Investigation of Environmental and Biological Effects of Rare Earth  Elements (REEs) with a Special Focus on Industrial and Mining Pollutions in Iran: A Review

The present article is a review study on the types of rare earth elements (REEs), environmental and biological effects as well as the sources of emission of these elements as pollution in nature. The purpose of this study is to provide a vision in environmental planning and control of pollution caused by REEs. The evaluation of rare earth elements was studied in human life and its environmental and biological effects, which have particular importance and are entering the life cycle through industrial and mining pollution sources. Since mining activities intensify the dispersion of these elements in the environment and the existence of industrial factories located around urban drainage system plays a unique role in creating and spreading pollution caused by rare earth elements; As a result, two case studies were conducted on two mining and industrial areas. The first case is the Choghart mine in Yazd province as an example of mining pollution,and the second case study is performed on the Kor river as an example of industrial pollution which is caused by industrial activities around it, Then the results are well explained to show both two environments of litho and hydro. Due to this fact that produced environmental pollution can cause exchange pollutant compounds with the surrounding environment besides its long-lasting destructive effects; It can cause irreversible biological effects on living organisms. By targeting this evaluation, several techniques can be proposed to prevent the entry and dispersal of rare earth elements from pollution sources besides methods to reduce the damage of these elements to the ecosystem.

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Effect of acid mine drainage on dissolved rare earth elements geochemistry along a fluvial–estuarine system: the Tinto-Odiel Estuary (S.W. Spain)

Hydrology Research ◽

10.2166/nh.2012.012b ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 262-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

J. Borrego ◽

B. Carro ◽

N. López-González ◽

J. de la Rosa ◽

J. A. Grande ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Drainage System ◽

Estuarine System ◽

Mixing Zone ◽

Heavy Rare Earth ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Heavy Rare Earth Elements

The concentration of rare earth elements together with Sc, Y, and U, as well as rare earth elements fractionation patterns, in the water of an affected acid mine drainage system were investigated. Significant dissolved concentrations of the studied elements were observed in the fluvial sector of this estuary system (Sc ∼ 31 μg L−1, Y ∼ 187 μg L−1, U ∼ 41 μg L−1, Σ rare earth elements ∼621 μg L−1), with pH values below 2.7. In the mixing zone of the estuary, concentrations are lower (Sc ∼ 2.1 μg L−1; Y ∼ 16.7 μg L−1; U ∼ 4.8 μg L−1; Σ rare earth elements ∼65.3 μg L−1) and show a strong longitudinal gradient. The largest rare earth elements removal occurs in the medium-chlorinity zone and it becomes extreme for heavy rare earth elements, as observed for Sc. Samples of the mixing zone show a North American Shale normalized pattern similar to the fluvial zone water, while the samples located in the zone with pH between 6.5 and 7.7 show a depletion of light rare earth elements relative to middle rare earth elements and heavy rare earth elements, similar to that observed in samples of the marine estuary.

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Studies on the Biological Effects of Rare Earth Elements. IV. Effects of Chlorides of Dy, Eu, Yb and Y on Rare Earth Elements, Ca, Mg and P Contents in Various Organs in the Rat after Intravenous Administration.

Eisei kagaku ◽

10.1248/jhs1956.39.44 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 44-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

YUMIKO NAKAMURA ◽

YUKARI TSUMURA ◽

YASUHIDE TONOGAI ◽

YOSHIO ITO

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Intravenous Administration ◽

Biological Effects

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Studies on the biological effects of rare earth elements. I. Method for analysis of dysprosium(Dy), europium(Eu), ytterbium(Yb)and yttrium(Y)from the biological materials.

Eisei kagaku ◽

10.1248/jhs1956.37.28 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 28-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

YUMIKO NAKAMURA ◽

YUKARI HASEGAWA ◽

YASUHIDE TONOGAI ◽

MASAFUMI KANAMOTO ◽

NAOHIRO TSUBOI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Biological Materials

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Studies on the Biological Effects of Rare Earth Elements. V. Relationship between the Concentration of Rare Earth Elements and 9 Minerals in Various Organs in the Rat after Intravenous Administration of Dy, Eu, Yb and Y by Low or High Dose.

Eisei kagaku ◽

10.1248/jhs1956.39.2_121 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 121-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

YUMIKO NAKAMURA ◽

YUKARI TSUMURA ◽

YASUHIDE TONOGAI ◽

YOSHIO ITO

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Intravenous Administration ◽

Biological Effects ◽

High Dose

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Studies on the Biological Effects of Rare Earth Elements. II. Distribution and the Histlogical Effects of Dy, Eu, Yb and Y in the Rat after Intravenous Administration.

Eisei kagaku ◽

10.1248/jhs1956.37.489 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 489-496 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

YUMIKO NAKAMURA ◽

YUKARI TSUMURA ◽

YASUHIDE TONOGAI ◽

MASAFUMI KANAMOTO ◽

NAOHIRO TSUBOI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Intravenous Administration ◽

Biological Effects

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Rare earth elements in the Rhine River, Germany: First case of anthropogenic lanthanum as a dissolved microcontaminant in the hydrosphere

Environment International ◽

10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.018 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 37 (5) ◽

pp. 973-979 ◽

Cited By ~ 139

Author(s):

Serkan Kulaksız ◽

Michael Bau

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Rhine River ◽

First Case

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Hypothetical Soil Thresholds for Biological Effects of Rare Earth Elements

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v13n5p1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Gunnar Bengtsson

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Agricultural Soil ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Anthropogenic Pollution ◽

Natural Soil ◽

Limited Information ◽

Anthropogenic Contributions ◽

Year 2000

Objectives: Anthropogenic exposures to rare earth elements are poorly known and there is limited information on their toxicity and ecotoxicity. At the same time, world production of rare earth elements has doubled every 15 years over the last half-century, and high environmental concentrations of gadolinium and lanthanum have already been found. The current review aims to give some estimates of overall exposures and an initial in-depth appraisal of thresholds for effects on agricultural soil. The results are envisaged to be used in initial assessments of agricultural soil where the natural concentrations have been anthropogenically enhanced. Methods: An extensive review has been made of available scientific literature. Criteria have been established for the selection and analysis of eligible research. For instance, only effects on soils with vegetation have been included in the assessment of biological effects. A species sensitivity distribution based on 25% inhibition of organism functions has been used to establish thresholds for effects on soil organisms. Results: Around the year 2000, mean anthropogenic contributions of lanthanides in European soil regions were at most a few per cent of the total soil content. Since then, they should have increased considerably. The proposed hypothetical threshold for agricultural soils is 1125 mg total rare earth element per kg of soil. This threshold is about 8 times the natural soil concentration. Conclusions: If this result holds up to scrutiny, it implies that general anthropogenic pollution by rare earth elements will not be a threat to agricultural sustainability for the coming generation. A preliminary assessment suggests that this threshold would also protect humans from adverse effects due to secondary exposure.

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