scholarly journals Distribution of Contaminated Soils along Transversal and Longitudinal Gradients in Dynamic Fluvial Environment (Southern Québec, Canada)

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. ASWR.S22465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Saint-Laurent ◽  
Francis Baril ◽  
Ilias Bazier ◽  
Vernhar Gervais-Beaulac ◽  
Camille Chapados

This research combines a hydrological and pedological approach to better understand the spatial distribution of contaminated soils along the Massawippi River (southern Québec, Canada). This river crosses through former mines, which were some of the largest copper mining areas in North America from 1865 to 1939. To determine the spatial distribution and concentration of the metal elements, soil samples were taken in each flood recurrence zone appearing on official flood zone maps. The maximum values obtained for Cu and Pb are 380 and 200 mg kg−1, respectively, for the soils in the frequent flood zones (FFzs), while the values for soils in the moderate flood zones (MFzs) range from 700 to 540 (Cu) and 580 to 460 mg kg−1 (Pb). Contamination extends through several kilometers of the former mining sites (Eustis and Capleton), and concentration of metals in alluvial soils is slightly higher near the mine sites.

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamyai Neeratanaphan ◽  
Tawatchai Tanee ◽  
Alongklod Tanomtong ◽  
Bundit Tengjaroenkul

Abstract To improve bioremediation of arsenic (As) contamination in soil, the use of microorganisms to efficiently reduce As and their assessment of genetic erosion by DNA damage using genomic template stability (GTS) evaluation and using RAPD markers were investigated. The five sites examined for microorganisms and contaminated soils were collected from affected gold mining areas. The highest As concentration in gold mining soil is 0.72 mg/kg. Microorganism strains isolated from the gold mining soil samples were tested for As removal capacity. Two bacterial isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and morphological characteristics as Brevibacillus reuszeri and Rhodococcus sp. The ability to treat As in nutrient agar (NA) at 1,600 mg/L and contaminated soil samples at 0.72 mg/kg was measured at 168 h, revealing more efficient As removal by B. reuszeri than Rhodococcus sp. (96.67% and 94.17%, respectively). Both species have the capacity to remove As, but B. reuszeri shows improved growth compared to the Rhodococcus sp. B. reuszeri might be suitable for adaptation and use in As treatment. The results are in agreement with their genetic erosion values, with B. reuszeri showing very little genetic erosion (12.46%) of culture in As concentrations as high as 1,600 mg/L, whereas 82.54% genetic erosion occurred in the Rhodococcus sp., suggesting that Rhodococcus sp. would not survive at this level of genetic erosion. Therefore, B. reuszeri has a high efficiency and can be used for soil As treatment, as it is capable to tolerate a concentration of 0.72 mg/kg and as high as 1,600 mg/L in NA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1422
Author(s):  
J. Michael Köhler ◽  
Nancy Beetz ◽  
Peter Mike Günther ◽  
Frances Möller ◽  
Jialan Cao

The east and southeast rim of Harz mountains (Germany) are marked by a high density of former copper mining places dating back from the late 20th century to the middle age. A set of 18 soil samples from pre- and early industrial mining places and one sample from an industrial mine dump have been selected for investigation by 16S rRNA and compared with six samples from non-mining areas. Although most of the soil samples from the old mines show pH values around 7, RNA profiling reflects many operational taxonomical units (OTUs) belonging to acidophilic genera. For some of these OTUs, similarities were found with their abundances in the comparative samples, while others show significant differences. In addition to pH-dependent bacteria, thermophilic, psychrophilic, and halophilic types were observed. Among these OTUs, several DNA sequences are related to bacteria which are reported to show the ability to metabolize special substrates. Some OTUs absent in comparative samples from limestone substrates, among them Thaumarchaeota were present in the soil group from ancient mines with pH > 7. In contrast, acidophilic types have been found in a sample from a copper slag deposit, e.g., the polymer degrading bacterium Granulicella and Acidicaldus, which is thermophilic, too. Soil samples of the group of pre-industrial mines supplied some less abundant, interesting OTUs as the polymer-degrading Povalibacter and the halophilic Lewinella and Halobacteriovorax. A particularly high number of bacteria (OTUs) which had not been detected in other samples were found at an industrial copper mine dump, among them many halophilic and psychrophilic types. In summary, the results show that soil samples from the ancient copper mining places contain soil bacterial communities that could be a promising source in the search for microorganisms with valuable metabolic capabilities.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 2004
Author(s):  
Hikmanita Lisan Nashukha ◽  
Jirayu Sitanurak ◽  
Hermin Sulistyarti ◽  
Duangjai Nacapricha ◽  
Kanchana Uraisin

This work presents a simple and innovative protocol employing a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) for equipment-free determination of mercury. In this method, mercury (II) forms an ionic-association complex of tetraiodomercurate (II) ion (HgI42−(aq)) using a known excess amount of iodide. The residual iodide flows by capillary action into a second region of the paper where it is converted to iodine by pre-deposited iodate to liberate I2(g) under acidic condition. Iodine vapor diffuses across the spacer region of the µPAD to form a purple colored of tri-iodide starch complex in a detection zone located in a separate layer of the µPAD. The digital image of the complex is analyzed using ImageJ software. The method has a linear calibration range of 50–350 mg L−1 Hg with the detection limit of 20 mg L−1. The method was successfully applied to the determination of mercury in contaminated soil and water samples which the results agreed well with the ICP-MS method. Three soil samples were highly contaminated with mercury above the acceptable WHO limits (0.05 mg kg−1). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first colorimetric µPAD method that is applicable for soil samples including mercury contaminated soils from gold mining areas.


Author(s):  
Cornel Negrusier ◽  
Ioan Pacurar ◽  
Orsolya Borsai ◽  
Attila Keseru

Soil ecosystems contaminated with heavy metals can cause significant damages to the environment and human health due to the mobility and solubility capacity of the contaminants. This research was carried out to set up a suitable bioremediation scheme for cleaning up the soil from the mining sites of Anieș and Glod Valley from Bistrița-Năsăud county. Based on the investigations that have been made (soil colour, pH, organic content of the soil, plant inventory) phytoremediation seemed to be the most effective and environmentally-friendly method that could be used to neutralize or remove heavy metals from the soil.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-92
Author(s):  
Farhad Hoseinpour ◽  
◽  
Mostafa Hosein-Nejad Mohtarami ◽  
Samad Alipour ◽  
Samaneh Torbati ◽  
...  

Background: High concentrations of various heavy metals of mine tailings can easily contaminate the environment. Such materials need monitoring and remediation to prevent them from polluting the environment and food chain. Methods: The concentrations of certain metals were evaluated in the soil samples at Sorkheh and Mazraeh copper mining areas in northwestern Iran, using three reliable pollution indices. We assessed the ability of three plants, Alhaji maurorum and Stachys inflata at Sorkheh mines, and Cirsium vulgare at Mazraeh mines, the dominant plants grown in those areas, in taking up the metals from the associated soils. The plant and soil samples were analyzed inductively by coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: The results revealed that the soil samples at Sorkheh and Mazraeh mining areas were highly contaminated with As at CF values of 16.9 and 4.6, respectively. The soil samples from the two mining areas were moderately contaminated with Pb and Zn. The data confirmed that A. maurorum and S. inflata had a good ability to accumulate Cd, Mo and Sc from the soils in Sorkheh area. The other plant, C. vulgare, accumulated Zn and Pb at 1891 mg/kg and 18.6 mg/kg, respectively. The studied plants were good indicators of heavy metals contaminating the soils in these mining areas. Conclusion: This study provided geochemical evidence about the heavy metals that contaminated the soils in the mining areas, and contributed new information about these toxic metals and their concentrations in the three plants and the soil samples.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7099
Author(s):  
Inkyeong Moon ◽  
Honghyun Kim ◽  
Sangjo Jeong ◽  
Hyungjin Choi ◽  
Jungtae Park ◽  
...  

In this study, the geochemical properties of heavy metal-contaminated soils from a Korean military shooting range were analyzed. The chemical behavior of heavy metals was determined by analyzing the soil pH, heavy metal concentration, mineral composition, and Pb isotopes. In total, 24 soil samples were collected from a Korean military shooting range. The soil samples consist of quartz, albite, microcline, muscovite/illite, kaolinite, chlorite, and calcite. Lead minerals, such as hydrocerussite and anglesite, which are indicative of a transformation into secondary mineral phases, were not observed. All soils were strongly contaminated with Pb with minor concentrations of Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn. Arsenic was rarely detected. The obtained results are indicated that the soils from the shooting range are contaminated with heavy metals and have evidences of different degree of anthropogenic Pb sources. This study is crucial for the evaluation of heavy metal-contaminated soils in shooting ranges and their environmental effect as well as for the establishment of management strategies for the mitigation of environmental risks.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Nita ◽  
Urszula Myga-Piątek

Abstract The current article will attempt to confirm that Polish post-mining areas are characterized by high cognitive and aesthetic values and that they have great geotourism potential, which has been little used so far. Tourism is regarded to be one of the most dynamically growing sectors of the global economy and is a phenomenon that occurs in the landscapes of all ecological and altitudinal zones. Geotourism is among the relatively recent types of tourism. Poland is a highly attractive country for geotourism. The aim of this article is to analyze the distribution and size of post-mining areas in Poland and, based on these analyses, to assess the geotourist potential of selected post-mining regions. Based on the distribution of natural resource mining sites and their potential and actual use in geotourism, the authors selected 20 actual and potential geotourist regions in Poland. These regions were divided into three basic categories based on their attractiveness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-301
Author(s):  
Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu ◽  
Aminu Ismaila ◽  
A. M. Na'Inna ◽  
Ahmed Mohammed

Radon and its short-lived progenies contributed significantly to natural background radiation. Long-term exposure to such radiation increases the probability of lung cancer to persons. To assess the radiological hazards associated with the inhalation of radon gas from ore dust in Mazat and Kafi-Habu mining sites of Plateau, Nigeria, 12 soil samples from an abandoned tailing dump ground were collected and analysed for radon using RAD-7 electronic detector. The dose rate of each sampling point was directly measured using RADOS RDS -120 portable survey meter. The results gave a mean radon concentration ranging from 771.51 ± 21.9 Bq/m3 to 5666.13 ± 28.8 Bq/m3 with 3451.13 ± 42.9 Bq/m3as the average value for all measurements. The average concentration of measurements from Mazat and Kafi-Habu is 3671.6 ± 41.2 Bq/m3 and 3010.16 ± 46.5 Bq/m3 respectively. The average values obtained from the analysis are significantly higher than the upper limit of 300 Bq/m3 set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) suggesting quick remediation on the host communities. The geometrical mean value of Dose Rate (DR) and Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) were 870 nGy/hr and 1.04 mSv/yr respectively. Again, these values are above the global average limits of 59 nGy/hr and 1 mSv/yr. The result indicates that miners working in those sites and dwellers of the study areas are at higher risk of getting exposed to radon and need to employ protective measures. This work is useful in monitoring and control of radon level for the on-site workers and the 


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 4924-4937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Samuel Olise ◽  
Samuel Adedigba Adeojo ◽  
Oyediran Kayode Owoade ◽  
Oyebamiji Oyedele Oketayo ◽  
Solomon Adeniyi Adekola ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 3663-3668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Guidi ◽  
Nicola Patocchi ◽  
Peter Lüthy ◽  
Mauro Tonolla

ABSTRACTRecurrent treatments withBacillus thuringiensissubsp.israelensisare required to control the floodwater mosquitoAedes vexansthat breeds in large numbers in the wetlands of the Bolle di Magadino Reserve in Canton Ticino, Switzerland. Interventions have been carried out since 1988. In the present study, the spatial distribution of restingB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensisspores in the soil was measured. TheB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensisconcentration was determined in soil samples collected along six transects covering different elevations within the periodically flooded zones. A total of 258 samples were processed and analyzed by quantitative PCR that targeted an identical fragment of 159 bp for theB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensis cry4Aaandcry4Bagenes.B. thuringiensissubsp.israelensisspores were found to persist in soils of the wetland reserve at concentrations of up to 6.8 log per gram of soil. Continuous accumulation due to regular treatments could be excluded, as the decrease in spores amounted to 95.8% (95% confidence interval, 93.9 to 97.7%). The distribution of spores was correlated to the number ofB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensistreatments, the elevation of the sampling point, and the duration of the flooding periods. The number ofB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensistreatments was the major factor influencing the distribution of spores in the different topographic zones (P< 0.0001). These findings indicated thatB. thuringiensissubsp.israelensisspores are rather immobile after their introduction into the environment.


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