Combining mussel and seaweed hydrogel-inspired strategies to design novel ion-imprinted sorbents for ultra-efficient lead removal from water

Traces of heavy metals found in water resources, due to mining activities and e-waste discharge, pose a global threat. Conventional treatment processes fail to remove toxic heavy metals, such as lead, from drinking water in a resource-efficient manner when their initial concentrations are low. Here, we show that by using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae we can effectively remove trace lead from water via a rapid mass transfer process, achieving an uptake of up to 12 mg lead per gram of biomass in solutions with initial lead concentrations below 1 part per million. We found that the yeast cell wall plays a crucial role in this process, with its mannoproteins and β-glucans being the key potential lead adsorbents. Furthermore, we discovered that biosorption is linked to a significant increase in cell wall stiffness. These findings open new opportunities for using environmentally friendly and abundant biomaterials for advanced water treatment targeting emerging contaminants.

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Heavy Metals and Microbes Accumulation in Soil and Food Crops Irrigated with Wastewater and the Potential Human Health Risk: A Metadata Analysis

Water ◽

10.3390/w13233405 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 3405

Author(s):

Yahia A. Othman ◽

Amani Al-Assaf ◽

Maher J. Tadros ◽

Abeer Albalawneh

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Health Risk ◽

Human Health ◽

Human Health Risk ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals ◽

Forage Crops ◽

The World ◽

Metadata Analysis ◽

The Mean ◽

Edible Parts

Wastewater is actively used for irrigation of vegetable and forage crops in arid lands due to water scarcity and cost advantages. The objective of this review was to assess the effect of wastewater (mixture sources) reuse in irrigation on soil, crop (vegetable and forage crops), animal products, and human health. The metadata analysis of 95 studies revealed that the mean of toxic heavy metals including nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in untreated wastewater were higher than the world standard limits in wastewater-irrigated regions. Although heavy metals in treated wastewater were within the standard limits in those areas, the concentration of those toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, and As) exceeded the allowable limits in both soil and vegetables’ edible parts. In fact, the concentration of heavy metals in vegetables’ edible parts increased by 3–9 fold when compared with those irrigated with fresh water. Escherichia coli in wastewater-irrigated soil was about 2 × 106 (CFU g−1) and about 15 (CFU g−1) in vegetables’ edible parts (leaf, bulb, tuber and fruit) while the mean total coliforms was about 1.4 × 106 and 55 (CFU g−1) in soil and vegetables’ edible parts, respectively. For human health risk assessment, the estimated daily intake (EDI) and human health risk index (HRI) ranged from 0.01 to 8 (EDI and HRI > 1.0 associated with adverse health effects). Although the mean of EDI for heavy metals from wastewater-irrigated vegetables were less than 1, the HRI for Cd and Pb were above the limits for safe consumption. Overall, heavy metal levels in wastewater that used for irrigation of agricultural crops could be within the recommended levels by the world standards, but the long-term use of this reused water will contaminate soil and crops with several toxic heavy metals leading to potential carcinogenic risks to humans. Therefore, rigorous and frequent testing (wastewater, soil, and plant) is required in cultivated farms to prevent the translocation of heavy metals in the food chain.

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Quantification of toxic metals during different winemaking stages

BIO Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/bioconf/20191502024 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 02024

Author(s):

G.-D. Dumitriu (Gabur) ◽

C. Teodosiu ◽

I. Morosanu ◽

O. Jitar ◽

V.V. Cotea

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Human Health ◽

International Organization ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Priority Pollutants ◽

Red Wines ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals ◽

Agricultural Chemicals ◽

Health Safety ◽

Extended Contact

Heavy metals in beverages can constitute serious problems to human health. Consumption of wine may contribute to the daily dietary intake of pollutants, especially of toxic (heavy) metals. These compounds are also known as priority pollutants due to their potential toxic effects, if concentrations are not kept under allowable limits. Many characteristics such as: quality, origin, aroma and health safety of wine are influenced by environmental and anthropogenic factors. Hence, the contamination of wine by priority pollutants may occur at different stages of vine-growing, due to the application of agricultural chemicals, or at different stage of winemaking and ageing, because of the extended contact of wine with winemaking equipment materials (aluminium, brass, glass, stainless steel and wood, etc.), or chemicals used for cleaning and sanitation. The aim of this study is to identify and quantify the heavy metal ions from red wines. A particular focus was attributed to Zn and Cd from destemming-pressing-filtration-bottling stages in Fetească neagră grape variety from Cotnari vine growing region of Romania. Results indicated that heavy metals were linked to diverse Zn and Cd sources and complexes during the winemaking processes. Concentration of Zn and Cd were generally higher in must than in wine, although heavy metals concentrations were lower than the limits recommended by the International Organization of Vine and Wine for human health safety.

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Pengaruh CdCl2 terhadap Produksi Eksopolisakarida dan Daya Hidup Azotobacter

Jurnal Natur Indonesia ◽

10.31258/jnat.12.1.34-37 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Reginawanti Hindersah ◽

Dedeh Hudaya Arief ◽

Soetijoso Soemitro ◽

Lukman Gunarto

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Liquid Medium ◽

Human Health ◽

Contaminated Soil ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Gravimetric Method ◽

Soil Bioremediation ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals ◽

Toxic Heavy Metal

The contamination of toxic heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) in soils will be endanger the human health because it ismore available comparing to another toxic heavy metals. One method of Cd-contaminated soil bioremediation isusing exopolysachharide-producing bacteria Azotobacter. Exopolysachharides (EPS) can mobilize Cd through theformation of complex Cd-EPS which sequentially can increase the availability of Cd for plants uptake. A laboratoryexperiment has been done to study the EPS production and the viability of six Azotobacter isolates in the liquidculture containing 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mM CdCl2. The bacteria were cultured in liquid medium with and without CdCl2 for72 hours at room temperature. The EPS production was determined by gravimetric method after precipitationusing acetone and centrifugation at 7000 rpm. The result was that all of Azotobacter isolates produce EPS in thepresence of CdCl2. In the culture with 1 mM CdCl2, the density of Azotobacter sp. isolate BS3, LK5, LKM6 increasedsignificantly, and that of isolate LH16 decreased. No significant effect of CdCl2 on the density of isolate BS2 andLH15. This research suggested that some Azotobacter isolates were relatively resistence to the Cd and could bedeveloped as biological agents in Cd-contaminated soil bioremediation.

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Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology of Hazardous Heavy Metals: Environmental Persistence, Toxicity, and Bioaccumulation

Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2019/6730305 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Hazrat Ali ◽

Ezzat Khan ◽

Ikram Ilahi

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Human Health ◽

Environmental Chemistry ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Health Concern ◽

Food Chains ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals ◽

Environmental Persistence ◽

Metals And Metalloids ◽

Heavy Metals And Metalloids

Heavy metals are well-known environmental pollutants due to their toxicity, persistence in the environment, and bioaccumulative nature. Their natural sources include weathering of metal-bearing rocks and volcanic eruptions, while anthropogenic sources include mining and various industrial and agricultural activities. Mining and industrial processing for extraction of mineral resources and their subsequent applications for industrial, agricultural, and economic development has led to an increase in the mobilization of these elements in the environment and disturbance of their biogeochemical cycles. Contamination of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems with toxic heavy metals is an environmental problem of public health concern. Being persistent pollutants, heavy metals accumulate in the environment and consequently contaminate the food chains. Accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in biota causes a potential health threat to their consumers including humans. This article comprehensively reviews the different aspects of heavy metals as hazardous materials with special focus on their environmental persistence, toxicity for living organisms, and bioaccumulative potential. The bioaccumulation of these elements and its implications for human health are discussed with a special coverage on fish, rice, and tobacco. The article will serve as a valuable educational resource for both undergraduate and graduate students and for researchers in environmental sciences. Environmentally relevant most hazardous heavy metals and metalloids include Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As. The trophic transfer of these elements in aquatic and terrestrial food chains/webs has important implications for wildlife and human health. It is very important to assess and monitor the concentrations of potentially toxic heavy metals and metalloids in different environmental segments and in the resident biota. A comprehensive study of the environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology of hazardous heavy metals and metalloids shows that steps should be taken to minimize the impact of these elements on human health and the environment.

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Toxic heavy metals: impact on the environment and human health, and treatment with conducting organic polymers, a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-020-09354-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (24) ◽

pp. 29927-29942 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mohamed Lamine Sall ◽

Abdou Karim Diagne Diaw ◽

Diariatou Gningue-Sall ◽

Snezana Efremova Aaron ◽

Jean-Jacques Aaron

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Human Health ◽

Organic Polymers ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals

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Zero-wastewater capacitive deionization: selective removal of heavy metal ions in tap water assisted by phosphate ions

Environmental Science Nano ◽

10.1039/c9en00730j ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (11) ◽

pp. 3225-3231 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xingkang Huang ◽

Xiaoru Guo ◽

Qianqian Dong ◽

Lianjun Liu ◽

Rebecca Tallon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Human Health ◽

Heavy Metal Ions ◽

Tap Water ◽

Capacitive Deionization ◽

Toxic Heavy Metals ◽

Phosphate Ions ◽

Novel Concept

Removing trace toxic heavy metals such as Pb2+ completely from drinking water while retaining beneficial ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ is important for protecting human health. A novel concept of zero-wastewater CDI is demonstrated to selectively remove lead ions against Ca2+ and Mg2+.

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