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Du Y, Shi L, Li X, Liu J, Ying R, Hu P, Wu L, Christie P. Potential mobilization of water-dispersible colloidal thallium and arsenic in contaminated soils and sediments in mining areas of southwest China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133211. [PMID: 38101008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Water-dispersible colloids (WDCs) are vital for trace element migration, but there is limited information about the abundance, size distribution and elemental composition of WDC-bound thallium (Tl) and arsenic (As) in mining-contaminated soils and sediments solutions. Here, we investigated the potential mobilization of WDC-bound Tl and As in soils and sediments in a typical Tl/As-contaminated area. Ultrafiltration results revealed on average > 60% of Tl and As in soil solution (< 220 nm) coexisted in colloidal form whereas Tl and As in sediment solution primarily existed in the truly dissolved state (< 10 kDa) due to increased acidity. Using AF4-UV-ICP-MS and STEM-EDS, we identified Fe-bearing WDCs in association with aluminosilicate minerals and organic matter were main carriers of Tl and As. SAED further verified jarosite nanoparticles were important components of soil WDC, directly participating in the migration of Tl and As. Notably, high pollution levels and solution pH promoted the release of Tl/As-containing WDCs. This study provides quantitative and visual insights into the distribution of Tl and As in WDC, highlighting the important roles of Fe-bearing WDC, soil solution pH and pollution level in the potential mobilization of Tl and As in contaminated soils and sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpei Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lingfeng Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinyang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Juan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Rongrong Ying
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Management and Pollution Control, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China.
| | - Pengjie Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Longhua Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Peter Christie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
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Huangfu X, Liu Z, Wang H, He Q, Liu H, Liu C. Highly inhibited transport of dissolved thallium(I) in manganese oxide-coated sand: Chemical condition effects and retention mechanisms. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 129:104-114. [PMID: 36804227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Thallium contamination in water can cause great danger to the environment. In this study, we synthesized manganese oxide-coated sand (MOCS) and investigated the transport and retention behaviors of Tl(I) in MOCS under different conditions. Characterization methods combined with a two-site nonequilibrium transport model were applied to explore the retention mechanisms. The results showed that Tl(I) mobility was strongly inhibited in MOCS media, and the retention capacity calculated from the fitted model was 510.41 mg/g under neutral conditions. The retention process included adsorption and oxidative precipitation by the manganese oxides coated on the sand surface. Cotransport with the same concentration of Mn(II) led to halving Tl(I) retention due to competition for reactive sites. Enhanced Tl(I) retention was observed under alkaline conditions, as increasing pH promoted electronegativity on the media surface. Moreover, the competitive cation Ca2+ significantly weakened Tl(I) retention by occupying adsorption sites. These findings provide new insights into understanding Tl(I) transport behavior in water-saturated porous media and suggest that manganese oxide-coated sand can be a cost-effective filter media for treating Tl-contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoliu Huangfu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Ziqiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Hainan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Hongxia Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
| | - Caihong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
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Corzo Remigio A, Pošćić F, Nkrumah PN, Edraki M, Spiers KM, Brueckner D, van der Ent A. Comprehensive insights in thallium ecophysiology in the hyperaccumulator Biscutella laevigata. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155899. [PMID: 35569660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biscutella laevigata is the strongest known thallium (Tl) hyperaccumulator plant species. However, little is known about the ecophysiological processes leading to root uptake and translocation of Tl in this species, and the interactions between Tl and its chemical analogue potassium (K). Biscutella laevigata was subjected to hydroponics experimentation in which it was exposed to Tl and K, and it was investigated in a rhizobox experiment. Laboratory-based micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ-XRF) was used to reveal the Tl distribution in the roots and leaves, while synchrotron-based μ-XRF was utilised to reveal elemental distribution in the seed. The results show that in the seed Tl was mainly localised in the endosperm and cotyledons. In mature plants, Tl was highest in the intermediate leaves (16,100 μg g-1), while it was one order of magnitude lower in the stem and roots. Potassium did not inhibit or enhance Tl uptake in B.laevigata. At the organ level, Tl was localised in the blade and margins of the leaves. Roots foraged for Tl and cycled Tl across roots growing in the control soils. Biscutella laevigata has ostensibly evolved specialised mechanisms to tolerate high Tl concentrations in its shoots. The lack of interactions and competition between Tl and K suggests that it is unlikely that Tl is taken up via K channels, but high affinity Tl transporters remain to be identified in this species. Thallium is not only highly toxic but also a valuable metal and Tl phytoextraction using B. laevigata should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Corzo Remigio
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Filip Pošćić
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Plants, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Philip Nti Nkrumah
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Mansour Edraki
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Dennis Brueckner
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Germany; Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
| | - Antony van der Ent
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia.
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Varão Moura A, Aparecido Rosini Silva A, Domingos Santo da Silva J, Aleixo Leal Pedroza L, Bornhorst J, Stiboller M, Schwerdtle T, Gubert P. Determination of ions in Caenorhabditis elegans by ion chromatography. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2022; 1204:123312. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2022.123312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Varão AM, Silva JDS, Amaral LO, Aleixo LLP, Onduras A, Santos CS, Silva LPD, Ribeiro DE, Filho JLL, Bornhorst J, Stiboller M, Schwerdtle T, Alves LC, Soares FAA, Gubert P. Toxic effects of thallium acetate by acute exposure to the nematode C. elegans. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2021; 68:126848. [PMID: 34479099 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thallium (Tl) is a toxic metalloid and an emerging pollutant due to electronic devices and dispersal nearby base-metal mining. Therefore, Tl poses a threat to human health and especially the long-term impact on younger individuals exposed is still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the toxic effects of thallium acetate in C. elegans in early larval stages, considering physiological and behavioral endpoints, as well as the Tl absorption and bioaccumulation. METHODS Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was exposed to Thallium acetate (50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 500, and 1000 μM) in the L1 larval stage, with the purpose to observe the toxic effects invoked until adulthood. Transgenic worms strains were transported GFP, reporters to DAF-16 and were used to verify the antioxidant response. ICP-MS quantified total Tl+ concentration to evidence Tl uptake and bioaccumulation. RESULTS Thallium acetate caused a significant reduction in the number of living worms (p < 0.0001 in 100-1000 μM), a delay in larval development (p < 0.01; p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001 in 100-1000 μM) through the larval stages, and egg production in the worm's uterus was reduced. Thallium acetate also induced behavioral changes. Additionally, thallium acetate activated antioxidant pathway responses in C. elegans by translocating the DAF-16 transcription factor and activation of SOD-3::GFP expression. The Tl+ quantification in worms showed its absorption in the L1 larval stage and bioaccumulation in the body after development. CONCLUSIONS Thallium acetate reduced survival, delayed development, caused behavioral changes, induced responses inherent to oxidative stress, and serious damage to the worm's reproduction. In addition, C. elegans absorbed and bioaccumulated Tl+. Together, our results highlight the impacts of Tl+ exposure in the early stages of life, even for a short period.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Varão
- MS(4)Life Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista, SP, 12916-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western Bahia, Rua Bertioga, 892, Morada Nobre II, CEP 47810-059, Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil
| | - J D S Silva
- Graduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western Bahia, Rua Bertioga, 892, Morada Nobre II, CEP 47810-059, Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil
| | - L O Amaral
- Graduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western Bahia, Rua Bertioga, 892, Morada Nobre II, CEP 47810-059, Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil
| | - L L P Aleixo
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - A Onduras
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - C S Santos
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - L P D Silva
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - D E Ribeiro
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - J L L Filho
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - J Bornhorst
- Food Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - M Stiboller
- Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - T Schwerdtle
- Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - L C Alves
- Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Department of Parasitology, Brazil
| | - F A A Soares
- Federal University of Santa Maria, Center for Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry, 97105900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - P Gubert
- Graduate Program in Pure and Applied Chemistry, Federal University of Western Bahia, Rua Bertioga, 892, Morada Nobre II, CEP 47810-059, Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil; Immunopathology Laboratory Keizo Asami. The Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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Quality of Peri-Urban Soil Developed from Ore-Bearing Carbonates: Heavy Metal Levels and Source Apportionment Assessed Using Pollution Indices. MINERALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/min10121140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Pollution indices are used to assess the influence of the bedrock as a natural source of heavy-metal (HM), and anthropogenic pollution from ore mining in soils developed from ore-bearing carbonates. The research was conducted in two areas differing in geological setting and type of land use in the Upper Silesia Industrial Region, Southern Poland. Physical properties such as pH, total sulfur, total carbon and total organic carbon values, as well as total Zn, Pb, and Cd contents (ICP-OES) for 39 topsoil samples were measured. Contamination factor (Cf), degree of contamination (Cdeg), pollution load index (PLI) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo), were used to determine the deterioration of topsoil due to HM pollution. The HM content exceeded geochemical background levels by 2.5–18.1 times. Very high to moderate topsoil contamination was determined. In a shallow historical mining zone, the relative influence of particular HM was found to be in the order of Pb > Cd > Zn and, in a deep mining zone, Zn > Cd > Pb. In the topsoil developed over shallow ore bodies, the HM content was mainly (60%) due to naturally occurring HM. In the area of deeply buried ore bodies, 90% of the HM load was related to anthropogenic sources. Zn, Pb and Cd vertical distributions and the patterns of topsoil pollution differ in terms of types of mined ores, mining methods and times elapsed since mining ceased. Pollution indices are an efficient tool for distinguishing soil anthropogenic pollution and geogenic contamination.
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Bu-Olayan AH, Thomas BV. Bourgeoning impact of the technology critical elements in the marine environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 265:115064. [PMID: 32806423 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of the Technology Critical Elements (TCE) through e-wastes and beach plastic wastes are some of the attributes to the recent rise in marine pollution. A generalized study of pollutants in the marine waters showed no evidence of the effect of TCE. However, an in-depth study revealed the mean TCE concentrations in the sequence of gallium (Ga) > thallium (Tl) > niobium (Nb) > tellurium (Te) > tantalum (Ta) > germanium (Ge) > indium (In) in wastewater (0.38 ng.L-1) >sediment (0.3 ng g-1) e-wastes (0.29 ng g-1) > coastal water (0.26 ng.L-1) > plastic wastes (0.133 ng g-1) >fish (0.13 ng g-1). The mean site-wise analysis of all the samples showed high TCE during winter than in the summer seasons as well, in the sequence of Site-II>Site-I>Site-V>Site-IV>Site-III. The mean distribution coefficient (Kd) of TCE was high in the summer (1.95) than during the winter (1.60) seasons but, the reverse seasonal effects were observed with the bioavailability (%BA) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). This index quantified TCE in e-wastes and plastic materials. Furthermore, these indicators labeled TCE as one among the sources for 'Fish Kill,' a futuristic threat to seafood consumers and a biomonitoring tool to marine pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- A H Bu-Olayan
- Department of Chemistry, Kuwait University, Khaldiya Campus, Safat, 13060, Kuwait
| | - B V Thomas
- Department of Chemistry, Kuwait University, Khaldiya Campus, Safat, 13060, Kuwait.
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Silva AFD, Malhado AC, Correia RA, Ladle RJ, Vital MV, Mott T. Taxonomic bias in amphibian research: Are researchers responding to conservation need? J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Andreani G, Cannavacciuolo A, Menotta S, Spallucci V, Fedrizzi G, Carpenè E, Isani G. Environmental exposure to non-essential trace elements in two bat species from urbanised (Tadarida teniotis) and open land (Miniopterus schreibersii) areas in Italy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 254:113034. [PMID: 31465904 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bats are particularly suited as bioindicators of trace element pollution due to their longevity and their position in the trophic chain. In this study, the concentrations of ten non-essential trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sr, Th, Tl) were determined in the tissues (whole body, skin-fur, skinned body, liver, kidney and bone) of lactant Tadarida teniotis from a nursery colony in Rome. A large number of bats from this nursery died before fledging and had bone deformities and fractures. The concentrations of non-essential trace elements in bone and whole body were also analysed in adult specimens of Miniopterus schreibersii from a colony located in a natural park in Northern Italy. In lactant T. teniotis, the Pb concentration decreased in the following order: bone>liver>skinned body>whole body>skin-fur>kidney, and exceeded the toxic threshold associated with negative effects reported for different mammalian species. The levels of the other non-essential trace elements were within a range indicative of low environmental contamination in both species. Significant interspecies differences (P < 0.05) were observed for concentrations of Pb and Ba, higher in the bones of T. teniotis, and of Cd, Hg and Sr, higher in the bones of M. schreibersii. In lactant T. teniotis, the different sources of Pb exposure, through inhalation and/or food, may represent a potential threat to the colony of this synanthropic European bat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Andreani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Annunziata Cannavacciuolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", via Appia Nuova 1411 Roma, Italy; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simonetta Menotta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Spallucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", via Appia Nuova 1411 Roma, Italy
| | - Giorgio Fedrizzi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emilio Carpenè
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Isani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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Liu J, Luo X, Sun Y, Tsang DCW, Qi J, Zhang W, Li N, Yin M, Wang J, Lippold H, Chen Y, Sheng G. Thallium pollution in China and removal technologies for waters: A review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:771-790. [PMID: 30884277 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Thallium (Tl) is a typical toxic metal, which poses a great threat to human health through drinking water and the food chain (biomagnification). China has rich Tl-bearing mineral resources, which have been extensively explored and utilized, leading to release of large amounts of Tl into the environment. However, research on Tl pollution and removal techniques is relatively limited, because Tl has not been listed within the scope of environmental monitoring in China for several decades. This paper reviewed Tl pollution in wastewater arising from various industries in China, as well as the latest available methods for treating Tl-containing industrial wastewater, in order to give an outlook on effective technologies for controlling Tl pollution. Conventional physical and chemical treatment technologies are efficient at removing trace amounts of Tl, but it proved to be difficult to achieve the stringent environmental standard (≤0.1-5 μg/L) cost-effectively. Adsorption by using newly developed nanomaterials, and metal oxide modified polymer materials and microbial fuel cells are highly promising and expected to become next-generation technologies for remediation of Tl pollution. With the potential for greater Tl contamination in the environment under accelerated growth of industrialization, researches based on lab-scale implementation of such promising treatment technologies should be further expanded to pilot and industrial scale, ensuring environmental protection and the safety of drinking water for sustainable development. Comprehensive insights into experiences of Tl pollution in China and in-depth perspectives on new frontier technologies of Tl removal from wastewaters will also benefit other nations/regions worldwide, which are susceptible to high exposure to Tl likewise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xuwen Luo
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuqing Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Daniel C W Tsang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianying Qi
- South China Institute of Environmental Science, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Weilong Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Nuo Li
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Meiling Yin
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Holger Lippold
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institut für Ressourcenökologie, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - Yongheng Chen
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guodong Sheng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
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Zhang W, Guo R, Ai S, Yang Y, Ding J, Zhang Y. Long-term heavy metal pollution varied female reproduction investment in free-living anura, Bufo raddei. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 159:136-142. [PMID: 29734069 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Environment contamination is known to affect the growth, reproduction, and even mortality of anuran species, and hence modulate their life history traits. Although knowledge of the ability of amphibians to cope with harsh environments has gained ongoing research, the reproductive strategy of free-living amphibians subjected to long-term heavy metal pollution is largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the variation in the life history traits, including age structure, maturation age, reproductive investment, and reproduction trade-off, in female Bufo raddei, a widespread anuran in Baiyin (BY) in northwest of China, subjected to sublethal heavy metal pollution. B. raddei collected from Liujiaxia (LJX), a relatively unpolluted area, were used as control. Skeletochronological analysis revealed variation in the average breeding age of females: more than 70% of females from BY began to breed 1 year before the toads collected from LJX. Females from BY tended to prioritize reproduction over survival and invested more in their first reproductive event. Further, females in BY with a high fluctuating asymmetry index showed a relatively lower reproductive investment. For trade-off in offspring number and size, BY population optimize larger clutch sizes with smaller egg size compared with population in LJX. Changes in female reproductive investment caused by heavy metal pollution might ultimately alter the structural stability of amphibian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China.
| | - Rui Guo
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Shiwei Ai
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Ying Yang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Jian Ding
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Yingmei Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, PR China
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Kaczmarski M, Kolenda K, Rozenblut-Kościsty B, Sośnicka W. Phalangeal bone anomalies in the European common toad Bufo bufo from polluted environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:21940-21946. [PMID: 27535156 PMCID: PMC5099355 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Every spring, many of amphibians are killed by motor vehicles on roads. These road-killed animals can be used as valuable material for non-invasive studies showing the effect of environmental pollution on amphibian populations. The aims of our research were to check whether the phalanges of road-killed toads may be useful as material for histological analysis, and whether various degrees of human impact influence the level in bone abnormalities in the common toad. We also examined whether the sex and age structure of toads can differ significantly depending in the different sites. We chose three toad breeding sites where road-killed individuals had been observed: near the centre of a city, the outskirts of a city, and a rural site. We collected dead individuals during spring migration in 2013. The sex of each individual was determined and the toes were used to determine age using the skeletochronology method. While performing age estimates, we looked for abnormalities in relation to normal bone tissue structure. In urban site, females dominate males (sex ratio 2.6:1), but in populations from rural and semi-urban sites, sex ratio was reverse (1:2.2 and 1:1.4, respectively). However, we did not find any significant differences between age structure of all populations (average age of each population: approximately 4 years). We observed abnormalities in more than 80 % of all toads from the city, compared to approximately 20 % from the rural and semi-urban sites. In particular, we found hypertrophic bone cells, misaligned intercellular substance, and irregular outer edges of bones. We suggest that these malformations are caused by different pollution, e.g. with heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Kaczmarski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kolenda
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Beata Rozenblut-Kościsty
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Wioletta Sośnicka
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
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Karbowska B. Presence of thallium in the environment: sources of contaminations, distribution and monitoring methods. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2016; 188:640. [PMID: 27783348 PMCID: PMC5080298 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5647-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Thallium is released into the biosphere from both natural and anthropogenic sources. It is generally present in the environment at low levels; however, human activity has greatly increased its content. Atmospheric emission and deposition from industrial sources have resulted in increased concentrations of thallium in the vicinity of mineral smelters and coal-burning facilities. Increased levels of thallium are found in vegetables, fruit and farm animals. Thallium is toxic even at very low concentrations and tends to accumulate in the environment once it enters the food chain. Thallium and thallium-based compounds exhibit higher water solubility compared to other heavy metals. They are therefore also more mobile (e.g. in soil), generally more bioavailable and tend to bioaccumulate in living organisms. The main aim of this review was to summarize the recent data regarding the actual level of thallium content in environmental niches and to elucidate the most significant sources of thallium in the environment. The review also includes an overview of analytical methods, which are commonly applied for determination of thallium in fly ash originating from industrial combustion of coal, in surface and underground waters, in soils and sediments (including soil derived from different parent materials), in plant and animal tissues as well as in human organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bozena Karbowska
- Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznan University of Technology, ul. Berdychowo 4, 61-138, Poznan, Poland.
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