scholarly journals POTENTIAL TOXIC ELEMENTS (PTES) IN GROUND AND SPRING WATERS, SOILS AND SEDIMENTS: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY IN ANTHEMOUNTAS BASIN, N. GREECE

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 2171
Author(s):  
N. Kazakis ◽  
N. Kantiranis ◽  
M. Kaprara ◽  
M. Mitrakas ◽  
G. Vargemezis ◽  
...  

Ground and spring waters, soils and sediments of Anthemountas basin in Northern G reece were analyzed for Potential Toxic Elements (PTEs). In total, twenty three soil and sediment samples, three groundwater (boreholes) and two spring water samples, were analyzed. Contents of Ni in soils and sediments can be as high as 2169 mg/kg. The high correlation coefficient of Ni and Cr, indicates the geogenic origin of Ni, which originates from ophiolitic rocks. Arsenic concentration ranges from 3 to 110 mg/kg in soils and sediments, with the highest contents observed in travertine. The spring waters are characterized by elevated concentrations of As (up to 235 μg/L), N a, K, Fe and Zn, indicating that hydrothermal fluids are responsible for feldspar alte ration of the Monopigado granodiorite. On the contrary, in groundwaters, As conten ts are low (up to 18 μg/L). Electrical resistivity tomographies performed around the groundwater boreholes, revealed the presence of normal faults, locally allowing the mixing of geothermal fluids with the shallow porous aquifer (SPA). The presence of As in the SPA is probably due to inputs from geothermal waters through normal faulting.

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiankang Wang ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Shuhua Yin ◽  
Laisheng Liu ◽  
Dongyu Xu ◽  
...  

This study investigated the concentrations and spatial distributions, ecological risks, and potential pollution sources of potential toxic elements (PTEs) in the soils and sediments collected from the Guishui River (GSR) in Beijing, China. Multiple methods for pollution assessment and source identification of PTEs in the sediments/soils were used, including analysis of the physicochemical properties, Geo-accumulation index (Igeo), potential ecological risk index (RI), Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), and Pb isotopic ratio analysis. The results showed that PTE concentrations in the sediments/soils were similar to the soil background values (BV) of Beijing, except for Cd. Maximum Cd concentrations in soils were far below the guideline of the Environmental Quality Standard for Soils in China. PTE concentrations in the soils were slightly higher than those in the sediments. Upstream to downstream of GSR, PTEs concentrations in the soils and sediments remained stable. Pollution assessment based on Igeo and RI indicated that Cd was the main contaminant with moderate pollution levels. PCA results showed that Cd originated from anthropogenic sources, mainly including pesticide and fertilizer residues, while other metals mainly originated from natural sources. Further source identification using Pb isotopic ratios and PCA indicated that Cu, Pb, and Zn in GSR originated from anthropogenic sources (aerosols and coal combustion) and atmospheric deposition was considered as the primary input pathway.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto González-Martínez ◽  
Miguel de Simón-Martín ◽  
Roberto López ◽  
Raquel Táboas-Fernández ◽  
Antonio Bernardo-Sánchez

The aim of this study is to evaluate the application of the main hazardous waste management techniques in mining operations and in dumping sites being conscious of the inter-linkages and inter-compartment of the contaminated soils and sediments. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature on the reduction or elimination of different potential toxic elements was carried out, focusing on As, Cd and Hg as main current contaminant agents. Selected techniques are feasible according to several European countries’ directives, especially in Spain. In the case of arsenic, we verified that there exists a main line that is based on the use of iron minerals and its derivatives. It is important to determine its speciation since As (III) is more toxic and mobile than As (V). For cadmium (II), we observed a certain predominance of the use of biotic techniques, compared to a variety of others. Finally, in mercury case, treatments include a phytoremediation technique using Limnocharis flava and the use of a new natural adsorbent: a modified nanobiocomposite hydrogel. The use of biological treatments is increasingly being studied because they are environmentally friendly, efficient and highly viable in both process and energy terms. The study of techniques for the removal of potential toxic elements should be performed with a focus on the simultaneous removal of several metals, since in nature they do not appear in isolation. Moreover, we found that energy analysis constitutes a limiting factor in relation to the feasibility of these techniques.


2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (03n04) ◽  
pp. 169-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. SERA ◽  
T. TERASAKI ◽  
J. ITOH ◽  
S. FUTATSUGAWA ◽  
Y. SAITOH ◽  
...  

We have measured fluorine concentration in samples taken from humans, such as sweat, saliva, snivel and tear in addition to hair, nail and urine, together with those of other elements by means of a three-detector measuring system. Fluorine has been known as one of the most toxic elements as well as arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium which contaminate environment over the wide area. This system allowed us to discuss about fluorine concentration related to other elements'. A standard-free method established by us has been applied to quantitative analyses of these samples. By means of these methods, quantitative analysis becomes possible for samples of less than 1mg or 1μl and it is quite suited to tear, snivel and sweat. As one of the conclusion, sweat, snivel and tear give useful information in addition to the samples which have been traditionally analyzed. It is found that titanium concentration in a body is well estimated by analyses of sweat, snivel and saliva, arsenic concentration can be estimated by sweat analysis in addition to urine analysis, and nickel is well evaluated by sweat and tear. In this way, it is required to estimate elemental concentration in a human body by measuring various clinical samples. Especially, correlation between fluorine and arsenic is found in a few bio-medical samples.


Sci ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Guri Venvik ◽  
Floris C. Boogaard

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) such as swales are designed to collect, store and infiltrate a large amount of surface runoff water during heavy rainfall. Stormwater is known to transport pollutants, such as particle-bound Potential Toxic Elements (PTE), which are known to often accumulate in the topsoil. A portable XRF instrument (pXRF) is used to provide in situ spatial characterization of soil pollutants, specifically lead (Pb), zink (Zn) and copper (Cu). The method uses pXRF measurements of PTE along profiles with set intervals (1 meter) to cover the swale with cross-sections, across the inlet, the deepest point and the outlet. Soil samples are collected, and the In-Situ measurements are verified by the results from laboratory analyses. Stormwater is here shown to be the transporting media for the pollutants, so it is of importance to investigate areas most prone to flooding and infiltration. This quick scan method is time and cost-efficient, easy to execute and the results are comparable to any known (inter)national threshold criteria for polluted soils. The results are of great importance for all stakeholders in cities that are involved in climate adaptation and implementing green infrastructure in urban areas. However, too little is still known about the long-term functioning of the soil-based SuDS facilities.


2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (03n04) ◽  
pp. 169-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. SERA ◽  
T. SASAKI ◽  
J. ITOH ◽  
Y. SAITOH

We developed and reported a standard-free method for beard (including mustache and whiskers) samples that enables us to quantitatively analyze powdered beard samples of extremely small quantity. In order to investigate intake of essential elements and also exposure to toxic elements, daily changes of elemental concentration in the body give us essential information. Firstly, we have measured dependence of elemental concentration in beard, mustache and whiskers on the collecting regions in the face. Then, daily changes of elemental concentration in the body, which reflect daily ingestion of foods and waters, have been estimated by means of quantitative analyses of beard samples. These beard samples were taken from three persons everyday over successive 7, 14 and 33 days, respectively. As a result, some elements show long-term changes and a few toxic elements such as arsenic and lead exhibit changes in a period of a few days. We have also measured daily changes of elemental concentration in urine and beard taken from the same person at the same time every half day over 10 days, and clear correlation of daily changes of the arsenic concentration between urine and beard samples was observed. It is found that the standard-free method is quite effective for beard samples of very small quantities, and that beard analyses are quite suited to studies on daily changes of elemental concentration in the human body in comparison with the other samples depending on the elements.


2021 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 107038
Author(s):  
Michael Martínez-Colón ◽  
Henry Alegría ◽  
Ashley Huber ◽  
Hatice Kubra-Gul ◽  
Perihan Kurt-Karakus

Author(s):  
Jiankang Wang ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Shuhua Yin ◽  
Dongyu Xu ◽  
Laisheng Liu ◽  
...  

Simultaneous ecological and health risk assessments of potentially toxic elements in soils and sediments can provide substantial information on their environmental influence at the river-basin scale. Herein, soil and sediment samples were collected from the Guishui River basin to evaluate the pollution situation and the ecological and health risk of potentially toxic elements. Various indexes were utilized for quantitatively assessing their health risks. Pollution assessment by geo-accumulation index showed that Cd had “uncontaminated to moderately polluted” status in the soils and sediments. Potential ecological risk index showed that the Guishui River basin was at low risk in general, but Cd was classified as “moderate or considerable ecological risk” both in the soils and sediments. Health risk assessment calculated human exposure from soils and indicated that both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of the selected potentially toxic elements were lower than the acceptable levels. Health risks posed by potentially toxic elements bio-accumulated in fish, stemming from sediment resuspension, were also assessed. Non-carcinogenic hazard index indicated no adverse health effects on humans via exposure to sediments; however, in general, Cr contributed largely to health risks among the selected potentially toxic elements. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to the Guishui River basin in the future.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document