Use of sewage sludge, a biological residue produced from sewage treatment processes in agriculture is an alternative disposal technique of waste. To study the usefulness of sewage sludge amendment for palak (Beta vulgaris var. Allgreen H-1), a leafy vegetable and consequent heavy metal contamination, a pot experiment was conducted by mixing sewage sludge at 20% and 40% (w/w) amendment ratios to the agricultural soil. Soil pH decreased whereas electrical conductance, organic carbon, total N, available P and exchangeable Na, K and Ca increased in soil amended with sewage sludge in comparison to unamended soil. Sewage sludge amendment led to significant increase in Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn and Ni concentrations of soil. Cd concentration in soil was found above the Indian permissible limit in soil at both the amendment ratios.
The increased concentration of heavy metals in soil due to sewage sludge amendment led to increases in heavy metal uptake and shoot and root concentrations of Ni, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn in plants as compared to those grown on unamended soil. Accumulation was more in roots than shoots for most of the heavy metals. Concentrations of Cd, Ni and Zn were more than the permissible limits of Indian standard in the edible portion of palak grown on different sewage sludge amendments ratios. Sewage sludge amendment in soil decreased root length, leaf area and root biomass of palak at both the amendment ratios, whereas shoot biomass and yield decreased significantly at 40% sludge amendment. Rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content decreased whereas lipid peroxidation, peroxidase activity and protein and proline contents, increased in plants grown in sewage sludge-amended soil as compared to those grown in unamended soil.
The study clearly shows that increase in heavy metal concentration in foliage of plants grown in sewage sludge-amended soil caused unfavorable changes in physiological and biochemical characteristics of plants leading to reductions in morphological characteristics, biomass accumulation and yield. The study concludes that sewage sludge amendment in soil for growing palak may not be a good option due to risk of contamination of Cd, Ni and Zn and also due to lowering of yield at higher mixing ratio. 相似文献
We investigated concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Ni, and Cr in samples of soil, cereal, and vegetables from Yangzhong district, China. Compared to subsoils, the sampled topsoils are enriched in Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As. High levels of Cd and Hg are observed in most agricultural soils. Concentrations of Cr and Ni show little spatial variation, and high Cu, Pb, and Zn contents correspond well to areas of urban development. High As contents are primarily recorded at the two ends of the sampled alluvion. The contents of Cd, Hg, and total organic carbon (TOC) increase gradually to maximum values in the upper parts of soil profiles, while Cr and Ni occur in low concentrations within sampled profiles. As, Pb, Cu, and Zn show patterns of slight enrichment within the surface layer. Compared to data obtained in 1990, Cd and Hg show increased concentrations in 2005; this is attributed to the long-term use of agrochemicals. Cr and Ni contents remained steady over this interval because they are derived from the weathering of parent material and subsequent pedogenesis. The measured As, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents show slight increases over time due to atmospheric deposition of material sourced from urban anthropogenic activity. Low concentrations of heavy metals are recorded in vegetables and cereals because the subalkaline environment of the soil limits their mobility. Although the heavy metal concentrations measured in this study do not pose a serious health risk, they do affect the quality of agricultural products. 相似文献
A new dithiocarbamate-type heavy metal precipitant, sodium 1,3,5-hexahydrotriazinedithiocarbamate (HTDC), was prepared and used to remove coordinated copper from wastewater. In the reported dithiocarbamate-type precipitants, HTDC possesses the highest percentage of the effective functional groups. It could effectively precipitate copper to less than 0.5 mg l−1 from both synthetic and actual industrial wastewater containing CuEDTA in the range of pH 3–9. UV–vis spectral investigation and elemental analysis suggested that the precipitate was a kind of coordination supramolecular compound, [Cu3(HTDC)2]n. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and semi-dynamic leaching test (SDLT) indicated that the supramolecular precipitate was non-hazardous and stable in weak acid and alkaline conditions. Tests of an anion exchange resin D231 provided a clue to simultaneously remove excess HTDC and residual CuEDTA in practical process of wastewater treatment. 相似文献
The use of a phosphorus amendment in altering Pb to a chemically less mobile phase is a promising strategy based on minimizing ecotoxicological risk and improving time and cost efficiency. This study evaluated crystalline and poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatite sorbents on removal of aqueous Pb in response to reaction time, solution pH, and Pb concentration. Batch experiments were conducted using a commercially-available crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA), and two poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites synthesized from gypsum waste (CHA) and incinerated ash of poultry waste (MHA). Poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites had greater capacity for Pb removal from a solution with a wider pH range as compared to a crystalline hydroxyapatite. The maximum sorption capacity of Pb determined by the Langmuir model was 500 mg g−1 for CHA, 277 mg g−1 for MHA and 145 mg g−1 for HA. Removal of aqueous Pb by CHA was not dependent on solution pH, with a 98.8% reduction throughout the solution pH range of 2–9, whereas aqueous Pb removal by HA and MHA was pH-dependent with less removal in the neutral solution pH. Poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites may provide an effective alternative to existing remediation technologies for Pb-contaminated sites. 相似文献
Background, Aims and Scope The global problem concerning contamination of the environment as a consequence of human activities is increasing. Most of
the environmental contaminants are chemical by-products and heavy metals such as lead (Pb). Lead released into the environment
makes its way into the air, soil and water. Lead contributes to a variety of health effects such as decline in mental, cognitive
and physical health of the individual. An alternative way of reducing Pb concentration from the soil is through phytoremediation.
Phytoremediation is an alternative method that uses plants to clean up a contaminated area. The objectives of this study were:
(1) to determine the survival rate and vegetative characteristics of three grass species such as vetivergrass, cogongrass
and carabaograss grown in soils with different Pb levels; and (2) to determine and compare the ability of the three grass
species as potential phytoremediators in terms of Pb accumulation by plants.
Methods The three test plants: vetivergrass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.); cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica L.); and carabaograss (Paspalum conjugatum L.) were grown in individual plastic bags containing soils with 75 mg kg−1 (37.5 kg ha−1) and 150 mg kg−1 (75 kg ha−1) of Pb, respectively. The Pb contents of the test plants and the soil were analyzed before and after experimental treatments
using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. This study was laid out following a 3 × 2 factorial experiment in a completely
randomized design.
Results On the vegetative characteristics of the test plants, vetivergrass registered the highest whole plant dry matter weight (33.85–39.39
Mg ha−1). Carabaograss had the lowest herbage mass production of 4.12 Mg ha−1 and 5.72 Mg ha−1 from soils added with 75 and 150 mg Pb kg−1, respectively. Vetivergrass also had the highest percent plant survival which meant it best tolerated the Pb contamination
in soils. Vetivergrass registered the highest rate of Pb absorption (10.16 ± 2.81 mg kg−1). This was followed by cogongrass (2.34 ± 0.52 mg kg−1) and carabaograss with a mean Pb level of 0.49 ± 0.56 mg kg−1. Levels of Pb among the three grasses (shoots + roots) did not vary significantly with the amount of Pb added (75 and 150
mg kg−1) to the soil.
Discussion Vetivergrass yielded the highest biomass; it also has the greatest amount of Pb absorbed (roots + shoots). This can be attributed
to the highly extensive root system of vetivergrass with the presence of an enormous amount of root hairs. Extensive root
system denotes more contact to nutrients in soils, therefore more likelihood of nutrient absorption and Pb uptake. The efficiency
of plants as phytoremediators could be correlated with the plants’ total biomass. This implies that the higher the biomass,
the greater the Pb uptake. Plants characteristically exhibit remarkable capacity to absorb what they need and exclude what
they do not need. Some plants utilize exclusion mechanisms, where there is a reduced uptake by the roots or a restricted transport
of the metals from root to shoots. Combination of high metal accumulation and high biomass production results in the most
metal removal from the soil.
Conclusions The present study indicated that vetivergrass possessed many beneficial characteristics to uptake Pb from contaminated soil.
It was the most tolerant and could grow in soil contaminated with high Pb concentration. Cogongrass and carabaograss are also
potential phytoremediators since they can absorb small amount of Pb in soils, although cogongrass is more tolerant to Pb-contaminated
soil compared with carabaograss. The important implication of our findings is that vetivergrass can be used for phytoextraction
on sites contaminated with high levels of heavy metals; particularly Pb.
Recommendations and Perspectives High levels of Pb in localized areas are still a concern especially in urban areas with high levels of traffic, near Pb smelters,
battery plants, or industrial facilities that burn fuel ending up in water and soils. The grasses used in the study, and particularly
vetivergrass, can be used to phytoremediate urban soil with various contaminations by planting these grasses in lawns and
public parks.
ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Willie Peijnenburg (wjgm.peijnenburg@rivm.nl) 相似文献
Goal, Scope and Background Rapid urbanization and the expansion of industrial activities in the past several decades have led to large increases in emissions
of pollutants in the Pearl River Delta of south China. Recent reports have suggested that industrial emission is a major factor
contributing to the damages in current natural ecosystem in the Delta area. Tree barks have been used successfully to monitor
the levels of atmospheric metal deposition in many areas, but rarely in China. This study aimed at determining whether atmospheric
heavy metal deposition from a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang, Guangdong province, could be accurately reflected both in the inner
bark and the outer bark of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.). The impact of the emission from smeltery on the soils beneath the trees and the relationships of the concentrations
between the soils and the barks were also analyzed.
Methods Barks around the bole of Pinus massoniana from a pine forest near a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang and a reference forest at Dinghushan natural reserve were sampled with
a stainless knife at an average height of 1.5 m above the ground. Mosses and lichens on the surface barks were cleaned prior
to sampling. The samples were carefully divided into the inner bark (living part) and the outer bark (dead part) in the laboratory,
and dried and ground, respectively. After being dry-ashed, the powder of the barks was dissolved in HNO3. The solutions were analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and cobalt
(Co) by inductively coupled plasmas emission spectrometry (ICP, PS-1000AT, USA) and Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by graphite
furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS, ZEENIT 60, Germany). Surface soils (0–10 cm) beneath the sample trees were
also collected and analyzed for the selected metals.
Results and Discussion Concentrations of the selected metals in soils at Qujiang were far above their environmental background values in the area,
except for Fe and Mn, whilst at Dinghushan, they were far below their background values, except for Cd and Co. Levels of the
metals, in particular Pb and Zn, in the soils beneath the sample trees at Qujiang were higher than those at Dinghushan with
statistical significance. The result suggested that the pine forest soils at Qujiang had a great input of heavy metals from
wet and dry atmospheric deposition, with the Pb-Zn smeltery most probably being the source.
Levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni and Pb at Qujiang, both in the inner and the outer bark, were statistically higher than those
at Dinghushan. Higher concentrations of Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu may come from the stem-flow of elements leached from the canopy,
soil splash on the 1.5 m height and sorption of metals in the mosses and lichens growing on the bark, which were direct or
indirect results from the atmospheric deposition. Levels of heavy metals in the outer barks were associated well with the
metal concentrations in the soil, reflecting the close relationships between the metal atmospheric deposition and their accumulation
in the outer bark of Masson pine. The significant (p<0.01) correlations of Fe-Cu, Fe-Cr, Fe-Pb, Fe-Ni, Pb-Ni, and Pb-Zn in
the outer barks at Qujiang again suggested a common source for the metals. The correlation only occurred between Pb and Ni,
Cd and Co in the outer barks at Dinghushan, which suggested that those metals must possibly have other uncommon sources.
Conclusions Atmospheric deposition of the selected metals was great at Qujiang, based on the levels in the bark of Pinus massoniana and on the concentrations in the soils beneath the trees compared with that at Dinghushan. Bark of Pinus massoniana, especially the outer bark, was an indicator of metal loading at least at the time of sampling.
Recommendations and Perspectives The results from this study and the techniques employed constituted a new contribution to the development of biogeochemical
methods for environmental monitoring particularly in areas with high frequency of pollution in China. The method would be
of value for follow up studies aimed at the assessment of industrial pollution in other areas similar with the Pearl River
Delta. 相似文献
In this paper, we investigate the presence of economies of scale in the global iron-making industry for integrated steel plants, iron making being the first stage in the steel-making process. Iron making depends on basic commodities, such as iron ore, coke and various forms of energy, required in the operation of the blast furnace, which can be classified as essential inputs and used in fixed proportions to produce iron. A generalized Leontief cost function is estimated using panel data for 69 integrated plants, such a specification being appropriate for technologies with essential inputs that are used in fixed proportions in production. A significant scale effect is observed due to the existence of fixed costs and a linear dependence of the cost function on production. Under a simple linear cost function, a rough estimate of the breakeven scale of plant, where costs equal revenue, is 4.5 Mt per year. Competitiveness, as measured by the ratio of plant average cost per tonne to best practice cost per tonne, can be shown to be positively related to the scale of production as well as the cost of essential inputs. Therefore, low-cost producers are also often producers with low raw material costs and production levels below the estimated breakeven scale of operation. Labor costs, although significant, are comparatively less important as a driver towards low costs. 相似文献