Pollutant inputs from the atmosphere and accumulations in soils and vegetation near a nickel–copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Freedman ◽  
T. C. Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Forest Litter ◽  
Copper Smelter ◽  
Nickel Iron ◽  
Airborne Pollutants ◽  
Nickel Copper ◽  
Organic Horizons ◽  
Sampling Intervals ◽  
Calcium Magnesium ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Mineral Soils

The inputs of the airborne pollutants nickel, copper, iron, and sulfur were determined in bulk dustfall–rainfall collection and in snow samples taken along transects originating at a large nickel–copper smelter near Sudbury, Ontario. Determinations were made from 1975 to 1978, which was subsequent to the building of a 380-m smokestack at the smelter in 1972. Atmospheric SO2 was also monitored, using sulfation plates. Higher levels of all smelter pollutants occurred at sites closer to the smelter, compared with sites as far as 60 km SSE. All bulk rainwater samples collected along a 60-km transect SSE of the smelter were found to be acidic, most with a pH of less than 4.0. Since there was no clear gradient of acidity with distance from the smelter, it appears that the acidic precipitation problem is a severe regional one. Simple deposition budgets based on data collected on six 30-day sampling intervals in 1976 and 1977 indicate that less than 3% of the sulfur emitted from the smelter was deposited within a 60-km radius. In contrast, about 42% of the nickel, 40% of the copper, and 52% of the iron emitted from the smelter were calculated to be deposited within a 60-km radius.The contamination of forest soils, soil litter, and vegetation by copper, nickel, iron, and sulfur at sites closer to the smelter has been caused by past as well as ongoing emissions. In soil profiles, the metals were concentrated in the surface organic horizons, relative to deeper mineral soils. Surface soils up to 70 km from the smelter showed elevated nickel and copper concentrations. Elevated concentrations of these same metals in the foliage of a number of tree species were detectable at least to 12 km from the smelter. The horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum showed especially high concentrations of sulfur, while the moss Polytrichum commune was an accumulator of nickel, copper, and sulfur at sites up to 6 km. No consistent trends with distance occurred for foliar levels of the bases calcium, magnesium, and potassium. However, higher calcium concentrations occurred in forest litter collected at control sites, compared with sites closer to the smelter.

Effects of smelter pollutants on forest leaf litter decomposition near a nickel–copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (15) ◽  
pp. 1722-1736 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Freedman ◽  
T. C. Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Copper Smelter ◽  
Contaminated Sites ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Nickel Copper ◽  
Forest Leaf Litter ◽  
And Control

Forest soils and litter in the vicinity of a large nickel–copper smelter at Sudbury, Ont. are known to be contaminated with a variety of heavy metals. In view of this, studies were carried out to determine if forest litter decomposition processes have been affected. The effects of nickel and copper on the decomposition of forest litter were investigated using a variety of techniques in which contaminated and control sites were compared. At contaminated sites an increase in litter standing crop was found. This was related to lower rates of litter decomposition at these sites, as evidenced by reduced rates of breakdown of litter in mesh bags, compared with uncontaminated sites. Lower rates of CO2 flux and acid phosphatase activity were also found at the contaminated sites. In a laboratory experiment, the addition of copper and (or) nickel to a homogenate of leaf litter was shown to depress the rate of dry weight loss and CO2 flux. Negative effects commenced at metal concentrations comparable to those observed in litter at contaminated sites in the field.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Inhaled Dose of Airborne Pollutants during Commuting: Case Study and Application for the General Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6066
Author(s):  
Francesca Borghi ◽  
Giacomo Fanti ◽  
Andrea Cattaneo ◽  
Davide Campagnolo ◽  
Sabrina Rovelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Pulmonary Ventilation ◽  
Ventilation Rate ◽  
The Other ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Airborne Pollutants ◽  
Traffic Conditions ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
The City

During rush hours, commuters are exposed to high concentrations and peaks of traffic-related air pollutants. The aims of this study were therefore to extend the inhaled dose estimation outcomes from a previous work investigating the inhaled dose of a typical commuter in the city of Milan, Italy, and to extend these results to a wider population. The estimation of the dose of pollutants inhaled by commuters and deposited within the respiratory tract could be useful to help commuters in choosing the modes of transport with the lowest exposure and to increase their awareness regarding this topic. In addition, these results could provide useful information to policy makers, for the creation/improvement of a mobility that takes these results into account. The principal result outcomes from the first part of the project (case study on a typical commuter in the city of Milan) show that during the winter period, the maximum deposited mass values were estimated in the “Other” environments and in “Underground”. During the summer period, the maximum values were estimated in the “Other” and “Walking (high-traffic conditions)” environments. For both summer and winter, the lowest values were estimated in the “Car” and “Walking (low-traffic conditions)” environments. Regarding the second part of the study (the extension of the results to the general population of commuters in the city of Milan), the main results show that the period of permanence in a given micro-environment (ME) has an important influence on the inhaled dose, as well as the pulmonary ventilation rate. In addition to these results, it is of primary importance to report how the inhaled dose of pollutants can be strongly influenced by the time spent in a particular environment, as well as the subject’s pulmonary ventilation rate and pollutant exposure levels. For these reasons, the evaluation of these parameters (pulmonary ventilation rate and permanence time, in addition to the exposure concentration levels) for estimating the inhaled dose is of particular relevance.

scholarly journals Quantification of heavy metals in canned tomato paste sold in Ubani-Umuahia, Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
RI Uroko ◽  
VE Okpashi ◽  
NE Etim ◽  
AC Fidelia
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Nickel Iron ◽  
Private Organization ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Iron And Zinc ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Predictive Risk

In recent years there has been an increase in the contaminations of heavy metals on the environment. Government and private organization have shown their interest in the effect of dietary exposure to several heavy metals. These heavy metals have been implicated in the etiology of many diseases with high risk to humans. Canned tomatoes paste is one of the important health deterioting factors to human health in Ubani-Umuahia, Nigeria. In this study atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to screen for nine heavy metals concentration in ten different brands of canned tomatoes paste sold at Ubani-Umuahia market in Nigeria. Human risk assessment was calculated using the collated data to evaluate the predictive risk of human health after the consumption of canned tomatoes paste. Results shows that lead and nickel were not detected in all the canned tomatoes. In comparison low concentrations of copper, iron, and manganese were notated but high concentrations of chromium and cadmium were detected in all the tested tomatoes pastes. Cobalt and zinc concentration was notated lower than permissible limit. The daily intake of copper, cobalt, manganese, chromium, cadmium, nickel, iron, zinc and lead were below their tolerable values in canned tomatoes. The predicted lifetime for carcinogens to occur was less than one (<1). Copper, cobalt, iron, and zinc were below the acceptable value for non-cancer risk with HQ <1.The risk of incurring cancer by ingesting canned tomatoes was within the lifetime predicted a range of (1.0E-6 to 1.0E-4). Finds suggest that prolong and persistent consumption of these heavy metals may cause toxicity and consequential heath challenges. J. bio-sci. 28: 1-11, 2020

Changes in Cu, Ni, and Zn availability following simulated conversion of biosolids-amended forest soils back to agricultural use

Soil Research ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 286 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. McLaren ◽  
A. Black ◽  
L. M. Clucas
Keyword(s):  
Soil Solution ◽  
Forest Soils ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Metal Availability ◽  
Metal Concentrations ◽  
Organic Complexes ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Wheat Germination

In this study we examined the bioavailability and chemistry of Cu, Ni, and Zn in metal-spiked, biosolids-amended forest (Pinus radiata) soils that had undergone a simulated conversion back to agricultural use. Mixing of the biosolids-treated forest litter into the underlying mineral soil resulted in high concentrations of each metal in easily extractable and soil solution forms. There was also very little change in these concentrations during a subsequent 2-year incubation period of the samples. Chemical speciation of the soil solutions using WHAM 6 showed that Cu was dominated by organic complexes, whereas most Ni and Zn was present as Ni2+ and Zn2+, with generally <5% of these elements present as organic complexes. Addition of lime to the soils substantially decreased both readily extractable and soil solution metal concentrations. However, even in their unlimed state, although plant metal concentrations were increased by the original biosolids treatments, there were no adverse effects due to the metals on plant growth as determined in a wheat germination and seedling growth test. In this study, the DGT technique showed considerable promise for assessing metal availability to plants. However, the study suggests that conversion of biosolids-treated forest soils back for agricultural use is unlikely to result in any substantial problems related to the metal loadings built up in the forest litter layer.

Polyclinic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): A Possible Cause of Lung Cancer Mortality among Nickel/Copper Smelter and Refinery Workers

AIHAJ ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 317-324
Author(s):  
Dave K. Verma ◽  
Jim A. Julian ◽  
Robin S. Roberts ◽  
David C.F. Muir ◽  
Ni Jadon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Lung Cancer Mortality ◽  
Copper Smelter ◽  
Nickel Copper ◽  
Possible Cause

Mortality in the Proximity of a Nickel/Copper Smelter in Finland

Epidemiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. S177
Author(s):  
Kari Pasanen ◽  
Eero Pukkala ◽  
Anu Turunen ◽  
Toni Patama ◽  
Ilkka Jussila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Copper Smelter ◽  
Nickel Copper

Inter-Relationships of Carbonate, Phosphate, Monohydrogen Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium and Sodium in Uraemic Bone: Comparison of Dialysed and Non-Dialysed Patients

1977 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-316
Author(s):  
E. D. Pellegrino ◽  
R. M. Biltz ◽  
J. M. Letteri
Keyword(s):  
Bone Mineral ◽  
Compact Bone ◽  
Octacalcium Phosphate ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Bone Composition ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Fixed Base ◽  
Calcium Magnesium ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Phosphate Carbonate

1. Chemical and morphological features of uraemic bone disease were studied by comparison of bone composition in 44 patients with uraemia (12 dialysed and 32 non-dialysed) and 36 control subjects. The significant changes included decreased bone mineral carbonate associated with calcium, a concomitant increase in phosphate, and an increase in magnesium. There was also an increase in osteoid and a reduction in the specific gravity of the compact bone. 2. The most marked changes in bone composition were observed in patients with uraemia of more than 1 year's duration, who had been dialysed. Bone mineral sodium concentrations were not significantly altered in any group. 3. The changes in bone mineral composition appeared to be the result of several simultaneous and/or successive mechanisms: (i) loss of fixed base, calcium carbonate; (ii) replacement of carbonate by phosphate; (iii) the addition of immature bone mineral, which contains high concentrations of phosphate and relatively low concentrations of carbonate. 4. These observations are consistent with earlier views of the bone salt as an indefinite calcium/phosphate/carbonate complex. Variations in bone composition may arise from a reciprocal relationship between phosphate and carbonate. The bone mineral analogue that best explains these variations in bone composition is octacalcium phosphate carbonate [Ca4(PO4)2(HPO4)x(CO3)1-x,zH2O].

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