Partitioning of Cs-137 Between Sediment and Water From the Black Sea

Abstract

As part of a joint USA/USSR Environmental Agreement to determine the distribution and concentration of Chernobyl radioactivity in the northwest Black Sea area, the sediment from eight stations was collected and analyzed to assess the ability of this material to adsorb radiocaesium. Batch tests were conducted in which Cs-137 tracer was added to mixtures of sediment and bottom water, with contact solutions ranging from 85 Bq ml^?1 to 1,760 Bq ml^?1. This work was done in an argon atmosphere at 9.5°C, which is the average temperature of the sediment. Isotherms were linear for all cores and distribution ratios (R_D) calculated from the slopes of the isotherms ranged from 660 to 1,660 ml g^?1. These isotherms fit a simplified Freundlich isotherm. Correlations of R_D to a number of sediment parameters describing texture and mineralogy were determined. A close relationship was observed between R_D for caesium and the percentage of illite contained in the samples.     

Source and Effect of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Coastal Taiwan Sediments

Coastal sediments and oyster farming is severely affected by the industrial effluents in the coastal region near LuGong, Taiwan. Surficial sediments and oyster samples were collected from a coastal area near a major electro-plating industry. Spatial variation in heavy metal contents in sediments was studied in relationship to the main pathway of contamination and geochemical association with natural constituents of the sediments.

Spatial trends of heavy metals in the sediment reflected inputs of pollutants from the poorly-treated electro-plating effluents in the surrounding county and transported downstream by the Yang-tse-tru River. Effluent related heavy metal (Zn, Cu, Cd) is extremely high in the study region sediments. the highest concentrations were observed near shore, especially upstream in the Yang-tse-tru River sediments. Heavy metal concentrations decreased rapidly in a seaward direction. Heavy metal concentrations in near shore sediments were as high as some highly industrialized harbour sediments in the USA (e.g. Boston and San Diego).

Significant differences and high concentrations of heavy metals were also observed in oysters from the study region. Heavy metals from the study region were two to five times higher than in oysters from other pristine areas in Taiwan.     

Trace metal pollution in aquatic sediments and some fish species from the Kwilu-Ngongo River,Democratic Republic of Congo (Bas-Congo)

In this study, the concentrations of some metals in sediments and consumable fish from the Kwilu Ngongo River, province of Bas-Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, are investigated. The digested muscle tissue, whole fish, and river sediment samples were subjected to trace element analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy and by using an automatic mercury analyzer. The highest values of trace metals in fish muscle tissue were found for Cr, Cu, Pb and Hg, with maximum values of 8.6 (Cr), 15.7 (Cu), 6.0 (Pb) and 3.3 (Hg) mg kg^?1. These values are higher than maximum tolerable limits recommended by the European Commission Regulation for Food. The highest metal concentrations in sediments were 81 (Cr), 86 (Cu), 21 (Sb), 41 (Pb), and 0.8 (Hg) mg kg^?1. Sediment toxicity tests using benthic crustaceans (ostracods) revealed mortality rates of up to 30% after six days of exposure to the sediments near the sugarcane industry outlet pipe discharge. The contamination of the sediments and fishes by the elements and the bio-accumulation of mercury in fish most likely arise from the adjacent agricultural fields where intensive sugarcane cultivation since 1925 has probably contaminated the soils through the long-term use of fertilizers and pesticides.     

Metal transport phases in rivers around Jameshedpur†

Transport phases of four metals of geochemical and water quality importance were investigated in rivers around Jamshedpur. The metals iron, manganese, zinc and copper were partitioned into dissolved, adsorbed and or ion exchangeable, solid organic, oxide coating and crystalline phases applying filtration for the dissolved phase and a chemical fractionation scheme for the particulates. Iron and copper were transported mainly in the particulate phases at all sites, while manganese and zinc were found in the dissolved phase up to a hundred percent depending on the pH of water sample and pollution at the site concerned. Except copper more than 75 percent of all other three metals occurred in transport modes thought to be available to aqueous and biotic interactions. Copper was in available phases from 50 to 70 percent. The significance of metal partitioning as a factor in controlling metal availability and toxicity to biota is discussed.     

Trace metal distribution in different chemical fractions of marine sediments along the eastern Aegean shelf

The major objective of this study was to carry out sequential chemical extraction for the partitioning of particulate trace metals in sediment samples, collected along the eastern Aegean shelf during cruises July‐August 1994, in the framework of a National Marine Measurement and Monitoring Programme for the Aegean Sea.

Five metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were examined in each of sediment samples. Three chemical fractions of the sediments were separated and concentrations of the trace metals were determined by AAS techniques. The three different leaches used were hydroxylamine hydrochloride‐acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and nitric‐perchloric acids.

Metals were concentrated mainly in the fraction extracted by nitric‐perchloric acids. Lead in the first fraction were found in the sediments of Northern part of Aegean, where the concentration of organic material was high.

The total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr were higher in Izmir Bay than the other sampling points. The distribution of Pb concentrations was the highest in Edremit Bay and Izmir Bay.     

Chemical fractionation of metals in core sediments of Orogodo River,southern Nigeria

Sequential chemical extraction of metals (Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Zn) from core sediments of the Orogodo River was carried out with a view of providing information on the phase distribution of these metals with respect to depths and seasons. The results indicate that copper was speciated into organic matter/sulfide, Fe–Mn oxides, and residual forms at 0–5?cm depth while at deeper sections copper was predominantly in the residual form. Nickel was speciated mainly into Fe–Mn oxides and residual forms. The average of lead in various particulate phases of the sediment are 0–100% for residual; 0–8% for carbonate; 0–16.2% for exchangeable; 0–10% for organic matter/sulfide form and 22–56% for Fe–Mn oxides bound metals. Manganese was speciated into exchangeable (10–36%) and Fe–Mn oxides bound (10–48%) at the surface layers of 0–20?cm depths and predominantly in the residual form in deeper sections implying partitioning into trioctahydral clay and/or well-defined crystalline oxides. Iron was predominantly in the Fe–Mn oxides and residual fractions, less than 8% in the organic fraction, and 24.4–37.3% in the exchangeable and carbonates fractions at the surface. The percentage contributions of iron in the exchangeable and carbonate fractions decreased to 3.2% at 55–60?cm depth. The amount of chromium in the exchangeable fraction ranged from 0% to 7% for exchangeable; 0–26.5% for organic matter/sulfide bound; 3.8–17.9% for Fe–Mn oxides; and 46.8–100% for residual fraction. The mobility factors of the metals indicated that these metals were relatively mobile at top sections as compared with deeper sections. The overall picture of metal mobility and availability indicates potential contamination risk by Fe, Zn, Mn, and Pb in the Orogodo River sediment system.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Removal of lead and cadmium ions from aqueous solutions using the macroalga Caulerpa racemosa

Sediment bulk parameters and fatty acid biomarkers were used to investigate the relative contribution of major sources of particulate organic matter during upwelling and non-upwelling conditions, at organic enriched sites on the south-eastern Brazilian coast. The degradation state of the organic material and its implications for benthic food webs were also evaluated. Temperature and salinity values indicate the intrusion of the South Atlantic Central Water in spring with a strong influence at station 4S. C:N ratios and fatty acid biomarkers suggest that sedimentary particulate organic matter is mainly autochthonous and originated from phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria, with a minor terrestrial contribution. Short-chain saturated fatty acids predominated, indicating the prevalence of partially degraded detritus. An exception was station 4S, where polyunsaturated fatty acids dominated, indicating the input of labile organic matter linked to upwelling of the South Atlantic Central Water. Fatty acid concentrations and the organic carbon content of the sediments suggest that food quantity is not a limiting factor for benthic fauna. Despite the high organic background of the sediments, the sporadic inputs of labile organic matter associated with South Atlantic Central Water intrusions may produce an important impact on benthic fauna and on the biogeochemistry of the sediments.     

As(V)-reduction to As(III) by arsenic-resistant Bacillus spp. bacterial strains isolated from low-contaminated sediments of the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon,Italy

Five arsenic-resistant bacterial strains designated MT1, MT2, MT3, V1 and V2 were isolated from sediments of the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon (Italy), which comprises six small lakes whose sediments contain low arsenic concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences assigned them to the genus Bacillus. Bacillus sp. strain MT3 showed higher tolerance to As(III) and As(V), as indicated by minimum inhibitory concentrations of 14 and 135 mmol^?1, respectively. Bacillus sp. strain V1 showed growth inhibition at 14 mmol^?1 in the presence of As(III) and at 68 mmol^?1 in the presence of As(V), whereas the arsenic resistance of Bacillus sp. strain MT1 was 10 and 27 mmol^?1 for As(III) and As(V), respectively. The strains Bacillus spp. MT2 and V2 showed low levels of As(III) and As(V) resistance, as it was unable to grow at concentrations>7 and 14 mmol^?1, respectively. The isolated arsenic-resistant Bacillus spp. strains were able to reduce As(V) to As(III), especially Bacillus spp. strain MT3. This study suggests that the isolated bacterial strains play a role in the arsenic biogeochemical cycle of arsenic-poor sediments in the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon.     

Development of an integrated chemical,biological and ecological approach for impact assessment of Mediterranean offshore gas platforms

The pressure for more energy demand is a strong driver for the construction of offshore oil and gas platforms. This also applies to the Adriatic Sea where, since 1960, several gas fields have been commissioned. The continuous expansion of the gas industry may potentially have detrimental effects on marine communities. This may become particularly clear in such a peculiar semi-enclosed basin as the Adriatic Sea, which contains ecosystems that are subject to intensive anthropic pressures, such as unsustainable fishing and inputs of environmental pollutants. To date, still scant information is available on the environmental effects of gas platforms. Thus, to comply with the national Italian legislation and to support the development of protocols for the monitoring of offshore activities, multidisciplinary studies have been conducted and performed by CNR-ISMAR in cooperation with some private and public research institutes. A multidisciplinary approach based on chemical, biological and ecological investigations was performed to evaluate both the water column and the sediment quality near a gas platform. The overall results indicate moderate effects of platform-related environmental stress.