scholarly journals Suitability of Totora (Schoenoplectus californicus (C.A. Mey.) Soják) for Its Use in Constructed Wetlands in Areas Polluted with Heavy Metals

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Blanco

Schoenoplectus californicus subsp. tatora (totora) is an endemic plant from wetlands in South America’s Altiplano region. In the endorheic Titicaca-Desaguadero-Poopó-Salar de Coipasa system (TDPS), totora can be found along rivers, lakes, and shallow ponds. Lake Uru-Uru is a minor lake placed upstream of Lake Poopó, and it gets water inflows from the Desaguadero River, the city of Oruro and several mining and metallurgic complexes. Polluted waters from these origins, together with natural high salinity and high presence of As and Pb, make Lake Uru-Uru an ideal location to search for plant species suitable to be used in constructed and restored wetlands under pollution stress, particularly in systems with high pH and salty waters. To test if totora could meet such requirements, healthy plants were collected at two sites in Lake Uru-Uru with different exposure to polluted inflows. Chemical composition of different organs (leaves, rhizomes and roots) were compared. Results indicated totora’s capacity to withstand high concentrations of a cocktail of multiple pollutants and heavy metals. Particularly, this research showed totora as a multi-hyperaccumulator (concentrations in shoots higher than 1000 mg kg−1) for As, Fe and Ni. These results, combined with totora’s intrinsic high rates of biomass production, slow decomposition rates and its value as raw material for local craftwork and industrial uses, support the recommendation to use totora in constructed or restored wetlands, particularly in sites polluted with heavy metals, and in waters with high salinity.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Caviglia ◽  
Enrico Destefanis ◽  
Davide Bernasconi ◽  
Linda Pastero ◽  
Giorgia Confalonieri ◽  
...  

<p>Nowadays, the production of constructional materials requires raw materials obtained through extractive activities that often imply different environmental impacts. In a perspective of a growing sensitivity towards a responsible use of natural resources the attention to materials coming from waste is focused. The waste from the municipal thermovalorization plants can be suitable for this applications, and after moderate and sustainable treatments, can find a role of raw material-second in the construction of works, reducing the need to find additional natural resources and related problems for disposal or storage. The present study aims to explore the possibility of promoting inertization (i.e. reducing the BA’s release in water of environmentally dangerous chemical species below the legal thresholds) of as large a fraction of BA as possible, using ashes from one of the municipal waste incineration plants of Northern Italy, and exploiting byproducts of the incineration cycle, i.e. the spared steam from turbines, which produce electricity, and carbon dioxide from combustion fumes. The treatments discussed are as a function of the particle size (s).  BA are partitioned into three main classes, determined by previous studies s ≥ 4.75, 4.75 > s ≥ 1, s < 1 mm; %. The BA fraction with 4.75 > s ≥ 1 mm was further divided into two portions to optimize the steam washing process: 4.75 > s ≥ 2 mm and  2 > s ≥ 1 mm. BA with s > 4.75 mm are treated with steam washing only. In fact, although they do not contain high concentrations of heavy metals, they largely surpass the Italian legislation thresholds related to the occurrence of chlorides and sulfates. Steam is generally available from modern incineration plants in a considerable amount, and it is more effective than water in removing a variety of impurities/low-crystallinity fragments from the surface of coarse grains. Inertization of BA with 4.75 > s ≥ 1 is investigated by means of both steam washing and accelerated carbonation, to optimize the combination of these methods and expand as much as possible the s-range that requires steam washing only.  As to the BA fraction with s < 1 mm, whose heavy metals content is likely larger than elsewhere, steam washing is of difficult application and therefore we resort to accelerated carbonation.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-57
Author(s):  
Denis Alexandrovich Klyuchnikov ◽  
Svetlana Aleksandrovna Platonova ◽  
Elena Vasilievna Soboleva

The paper studies heavy metals in soils of the train removal station Ussuriysk JSC Russian Railways. An adverse effect of railway transport on adjacent territories is shown. Railway transport and subjects of its support are permanent sources of pollution. Long-term emissions to the air are reflected by essential accumulation of tocsins in the top horizons of the soil. The authors reveal the amount of heavy metals in soils of the train removal station Ussuriysk JSC Russian Railways. To identify the coefficient of heavy metals concentration in soil samples of 8 trial areas of technogenic and anthropogenic zones of the city were analyzed. To identify local technogenic anomalies concentration coefficients were calculated. The authors concluded that the territory of the train removal station Ussuriysk JSC Russian Railways was very polluted. The south of the railway station is characterized by an average pollution level. The authors revealed high concentrations of Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu and Pb in soils of the trial sites with a high transport loading.


2021 ◽  
Vol 910 (1) ◽  
pp. 012114
Author(s):  
Mishaal Ali Mohammed

Abstract The research included a study on the presence of some heavy metals, including copper, iron and zinc in some medicinal plants circulating in the city of Mosul, as well as the study of the presence of cyanide in some other plants, when measuring the concentration of iron in saffron was less concentrated among plants of 0.797 mg/kg, followed by anise 7.3417 mg/kg, followed by mint 10.87 mg/kg. Kg and high concentrations appeared in the coriander plant, where the iron concentration was 486.6 mg/kg, ginger bread 396.49 mg/kg and corn 200.1 mg/kg and Marjoram 154.2 mg/kg, either Measuring the concentration of potters in medicinal plants in saffron plant was the lowest concentration of all plants used in the study and was 0.304 mg/kg followed by anise 7.8 mg/kg, followed by oranges 17.58 mg/kg, and high concentrations of coriander 179.2 mg/kg, ginger 111.3 mg/kg, while measuring of the concentration of copper in the medicinal plants used in the study the ratio of copper in saffron was low and amounted to 0.377 mg/kg (Dry weight), the highest concentration of copper was in the coriander plant, which was 120.922 mg/kg, ginger copper concentration was 50.78 mg/kg, and for the rest of the plants the concentration of copper ranged from (2.93 to 36.1) 22 mg/kg), while when measuring the iron ratio in the medicinal plants used in the study, and in a study The concentration of cyanide in plants (diphtheloide, apple seeds, perfalathseeds, henna seeds, castor seeds) by Spectrophotometer has been obtained different cyanide concentrations in these plants in the diphtherty the highest ratio of cyanide is 71.4 micrograms/30g (dry weight) followed by castor seeds 64.05 micrograms/30g, followed by henna seeds 31.36 mcg/30g, while in apple seeds the concentration of cyanide was 29.6 μg/30g and orange seeds 10.95 mcg/30g.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-352
Author(s):  
Antonina A. Reut ◽  
Svetlana G. Denisova

At present, heavy metals are generally recognized as priority soil pollutants, while the most active pollutants are their mobile forms, which can pass from solid phases into soil solutions and be absorbed by plants. It is known that the vegetative mass of agricultural crops is capable of accumulating large amounts of heavy metals. Ornamental flower crops, which firmly occupy their ecological niche, are practically not considered from this point of view. The aim of this work was to study the features of the accumulation of heavy metals in the aboveground and underground organs of some representatives of the genus Paeonia L. in the urbanized environment of the city of Ufa. The objects of research were four species ( P. peregrina Mill., P. lactiflora Pall., P. lactiflora f. rosea, P. delavayi Franch.) (Family Paeoniaceae Rudolphi) and three varieties of hybrid peony (Appassionata, Mustai Karim, Jeanne dArc). The study of the elemental composition of the aboveground and underground parts was carried out according to the method Determination of As, Pb, Cd, Sn, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni in samples of food products and food raw materials by the atomic absorption method with electrothermal atomization. Mathematical data processing was carried out using generally accepted methods of variation statistics using the AgCStat software package in the form of an Excel add-in. Eight element studies are presented for each raw material group. Quantitative indicators of elements are given in mmol/kg of air-dry raw materials. It was revealed that in the studied samples the copper content was 4.152520.00 times higher than that of other elements. The minimum concentrations of arsenic (0.00350.0064 mmol/kg), chromium (0.00190.0046 mmol/ kg), manganese (0.01740.0219 mmol/ kg) and iron (0.00590.0125 mmol/ kg) were noted in the roots; lead (0.0030.037 mmol/kg), cadmium (0.00020.001 mmol/kg) and copper (0.14770.2134 mmol/kg) - in the leaves; nickel (0.00820.0179 mmol/kg) - in the flowers of the studied paeonies. The maximum content of arsenic (0.00620.0123 mmol/kg) and chromium (0.00280.0063 mmol/kg) was found in the leaves; lead (0.00270.0223 mmol/kg), nickel (0.01670.0209 mmol/kg), manganese (0.01730.0212 mmol/kg) and iron (0.00870.0138 mmol/kg) - in stems; cadmium (0.00020.0009 mmol/kg) and copper (0.1440.244 mmol/kg) - in flowers. Therefore, cutting paeonies in the autumn before retirement avoids the accumulation of these microelements in the soil. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the absolute values of the concentrations of the studied elements in the considered taxon of paeonies correlate with each other to a moderate and strong degree.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1695-1698
Author(s):  
Marin Rusanescu ◽  
Carmen Otilia Rusanescu ◽  
Gheorghe Voicu ◽  
Mihaela Begea

A calcium bentonite from Orasu Nou deposit (Satu Mare Romania) was used as raw material. We have conducted laboratory experiments to determine the influence of bentonite on the degree of heavy metal retention. It has been observed that the rate of retention increases as the heavy metal concentration decreases. Experimental studies have been carried out on metal retention ( Zn) in bentonite. In this paper, we realized laboratory experiments for determining the influence of metal (Zn) on the growth and development of two types of plants (Pelargonium domesticum and Kalanchoe) and the effect of bentonite on the absorption of pollutants. These flowers were planted in unpolluted soil, in heavy metal polluted soil and in heavy metal polluted soil to which bentonite was added to observe the positive effect of bentonite. It has been noticed that the flowers planted in unpolluted soil and polluted with heavy metals to which bentonite has been added, the flowers have flourished, the leaves are still green and the plants whose soils have been polluted with heavy metals began to dry after 6 days, three weeks have yellowish leaves and flowers have dried. Experiments have demonstrated the essential role of bentonite for the removal of heavy metals polluted soil.


1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 85-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael O. Angelidis

The impact of the urban effluents of Mytilene (Lesvos island, Greece) on the receiving coastal marine environment, was evaluated by studying the quality of the city effluents (BOD5, COD, SS, heavy metals) and the marine sediments (grain size, organic matter, heavy metals). It was found that the urban effluents of Mytilene contain high organic matter and suspended particle load because of septage discharge into the sewerage network. Furthermore, although the city does not host important industrial activity, its effluents contain appreciable metal load, which is mainly associated with the particulate phase. The city effluents are discharged into the coastal marine environment and their colloidal and particulate matter after flocculation settles to the bottom, where is incorporated into the sediments. Over the years, the accumulation of organic matter and metals into the harbour mud has created a non-point pollution source in the relatively non-polluted coastal marine environment of the island. Copper and Zn were the metals which presented the higher enrichment in the sediments of the inner harbour of Mytilene.


1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 383-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Teer ◽  
D. J. Leak ◽  
A. W. L. Dudeney ◽  
A. Narayanan ◽  
D. C. Stuckey

The presence of small amounts of iron (>0.013% Fe) in sand creates problems in the manufacture of high quality glass. Removal by hot sulphuric acid is possible, but creates environmental problems, and is costly. Hence organic acids such as oxalic have been investigated since they are effective in removing iron, and can be degraded anaerobically. The aim of this work was to identify key intermediates in the anaerobic degradation of oxalate in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) which was removing iron from solution in the sulphide form, and to determine the bacterial species involved. 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES) and molybdenum were selected as suitable inhibitors for methanogenic and sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) respectively. 40mM molybdenum was used to inhibit the SRB in a reactor with a 12hr HRT. Total SRB inhibition took place in 20 hrs, with a complete breakthrough of influent sulphate. The lack of an immediate oxalate breakthrough confirmed Desulfovibrio vulgaris subspecies oxamicus was not the predominant oxalate utilising species. Nevertheless, high concentrations of molybdenum were found to inhibit oxalate utilising bacteria in granular reactors but not in suspended population reactors; this observation was puzzling, and at present cannot be explained. Based on the intermediates identified, it was postulated that oxalate was degraded to formate by an oxalate utilising bacteria such as Oxalobacter formigenes, and the formate used by the SRBs to reduce sulphate. Acetate, as a minor intermediate, existed primarily as a source of cell carbon for oxalate utilising bacteria. Methanogenic inhibition identified that 62% of the CH4 in the reactor operated at 37°C originated from hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, whilst this figure was 80% at 20°C. Possible irreversible effects were recorded with hydrogenotrophic methanogens.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6592
Author(s):  
Ana Moldovan ◽  
Maria-Alexandra Hoaghia ◽  
Anamaria Iulia Török ◽  
Marius Roman ◽  
Ionut Cornel Mirea ◽  
...  

This study aims to investigate the quality and vulnerability of surface water (Aries River catchment) in order to identify the impact of past mining activities. For this purpose, the pollution and water quality indices, Piper and Durov plots, as well vulnerability modeling maps were used. The obtained results indicate that the water samples were contaminated with As, Fe, Mn, Pb and have relatively high concentrations of SO42−, HCO3−, TDS, Ca, K, Mg and high values for the electrical conductivity. Possible sources of the high content of chemicals could be the natural processes or the inputs of the mine drainage. Generally, according to the pollution indices, which were correlated to high concentrations of heavy metals, especially with Pb, Fe and Mn, the water samples were characterized by heavy metals pollution. The water quality index classified the studied water samples into five different classes of quality, namely: unsuitable for drinking, poor, medium, good and excellent quality. Similarly, medium, high and very high vulnerability classes were observed. The Durov and Piper plots classified the waters into Mg-HCO3− and Ca-Cl− types. The past and present mining activities clearly change the water chemistry and alter the quality of the Aries River, with the water requiring specific treatments before use.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 614
Author(s):  
Muhammad Faisal ◽  
Zening Wu ◽  
Huiliang Wang ◽  
Zafar Hussain ◽  
Chenyang Shen

Heavy metals in road dust pose a significant threat to human health. This study investigated the concentrations, patterns, and sources of eight hazardous heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in the street dust of Zhengzhou city of PR China. Fifty-eight samples of road dust were analyzed based on three methods of risk assessment, i.e., Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo), Potential Ecological Risk Assessment (RI), and Nemerow Synthetic Pollution Index (PIN). The results exhibited higher concentrations of Hg and Cd 14 and 7 times higher than their background values, respectively. Igeo showed the risks of contamination in a range of unpolluted (Cr, Ni) to strongly polluted (Hg and Cd) categories. RI came up with the contamination ranges from low (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb) to extreme (Cd and Hg) risk of contamination. The risk of contamination based on PIN was from safe (Cu, As, and Pb) to seriously high (Cd and Hg). The results yielded by PIN indicated the extreme risk of Cd and Hg in the city. Positive Matrix Factorization was used to identify the sources of contamination. Factor 1 (vehicular exhaust), Factor 2 (coal combustion), Factor 3 (metal industry), and Factor 4 (anthropogenic activities), respectively, contributed 14.63%, 35.34%, 36.14%, and 13.87% of total heavy metal pollution. Metal’s presence in the dust is a direct health risk for humans and warrants immediate and effective pollution control and prevention measures in the city.


2012 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. 469-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norhashimah Ramli ◽  
Mohammad Hafizuddin Haji Jumali ◽  
Wan Safizah Wan Salim

Dredging along Kuala Perlis Jetty results in huge amount of marine sediments which has thrown considerable challenge for disposal. This research was conducted to characterize dredged marine sediment which was collected at Kuala Perlis Jetty as potential raw material for brick production. Three different characterizations were performed namely XRF, XRD and FTIR. XRF analysis showed the presence of SiO2 and Al2O3 as major quantities. Low concentration of heavy metals namely As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn presence in the sediment comply the US EPA guideline for brick production. XRD analysis indicated the presence of quartz as primary mineral while kaolinite and illite also present as secondary and ternary phases. FTIR analysis identified various form of minerals presence in the samples which strongly supported XRD results.


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