Effect of clay minerals on extractability of heavy metals and sewage sludge mineralization in soil

An incubation experiment lasting 111 d was carried out to study the effect of the addition of three clay minerals (Na-bentonite, Ca-bentonite, and zeolite) to soil derived from sewage sludge on water-extractable and exchangeable forms of four heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu, and Ni), as well as on soil organic matter mineralization, microbial biomass C and the release of inorganic N. The addition of clay minerals led to a significant decrease in water-extractable and exchangeable forms of heavy metals. The extent of decrease ranged from 14 to 75% for the water-extractable heavy metals and from 12 to 42% for the exchangeable form over the incubation time, as compared with untreated soil. The reduction in extractability of heavy metals was greater due to the addition of Na-bentonite and Ca-bentonite than that due to the addition of zeolite. Addition of clay minerals did not affect any of the following microbiological parameters in the soil: microbial biomass C, organic C (C_org) mineralization, and metabolic quotient (qCO₂), and release of inorganic N during the first 3 weeks of incubation. However, as the incubation period increased, these parameters were significantly increased by the addition of clay minerals, especially by the addition of Na-bentonite and Ca-bentonite. This result is explained by a strong reduction in extractability of heavy metals after the addition of Na-bentonite and Ca-bentonite.     

Microscale Spatial Variation in Forest Litter Phytotoxicity

The spatial variation (within a 100 × 100 m plot) in the pollution of forest litter with heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn), its acidity, and phytotoxicity (measured by the results of the root test using seedlings from a genetically homogeneous sample of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale s.l.) have been estimated. Forest litter has been sampled in three zones differing in the toxic impact of long-term polymetal pollution by emissions from a copper-smelting plant emissions in the Middle Urals. The phytotoxicity variation is maximum in a moderately polluted plot, where both very high and very low pollution levels were observed, which determines a substantially nonlinear dose–effect relationship. The litter phytotoxicity is mainly accounted for by exchangeable forms of metals. Biological testing of samples from the most polluted plot has demonstrated marked antagonism between heavy metals and acidity.     

TOXIC METALS IN SURFACE WATERS FROM COAL ASH1

ABSTRACT: The concentration of 10 [titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (CR), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)] toxic elements were measured in the water, benthic sediment, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates of an ash basin and its drainage system at a coal-fired power plant of the Savannah River Project, Aiken, S.C., over a period of two years. During 12 months of this period the basin was essentially filled and little settling of ash occurred. In the remaining 12 months, dredging had been completed, adequate settling occurred and most of the effluent turbidity was removed. All elements were more concentrated in sediment and biota than in water, and five (Mn, Cu, As, Zn, and Se) were biomagnified by at least one biotic component as compared to concentration in benthic sediment. Plants had high accumulations of Ti, Mn, As, and Hg; invertebrates had high accumulations of Co, Hg, Cu, Cr, Cd, and As; and vertebrates greatly biomagnified Se and Zn. The streamlined biotic community of the system accomplished major removal of Mn, Zn, As, Se, and Cd from the effluent. The magnitude of bioaccumulation of Ti, Mn, Zn, As, Se, Cd, and Hg was increased during the period of adequate settling in the basin.     

Fish Species Used as Biomarker for Heavy Metal and Hydrocarbon Contamination for Cross River, Nigeria

Enhanced concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cu, Cd and total hydrocarbons (THC) determined in fish samples from the Cross River system, Nigeria have been associated with clinical defects (nausea, headache, hepatitis, body rashes) observed in coastal residents who are the major consumers of the fish species. Fish samples were collected from ten locations with varying degrees of exposure to human activities. Heavy metal concentrations in fish followed the sequence: Fe>Zn>Mn>Pb>Cu>Cd with the highest concentration of 243 g/g (Fe) wet weight occurring in Tympanotonus sp. Fe levels were significantly (P<0.001) higher than other metals analysed. The sequence in total hydrocarbon concentrations according to fish species was in the order of O. niloticus (55.1 g/g) > E. fimbriata > P. elongatus > Portonus sp. > C. nigrodigitatus > Tympanotonus sp. Generally, the demersal species showed a marked potential for tolerating high levels of heavy metals while the pelagic species showed preference for the accumulation of hydrocarbons. The degree of contamination depended on pollutant type, fish species, sampling location, trophic level and their mode of feeding. The persistent accumulation and tolerable potential of Tympanotonus, Portonus and P. elongatus suggest that they might be effectively utilized as self-integrating indicators for time-series monitoring of the rate of recovery of the impacted ecosystem by heavy metals. Possible sources of pollutant include leachates from municipal dumps, used crankcase oils from fluvial discharges (mechanic workshops) and occasional oil spills.     

Risk-Based Analysis of Environmental Monitoring Data: Application to Heavy Metals in North Carolina Surface Waters

The state of North Carolina's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) conducts routine water quality monitoring throughout the state to assess the health of aquatic systems. The current study reports the results of a retrospective (1990–2000) ecological risk assessment of six heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc) in 17 North Carolina basins that was conducted to estimate the risk of heavy metal toxicity to freshwater organisms and assess the sufficiency of NCDENR's monitoring data to identify water-quality-related ecological threats. Acute and chronic ecotoxicological thresholds (ETs) were calculated for each metal based upon the 10th percentile of species sensitivity distributions and were normalized for water hardness. Statewide probabilities (expressed as percentages) of a random sample exceeding acute or chronic ETs among the six metals ranged from 0.01% to 12.19% and 0.76% to 21.21%, respectively, with copper having the highest and arsenic and mercury the lowest risk. Basin-specific probabilities varied significantly depending upon water hardness and presumably watershed development. Although the majority of specific sites where data were collected were at low risk for metal toxicity, some specific sites had a high probability of toxic events associated with one or more metals. Analytical detection limits for metals were frequently higher than estimated chronic ET, limiting the ability to assess the risk of chronic toxicity in soft-water basins. Results suggest risk-based criteria may be useful for assessing and validating the sufficiency of monitoring programs and prioritizing management goals.     

稳定化/固化废物中重金属的渗漏行为

采用穿透渗漏和常见的环绕流动渗漏（动态渗漏）实验方法,研究和比较了经水泥固化的稳定化／固化有毒有害废物的渗漏行为,所用的合成重废物样吕由Ｐｂ＾２＋、Ｚｎ＾２＋、Ｃｕ＾２＋、Ｎｉ＾２＋和Ｃｒ（ＶＩ）等５种重金属组成,结果表明,在同种渗漏方式中,重金属的渗漏行为不同。发生穿透渗漏时,重金属的渗漏速率较环绕流动渗漏时高。由于穿透渗漏加束渗漏过程,因此用它研究废物渗漏行为可节省实验时间。     

生活垃圾焚烧厂贮坑沥滤液的污染与可处理特性

通过对生活垃圾焚烧厂贮坑沥滤液历时6个月的常规污染物监测,分析了沥滤液中溶解性有机物(DOM)分子量分级和重金属在不同分子量DOM中的分布,以探讨沥滤液的污染与可处理特性结果表明:沥滤液有机污染程度高.沥滤液中有机物以非溶解性(约占有机物总量的23%)和分子量＜4 ku的DOM(超过DOM总量的88%)为主,低碳有机酸和醇的总量占沥滤液中DOM(分子量＜4 ku)的50%.沥滤液中重金属含量高,在DOM各分子量分级中,重金属主要与分子量＜4 ku的DOM相关,尤其是Zn和Ni的分布占90%以上,并且重金属(除As和Hg外)的分布与有机物的分布呈显著的正相关性.根据沥滤液的性质,宜采用混凝或厌氧-好氧生物方法对其进行处理.      

Tween-80对生物淋滤法去除垃圾焚烧飞灰中重金属的影响

通过接种氧化硫硫杆菌和序批式培养试验,研究了不同浓度表面活性剂Tween-80对飞灰生物淋滤过程中重金属溶出的影响.Tween-80的作用表现为:低质量浓度促进,高质量浓度抑制,最佳质量浓度约为1.5g/L.ρ(Tween-80)为1.5 g/L时可显著提高元素硫的生物氧化速率,加速飞灰浆液的酸化,从而提高飞灰中重金属的溶出(去除)率.但是当ρ(Tween-80)超过3.0 g/L时,将对硫杆菌的生长与增殖产生抑制甚至毒害效应,使生物淋滤反应不能顺利进行.结果表明:在常规的飞灰生物淋滤处理中添加1.5g/L的Tween-80,经过15 d的淋滤,Cd,Zn,Cu与Pb的去除率最高分别达到87.1%,81.8%,72.3%与31.9%;而不加Tween-80的对照组,4种重金属的去除率分别为84.0%,74.4%,67.5%与27.1%.      

Long-Term Changes in the State of Gonads in Sea Urchins Strongylocentrotus intermediusfrom Amur Bay,the Sea of Japan

The state of gonads was analyzed in sea urchins Strongylocentrotus intermediuscollected in Amur Bay (Peter the Great Bay, the Sea of Japan) in August 1984, 1985, 1989, and 1997 at five stations: Skrebtsov Island (1), Sportivnaya Harbor (2), Cape Tokarevskii (3), Alekseev Bay on Popov Island (4), and Verkhovskii Islands (5). The first three stations were in the polluted inshore zone of Vladivostok; stations 4 and 5 were in the open (insular) part of the bay, remote from the main sources of pollution. The state of gonads of sea urchins collected in different years and areas strongly varied with respect to gonad index (GI), gonad maturity index, and indices of pathological changes in gonads. As compared with the data obtained in 1984, 1985, and 1989, the values of GI increased in sea urchins from stations 1–3 and decreased in sea urchins from stations 4 and 5. Although GI values were high, the indices of gonad maturity in animals from the coastal zone were very low. In general gonad maturity in sea urchins from the Amur Bay was lower in 1997 than in the previous years. The correlation analysis of long-term data revealed no positive correlation between the values of GI and gonad maturity index in sea urchins from stations 1–4. Histopathological changes were more serious in sea urchins from stations 1–3. In 1997, the indices of pathological changes in the gonads of sea urchins from the insular zone (stations 4 and 5) were higher than in the previous period (1984–1989). The influence of various ecological factors—temperature, salinity, environmental pollution, and food supply—on gametogenesis in sea urchins is discussed.