scholarly journals Health Risk Assessment of Lead in Soils from an Historic Industrial Site in North-East England

Separations ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Renli Ma ◽  
John R. Dean

The former St. Antony’s Lead Works site, now the central part of an urban recreational park (Walker Riverside Park) in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne (England, UK), has been assessed based on the Pb concentration in topsoil according to recently derived Category 4 Screening Level (C4SL) for public open space–park (POSpark, 1300 mg/kg). The site was divided into eight sampling areas following its physical layout. In total 79 soil samples were collected, characterised for acidity and organic matter content, and analysed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF). The Pb levels in most of the samples, particularly those from the fringes of the site, are below the generic guideline value (down to 70 mg/kg). More than 16% of the samples from nearly all sampling areas, especially those sampling points around the former horizontal condenser flue and main chimney, contain levels of Pb significantly exceeding the limit (up to 206,000 mg/kg). No correlation is found between the Pb concentration in soil samples and their acidity (mostly neutral, pH 7.0 ± 0.5) or organic matter content (15.5 ± 4.1%). Using the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) model (version 1.071), the site-specific risk assessment criteria (SSAC) for Lead (C4SL child), 2862 mg/kg, is obtained based on adjusted exposure frequency and occupancy period. Nearly 9% of the individual sample Pb concentrations (n = 79) across sample locations B, C, D and H are still above the specific value. Further statistical evaluation based on 95% upper confidence limit confirms that the site still represents a potential human health risk. This is because Pb concentrations, from two areas in the centre of the site (sample locations B and C), are greatly over the SSAC specific threshold (sample mean at location B is 12,350 mg/kg and at location C is 11,745 mg/kg).

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 1481-1488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanusa Maria Feliciano Jacomino ◽  
Kerley Alberto Pereira de Oliveira ◽  
Maria Helena Tirollo Taddei ◽  
Maria Célia Siqueira ◽  
Maria Eleonora Deschamps Pires Carneiro ◽  
...  

Phosphogysum (PG) or agricultural gypsum, a solid waste from the phosphate fertilizer industry, is used as soil amendment, especially on soils in the Cerrado region, in Brazil. This material may however contain natural radionuclides and metals which can be transferred to soils, plants and water sources. This paper presents and discusses the results of physical and chemical analyses that characterized samples of PG and compares them to the results found in two typical soils of the Cerrado, a clayey and sandy one. These analyses included: solid waste classification, evaluation of organic matter content and of P, K, Ca, Mg, and Al concentrations and of the mineralogical composition. Natural radionuclides and metal concentrations in PG and soil samples were also measured. Phosphogypsum was classified as Class II A - Not Dangerous, Not Inert, Not Corrosive and Not Reactive. The organic matter content in the soil samples was low and potential acidity high. In the mean, the specific 226Ra activity in the phosphogypsum samples (252 Bq kg-1) was below the maximum level recommended by USEPA, which is 370 Bq kg-1 for agricultural use. In addition, this study verified that natural radionuclides and metals concentrations in PG were lower than in the clayey Oxisol of Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These results indicated that the application of phosphogypsum as soil amendment in agriculture would not cause a significant impact on the environment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Luís da Costa Aguiar Alves ◽  
José Marques Júnior ◽  
Antonio Sergio Ferraudo

In the soil, herbicides are submitted to absorption, leaching and degradation by physical, chemical and biological processes or absorbed by plants. All these processes are dependent on soil class and weather conditions and affect the product efficiency on weed control. The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of soil attributes on sulfentrazone efficiency for controlling purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L. ). Soil samples from LVAd (Typic Haplustox), LVd, LVdf and LVef (Typic Haplustox and Typic Eutrustox), NVe (Rhodic Kandiustalf), and LVd (Typic Haplustox) were collected under two crop conditions aiming to have different clay, Fe oxides, and organic matter contents. The soil samples were submitted to granulometric, chemical and mineralogical characterization. A bioassay was used to evaluate the efficacy of sulfentrazone (1.6 L c.p. ha-1) to control purple nutsedge on pre-emergence. The sulfentrazone behaved differently among the studied soil classes. The product efficiency decreased when the soil Fe oxide content increased, following the order: LVAd, LVd, NVe, LVef and LVdf. Clay content, ranging from 240 to 640 g kg-1, and organic matter content, ranging from 12 to 78 g kg-1, did not influence sulfentrazone efficiency.


Solid Earth ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Pereira ◽  
X. Úbeda ◽  
J. Mataix-Solera ◽  
M. Oliva ◽  
A. Novara

Abstract. Fire is a natural phenomenon with important implications on soil properties. The degree of this impact depends upon fire severity, the ecosystem affected, topography of the burned area and post-fire meteorological conditions. The study of fire effects on soil properties is fundamental to understand the impacts of this disturbance on ecosystems. The aim of this work was to study the short-term effects immediately after the fire (IAF), 2, 5, 7 and 9 months after a low-severity spring boreal grassland fire on soil colour value (assessed with the Munsell colour chart), soil organic matter content (SOM) and soil water repellency (SWR) in Lithuania. Four days after the fire a 400 m2 plot was delineated in an unburned and burned area with the same topographical characteristics. Soil samples were collected at 0–5 cm depth in a 20 m × 20 m grid, with 5 m space between sampling points. In each plot 25 samples were collected (50 each sampling date) for a total of 250 samples for the whole study. SWR was assessed in fine earth (< 2 mm) and sieve fractions of 2–1, 1–0.5, 0.5–0.25 and < 0.25 mm from the 250 soil samples using the water drop penetration time (WDPT) method. The results showed that significant differences were only identified in the burned area. Fire darkened the soil significantly during the entire study period due to the incorporation of ash/charcoal into the topsoil (significant differences were found among plots for all sampling dates). SOM was only significantly different among samples from the unburned area. The comparison between plots revealed that SOM was significantly higher in the first 2 months after the fire in the burned plot, compared to the unburned plot. SWR of the fine earth was significantly different in the burned and unburned plot among all sampling dates. SWR was significantly more severe only IAF and 2 months after the fire. In the unburned area SWR was significantly higher IAF, 2, 5 and 7 months later after than 9 months later. The comparison between plots showed that SWR was more severe in the burned plot during the first 2 months after the fire in relation to the unburned plot. Considering the different sieve fractions studied, in the burned plot SWR was significantly more severe in the first 7 months after the fire in the coarser fractions (2–1 and 1–0.5 mm) and 9 months after in the finer fractions (0.5–0.25 and < 0.25 mm). In relation to the unburned plot, SWR was significantly more severe in the size fractions 2–1 and < 0.25 mm, IAF, 5 and 7 months after the fire than 2 and 9 months later. In the 1–0.5- and 0.5–0.25 mm-size fractions, SWR was significantly higher IAF, 2, 5 and 7 months after the fire than in the last sampling date. Significant differences in SWR were observed among the different sieve fractions in each plot, with exception of 2 and 9 months after the fire in the unburned plot. In most cases the finer fraction (< 0.25 mm) was more water repellent than the others. The comparison between plots for each sieve fraction showed significant differences in all cases IAF, 2 and 5 months after the fire. Seven months after the fire significant differences were only observed in the finer fractions (0.5–0.25 and < 0.25 mm) and after 9 months no significant differences were identified. The correlations between soil Munsell colour value and SOM were negatively significant in the burned and unburned areas. The correlations between Munsell colour value and SWR were only significant in the burned plot IAF, 2 and 7 months after the fire. In the case of the correlations between SOM and SWR, significant differences were only identified IAF and 2 months after the fire. The partial correlations (controlling for the effect of SOM) revealed that SOM had an important influence on the correlation between soil Munsell colour value and SWR in the burned plot IAF, 2 and 7 months after the fire.


Author(s):  
C. O. Olukanni ◽  
A. A. Audu ◽  
M. Waziri

The aim of this research is to determine the insecticide and herbicide residues and their degradation products in Kura irrigation farmland soils. The analyses were carried out during the planting (before harvest) and after the harvesting periods. The insecticide residue analyses were undertaken using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after extraction with a mixture of n-hexane and acetone (1:1) in a soxhlet extractor. The pH levels of the soil samples and the soil organic matter were also determined using standard analytical methods. The acidity and organic matter content of most of the soil samples increased slightly after harvest. The compounds detected as residues include 1-octadecene, 9-heptadecanone, (E)-3-eicosene, (Z)-5-nonadecene, heptadecane, 1-docosene, 1-nonadecene and 1-eicosene. Out of these residues, 1-octadecene and (E)-3-eicosene were detected during planting and after the harvesting periods, showing that they are the most persistent of the residues in the soil samples. The residues detected before harvest were totally different from the residues detected after harvest. This shows that the pesticides, after some time, degraded in the soil into completely different compounds and the total residues were detected in high percentages.


1969 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-76
Author(s):  
Fernando Abruña-Rodríguez ◽  
José Vicente-Chandler

The exchange capacity of the organic matter in typical soils of Puerto Rico was evaluated from: (1) The variation in the exchange capacity of soil samples following destruction of the organic matter, (2) titration curves of extracted organic matter, (3) and the correlations between exchange capacity and organic-matter content of soil samples. The first method was the most practical and gave fairly accurate results. The second method gave results which were in all cases too high. The third method, though probably the most accurate, is impractical. Results obtained with the first and third methods were similar. The exchange capacity of the organic matter varied rather widely, but was generally between 100 and 150 m.e. per 100 gm. On the average it accounted for about 25 percent of the total exchange capacity of the soils studied. The organic matter removed by flotation had the highest exchange capacity and the more readily oxidizable portions generally appeared to be the most active. This suggests the importance of conserving the more readily lost portions of the soil organic matter. A considerable portion of the soil organic matter was extremely resistant to oxidation, had a narrow C:N ratio, and apparently little exchange capacity. This suggests a close association between the organic matter and the inorganic soil colloids. The marked resistance to oxidation of a considerable portion of the organic matter may partly explain the high contents found even in continuously cultivated soils in Puerto Rico.


2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Special) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khoshnaw & Esmail

This study was conducted to compare between two methods of soil organic matter determination for main soil orders in Kurdistan region/Iraq, for this purpose forty-five soil samples were taken then the organic matter was determined using chemical (Walkley-Black (wet) method and loss-on-ignition method (dry) combustion method. The results indicated the significant correlation (r = 0.88**) between the studied methods It means there is good adjustment to convert organic matter by loss-on-ignition method (dry) to Walkley-Black (wet) method organic matter by this linear equation (organic matter by loss-on-ignition =1.651* Walkley-Black method organic matter +2.1877) this equation can be used to convert organic matter by two methods for Mollisols(M), Vertisols(V) and Aridisols(A) in Hawler(H), Sulaimani(S) and Duhok(D) governorates, this equation is very important and economic to determine and convert dry method to wet method, the amount of organic matter for M, V, A was recorded the highest value (49.5, 24.8, 20 gkg-1) respectively for Mollisols, Vertisols, and Aridisols at Hawler (H), Sulaimani (S), and Duhok(D) respectively for (DM5, SV4, DA1) in Duhok Mollisols, Sulaimani Vertisols and Duhok Aridisol respectively for walk- black (wet) method, the highest value for dry method organic matter in Mollisols, Vertisols, Aridisols was recorded (97.6, 77.9, 50.3 g kg-1) for soil orders (MD3, VD4, AD4) respectively.


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