The Influence of Mycorrhiza on Uranium and Phosphorus Uptake by Barley Plants from a Field-contaminated Soil (7 pp)

Background Recent studies indicated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play important roles in plant accumulation of uranium (U) from contaminated environments, but the impacts of fertilization practices on functioning of the symbiotic associations, which are crucial factors influencing plant nutrition and growth responses to mycorrhiza, have rarely been considered. Materials and Methods In a greenhouse experiment, a bald root barley mutant (brb) together with the wild type (wt) were used to test the role of root hairs and AMF in uranium (U) uptake by host plants from a U contaminated soil. Nil, 20 and 60 mg KH2PO4-P kg–1 soil were included to investigate the influences of phosphorus (P) fertilization on plant growth and accumulation of U. Results Dry matter yield of barley plants increased with increasing P additions and wt produced significantly higher dry weight than brb. Mycorrhiza markedly improved dry matter yield of both genotypes grown at nil P, whereas only brb responded positively to mycorrhiza at 20 mg P kg-1. At the highest P level, mycorrhiza resulted in growth depressions in both genotypes, except for the roots of wt. In general, plant P concentrations increased markedly with increasing P additions and in response to mycorrhiza. Mycorrhiza and P additions had no significant effects on shoot U concentrations. However, root U concentrations in both genotypes were significantly increased by mycorrhiza. On the other hand, shoot U contents increased with increasing P levels, while 20 mg P kg-1 stimulated, but 60 mg P kg-1 marginally affected the U accumulation in roots. Root length specific U uptake was moderately enhanced both by root hairs and strongly enhanced by mycorrhiza. Moreover, non-inoculated plants generally had higher shoot-root ratios of U content than the corresponding inoculated controls. Conclusion Our study shows that AMF and root hairs improves not only P acquisition but also the root uptake of U, and mycorrhiza generally decreases U translocation from plant root to shoot. Hence, mycorrhiza is of potential use in the phytostabilization of U contaminated environments. Perspectives The complex impacts of P on U accumulation by barley plants suggested that U behavior in mycorrhizosphere and translocation along the soil-fungi-plant continuum as affected by fertilization practices deserve extensive studies for optimizing the function of mycorrhizal associations for phytoremediation purposes.     

混气悬浮磁化焙烧铁尾矿及其磁分选效果

为实现铁尾矿资源化回收利用,以H₂、CO、CO₂和N₂模拟还原混气对铁尾矿进行悬浮磁化焙烧,通过磁选获得铁精矿。探究温度、时间、H₂和CO占比对铁精矿铁品位和回收率的影响,采用X射线衍射、振动样品强磁计、X射线光电子能谱、BET表面分析和扫描电子显微镜X光微区分析方法,探究悬浮磁化焙烧磁选过程中晶相结构变化和反应机理。结果表明,铁尾矿在温度、时间和H₂∶CO∶CO₂∶N₂（体积比）分别为600 ℃、10 min和20∶15∶15∶50时,铁精矿铁品位和回收率最优分别为62.06%和98.03%。铁精矿饱和磁化强度由0.77 Am²·kg⁻¹提升到59.43 Am²·kg^-1。悬浮磁化焙烧能有效将赤铁矿针铁矿还原为磁铁矿,且BET表面积提升了13.1676 m²·g⁻¹,并能通过磁选有效分离Fe₃O₄和SiO₂等脉石。本研究可为从铁尾矿中回收铁资源提供参考。     

华东某铀矿区稻米中放射性核素铀污染特征及健康风险评价

为查明华东某铀矿区稻米中放射性核素铀污染现状及健康风险问题,测定铀矿区和对照区共136件稻米样品中放射性核素U含量,采用单因子污染指数法评价放射性铀污染,并开展U元素健康风险评价。结果表明:(1)研究区稻米中U含量平均值为1.46 ng·g~(–1),各亚区稻米中U含量平均值从大到小顺序为:开采矿井区水冶场区含矿未采区废弃矿井区江西省背景值对照区;(2)稻米单因子污染指数为1.25,属于轻度污染。其中,开采矿井区和水冶厂区为轻度污染,废弃矿井区和对照区未受污染;(3)首次计算提出江西省大米U元素致癌风险最大斜率系数为1.04×10~3(d·kg)·mg~(–1)。各亚区稻米中成人和儿童致癌风险指数高低顺序均为:开采矿井区水冶厂区含矿未采区废弃矿井区对照区。儿童直接饮食稻米具有一定的致癌风险;开采矿井区和水冶厂区的成人存在一定致癌风险,含矿未采区和废弃矿井区以及对照区均无致癌风险。     

Americium,plutonium and uranium contamination and speciation in well waters,streams and atomic lakes in the Sarzhal region of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site,Kazakhstan

New data are reported on the concentrations, isotopic composition and speciation of americium, plutonium and uranium in surface and ground waters in the Sarzhal region of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, and an adjacent area including the settlement of Sarzhal. The data relate to filtered water and suspended particulate from (a) streams originating in the Degelen Mountains, (b) the Tel′kem 1 and Tel′kem 2 atomic craters, and (c) wells on farms located within the study area and at Sarzhal. The measurements show that ²⁴¹Am, ^239,240Pu and ²³⁸U concentrations in well waters within the study area are in the range 0.04–87 mBq dm⁻³, 0.7–99 mBq dm⁻³, and 74–213 mBq dm⁻³, respectively, and for ²⁴¹Am and ^239,240Pu are elevated above the levels expected solely on the basis of global fallout. Concentrations in streams sourced in the Degelen Mountains are similar, while concentrations in the two water-filled atomic craters are somewhat higher. Suspended particulate concentrations in well waters vary considerably, though median values are very low, at 0.01 mBq dm⁻³, 0.08 mBq dm⁻³ and 0.32 mBq dm⁻³ for ²⁴¹Am, ^239,240Pu and ²³⁸U, respectively. The ²³⁵U/²³⁸U isotopic ratio in almost all well and stream waters is slightly elevated above the ‘best estimate’ value for natural uranium worldwide, suggesting that some of the uranium in these waters is of test-site provenance. Redox analysis shows that on average most of the plutonium present in the microfiltered fraction of these waters is in a chemically reduced form (mean 69%; 95% confidence interval 53–85%). In the case of the atomic craters, the proportion is even higher. As expected, all of the americium present appears to be in a reduced form. Calculations suggest that annual committed effective doses to individual adults arising from the daily ingestion of these well waters are in the range 11–42 μSv (mean 21 μSv). Presently, the ground water feeding these wells would not appear to be contaminated with radioactivity from past underground testing in the Degelen Mountains or from the Tel′kem explosions.     

Production of radioactive particles for use in environmental studies

This paper presents an aerosol generation technique developed to produce dry aerosol particles of various sizes from aqueous solutions of salt. The technique was tested with sodium chloride, lithium carbonate and uranyl acetate at various aqueous concentrations which produced particles in the size range of 0.13-1.37 microm Mass Median Diameter (MMD). The generated aerosols were acceptably monodisperse with a geometric standard deviation of 1.4-2. Both MMD and Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameter (MMAD) increased significantly (p<0.001) with increased concentration of the salt in solution. The technique can also be used to generate aerosols of different chemical species. The results obtained indicate that the system is convenient for use with various aerosol-forming materials, with a stable particle size distribution being maintained for a long period of steady operation. The technique was successfully applied in wind tunnel studies to simulate the release of submicron radioactive particles and their interception by crops, grass and tree canopies. The relevance and application of the technique in other areas of environmental assessment studies is discussed.     

华南东部主要铀矿区居民室内外氡浓度研究

对华南东部6个铀矿区居民室内外空气氡浓度及其变化规律进行了研究。矿区废渣和坑道口释放出来的氡气对周围大气形成了氡污染,特别是在矿区周围0.5～1.5 km的范围内的污染严重。但是空气中的这种氡污染随离矿区的距离增大而迅速减弱。矿区周围居民室内氡的浓度高,是广东省室内氡浓度平均值的10倍左右。在进行调查的190个居室中,有45个(23%)居室室内氡浓度超过美国环境保护局制定的148 Bq/m3室内氡浓度的上限值。居室中氡浓度的升高,除了受矿区释放出来的氡污染外,更主要是因本地区属高本底辐射区,房基下的土壤、岩石和建筑材料中的铀、镭等放射性元素的含量高,其放射性衰变产生的氡释放出来进入室内。      

铁尾矿、煤矸石制备高性能陶粒的工艺初探

以铁尾矿、煤矸石作为原料,借鉴钢铁冶金中铁矿球团造块的方法和装备来制备高强轻质陶粒。考察了造球参数对陶粒坯体性能的影响,以及焙烧制度对陶粒性能的影响,并探究了陶粒的物相组成、结构与其性能的构效关系,以实现陶粒性能调控。结果表明:基于Riley化学成分三相图计算出45%铁尾矿与55%煤矸石的配料结构,在原料粒度为-0.074 mm占比60%、造球时间8 min、生坯含水率10.5%的条件下制备生坯,生坯干燥后在1175 ℃温度下焙烧25 min制得陶粒,其堆积密度、表观密度、1 h吸水率和筒压强度分别为859 kg/m³、1705 kg/m³、8.0%和6.7 MPa,满足高强轻质陶粒各项指标要求。陶粒的主要物相为石英、长石和赤铁矿,可为陶粒提供强度;陶粒中发达的孔洞有利于降低堆积密度、表观密度,但陶粒外层孔洞过度发达,易对筒压强度产生不利影响。     

矿井水中天然总α放射性的混凝处理技术研究

本文研究了混凝沉淀工艺处理矿井水中天然总α放射性核素铀、镭的技术和条件,通过选择适当的混凝剂、加药量、pH值等条件可将铀的去除率提高到80％左右,使用铀专用混凝剂MHU则可使铀的去除率达到87％。对于镭的去除不能单纯依靠铀混凝剂MHU,尚需添加镭的吸附助剂MHR,则可使镭的去除率提高到80％以上。该工艺的最大优点在于充分利用了煤矿现存的大量矿井水悬浮物处理设施,大大节省了新建工程的投资费用,而且新增加的药剂费用不足0.1元/t水,可在煤矿推广应用。     

某铅锌尾矿库周边地下水污染特征与评价

通过对西南某铅锌矿尾矿库周围地下水土壤重金属元素含量的测定,研究、评价该尾矿库及其周围的浅层和深层地下水重金属污染、迁移特征及规律,为该类尾矿库工程设计、地下水预防和防治提供科学依据。结果表明：尾矿库下游的浅层地下水的铅和锌超标,尾矿库上游浅层地下水和尾矿库南、东和西的深层岩溶水各重金属物均达到《地下水质量标准》（GB／T14848—93）III类标准要求。尾矿库周围浅层地下水铅、锌、砷等重金属浓度比同一位置的深层地下水的高。