scholarly journals Formation and availability of methylmercury in mercury-contaminated sediment: effects of activated carbon and biochar amendments

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erlend Sørmo ◽  
Ludovica Silvani ◽  
Hans Fredrik Veiteberg Braaten ◽  
Tina Bryntesen ◽  
Espen Eek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Contaminated Sediments ◽  
Contaminated Sediment ◽  
Algae Biomass ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Activated Biochar ◽  
A Site ◽  
Stimulation Of

Abstract Purpose As the formation of toxic and bioaccumulative methylmercury (MeHg) in Hg-contaminated sediments is of great concern worldwide, suitable remediation options are needed. Activated carbon (AC) amendment is a contested alternative due to uncertainties surrounding sorption efficiency and its potential role in aiding MeHg formation. The purpose of this study was therefore to demonstrate AC performance under favourable conditions for Hg-methylation and to further understand the role AC plays in the methylation process. Materials and methods Mercury-contaminated sediment (57.1 mg kg−1) was sampled from the Gunneklev fjord, a site known as the most heavily contaminated fjord in Norway. In a laboratory experiment, lignite AC (A-AC, 5%) or activated biochar (A-BC, 5%) along with dried algae biomass, serving as an excess source of easily degradable organic matter (OM) and sulphate, were added to sediment samples that were kept anoxic and dark over a period of 12 months. Results and discussion The amount of MeHg in sediment and porewater of the amended samples were measured at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and compared to an unamended control. A net increase of MeHg in the sediment was observed in both control and amended samples, but contrary to expectations, sediment MeHg was 5 and 3 times higher in the A-AC and A-BC treatments, respectively, relative to the control after 12 months. As the stimulation of Hg-methylation could not be attributed to the sorbents supplying more available OM or sulphate for dissimilatory sulphate reduction, it is speculated that the sorbents rather aid this process through shuttling of electrons between the substrates involved. Meanwhile, the A-AC and A-BC amendments strongly reduced the available MeHg-concentration in porewater (by 87% for A-AC and by 93% for A-BC after 12 months), confirming that AC sorbents can be used to effectively limit the transport of MeHg from sediments. Conclusion When considering remediation of OM-rich Hg-contaminated sediments with AC, caution is thus warranted, as the overall effect of reducing MeHg-transport out of the sediment could partly be offset by an increased fraction of MeHg in the sediment. Thin-layer capping with AC might therefore be preferable to complete mixing of AC and sediment.

scholarly journals Influence of sulfide, chloride and dissolved organic matter on mercury adsorption by activated carbon in aqueous system

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Chen ◽  
Yu Ting ◽  
Boon-Lek Ch’ng ◽  
Hsing-Cheng Hsi
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Aqueous System ◽  
Contaminated Sediment ◽  
Batch Experiments ◽  
Adsorption Performance ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Pseudo Second Order

Abstract Using activated carbon (AC) as thin layer capping to reduce mercury (Hg) released from contaminated sediment is a feasible and durable remediation approach. However, several aqueous factors could greatly affect the Hg fate in the aquatic system. This study thus intends to clarify the influences on Hg adsorption by AC with the presence of sulfide, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and chloride. The lab-scale batch experiments were divided into two parts, including understanding (1) AC adsorption performance and (2) Hg distribution in different phases by operational definition method. Results showed that the Hg adsorption rate by AC was various with the presence of sulfide, chloride, and DOM (from fast to slow). Hg adsorption might be directly bonded to AC with Hg-Cl and Hg-DOM complexes and the rate was mainly controlled by intraparticle diffusion. In contrast, “Hg + sulfide” result was better described by pseudo-second order kinetics. The Hg removal efficiency was 92–95% with the presence of 0–400 mM chloride and approximately 65–75% in the “Hg + sulfide” condition. Among the removed Hg, 24–29% was formed into aqueous-phase particles and about 30% Hg was adsorbed on AC with 2–20 μM sulfide. Increasing DOM concentration resulted in more dissolved Hg. The proportion of dissolved Hg increased 31% by increasing DOM concentration from 0.25 to 20 mg C L− 1. Simultaneously, the proportion of adsorbed Hg by AC decreased by 47%. Overall, the presence of chloride increases the Hg adsorption by AC. In contrast, the presence of sulfide and DOM causes a negative effect on AC adsorption.

Particle Size Effects on Concentration of Metals in Lake Erie Bottom Sediments

1984 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Mudroch
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Clay Minerals ◽  
Surface Sediment ◽  
Size Effects ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Size Fraction ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Sediment Samples

Abstract Surface sediment samples obtained at the offshore and nearshore area of Lake Erie were separated into eight different size fractions ranging from <2 µm to 250 µm. The concentration of major elements (Si, Al, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Mn and P), metals (Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, V, Co and Pb) and organic matter was determined together with the mineralogical composition and morphology of the particles in each size fraction. The distribution of the metals in the offshore sediment was bimodal with the majority of the metals divided between the 63 to 250 um size fraction which also contained the highest concentration of organic matter (about 20%) and the <4 µm fraction containing up to 60% of clay minerals. However, the metals in the nearshore sediment were associated mainly with the clay minerals.

T4-like Phages Reveal the Potential Role of Viruses in Soil Organic Matter Mineralization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomeng Wei ◽  
Tida Ge ◽  
Chuanfa Wu ◽  
Shuang Wang ◽  
Kyle Mason-Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Organic Matter Mineralization

Characterization and Source of Trihalomethane Formation in the Secondary Effluent by Sequencing Batch Reactors

2013 ◽  
Vol 316-317 ◽  
pp. 323-326
Author(s):  
Chao Jie Zhang ◽  
Si Bo Li ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
Qi Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Secondary Effluent ◽  
Batch Reactors ◽  
Sequencing Batch Reactors ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
By Products

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) may do harms to human beings. After disinfected by chlorine (amine), DOM can form disinfection by-products (DBPs) which can be mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic. Characterization and source of trihalomethane precursors in the secondary effluent by sequencing batch reactors were investigated. CHCl3 was the primary DBPs. The results showed that the precursors of CHCl3 were mainly strongly hydrophobic DOM, while CHCl2Br and CHClBr2 were mainly formed from hydrophilic DOM. The effects of different powder media (activated carbon, zeolite) on removal of DOM were compared. The results showed that the dosing of powder media can promote the removal of DOM and the DBPs precursors.

scholarly journals A potential role for the COOH-terminal domain in the lateral packing of type III intermediate filaments.

1991 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
P D Kouklis ◽  
T Papamarcaki ◽  
A Merdes ◽  
S D Georgatos
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Filament Assembly ◽  
Filament Bundles ◽  
Self Association ◽  
Specific Association ◽  
A Site ◽  
Idiotypic Antibody

To identify sites of self-association in type III intermediate filament (IF) proteins, we have taken an "anti-idiotypic antibody" approach. A mAb (anti-Ct), recognizing a similar feature near the end of the rod domain of vimentin, desmin, and peripherin (epsilon site or epsilon epitope), was characterized. Anti-idiotypic antibodies, generated by immunizing rabbits with purified anti-Ct, recognize a site (presumably "complementary" to the epsilon epitope) common among vimentin, desmin, and peripherin (beta site or beta epitope). The beta epitope is represented in a synthetic peptide (PII) modeled after the 30 COOH-terminal residues of peripherin, as seen by comparative immunoblotting assays. Consistent with the idea of an association between the epsilon and the beta site, PII binds in vitro to intact IF proteins and fragments containing the epsilon epitope, but not to IF proteins that do not react with anti-Ct. Microinjection experiments conducted in vivo and filament reconstitution assays carried out in vitro further demonstrate that "uncoupling" of this site-specific association (by competition with PII or anti-Ct) interferes with normal IF architecture, resulting in the formation of filaments and filament bundles with diameters much greater than that of the normal IFs. These thick fibers are very similar to the ones observed previously when a derivative of desmin missing 27 COOH-terminal residues was assembled in vitro (Kaufmann, E., K. Weber, and N. Geisler. 1985. J. Mol. Biol. 185:733-742). As a molecular explanation, we propose here that the epsilon and the beta sites of type III IF proteins are "complementary" and associate during filament assembly. As a result of this association, we further postulate the formation of a surface-exposed "loop" or "hairpin" structure that may sterically prevent inappropriate filament-filament aggregation and regulate filament thickness.

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