Technologically enhanced 210Pb and 210Po in iron and steel industry

Iron and steel manufacture has been ranked as the largest industrial source of environmental contamination in the USA; the wastes generated in their production processes contain heavy elements that can be a source of contamination, and natural radionuclides that can produce an occupational and/or public radiological impact. In this work the potential occupational effective dose rate (μSv/y) due to inhalation in four integrated steel-making factories from Egypt has been evaluated, by assuming a well defined scenario and with basis in the ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po activity concentrations determined in ore and wastes collected in the aforementioned factories. Activity concentrations, in Bq/kg, of ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po, and leachable Pb and Fe were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry based on HPGe detector, alpha particle spectrometry based on PIPS detector, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Levels of ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po in the range of <DL-4238 and 1-5660 Bq/kg, respectively, were found. According to the assumed scenarios, the occupational exposures by inhalation are much lower than the recommended annual effective dose limit, although the environmental impact due to waste storage and/or use should be considered based on case by case evaluation.     

Technological improvements in automotive battery recycling

Recycling of automotive batteries for the recovery of secondary lead is extremely important in Brazil, for the country does not possess large reserves of this metal. Lead is one of the most widely used metals in the world, but it is highly toxic, posing risks for humans and for the environment if not utilized or treated adequately. Industrial waste containing lead in Brazil are classified by the Brazilian Residue Code (NBR—10004:2004) as hazardous. The lead recycling process employed by the recycling industry in Brazil is the pyrometallurgical process in a rotary furnace. This process consists of four stages: (1) grinding of the battery to separate plastic, electrolyte and lead plates; (2) lead reduction in a rotary furnace; (3) separation of metallic lead from slag; and (4) refining of recycled lead. The purpose of this work is to propose process improvements aimed primarily at increasing production output by reducing the loss of lead in slag and particulates, thereby providing a healthier work environment in line with Brazilian environmental and labor laws.     

Understanding the role of nano-TiO2 on the toxicity of Pb on C. dubia through modeling–Is it additive or synergistic?

• A two-compartment model is able to quantify the effect of nano-TiO₂ on Pb toxicity. • Nano-TiO₂ reduces Pb tolerance level and increased the killing rate for C. dubia. • Thus, nano-TiO₂ synergistically enhances Pb toxicity. • Algae reduce Pb transfer rate to the body tissue and the killing rate. Nano-TiO₂ can remarkably increase lead (Pb) toxicity in aquatic organisms. However, the mechanism of this toxicity, additive or synergistic, is not well understood. To explore this mechanism, we inspected the role of nano-TiO₂ in the toxicity of Pb on Ceriodaphnia dubia (C. dubia), a model water flea species typically used for ecotoxicity studies. The effect of algae, a diet for aquatic organisms, on the effect of this binary mixture was also investigated. A two-compartment toxicokinetic (TK)-toxicodynamic (TD) modeling approach was used to quantify the Pb toxicity under these complex conditions and to develop critical parameters for understanding the mechanism of toxicity. This two-compartment modeling approach adequately described the Pb accumulation in the gut and in the rest of the body tissue under different nano-TiO₂ concentrations, with and without algae, and predicted the toxicity response of C. dubia. It indicated that increasing the nano-TiO₂ concentration reduced the Pb tolerance level and concurrently increased the killing rate constant of C. dubia. Therefore, nano-TiO₂ synergistically enhanced Pb toxicity. Algae remarkably reduced the toxicity of this binary mixture through reducing the Pb transfer rate to the body tissue and the killing rate, although it did not affect the Pb tolerance level. This two-compartment modeling approach is useful in understanding the role of nanoparticles when assessing the overall toxicity of nanoparticles and other toxic elements in the environment.     

聚苯乙烯基离子交换纤维去除铅离子的应用研究

聚苯乙烯其离子交换纤维是一种理想的离子交换材料。它的特殊的物理形态决定它对一些有害气体如铅烟、颗粒铅等具有很好的净化作用，铅烟净化效率可达８０％；对水溶液中毒性铅离子去除率可达８６％。该纤维可做为治理毒性铅离子的材料。     

Ecotoxicity assessment of slag generated in the process of recycling lead from waste batteries

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible toxicity of the leachate produced by the residues generated in the process of recycling lead from waste batteries. These residues are slag, which once formed, is characterised by its content in ferrous sulphide, sodium carbonate as well as residual coke from the process. It also contains, as minor components, lead and other heavy metals. The slag was stored and watered periodically over a period of 6 months, its composition changing until finally becoming inert, with no exothermal activity. The slag was leached, and its ecotoxicity was determined by means of the bioluminescence test, along with its content in heavy metals. The results obtained indicate a greater degree of toxicity in the residues with a shorter storage period than the established one, and which were therefore still in the phase of decomposition. However, in the samples taken on completing 6 months of storage, the EC₅₀ value of the leachate was found to be higher than 3000 mg/l. Hence, a storage period under suitable environmental conditions which leads to inactivity of the residue as well as a decrease in its ecotoxicity, is considered absolutely essential. At the same time, a direct relationship was observed between the lead content and the ecotoxicity value.     

太原市蔬菜中铅、铬和镉含量分析及安全性评价

笔者采用原子吸收光谱法 ,测定了太原市蔬菜批发市场的 8种蔬菜 72个样品的铅、铬、镉含量。结果表明 :在检测的 8种蔬菜中 ,有 5种蔬菜出现铅含量超标 ,铅是蔬菜中的主要污染元素 ,且污染带有普遍性 ;铬的污染仅出现在芹菜和青菜上 ,其他 6种蔬菜均无超标 ;8种蔬菜均未受到镉的污染 ,合格率为 10 0 %。参照国家食品卫生标准和蔬菜质量分级标准 ,对蔬菜的重金属污染程度进行了安全性评价。在所检测的蔬菜样品中 ,只有青菜受到重金属污染 ,其综合污染指数为 1.12 ,污染程度为轻度污染。其他蔬菜的综合污染指数均低于 0 .7,污染程度均为安全 ,污染水平均为清洁。     

胡敏酸改性膨润土钝化污染土壤Pb&Cd及机理

通过盆栽试验,探讨了胡敏酸改性膨润土对重金属铅、镉污染土壤的钝化效果及机理。结果表明,铅、镉污染土壤中施加胡敏酸改性膨润土能显著降低小白菜中Pb、Cd的含量,在添加Cd(3 mg/kg)/Pb(250 mg/kg)污染土壤和Cd(1 0 mg/kg)/Pb(5 00 mg/kg)污染土壤上小白菜地上部分Pb含量分别比对照降低19.08%和47.91%,Cd含量分别比对照降低9.79%和14.89%。土壤本身对添加的重金属Pb/Cd有一定的耐受力和自我净化能力,在添加重金属后,添加的Pb/Cd元素大部分直接转化为较为稳定的碳酸盐结合态和铁锰氧化结合态。相关性分析显示小白菜的鲜重与小白菜Pb/Cd含量极显著负相关,进一步说明胡敏酸改性膨润土是通过提高小白菜的生物量,从而降低Pb/Cd在小白菜中的含量。     

Immobilization of lead in anthropogenic contaminated soils using phosphates with/without oxalic acid

Understanding the effects of oxalic acid(OA) on the immobilization of Pb(Ⅱ) in contaminated soils by phosphate materials, has considerable benefits for risk assessment and remediation strategies for the soil. A series of phosphate amendments with/without oxalic acid were applied to two anthropogenic contaminated soils. We investigated the immobilization of Pb(Ⅱ) by KH2PO4, phosphate rock(PR), activated phosphate rock(APR) and synthetic hydroxyapatite(HAP) at different phosphate:Pb(P:Pb) molar ratios(0, 0.6, 2.0 and 4.0) in the presence/absence of 50 mmol oxalic acid/kg soil, respectively. The effects of treatments were evaluated using single extraction with deionized water or Ca Cl2, Community Bureau of Reference(BCR) sequential extraction and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure(TCLP)methods. Our results showed that the concentration of water extractable, exchangeable and TCLP-Pb all decreased with incubation time. The concentration of water-extractable Pb after120 days was reduced by 100% when soils were amended with APR, HAP and HAP + OA, and the TCLP-Pb was 5 mg/L for the red soil at P:Pb molar ratio 4.0. Water-soluble Pb could not be detected and the TCLP-Pb was 5 mg/L at all treatments applied to the yellow-brown soil. BCR results indicated that APR was most effective, although a slight enhancement of water-soluble phosphate was detected at the P:Pb molar ratio 4.0 at the beginning of incubation. Oxalic acid activated phosphates, and so mixing insoluble phosphates with oxalic acid may be a useful strategy to improve their effectiveness in reducing Pb bioavailability.     

显像管玻壳铅尘污染特性的研究

以石家庄市显像管玻壳厂排放的铅尘为研究对象，通过在该玻壳厂周围土壤布点采样，较系统地研究了铅尘在大气和周围土壤中的迁移和转化规律，研究表明，用高斯模式能成功地预测铅尘在大气中的迁移扩散规律，玻壳厂周围土壤表层铅含量较大值出现在当地年主导风向（SSE，N）下风向，铅在土壤中的分布主要集中在0－20cm的耕作层，在20－40cm深度范围内，铅含量呈下降趋势，最大降幅达50％。     

利用电除尘器降低蓄电池生产中铅尘排放量研究

阐述了利用电除尘器降低蓄电池铅尘排放量的方法和效果