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Fekete-Kertész I, Pous N, Feigl V, Márton R, Berkl Z, Ceballos-Escalera A, Balaguer MD, Puig S, Molnár M. Ecotoxicity characterization assisted performance assessment of electro-bioremediation reactors for nitrate and arsenite elimination. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:250-265. [PMID: 37881108 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The performance of combined reduction of nitrate (NO3 - ) to dinitrogen gas (N2 ) and oxidation of arsenite (As[III]) to arsenate (As[V]) by a bioelectrochemical system was assessed, supported by ecotoxicity characterization. For the comprehensive toxicity characterization of the untreated model groundwater and the treated reactor effluents, a problem-specific ecotoxicity test battery was established. The performance of the applied technology in terms of toxicity and target pollutant elimination was compared and analyzed. The highest toxicity attenuation was achieved under continuous flow mode with hydraulic retention time (HRT) = 7.5 h, with 95%, nitrate removal rate and complete oxidation of arsenite to arsenate. Daphnia magna proved to be the most sensitive test organism. The results of the D. magna lethality test supported the choice of the ideal operational conditions based on chemical data analysis. The outcomes of the study demonstrated that the applied technology was able to improve the groundwater quality in terms of both chemical and ecotoxicological characteristics. The importance of ecotoxicity evaluation was also highlighted, given that significant target contaminant elimination did not necessarily lower the environmental impact of the initial, untreated medium, in addition, anomalies might occur during the technology operational process which in some instances, could result in elevated toxicity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildikó Fekete-Kertész
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Narcís Pous
- LEQUiA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Viktória Feigl
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rita Márton
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Berkl
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Maria D Balaguer
- LEQUiA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Sebastià Puig
- LEQUiA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Mónika Molnár
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Park J, Yang JH, Jung J, Kwak IS, Choe JK, An J. Comparative analysis of the capability of the extended biotic ligand model and machine learning approaches to predict arsenate toxicity. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140350. [PMID: 37793548 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of inorganic arsenate (As(V)) is critical for ensuring a sustainable environment because of its adverse effects on humans and ecosystems. This study is the first to attempt to predict As(V) toxicity to the bioluminescent bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri exposed to varying As(V) dosages and environmental factors (pH and phosphate concentration) using six machine learning (ML)-guided models. The predicted toxicity values were compared with those predicted using the extended biotic ligand model (BLM) we previously developed to evaluate the toxic effect of oxyanion (i.e., As(V)). The relationship between the variables (input features) and toxicity (output) was found to play an important role in the prediction accuracy of each ML-guided model. The results indicated that the extended BLM had the highest prediction accuracy, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 12.997. However, with an RMSE of 14.361, the multilayer perceptron (MLP) model exhibited quasi-accurate prediction, despite having been trained with a relatively small dataset (n = 256). In view of simplicity, an MLP model is compatible with an extended BLM and does not require expert knowledge for the derivation of specific parameters, such as binding fraction and binding constant values. Furthermore, with the development and employment of reliable in-situ sensing techniques, monitoring data are expected to be augmented faster to provide sufficient training data for the improvement of prediction accuracy which may, thus, allow it to outperform the extended BLM after obtaining sufficient data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyoung Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea; Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Jae Hwan Yang
- Division of Urban Planning and Transportation, Seoul Institute, Seoul, 06756, South Korea
| | - Jihyeun Jung
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Ihn-Sil Kwak
- Department of Ocean Integrated Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, 59626, South Korea
| | - Jong Kwon Choe
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Jinsung An
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, South Korea.
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Klekotka U, Rogacz D, Szymanek I, Malejko J, Rychter P, Kalska-Szostko B. Ecotoxicological assessment of magnetite and magnetite/Ag nanoparticles on terrestrial and aquatic biota from different trophic levels. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136207. [PMID: 36116620 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study is an ecotoxicological assessment of magnetite iron oxide-based nanoparticles (NPs), which have risen in popularity in the last decade, on selected terrestrial and aquatic organisms from various levels of the food chain. In the presented study various organisms, from both the terrestrial and aquatic environment, were used as targets for the assessment of NPs ecotoxicity. Plants (radish, oat), marine bacteria (A. fischeri) and crustacean (H. incongruens) were used to represent producers, decomposers, and consumers, respectively. It was found that examined NPs were harmful (to a different degree) to biota from three different trophic levels. Physicochemical characterization (size/morphology, crystallinity, composition, and magnetic properties) of the tested nanoparticles was performed by: transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and Mossbauer spectroscopy, respectively. Phytotoxicity was evaluated according to the OECD 208 Guideline, while acute and chronic toxicity of NPs was conducted using bioassays employing bacteria and crustacea, respectively. The phytotoxicity of all investigated iron oxide-based NPs was dependent on concentration and type of NPs formulation and was measured via biomass, seed germination, root length, shoot height, and content of plant pigments. Increasing the concentration of NPs increased phytotoxicity and mortality of aquatic organisms. Ecotoxicity of iron oxide/silver was dependent on the size and content of silver. Iron oxide NPs coated with nanosilver in a percentage ratio of 69/31 were found to be the most toxic on tested terrestrial and aquatic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Klekotka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245, Bialystok Poland
| | - Diana Rogacz
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, 13/15 Armii Krajowej Av., 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland
| | - Izabela Szymanek
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, 13/15 Armii Krajowej Av., 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland
| | - Julita Malejko
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245, Bialystok Poland
| | - Piotr Rychter
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, 13/15 Armii Krajowej Av., 42-200 Czestochowa, Poland.
| | - Beata Kalska-Szostko
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245, Bialystok Poland.
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Interspecies-Extrapolated Biotic Ligand Model to Predict Arsenate Toxicity to Terrestrial Plants with Consideration of Cell Membrane Surface Electrical Potential. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10020078. [PMID: 35202264 PMCID: PMC8875965 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10020078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic is a metalloid that is highly toxic to living organisms in the environment. In this study, toxicity caused by inorganic arsenate (As(V)) to terrestrial plants, such as barley Hordeum vulgare and wheat Triticum aestivum, was predicted using the existing biotic ligand model (BLM) for bioluminescent Aliivibrio fischeri via interspecies extrapolation. Concurrently, the concept of cell plasma membrane electrical potential (Ψ0) was incorporated into the extrapolated BLM to improve the model predictability in the presence of major cations such as Ca2+. The 50% effective As(V) toxicity (EC50{HAsO42−}) to H. vulgare decreased from 45.1 ± 4.34 to 15.0 ± 2.60 µM as Ca2+ concentration increased from 0.2 to 20 mM owing to the accumulation of H2AsO4− and HAsO42− on the cell membrane surface. The extrapolated BLM, which only considered inherent sensitivity, explained well the alteration of As(V) toxicity to H. vulgare and T. aestivum by Ca2+ with in an order of magnitude, when considering a linear relationship between Ψ0 and EC50{HAsO42−}.
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Bacterial Toxicity Testing: Modification and Evaluation of the Luminescent Bacteria Test and the Respiration Inhibition Test. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8111349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The activated sludge respiration inhibition test and the luminescent bacteria test with Vibrio fischeri are important bacterial test systems for evaluation of the toxicity of chemical compounds. These test systems were further optimized to result in better handling, reliability and sensitivity. Concerning the Vibrio fischeri test, media components such as yeast extract and bivalent cation concentrations like Ca2+ and Mg2+ were optimized. The cultivation, storage conditions and reactivation process of the stored bacteria were also improved, which enabled simpler handling and led to good reproducibility. Additionally, the respiration inhibition test with a prolonged incubation time was further analyzed using different chlorinated phenols as reference compounds. It could be stated that a longer incubation period significantly improved the sensitivity of the test system.
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Ecotoxicity of Pore Water in Meadow Soils Affected by Historical Spills of Arsenic-Rich Tailings. MINERALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/min10090751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study was carried out in Złoty Stok, a historical centre of gold and arsenic mining. Two kinds of soil material, containing 5020 and 8000 mg/kg As, represented a floodplain meadow flooded in the past by tailings spills and a dry meadow developed on the plateau built of pure tailings, respectively. The effects of soil treatment with a cattle manure and mineral fertilizers were examined in an incubation experiment. Soil pore water was collected after 2, 7, 21, 90, and 270 days, using MacroRhizon samplers and analyzed on As concentrations and toxicity, and assessed in three bioassays: Microtox, the Microbial Assay for Risk Assessment (MARA), and Phytotox, with Sinapis alba as a test plant. In all samples, As concentrations were above 4.5 mg/L. Fertilization with manure caused an intensive release of As, and its concentration in pore water of floodplain soil reached 81.8 mg/L. Mineral fertilization caused a release of As only from the pure tailings soil. The results of bioassays, particularly of Phytotox and MARA, correlated well with As concentrations, while Microtox indices depended additionally on other factors. Very high toxicity was associated with As > 20 mg/L. Despite an effect of “aging”, pore water As remained at the level of several mg/L, causing a potential environmental risk.
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Barral-Fraga L, Barral MT, MacNeill KL, Martiñá-Prieto D, Morin S, Rodríguez-Castro MC, Tuulaikhuu BA, Guasch H. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Influencing Arsenic Biogeochemistry and Toxicity in Fluvial Ecosystems: A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17072331. [PMID: 32235625 PMCID: PMC7177459 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17072331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This review is focused on the biogeochemistry of arsenic in freshwaters and, especially, on the key role that benthic microalgae and prokaryotic communities from biofilms play together in through speciation, distribution, and cycling. These microorganisms incorporate the dominant iAs (inorganic arsenic) form and may transform it to other arsenic forms through metabolic or detoxifying processes. These transformations have a big impact on the environmental behavior of arsenic because different chemical forms exhibit differences in mobility and toxicity. Moreover, exposure to toxicants may alter the physiology and structure of biofilms, leading to changes in ecosystem function and trophic relations. In this review we also explain how microorganisms (i.e., biofilms) can influence the effects of arsenic exposure on other key constituents of aquatic ecosystems such as fish. At the end, we present two real cases of fluvial systems with different origins of arsenic exposure (natural vs. anthropogenic) that have improved our comprehension of arsenic biogeochemistry and toxicity in freshwaters, the Pampean streams (Argentina) and the Anllóns River (Galicia, Spain). We finish with a briefly discussion of what we consider as future research needs on this topic. This work especially contributes to the general understanding of biofilms influencing arsenic biogeochemistry and highlights the strong impact of nutrient availability on arsenic toxicity for freshwater (micro) organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Barral-Fraga
- Grup de recerca en Ecologia aquàtica continental (GRECO), Departament de Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Girona, 17071 Girona, Spain;
- LDAR24—Laboratoire Départemental d’Analyse et de Recherche du Département de la Dordogne, 24660 Coulounieix-Chamiers, Périgueux, France
- Correspondence:
| | - María Teresa Barral
- Instituto CRETUS, Departmento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Facultade de Farmacia, Campus Vida, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.T.B.); (D.M.-P.)
| | - Keeley L. MacNeill
- Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Diego Martiñá-Prieto
- Instituto CRETUS, Departmento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Facultade de Farmacia, Campus Vida, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.T.B.); (D.M.-P.)
| | - Soizic Morin
- INRAE—Institut National de Recherche en Agriculture, Alimentation et Environnement, UR EABX—Equipe ECOVEA, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France;
| | - María Carolina Rodríguez-Castro
- INEDES—Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (UNLu-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Luján, 6700 Buenos Aires, Argentina;
- CONICET—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1425FQB CABA, Argentina
| | - Baigal-Amar Tuulaikhuu
- School of Agroecology, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Khoroo 11, Ulaanbaatar 17024, Mongolia;
| | - Helena Guasch
- Grup de recerca en Ecologia aquàtica continental (GRECO), Departament de Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Girona, 17071 Girona, Spain;
- CEAB—Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CSIC, Blanes, 17300 Girona, Spain
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An J, Jeong B, Nam K. Extension of biotic ligand model to account for the effects of pH and phosphate in accurate prediction of arsenate toxicity. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 385:121619. [PMID: 31757723 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biotic ligand model (BLM) was extended to predict the toxicity of inorganic arsenate (iAs(V)) to the luminescent bacteria, Aliivibrio fischeri. As the pH increased from 5 to 9, the HAsO42- form predominated more than the H2AsO4- form did, and the EC50[As]T (50% effective iAs(V) concentration) decreased drastically from 3554 ± 393 to 39 ± 6 μM; thus, the HAsO42- form was more toxic to A. fischeri than H2AsO4-. As the HPO42- activity increased from 0 to 0.44 mM, the EC50{HAsO42-} values (50% effective HAsO42- activity) increased from 31 ± 6 to 859 ± 128 μM, indicating that the toxicity of iAs(V) decreased, owing to the competition caused by the structural similarity between iAs(V) and phosphate ions. However, activities of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, SO42-, NO3-, and HCO3- did not significantly affect the EC50{HAsO42-} values. The BLM was reconstructed to take into account the effects of pH and phosphate, and the conditional binding constants for H2PO4-, HPO42-, H2AsO4-, and HAsO42- to the active binding sites of A. fischeri were obtained; 3.424 for logKXH2PO4, 4.588 for logKXHPO4, 3.067 for logKXH2AsO4, and 4.802 for logKXHAsO4. The fraction of active binding sites occupied by iAs(V) to induce 50% toxicity (fmix50%) was found to be 0.616.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsung An
- Department of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Semyung University, 65 Semyung-ro, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do 27136, Republic of Korea
| | - Buyun Jeong
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoungphile Nam
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Institute of Engineering Research, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Dradrach A, Szopka K, Karczewska A. Ecotoxicity of pore water in soils developed on historical arsenic mine dumps: The effects of forest litter. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 181:202-213. [PMID: 31195229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.05.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic release from dump soils in historical mining sites poses the environmental risk. Decomposing forest litter can affect mobilization of As and other toxic elements, change their speciation in pore water and influence the toxicity to biota. This study examined the chemistry and ecotoxicity of pore water acquired from four soils that developed on the dumps in former As mining sites, in the presence and absence of forest litter collected from beech and spruce stands. Soils contained 1540-19600 mg/kg of As. Pore water was collected after 2, 7, 21 and 90 days of incubation, using MacroRhizon suction samplers. Its chemical analysis involved determination of pH, the concentrations of As, Cu and Pb (the elements with high enrichment factor Igeo>3), as well as metals considered most mobile: Cd, Zn and Mn. Ecotoxicity of pore water was examined in three bioassays: Microtox, MARA and Phytotox with Sinapis alba as test plant. The release of As, unlike heavy metals, was particularly intensive from the soils with neutral and alkaline pH. The concentrations of toxic elements in pore water were in broad ranges, up to dozens mg/L. The results of Phytotox had a poor precision, but their means correlated well with As concentrations in pore water, which indicates that As made a crucial factor of phytotoxicity. The outcomes of Microtox bioassay indicated poorer relationships between As concentrations and toxicity, and other factors contributed to ecotoxicity at very low and very high As concentrations. The highest toxicity was recorded from the soils treated with forest litter. MARA turned out to be not sensitive enough to give reproducible results in experimental conditions. The PCA analysis confirmed that the growth of microbes in MARA bioassay was poorly dependent on As and metals in pore water except for a yeast Pichia anomala (No 11). The results let us conclude that the bioassays Phytotox and Microtox can provide useful information on ecotoxicity of pore water in soils that develop on As-rich dumps whereas applicability of MARA in those conditions proved limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Dradrach
- Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Agroecology and Plant Production, pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-350, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Szopka
- Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, ul. Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Anna Karczewska
- Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, ul. Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357, Wrocław, Poland.
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10
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Nguyen CH, Field JA, Sierra-Alvarez R. Microbial toxicity of gallium- and indium-based oxide and arsenide nanoparticles. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2019; 55:168-178. [PMID: 31607225 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2019.1676065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
III-V semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium arsenide (InAs) are increasingly used in the fabrication of electronic devices. There is a growing concern about the potential release of these materials into the environment leading to effects on public and environmental health. The waste effluents from the chemical mechanical planarization process could impact microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment systems. Currently, there is only limited information about the inhibition of gallium- and indium-based nanoparticles (NPs) on microorganisms. This study evaluated the acute toxicity of GaAs, InAs, gallium oxide (Ga2O3), and indium oxide (In2O3) particulates using two microbial inhibition assays targeting methanogenic archaea and the marine bacterium, Aliivibrio fischeri. GaAs and InAs NPs were acutely toxic towards these microorganisms; Ga2O3 and In2O3 NPs were not. The toxic effect was mainly due to the release of soluble arsenic species and it increased with decreasing particle size and with increasing time due to the progressive corrosion of the NPs in the aqueous bioassay medium. Collectively, the results indicate that the toxicity exerted by the arsenide NPs under environmental conditions will vary depending on intrinsic properties of the material such as particle size as well as on the dissolution time and aqueous chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi H Nguyen
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Jim A Field
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Reyes Sierra-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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11
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Abbas M, Adil M, Ehtisham-Ul-Haque S, Munir B, Yameen M, Ghaffar A, Shar GA, Asif Tahir M, Iqbal M. Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay for ecotoxicity assessment: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 626:1295-1309. [PMID: 29898537 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay (VFBIA) has been widely applied for the monitoring of toxicity on account of multiple advantages encompassing shorter test duration, sensitive, cost-effective and ease of operation. Moreover, this bioassay found to be equally applicable to all types of matrices (organic & inorganic compounds, metals, wastewater, river water, sewage sludge, landfill leachate, herbicides, treated wastewater etc.) for toxicity monitoring. This review highlights the apparent significance of Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay for ecotoxicological screening and evaluation of diverse chemical substances toxicity profile. The biochemical and genetic basis of the bioluminescence assay and its regulatory mechanism have been concisely discussed. The basic test protocol with ongoing improvements, widespread applications, typical advantages and probable limitations of the assay have been overviewed. The sensitivity of VFBIA and toxicity bioassays has also been compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazhar Abbas
- CVAS, Jhang Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Adil
- CVAS, Jhang Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Bushra Munir
- Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yameen
- Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Ghaffar
- Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
| | - Ghulam Abbas Shar
- Institute of Chemistry, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur 66020, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - M Asif Tahir
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Munawar Iqbal
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
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12
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Beiyuan J, Lau AYT, Tsang DCW, Zhang W, Kao CM, Baek K, Ok YS, Li XD. Chelant-enhanced washing of CCA-contaminated soil: Coupled with selective dissolution or soil stabilization. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 612:1463-1472. [PMID: 28903175 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Remediation of CCA-contaminated soil (Cr, Cu, and As) by biodegradable chelant-enhanced washing (EDDS, S,S-ethylene-diamine-disuccinic-acid) needs further enhancement. This study investigated the effectiveness of coupling with pre-treatment by selective dissolution and post-treatment by soil amendments, respectively. Three groups of reagents (reductants, alkaline solvents, and organic ligands) were adopted in the pre-treatment to dissolve the oxide minerals before EDDS extraction. In the post-treatment, soil amendments (coal fly ash (CFA), acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS), green waste compost (GWC)), and their mixtures) were used for a 2-month stabilization after 2-h EDDS washing. Multi-endpoint evaluation was performed by assessing the chemical state, leachability, mobility, bioaccessibility, and plant-availability of residual metal(loid)s as well as the cytotoxicity, enzyme activities, and available nutrients of the treated soils. Pre-treatment by dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate significantly enhanced extraction efficiency, but also increased the leachability of As and Cr and bioaccessibility of Cr in the treated soils. While sodium hydroxide removed the majority of As without increasing its leachability and bioaccessibility, it increased the cytotoxicity and inhibited the acid phosphatase activity. Post-treatment with AMDS and CFA effectively controlled the mobility and leachability of residual As and Cr after EDDS washing. However, destabilized Cu was only marginally immobilized by GWC due to strong Cu-EDDS complexation. The bioaccessibility and phytoavailability of Cu was primarily reduced by EDDS washing, while those of As and Cr could be attenuated by AMDS and CFA. This study indicates that coupling chemical extraction with subsequent soil amendment plays complementary roles in mitigating effects of residual metal(loid)s and improving environmental quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzi Beiyuan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Abbe Y T Lau
- 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.
| | - Weihua Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Chih-Ming Kao
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Kitae Baek
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeollabuk-do 561-756, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sik Ok
- O-Jeong Eco-Resilience Institute (OJERI), Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiang-Dong Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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13
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Arsenic Mobility in As-Containing Soils from Geogenic Origin: Fractionation and Leachability. J CHEM-NY 2018. [DOI: 10.1155/2018/7328203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The lithogenic arsenic in soils of the Anllóns River basin (Spain) was quantified, its chemical fractions were determined, and its leachability characteristics were compared under various experimental conditions. Fifty soil samples of C horizons, sampling an area of 50 km2along the river course, were submitted to an exploratory analysis. Pseudo-total arsenic ranged between 2 and 489 mg kg−1. Arsenic leachability using the standard methods DIN 38414-S4 and TCLP was less than 0.25% of pseudo-total As. Then the effect of pH (3, 6, and 9), solid : liquid (S : L) ratio (1 : 10 and 1 : 50), phosphate (10 mM), and contact time (24 and 240 h) on arsenic mobilization was studied in nine soils with the highest As concentration. Arsenic mobilization increased at alkaline pH and lower S : L ratio; the most decisive factor was the addition of phosphate, increasing arsenic leachability up to 1,000 times, and this increased even 2.3 times when the contact time was extended from 24 hours to 240 hours. The results suggest that the mobilization of arsenic may be underestimated in short-term water leaching tests and that the environmental conditions favouring arsenic mobilization should be taken into account for a sound evaluation of the transfer risk of arsenic towards aquatic ecosystems.
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Zeng C, Gonzalez-Alvarez A, Orenstein E, Field JA, Shadman F, Sierra-Alvarez R. Ecotoxicity assessment of ionic As(III), As(V), In(III) and Ga(III) species potentially released from novel III-V semiconductor materials. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2017; 140:30-36. [PMID: 28231503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
III-V materials such as indium arsenide (InAs) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) are increasingly used in electronic and photovoltaic devices. The extensive application of these materials may lead to release of III-V ionic species during semiconductor manufacturing or disposal of decommissioned devices into the environment. Although arsenic is recognized as an important contaminant due to its high toxicity, there is a lack of information about the toxic effects of indium and gallium ions. In this study, acute toxicity of As(III), As(V), In(III) and Ga(III) species was evaluated using two microbial assays testing for methanogenic activity and O2 uptake, as well as two bioassays targeting aquatic organisms, including the marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri (bioluminescence inhibition) and the crustacean Daphnia magna (mortality). The most noteworthy finding was that the toxicity is mostly impacted by the element tested. Secondarily, the toxicity of these species also depended on the bioassay target. In(III) and Ga(III) were not or only mildly toxic in the experiments. D. magna was the most sensitive organism for In(III) and Ga(III) with 50% lethal concentrations of 0.5 and 3.4mM, respectively. On the other hand, As(III) and As(V) caused clear inhibitory effects, particularly in the methanogenic toxicity bioassay. The 50% inhibitory concentrations of both arsenic species towards methanogens were about 0.02mM, which is lower than the regulated maximum allowable daily effluent discharge concentration (2.09mg/L or 0.03mM) for facilities manufacturing electronic components in the US. Overall, the results indicate that the ecotoxicity of In(III) and Ga(III) is much lower than that of the As species tested. This finding is important in filling the knowledge gap regarding the ecotoxicology of In and Ga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zeng
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA.
| | - Adrian Gonzalez-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
| | - Emily Orenstein
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
| | - Jim A Field
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
| | - Farhang Shadman
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
| | - Reyes Sierra-Alvarez
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
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15
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Chen SS, Sun Y, Tsang DCW, Graham NJD, Ok YS, Feng Y, Li XD. Potential impact of flowback water from hydraulic fracturing on agricultural soil quality: Metal/metalloid bioaccessibility, Microtox bioassay, and enzyme activities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 579:1419-1426. [PMID: 27913018 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing has advanced the development of shale gas extraction, while inadvertent spills of flowback water may pose a risk to the surrounding environment due to its high salt content, metals/metalloids (As, Se, Fe and Sr), and organic additives. This study investigated the potential impact of flowback water on four representative soils from shale gas regions in Northeast China using synthetic flowback solutions. The compositions of the solutions were representative of flowback water arising at different stages after fracturing well establishment. The effects of solution composition of flowback water on soil ecosystem were assessed in terms of metal mobility and bioaccessibility, as well as biological endpoints using Microtox bioassay (Vibrio fischeri) and enzyme activity tests. After one-month artificial aging of the soils with various flowback solutions, the mobility and bioaccessibility of As(V) and Se(VI) decreased as the ionic strength of the flowback solutions increased. The results inferred a stronger binding affinity of As(V) and Se(VI) with the soils. Nevertheless, the soil toxicity to Vibrio fischeri only presented a moderate increase after aging, while dehydrogenase and phosphomonoesterase activities were significantly suppressed with increasing ionic strength of flowback solutions. On the contrary, polyacrylamide in the flowback solutions led to higher dehydrogenase activity. These results indicated that soil enzyme activities were sensitive to the composition of flowback solutions. A preliminary human health risk assessment related to As(V) suggested a low level of cancer risk through exposure via ingestion, while holistic assessment of environmental implications is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Season S Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuqing Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Daniel C W Tsang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Nigel J D Graham
- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yong Sik Ok
- School of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Xiang-Dong Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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16
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Pantoja Munoz L, Purchase D, Jones H, Raab A, Urgast D, Feldmann J, Garelick H. The mechanisms of detoxification of As(III), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and As(V) in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2016; 175:56-72. [PMID: 26994369 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The response of Chlorella vulgaris when challenged by As(III), As(V) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) was assessed through experiments on adsorption, efflux and speciation of arsenic (reduction, oxidation, methylation and chelation with glutathione/phytochelatin [GSH/PC]). Our study indicates that at high concentrations of phosphate (1.62mM of HPO4(2-)), upon exposure to As(V), cells are able to shift towards methylation of As(V) rather than PC formation. Treatment with As(V) caused a moderate decrease in intracellular pH and a strong increase in the concentration of free thiols (GSH). Passive surface adsorption was found to be negligible for living cells exposed to DMA and As(V). However, adsorption of As(III) was observed to be an active process in C. vulgaris, because it did not show saturation at any of the exposure periods. Chelation of As(III) with GS/PC and to a lesser extent hGS/hPC is a major detoxification mechanism employed by C. vulgaris cells when exposed to As(III). The increase of bound As-GS/PC complexes was found to be strongly related to an increase in concentration of As(III) in media. C. vulgaris cells did not produce any As-GS/PC complex when exposed to As(V). This may indicate that a reduction step is needed for As(V) complexation with GSH/PC. C. vulgaris cells formed DMAS(V)-GS upon exposure to DMA independent of the exposure period. As(III) triggers the formation of arsenic complexes with PC and homophytochelatins (hPC) and their compartmentalisation to vacuoles. A conceptual model was devised to explain the mechanisms involving ABCC1/2 transport. The potential of C. vulgaris to bio-remediate arsenic from water appeared to be highly selective and effective without the potential hazard of reducing As(V) to As(III), which is more toxic to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pantoja Munoz
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - D Purchase
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - H Jones
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - A Raab
- College of Physical Sciences - Chemistry, Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - D Urgast
- College of Physical Sciences - Chemistry, Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - J Feldmann
- College of Physical Sciences - Chemistry, Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, United Kingdom
| | - H Garelick
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom.
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17
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Rubinos DA, Barral MT. Use of red mud (bauxite residue) for the retention of aqueous inorganic mercury(II). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:17550-17568. [PMID: 26141977 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4901-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The effectiveness of the oxide-rich residue from bauxite refining (red mud) to remove inorganic Hg(II) from aqueous solutions was assessed. The aspects studied comprised the kinetics of the process (t = 1 min-24 h), the effect of pH (3.5-11.5), the interacting effect between salt concentration (0.01-1 M NaNO3) and pH and the Hg(II) sorption isotherm. Hg leaching from spent red mud was evaluated using the toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP) method. The sorption of Hg(II) onto red mud was very fast, with most of Hg(II) (97.0-99.7%) being removed from 0.5-50 μM Hg solutions in few minutes. The kinetic process was best described by Ho's pseudo-second order equation, pointing to chemisorption as the rate controlling step. Hg(II) sorption efficiency was very high (% removal between 93.9 and 99.8%) within all the studied pH range (3.5-11.5) and added Hg concentrations (5 and 50 μM), being optimal at pH 5-8 and decreasing slightly at both lowest and highest pH. The effect of background electrolyte concentration suggests specific sorption as the main interaction mechanism between Hg(II) and red mud, but the increasing non-sorbed Hg concentrations at low and high pH for higher electrolyte concentrations also revealed the contribution of an electrostatic component to the process. The sorption isotherm showed the characteristic shape of high affinity sorbents, and it was better described by the Redlich-Peterson and Freundlich equations, which are models that assume sorbent heterogeneity and involvement of more than one mechanism. The estimated Hg(II) sorption capacity from the Langmuir equation (q m ~9 mmol/kg) was comparable to those of some inorganic commercial sorbents but lower than most bio- or specifically designed sorbents. The leachability of retained Hg(II) from spent red mud (0.02, 0.25 and 2.42 mmol Hg/kg sorbed concentration) was low (0.28, 1.15 and 2.23 μmol/kg, respectively) and accounted for 1.2, 0.5 and 0.1% of previously sorbed Hg, indicating that Hg(II) is tightly bound by red mud once sorbed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Rubinos
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - María Teresa Barral
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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