristics are well known to interfere with toxicity, mainly through differences in terms of bioaccumulation. Here, with chironomids exposed to zinc in an artificial and a field sediment, we investigated the differences of zinc accumulation and of effects on the life cycle, at individual and population level. We used biology and energy-based modeling to analyze the data at all the levels of biological organization. This permits a reliable estimation of thresholds values for tissue residues. Differences in zinc tissue residues accounted for most of the differences between the results for both sediments (a factor of 11 for differences from 20 to 100 depending on the parameter which is considered). Taking into account accumulation and background variability, the differences relative to thresholds could be accounted for. However, it appeared that, once the threshold was passed, effects were much more pronounced for organisms exposed to artificial sediment compared to field sediment. We concluded that some sediment characteristics can enhance toxicity, in addition to their influence on the compound accumulation, even if the latter was the major source of differences in our study.     

Risk assessment of trace elements in the stomach contents of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins and Finless Porpoises in Hong Kong waters

The potential health risks due to inorganic substances, mainly metals, was evaluated for the two resident marine mammals in Hong Kong, the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) and the Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). The stomachs from the carcasses of twelve stranded dolphins and fifteen stranded porpoises were collected and the contents examined. Concentrations of thirteen trace elements (Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Se, V and Zn) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). An assessment of risks of adverse effects was undertaken using two toxicity guideline values, namely the Reference Dose (RfD), commonly used in human health risk assessment, and the Toxicity Reference Value (TRV), based on terrestrial mammal data. The levels of trace metals in stomach contents of dolphins and porpoises were found to be similar. Risk quotients (RQ) calculated for the trace elements showed that risks to the dolphins and porpoises were generally low and within safe limits using the values based on the TRV, which are less conservative than those based on the RfD values. Using the RfD-based values the risks associated with arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel and mercury were comparatively higher. The highest RQ was associated with arsenic, however, most of the arsenic in marine organisms should be in the non-toxic organic form, and thus the calculated risk is likely to be overestimated.     

Self-organizing feature map (neural networks) as a tool in classification of the relations between chemical composition of aquatic bryophytes and types of streambeds in the Tatra national park in Poland

Concentrations of the elements Al, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the aquatic bryophytes Fontinalis antipyretica, Platyhypnidium riparioides and Scapania undulata. These bryophytes were sampled from streams flowing through granites/gneisses, limestones/dolomites and sandstones in the Tatra national park in Poland. The Self-organizing feature map (SOFM) or Kohonen network was used to classify the bryophytes according to the concentrations of the elements. This method was verified using principal component analysis (PCA) to check whether this well-known technique would give similar results. Both the self-organizing map and ordination by PCA yielded distinct groups of aquatic bryophytes growing in streams flowing through different types of rock, groups which differed significantly in the concentrations of certain elements. Bryophytes from granites/gneisses were distinguished by higher concentrations of Cd and Pb, while those from sandstones had a higher concentration of Cr and those from limestones/dolomites had higher concentrations of Ca and Mg. The SOFM and PCA ordinations thus yield identical classifications of bryophytes from the Tatra mountains streams.