Sequential extraction and risk assessment of pollutants from one major tributary of the Ganga

The geochemical fractionation of toxic heavy metals Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Cu, Fe and Zn was investigated in 10 different sites of river bed sediments (up, mid and downstream) of Gomti River at Lucknow city. Sequential extraction technique was used to identify the distribution of trace elements binding in different fractions i.e., exchangeable, carbonate, Fe and Mn oxide, organic matter and residual. Heavy metal concentrations were least at upstream and significantly higher in mid and downstream. Fractionation indicated that dominant metals were bound in residual fraction to the bed sediments except for Cd and Pb which were bound in an equivalent fraction. Geo-accumulation index factor reveals that the enrichment of heavy metals in the bio-available fraction is contributed anthropogenically. Hierarchical cluster analysis also shows the metal pollution load in the river. Risk assessment code of Cd and Ni showed very high risk (ranged from 54.41 to 85.56 and 20.57 to 44.92 respectively) followed by Pb (high risk), Zn, Co (medium risk), Cr, Mn, Cu, Fe (low risk) in Gomti River water. Further, concentrations of Cd and Pb at mid Lucknow were 31 and 75%, high enough to pose a substantial risk to the environment.

Human health risk assessment of toxic elements in soils and crops around Xiaoqinling gold-mining area, Northwestern China

The threat to the quality and safety of agricultural products from toxic elemental pollution is a critical contemporary problem. Extensive mining and lax management in the Xiaoqinling gold-mining area from 1986 to 2000 have increased the toxic element concentrations in soils, groundwater, and crops around the mines. Long-term excessive intake of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn can cause serious life-threatening human diseases, such as hydromelalgia, lead poisoning, Itai Itai disease, chronic rhinopathy, and acute hemolysis. Influenced by local environmental conditions, toxic elements in soils and crops enter the food chain and endanger human health. To determine the health risks from toxic elements introduced by mineral exploitation in Xiaoqinling, soil, wheat, and corn samples were analyzed for Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Cu, and Zn content. The contamination risks of toxic elements in soils were assessed using the single pollution index and risk assessment code method. The human health risks from toxic elements through wheat and corn consumption were evaluated using transfer factor (TF) and hazard quotient (HQ). The results indicated severe Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn accumulation in the mining-affected soils. The TF revealed a relatively easier transformation of Cd, Zn, and Cu from soil to crops, and the HQ showed a high risk of Pb intake from wheat and corn.

Comparison of the Possibilities of Environmental Usage of Sewage Sludge from Treatment Plants Operating with MBR and SBR Technology

Sewage sludge from sewage treatment plants has soil-forming and fertilising properties. However, sewage sludge cannot always be used in nature, including agriculture. One of the main reasons is the concentration of heavy metals. Sludge from wastewater treatment plants operating in MBR (membrane biological reactor) and SBR (sequential batch reactor) systems was analysed. Studies comparing the risk analysis of the natural use of sludge from MBR and SBR treatment plants were performed for the first time, due to the fact that more and more MBR plants, which are a BAT technology, are being developed in Poland, displacing the classical SBR plants. MBR technology uses a combination of activated sludge and filtration with microfiltration membranes. Wastewater treated in these reactors meets the highest quality standards, both in terms of physicochemical and microbiological aspects. This paper presents studies on the mobility of heavy metals in sewage sludge carried out using the BCR sequential extraction method. Geo-accumulation index (GAI), potential environmental risk index (ER), risk assessment code (RAC), and environmental risk determinant (ERD) were calculated. Heavy metals dominated the stable fractions in all cases. Furthermore, an increased content of copper and cadmium was observed in the MBR sludge. This fact is favourable in view of the efforts to eliminate heavy metals in the environment.

Sorption of Heavy Metals by Sewage Sludge and Its Mixtures with Soil from Wastewater Treatment Plants Operating in MBR and INR Technology

Sewage sludge is a very complex system, with solids and water. It is generated as waste from wastewater treatment. Sewage sludge is used to fertilize agricultural and forest areas and to rehabilitate devastated areas. It is a good organic fertilizer because it contains significant amounts of nutrients beneficial for plant development and humus-forming substances. The composition of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants is similar to soil organic matter, therefore it can be used to improve the physicochemical properties of soil, increasing its sorption capacity. Research material was collected in the Swietokrzyskie and Mazowieckie Voivodships. Sewage sludge was collected from the wastewater treatment plants in Sitkowka Nowiny (Sitkowka) and Kunow, as well as high-quality agricultural soil from Opatowiec and sandy-clay soil from Jastrzebie. Research was carried out on the sorption of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) by mixtures of sewage sludge with soil. The calculations were made for the concentrations of heavy metals in sewage sludge, soil, and sewage sludge–soil mixtures. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and the risk assessment code (RAC) were calculated. Increased sorption capacity was demonstrated in samples with a predominance of sewage sludge. It was shown that heavy metals from sewage sludge, after mixing with soil, changed their form from immobile to mobile.

Ecological risk by potentially toxic elements in surface sediments of the Lake Maracaibo (Venezuela)

The evaluation of potential ecological risk of aquatic sediments associated with the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTE) determines its degree of danger on native biota. In this work, the potential ecological risk of V, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sn, Hg and Pb in superficial sediments is explained in three different areas of Lake Maracaibo: El Tablazo Bay, Strait of Maracaibo and the lake itself, through a multi-guideline approach (elemental enrichment (enrichment factor, contamination degree, pollutant load index and geo-accumulation index), sediment quality guidelines and risk assessment code). The PTE levels ranged from < 0.025 to 176.722 mg·kg−1 DW, with an overall proportion of V > Ti > Pb > Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > As > Cd > Se > Hg > Sn. The PTE concurrent effect on biota was El Tablazo Bay > lake > Strait of Maracaibo. The superficial sediments of Lake Maracaibo constitute a medium with a high potential ecological risk on estuarine biota. This is mainly due to the levels of As in El Tablazo Bay, Cd in the Strait of Maracaibo and Pb in the lake area. This represents a latent toxicity hazard for native biological communities and other associated organisms.

Risk Analysis of Heavy Metal Accumulation from Sewage Sludge of Selected Wastewater Treatment Plants in Poland

Sewage sludge (SS) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has important soil-forming and fertilizing properties. However, it may not always be used for this purpose. One of the main reasons why SS cannot be used for natural purposes is its heavy metal (HM) content. SS from the wastewater treatment plant in Poland was subjected to an analysis of the potential anthropogenic hazard of HMs, especially in terms of their mobility and accumulation in soil. Calculations were made for the concentrations of HMs in SS from the analyzed wastewater treatment plants and in arable soil from measurement points in places of its potential use. The geoaccumulation index (GAI), potential environmental risk index (PERI), risk assessment code (RAC) and environmental risk determinant (ERD) were calculated. Then the values of the indicators were compared with the mobility of HMs, which was the highest risk of soil contamination. It was shown that a high level of potential risk and geoaccumulation indicators did not necessarily disqualify the use of SS, provided that HMs were in immovable fractions.

Reforestation Impacted Soil Heavy Metal Fractionation and Related Risk Assessment in the Karst Area, Southwest China

Human agricultural activities have resulted in widespread land degradation and soil contamination in the karst areas. However, the effects of reforestation after agricultural abandonment on the mobility risks and contamination of heavy metals have been rarely reported. In the present study, six soil profiles were selected from cropland and abandoned cropland with reforestation in the Puding karst regions of Southwest China. The Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction method was used to evaluate the compositions of different chemical fractions of soil heavy metals, including Fe, Mn, Cr, Zn, Ni, and Cd. The total contents of Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Mn in the croplands were significantly higher than those in the abandoned croplands. For all soils, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Fe were mainly concentrated in the residual fractions (>85%), whereas Mn and Cd were mostly observed in the non-residual fractions (>65%). The non-residual fractions of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn in the croplands were higher than those in the abandoned croplands. These results indicated that the content and mobility of soil heavy metals decreased after reforestation. The individual contamination factor (ICF) and risk assessment code (RAC) showed that Cd contributed to considerable contamination of karst soils. The global contamination factor (GCF) and potential ecological risk index (RI) suggested low contamination and ecological risk of the investigated heavy metals in the croplands, moreover they can be further reduced after reforestation.

Evaluating the Profile Geochemical Characteristics and Environmental Risk Prediction of Typical Sulfide Tailing Ponds Through Multiple Methods

Abandoned tailings generated from copper mining are exposed to the environment for a long time will cause related risks, such as stability, landslides, surface and groundwater pollution, acid mine drainage (AMD) and secondary mineral deposits. This research started from multiple methods and comprehensively assessed the current status of mine tailings through the joint application of geophysics, geochemistry and mineralogy techniques to identify relevant environmental hazards. A thick oxidized hardened layer was formed on the surface of the tailings dam, but there were still faults or crack that affected its structural stability. According to the low-resistivity distribution of the tailings, the surface oxide compaction was judged, and the existence of high-resistivity cracks judged the potential migration path of heavy metals (HMs). The microscopic morphology and existing mineral phases of tailings particles at different depths in the profile were determined by SEM and XRD of representative samples as the main feature of iron crystalline phase. As the profile depth increased, the minerals such as calcite, pyrite and goethite gradually appeared. In addition, Cr and As were no risk, Cu, Zn, Pb were low risk, Ni was medium risk, and Cd was high risk in risk assessment code (RAC) analysis of the tailings. Judging whether HMs in the tailings are hazardous substances according to the results of toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), it was found that the leaching contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, As were all lower than the limit, while the leaching content of Cd was higher than the limit, and additional attention should be paid to Cd pollution.

The Effect of Compost and Fly Ash Treatment of Contaminated Soil on the Immobilisation and Bioavailability of Lead

The study discusses changes in lead contents in soil and crops after application of compost and fly ash. A three-year experiment was conducted on narrow-leaved lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.), camelina (Camelina sativa L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.), which were grown on medium soil fertilised with compost or fly ash (FA). The lead amounts in various combinations were evaluated using sequential (BCR analysis) and single (DTPA solution) methods. The total contents of lead and amounts of selected macronutrients were assessed in the biomass of plants. The Pb contents in the soil and plants were used to calculate the risk assessment code (RAC), individual contamination factor (ICF), bioconcentration factor (BCF) and contamination coefficient level (CCL). Lower amounts of bioavailable Pb in the soil were observed as a result of compost and FA application. Fly ash immobilised Pb more effectively, as evidenced by the BCF and CCL values. The increase in the Pb contents in the sequentially separated fractions and in plant biomass were caused by applied compost or FA. The Pb contents in exchangeable forms decreased, whereas its contents in residual forms increased.

An Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in the Nakdong River Around the Weir

In this study, the concentrations and characteristics of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) contamination in sediment samples were investigated using aqua regia extraction and Tessier’s five-step sequential extraction. Based on the concentration of metals, the influence of the Hapcheon-Changnyeong weir on sediments in the Nakdong River was assessed. The origins of the contaminants, their bioavailability, and their mobility were determined using sequential extraction. Greater concentrations of heavy metals were found in samples collected closer to the weir. The largest proportion of Cu was identified in the residual fraction based on sequential extraction, whereas Zn was predominantly found in the reducible fraction. Iron-manganese in the reducible fraction of Zn has the potential to leach back to the water body. In addition, the combined concentration of fractions 1 and 2 of Cu comprised more than 20% of total amount that still has potential to affect the water quality. The results of this study were compared with existing sediment standards set out by the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research), Canada, and US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines, as well as the risk assessment code (RAC). The concentrations of heavy metals exceeded the standards set by the Canadian guideline by up to four times in particular samples, highlighting the need for continual monitoring.