Effect of some heavy metals and soil humic substances on the phytochelatin production in wild plants from silver mine areas of Guanajuato, Mexico

Phytochelatins (PCs) were determined in the wild plants, focusing on their relationship with the levels of heavy metals and humic substances (HS) in soil. Ricinus communis and Tithonia diversifolia were collected from several sites in Guanajuato city (Mexico), which had long been the silver and gold mining center. The analysis of PCs in root extracts was carried out by liquid chromatography (derivatization with monobromobimane). Total Ag, Cd, Cu and Pb in plant roots and in soil samples, as well as soil HS were determined. The association of metals with HS in soils was evaluated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV and ICP-MS detection. The results obtained revealed the induction of PCs in R. communis but not in T. diversifolia. The levels of Cd and Pb in plant roots presented strong positive correlation with PC-2 (r = 0.9395, p = 0.005; r = 0.9573, p = 0.003, respectively), indicating that these two metals promote PCs induction in R. communis. On the other hand, the inverse correlation was found between soil HS and metal levels in roots of R. communis (Cu > Pb > Cd > Ag), in agreement with the decreasing affinity of these metals to HS. Importantly, the inverse correlation between soil HS and plant PC-2 was observed (r = −0.7825, p = 0.066). These results suggest that metals strongly bound to HS could be less bioavailable to plants, which in turn would limit their role in the induction of PCs. Indeed, the SEC elution profiles showed Pb but not Cd association with HS and the correlation between metal in soil and PC-2 in plant was statistically significant only for Cd (r = 0.7857, p = 0.064). Based on these results it is proposed that the role of heavy metals in PCs induction would depend on their uptake by R. communis, which apparently is controlled by the association of metals with soil HS. This work provides further evidence on the role of environmental conditions in the accumulation of heavy metals and phytochelatin production in plants.     

Leaching behavior of heavy metals from municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash and its geochemical modeling

With the increase in the number of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plants constructed in China recently, great attention has been paid to the heavy metal leaching toxicity of MSWI residues. In this study, the effects of various parameters, including extractant, leaching time, liquid-to-solid ratio, leachate pH, and heavy metal content, on the release properties of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn from MSWI bottom ash were investigated. Partial least-squares analysis was employed to highlight the interrelationships between the factors and response variables. Both experimental research and geochemical modeling using Visual MINTEQ software were conducted to study the pH-dependent leaching behavior of these metals in fresh and weathered bottom ash, considering precipitation/dissolution and surface complexation reactions (adsorption by hydrous ferric oxide and amorphous aluminum oxide/hydroxide). The results showed that leachate pH was the predominant factor influencing heavy metal leachability. The leaching of Cu, Pb, and Zn was mainly controlled by precipitation/dissolution reactions, whereas surface complexation had some effect on the leaching of Cr, Cd, and Ni for certain pH ranges. The modeling results aggreed well with the experimental results. Part of this work was presented at the Fourth International Conference on Combustion, Incineration/Pyrolysis and Emission Control (i-CIPEC)     

Initial Changes in Refilled Lysimeters Built with Metal Polluted Topsoil and Acidic or Calcareous Subsoils as Indicated by Changes in Drainage Water Composition

Soil translocation for recultivation of soil removed from construction sites and for the preparation of refilled lysimeters inevitably involves disturbance of soil structure, and, if intermediate storage is included, also drying and rewetting of the soil. We report on an experiment with model forest ecosystems, where uncontaminated forest subsoils were covered with non-contaminated or freshly heavy metal (mainly Zn and Cu) contaminated topsoil in large lysimeters. Monitoring of the chemical composition of the drainage water revealed two distinct soil conditioning phases. During an initial phase of about a year strongly elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations occurred that were attributed to a mineralisation flush caused by the increased accessability of mineralisable nitrogen and sulfur in destroyed aggregates. These effects were significantly larger in lysimeters with calcareous subsoil than in those with acidic subsoil. The second phase was characterised by a gradual decrease in dissolved organic carbon and sulfate concentrations, in particular in the acidic subsoil. This decrease may be attributed to the depletion of pools made accessible during aggregate destruction or the formation of new aggregates. These chemical changes had only little effects on the concentrations of copper and zinc in the drainage water. Based on our results, it can be concluded that large refilled lysimeters can be used for many purposes without risk of compromised results, if a conditioning phase of about 1 year with sufficiently moist soil conditions is respected. Nevertheless, gradual changes in soil chemical characteristics still occur after this initial phase. Implications for the recultivation of sites using relocated soils are discussed.     

Metals in Feathers of Bonin Petrel, Christmas Shearwater, Wedge-Tailed Shearwater, and Red-Tailed Tropicbird in the Hawaian Islands, Northern Pacific

Levels of environmental pollutants are usually higher in mainland and coastal areas than in offshore or oceanic islands due to higher inputs from agricultural and industrial sources. Levels of heavy metals are usually higher in adult than in young birds, because they have had longer to accumulate metals in their tissues, and/or because they may eat larger, more contaminated, prey. We examined the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium in the adults and young of Bonin petrel (Pterodroma hypoleuca), Christmas shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis) and red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) on Midway Atoll, and adult wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) on Midway Atoll and on Manana Island (off Oahu) in the northern Pacific. All birds were analyzed individually except for Christmas Shearwater chicks where samples were pooled to obtain sufficient quantities for analysis. Significant (p<0.05) age-related differences were found for mercury, selenium, manganese and chromium in Bonin petrels, for selenium and mercury in Christmas shearwaters, and for chromium and mercury in Red-tailed Tropicbirds. Lead approached significance for all three species. Adults had higher levels than young except for chromium and manganese in the petrels and arsenic in all three species. There were significant interspecific differences in concentrations of all metals except arsenic for the adults nesting on Midway. Christmas shearwaters had the highest levels of all metals except mercury and chromium. Bonin petrels, the smallest species examined, had mercury levels that were over three times higher than any of the adults of the other three species. For wedge-tailed shearwaters, levels of chromium and lead were significantly higher, and manganese and selenium were lower on Midway than Manana. Knowledge of the foraging ranges and habits of these far-ranging seabirds is inadequately known, but does not currently explain the observed differences among species. We could not find a consistent pattern of differences between the burrow nesting species (Bonin petrel, Wedge-tailed shearwater) and the surface nesting tropicbirds. There was no consistent pairwise correlation between any metals across all species.     

海洋巨藻(Durvilaea potatorum)生物吸附剂对Hg~(2 )的吸附动力学研究

对经特殊的稳定化预处理所得的海洋巨藻 (Durvillaeapotatorum)生物吸附剂对Hg2 的吸附动力学进行了研究 ,报导了不同Hg2 初始浓度、温度以及生物吸附剂平均粒径下动态吸附量与时间的关系 .结果显示 ,各吸附动力学曲线呈优惠型 ;当生物吸附剂平均粒径为 0 .45mm时 ,Hg2 的半饱和时间tS均不超过 6 0min ;Hg2 初始浓度和生物吸附剂粒径越小 ,吸附温度越大 ,达到吸附平衡所需的时间越短 .在测试范围内 ,生物吸附剂的平衡吸附容量与粒径和温度无关 .同时考察了吸附过程中的传质效应并对液膜传质系数kL进行了关联 ,结果表明 :当吸附时间t≤tS时 ,Hg2 的吸附速率为液膜传质控制 ;在测试范围内 ,kL为 0 .0 40 7～ 0 .112cm/s.本研究结果为利用海洋巨藻 (Durvillaeapotatorum)生物吸附剂处理含汞废水的规模化应用提供了一定的依据 .图 5表 2参 11     

底泥中重金属毒性的室内孔隙水分析技术

根据孔隙水中重金属的浓度可以判定底泥中重金属的毒性但获得真正的底泥孔隙水十分困难。本文提供了一套简便易行的室内原状孔隙水取样技术,将碳化硅砂芯埋入底泥,添加表层水并静置９０ｄ,通过渗滤获得孔隙水,测定孔隙水中重的浓度,所得结果与微生态系统暴露试验中生物指示的重金属的毒性大小相吻合,与生物积累重金属的浓度显著正相关。     

青岛市开展重金属废水自动监测工作探索

简述了青岛市开展重金属自动监测的要求与现状,分析了开展重金属自动监测的优势与存在问题,在介绍青岛市相关工作对策和措施的同时,对重金属废水自动监测系统建设、设备选型、监控平台建设、运行维护管理等提出建议。     

山区土壤重金属空间插值性能的改进

山区土壤重金属监测中,密集均匀的布点采样困难大,成本高。根据稀疏非均匀样本数据准确预测山区土壤重金属空间分布,对可视化描述检测元素的分布及趋势具有重要意义。基于云南省楚雄市南部山区表层土壤中重金属锰、钒的采样数据,对集成径向基函数神经网络(IRBFANNs)和传统插值方法:反距离(IDW)、普通克里格(OK)、径向基函数神经网络(RBFANNs),进行了不同等级采样密度下的插值性能比较。结果表明,样本点数量减少时,传统预测方法的插值精度都有所下降,而IRBFANNs算法在样本点较少情况下能够保持最好的插值精确度和稳定性,有效改进了空间插值性能。     

镇江地区土壤中重金属Cu和Pb污染状况与空间分布

为了锯镇江地区土壤中重金属Cu和Ph的污染状况与空间分布,对镇江地区表层土壤中的Cu和Pb进行了采样监测。结果表明,镇江地区表层土壤中cu的含量为19．2～273mg／kg,Pb的含量为20．6～3846mg／kg。与全省土壤背景值相比,均有一定程度的富集。对cu和Pb的相互关系进行分析可得出,镇江地区土壤在一定程度上受到农业面源的污染。     

Soil contamination of heavy metals in the Katedan Industrial Development Area, Hyderabad, India

Studies on quantitative soil contamination due to heavy metals were carried out in Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA), south of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India under the Indo-Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Programme. The study area falls under a semi-arid type of climate and consists of granites and pegmatite of igneous origin belonging to the Archaean age. There are about 300 industries dealing with dyeing, edible oil production, battery manufacturing, metal plating, chemicals, etc. Most of the industries discharge their untreated effluents either on open land or into ditches. Solid waste from industries is randomly dumped along roads and open grounds. Soil samples were collected throughout the industrial area and from downstream residential areas and were analysed by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for fourteen trace metals and ten major oxides. The analytical data shows very high concentrations of lead, chromium, nickel, zinc, arsenic and cadmium through out the industrial area. The random dumping of hazardous waste in the industrial area could be the main cause of the soil contamination spreading by rainwater and wind. In the residential areas the local dumping is expected to be the main source as it is difficult to foresee that rain and wind can transport the contaminants from the industrial area. If emission to air by the smokestacks is significant, this may contribute to considerable spreading of contaminants like As, Cd and Pb throughout the area. A comparison of the results with the Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (SQGL) show that most of the industrial area is heavily contaminated by As, Pb and Zn and local areas by Cr, Cu and Ni. The residential area is also contaminated by As and some small areas by Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Cd contamination is detected over large area but it is not exceeding the SQGL value. Natural background values of As and Cr exceed the SQGL values and contribute significantly to the contamination in the residential area. However, the availability is considerably less than anthropogenic contaminants and must therefore be assessed differently. The pre- and post-monsoon sampling over two hydrological cycles in 2002 and 2003 indicate that the As, Cd and Pb contaminants are more mobile and may expect to reach the groundwater. The other contaminants seem to be much more stable. The contamination is especially serious in the industrial area as it is housing a large permanent residing population. The study not only aims at determining the natural background levels of trace elements as a guide for future pollution monitoring but also focuses on the pollution vulnerability of the watershed. A plan of action for remediation is recommended.