Neurological and neuropsychological deterioration in artisanal gold miners from the town of Andacollo,Chile

It is widely known that human exposure to mercury vapor can cause neurological and neuropsychological deterioration. We have investigated if a population of Chilean artisanal gold-mining workers heavily exposed to elemental mercury (Hg⁰) display neurological and neuropsychological impairment. Male volunteers occupationally exposed to Hg⁰ (“gold miners”, n = 35) were recruited and compared with a group of unexposed workers (n = 40). Blood specimens were obtained from both groups for total mercury quantification. Upon neurological examination, 71% of the “gold miners” group showed abnormalities expressed as frontal impairment, tremor, or simultaneously frontal impairment, parkinsonism, and pyramidal syndrome. In contrast, only 16% of the individuals in the control group displayed neurological abnormalities. The “gold miners” group also showed impairment of the neuropsychological performance and the distribution of abnormal scores for almost all the neuropsychological tests applied was significantly higher in this group compared to the control group. Educational level, alcohol intake, and smoking habits did not influence the outcome of the neurological or neuropsychological examinations. Finally, despite that the higher blood mercury concentrations were found in the “gold miners” group, they were not significantly different from the values obtained in the control group.     

Influence of complexation on lead(II) and cadmium(II) percolation through a clay liner

Wastes are usually stocked in waste disposals without any pre-treatment. Runoff waters lead to the formation of leachates containing mineral and organic pollutants. In order to prevent groundwater contamination, a double barrier is placed on the landfill bottom. The first one is an active barrier made up of a draining system and a geomembrane, and the second one, consisting of a clay liner allowing pollutant retention, is considered as a passive system. The aim of this work is to evaluate the complexation impact on the organic and inorganic retention. Percolations on columns filled with clay are performed, which allow a better knowledge of the transfer of metallic pollutants, complexed or not, through a model porous media, considering charge and conditional stability of complexes.     

Potential health impacts of heavy-metal exposure at the Tar Creek Superfund site,Ottawa County,Oklahoma

The potential impact of exposure to heavy metals and health problems was evaluated at the Tar Creek Superfund site, Ottawa County, Oklahoma, USA. Observed versus expected mortality was calculated for selected conditions in the County and exposed cities. Excess mortality was found for stroke and heart disease when comparing the exposed County to the state but not when comparing the exposed cities to the nonexposed rest of the County. However, sample sizes in the exposed area were small, population emigration has been ongoing, and geographic coding of mortality data was incomplete. In an exposed community, 62.5% of children under the age of 6 years had blood lead levels exceeding 10 μg/dl. The relationships between heavy-metal exposure and children’s health and chronic disease in adults are suggestive that a more thorough investigation might be warranted. A number of possible environmental and health studies are suggested, including those focusing on possible central nervous system impacts. Unfortunately, the exposed population is dispersing. One lesson learned at this site is that health studies need to be conducted as soon as possible after an environmental problem is identified to both study the impact of the most acute exposures and to maximize study sample size—including those exposed to higher doses—and minimize the loss of individuals to follow-up.     

废锌锰电池制备锰锌铁氧体共沉淀粉料研究

以废锌锰电池为主要原料,辅以少量的菱锰矿和废铁屑,经同时浸出、初步除杂、深度净化和共沉淀等过程,制备出纯度高、配比接近PC30铁氧体配方且混合均匀的共沉淀粉料。实验结果表明在浸出温度80~95℃、搅拌速度120~180r/min、酸用量为理论用量的1.2~1.4倍和浸出时间3.0~4.0h的条件下,铁、锰和锌的浸出率分别为92.02%、96.14%和98.34%;共沉淀粉料中铁、锰和锌的平均含量分别为41.41%、13.92%和4.49%,推算出Fe∶Zn∶Mn=69.2∶23.3∶7.5。完全符合PC30对粉料的要求。本研究既为高档锰锌软磁铁氧体的制备创造了很好的前提条件,同时对废锌锰电池的高价值资源化利用具有重要的现实意义。     

Comparison of three sequential extraction procedures for trace element partitioning in three contaminated Mediterranean soils

The sequential extraction procedures described by Tessier et al., McGrath and Cegarra, and Gimeno-García et al. were compared to investigate trace element (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) partitioning patterns and extraction efficiency in three contaminated soils from Mediterranean regions of Spain. Soils were selected from Onda (Castellón) (S1), Aznalcóllar (Sevilla) (S2), and Silla (Valencia) (S3). S1 was a soil contaminated with Pb and Zn after dumping of wastes from the manufacture of ceramic tiles, S2 was polluted accidentally with a highly acid and As-concentrated sludge from mining activities, and S3 was a soil with a high Cr content from tannery sludge disposal. Trace element distribution in the soils—soluble, exchangeable, organically bound, precipitated with carbonates, bound to iron and manganese oxides, and precipitated with sulfides fractions—varied significantly according to the extraction procedure used. In addition, different extraction efficiencies were found for the three sequential extraction procedures compared. Finally, the trace elements studied showed different and specific distribution patterns between the various soil fractions examined.     

Impact of submersible pumps on Pb constituents in residential wells

Dissolved Pb in 51 domestic wells screened from 18 to 48 m in glacial tills and outwash deposits were examined in conjunction with the characteristics of their corresponding submersible pump. Pb concentrations, ranging from 0.8 to 24.9 μg l⁻¹, entering residential water supplies were measured during 2001–2004 in the Royal watershed, Maine. Principal component analyses assisted the weighting of pump age, well screen depth, and draw time variables. Preliminary Pb sequestration significance in the boreholes was predicted from geochemical speciation and synchrotron XAS analyses. Nascent ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb isotope analyses assisted the discrimination of possibly leached Pb from submersible pump materials among geogenic sources.     

AQUATIC ORGANISMS AND HEAVY METALS IN MISSOURI'S NEW LEAD BELT1

The New Lead. Belt of southeastern Missouri has recently become the largest lead producing region of the world. The impact of this rapid development on the previously rural and undeveloped region of the Missouri Ozarks is the subject of a continuing interdisciplinary study. Since the industrial development began, there have been a number of nuisance biological blooms in several of the small streams receiving effluent from the mines and mills. The major constituents of the problem algal growths were identified and found to include: Cladophora, Oscillatoria, Mougeotia, Zygnema, Spirogyra, Cymbella, and a variety of other stalked and non-stalked diatoms. Secondary blooms of Sphaerotilus were observed to reach problem proportions in some streams, particularly in the autumn. Finely ground rock flour and mineral particles escaping from tailings dams were found to be trapped by the stream vegetation. Concentrations of lead, zinc, copper, and manganese in the algal and bacterial mats were found to be inversely related to distance downstream from the tailings dams. Consumer organisms, including crayfish, snails, aquatic insects, tadpoles, minnows and larger sunfish were analyzed to determine the extent of dissemination and concentration of the heavy metals through food chains. Preliminary results indicated insignificant concentrations of heavy metals in those consumer organisms studied, though in at least one problem stream the normal consumer organisms mentioned were markedly reduced in numbers.     

重庆市巴县,长寿县水稻和小麦的重金属污染

重庆市巴县和长寿县的部分水稻和小麦已经受到重金属汞、镉、铅的污染，污染程度长寿县〉巴县，小麦〉水稻，铅〉汞〉镉。污染的主要原因是环境污染所造砀 ，尤其是重化工业所在场镇附近污染特别显著，汞和铅污染有加重趋势，镉污染有所减轻，提出了对策建议。     

Metal Contamination in the Republic of Armenia

/ Air, soil, and water samples were collected throughout the Republic of Armenia both before and after its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Reported analyses of those samples indicated that levels of several trace metal concentrations (Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, and Zn) exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations established by the former Soviet Union (FSU) and subsequently adopted by Armenia. Although industrial production has declined by more than 80% since the 1980s, the economy is improving and there is potential for a significant increase in the generation of industrial metal emissions. These include automobile emissions, which are now considered to be the primary source of atmospheric lead. Historically, the Soviet Union did not strictly enforce environmental standards, and Armenia is now faced with the resulting environmental problems and the associated risks to public health. Since some trace metal concentrations may be at or near potentially toxic levels, there is a need to accurately assess the extent of metal contamination in order to devise cleanup plans and develop long-term environmental protection and public health strategies in Armenia.     

2005年北京市铅的使用蓄积研究

伴随铅的长期使用,形成了铅在人类社会经济系统中的使用蓄积。铅在使用蓄积的现存量可一定程度的反映未来的废铅资源量。开展本研究可为废铅回收利用、保护铅矿资源提供重要信息。选择铅酸电池作为铅制品的代表产品,采用自下而上(bottom-up)的方法,对2005年北京市铅酸蓄电池的种类、数量等进行了调查研究,估算了铅酸蓄电池中铅的蓄积量及其构成情况。结果表明,截至2005年底,北京市在用的铅酸蓄电池中,铅的蓄积总量为28.5kt,其中,从电池类型看,起动型蓄电池占总量的88%;从产品应用场所看,机动车用电池占总量的92%。将研究结果与其他国家和国外部分城市的研究结果进行了对比分析,发现北京铅的人均蓄积量为1.85kg/c,约为国外发达国家或城市的1/2到1/6。