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Luo Y, Zhang Z, Lin J, Owens G, Chen Z, Chen Z. Rare earth elements redistribution in mine tailings soil: A comparative study of sunlit and shady slopes after in-situ leaching. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135095. [PMID: 38996682 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The in-situ leaching of rare earth minerals results in ecological differences between sunlit and shady slopes, which may be related to differences in the distribution REEs in the associated soil matrices. Studies of REEs mine tailings in Southern China indicated higher total concentrations of REEs on sunlit slopes compared to shady ones. Specifically, the exchangeable REEs fraction (F1-REEs) was higher on the shady slopes, whereas the Fe/Mn oxides bound REEs fraction (F3-REEs) was higher on the sunlit slopes. In addition, light REE (LREE) concentrations were lower at lower elevations. With the exception of the Ce fraction which remained stable, this indicated a change in all REEs distributions, moving from F1-REEs towards the residual fraction. Hierarchical cluster and principal component analysis revealed a strong correlation between F3-REEs, organic matter bound REEs (F4-REEs), and LREEs, and a positive association of F3-REEs with sunlight exposure. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling analysis suggested that OM promoted the conversion of LREEs to F3 and F4-REEs in soil driven by sunlight exposure. Additionally, as the Feo/Fed ratio decreased, more LREEs were converted to F3. This study suggests that sunlight and elevation both play a critical role in the geochemical dynamics of REEs in in-situ tailings, advocating for environmental evaluations to be undertaken in order to accurately understand the ecological impacts of rare earth mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxiao Luo
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zhenjun Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China
| | - Jiajiang Lin
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China.
| | - Gary Owens
- Environmental Contaminants Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Zhibiao Chen
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zuliang Chen
- Environmental Contaminants Group, Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
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Sun M, Liu J, Lin K, Yuan W, Liang X, Wu H, Zhang Y, Dai Q, Yang X, Song G, Wang J. Distribution and migration of rare earth elements in sediment profile near a decommissioned uranium hydrometallurgical site in South China: Environmental implications. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121832. [PMID: 39038435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121832] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Rare earth elements have garnered increasing attention due to their strategic properties and chronic toxicity to humans. To better understand the content, migration, and ecological risk of rare earth elements in a 180 cm depth sediment profile downstream of a decommissioned uranium hydrometallurgical site in South China, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) were additionally used to quantify and clarify the mineral composition features. The results showed a high enrichment level of total rare earth elements in the sediment depth profile (range: 129.6-1264.3 mg/kg); the concentration variation of light rare earth elements was more dependent on depth than heavy rare earth elements. Overall, there was an obvious enrichment trend of light rare earth elements relative to heavy rare earth elements and negative anomalies of Ce and Eu. The fractionation and anomaly of rare earth elements in sediments were closely related to the formation and weathering of iron-bearing minerals and clay minerals, as confirmed by the correlation analysis of rare earth elements with Fe (r2 = 0.77-0.90) and Al (r2 = 0.50-0.71). The mineralogical composition of sediments mainly consisted of quartz, feldspar, magnetite, goethite, and hematite. Pollution assessment based on the potential ecological risk index, pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor, and geological accumulation index (Igeo) showed that almost all the sediments had varying degrees of pollution and a high level of ecological risk. This study implied that continued environmental supervision and management are needed to secure the ecological health in terms of rare earth elements enrichment around a decommissioned uranium hydrometallurgical site. The findings may provide valuable insights for other uranium mining and hydrometallurgical areas globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqing Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Lin
- Earth Observatory of Singapore and Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Wenhuan Yuan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoliang Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanyu Wu
- Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qunwei Dai
- School of Environment and Resource, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycling, Ministry of Education, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Song
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Waters Quality & Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
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da Costa Alves Filho PP, da Silveira Pereira WV, Dias YN, Ferreira de Moraes AL, Rodrigues FHS, Ramos SJ, Santos de Souza E, Fontes do Amaral AM, Fernandes AR. Artisanal mining of monazite and cassiterite in the Amazon: Potential risks of rare earth elements for the environment and human health. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:1201-1214. [PMID: 38573351 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01964-8] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Artisanal mining is intensely carried out in developing countries, including Brazil and especially in the Amazon. This method of mineral exploration generally does not employ mitigation techniques for potential damages and can lead to various environmental problems and risks to human health. The objectives of this study were to quantify the concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) and estimate the environmental and human health risks in cassiterite and monazite artisanal mining areas in the southeastern Amazon, as well as to understand the dynamics of this risk over time after exploitation. A total of 35 samples of wastes classified as overburden and tailings in active areas, as well as in areas deactivated for one and ten years were collected. Samples were also collected in a forest area considered as a reference site. The concentrations of REEs were quantified using alkaline fusion and ICP-MS. The results were used to calculate pollution indices and environmental and human health risks. REEs showed higher concentrations in anthropized areas. Pollution and environmental risk levels were higher in areas deactivated for one year, with considerable contamination factors for Gd and Sm and significant to extreme enrichment factors for Sc. Human health risks were low (< 1) in all studied areas. The results indicate that artisanal mining of cassiterite and monazite has the potential to promote contamination and enrichment by REEs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Nunes Dias
- Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, 66055-090, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Edna Santos de Souza
- Federal University of Southern and Southeastern Pará, São Félix do Xingu, Pará, 68380-000, Brazil
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Li Y, Saparov G, Zeng T, Abuduwaili J, Ma L. Geochemical behavior of rare earth elements in agricultural soils along the Syr Darya River within the Aral Sea Basin. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:493. [PMID: 38691227 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12647-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The widespread use of rare earth elements (REEs) across various industries makes them a new type of pollutant. Additionally, REEs are powerful indicators of geochemical processes. As one of the two main rivers in the Aral Sea, identifying the geochemical behavior of REEs in agricultural soils of the Syr Darya River is of great significance for subsequent indicative studies. In this study, the geochemical characteristics, influencing factors, and potential application significance of REEs in agricultural soils from three sampling areas along the Syr Darya River were analyzed using soil geography and elemental geochemical analyses. The results showed that the highest total concentration of REEs in the agricultural soil was in Area I, with a mean value of 142.49 μg/g, followed by Area III with a mean value of 124.56 μg/g, and the lowest concentration was in Area II with a mean value of 122.48 μg/g. The agricultural soils in the three regions were enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs), with mean L/H values of 10.54, 10.13, and 10.24, respectively. The differentiation between light and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) was also high. The concentration of REEs in agricultural soil along the Syr Darya River was primarily influenced by minerals such as monazite and zircon, rather than human activities (the pollution index of all REEs was less than 1.5). The relationship between Sm and Gd can differentiate soils impacted by agricultural activities from natural background soils. The results of this study can serve as a basis for indicative studies of REEs in Central Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Galymzhan Saparov
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Kazakh Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry Named After U. U. Uspanov, Almaty, 050060, Kazakhstan
| | - Tao Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jilili Abuduwaili
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Long Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Utilization in Arid Zone, Urumqi, 830011, China.
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Medina-Díaz HL, López-Bellido FJ, Alonso-Azcárate J, Fernández-Morales FJ, Rodríguez L. Can rare earth elements be recovered from abandoned mine tailings by means of electrokinetic-assisted phytoextraction? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:26747-26759. [PMID: 38456984 PMCID: PMC11052889 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32759-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Given the high impact of traditional mining, the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from hazardous waste materials could become an option for the future in accordance with the principles of the circular economy. In this work, the technical feasibility of REEs recovery from metal mine tailings has been explored using electrokinetic-assisted phytoremediation with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Phytoextraction combined with both AC current and DC current with reversal polarity was applied (1 V cm-1, 8 h day-1) to real mine tailings containing a total concentration of REEs (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, and Nd) of around 146 mg kg-1. Changes in REEs geochemical fractionation and their concentrations in the soil pore water showed the mobilization of REEs caused by plants and electric current; REE availability was increased to a higher extent for combined electrokinetic-assisted phytoextraction treatments showing the relevant role of plants in the process. Our results demonstrated the initial hypothesis that it is feasible to recover REEs from real metal mining waste by phytoextraction and that the performance of this technology can be significantly improved by applying electric current, especially of the AC type, which increased REE accumulation in ryegrass in the range 57-68% as compared to that of the treatment without electric field application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassay Lizeth Medina-Díaz
- Institute of Environmental and Chemical Technology (ITQUIMA), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Camilo José Cela, S/N, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier López-Bellido
- School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava, S/N, 13003, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Jacinto Alonso-Azcárate
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/N, 45071, Toledo, Spain
| | - Francisco Jesús Fernández-Morales
- Institute of Environmental and Chemical Technology (ITQUIMA), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Camilo José Cela, S/N, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Luis Rodríguez
- Institute of Environmental and Chemical Technology (ITQUIMA), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Camilo José Cela, S/N, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Xiaowei C, Xiuling C, Zhibiao C, Binggui C, Zhiqiang C, Yue L, Feiyan C, Yi W, Yifei F, Jie L. Sedimentary characteristics of ion-adsorption rare earth elements and assessment of their resource reuse potential due to soil and water erosion in western Fujian. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:347. [PMID: 38446224 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12413-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
With severe soil and water erosion, the crucial ion-adsorption rare earth elements (REEs) have attracted much global attention. REEs play a vital role in tracing material sources and exploring sedimentary characteristics due to their unique and stable geochemistry properties. In the present work, three representational possible redeposition areas in western Fujian were selected as the study areas. The geochemical characteristics of REEs in the sediments of the study areas were evaluated to elucidate that REEs are the products of soil and water erosion and to assess their redeposition characteristics. In the research results, the properties of the parent rocks shown in the samples, together with the negative correlation between the content of REEs in the samples and altitude as well as the relief degree on the land surface (RDLS), fully indicate that the sediments in the study areas are the products of migration caused by soil erosion and redeposition in the downstream areas. At the same time, according to the widely applicable standard of rare earth resources exploitation, that is the boundary grade of ion-adsorption rare earth ore in southern China (∑REE = 500 mg·kg-1), we found that the content of REEs in the study areas was close to or exceeded this standard, and the maximum ∑REE of Guozhai Reservoir (869.11 mg·kg-1) was much larger than this standard. Therefore, the redeposited rare earth in Changting Country has high reuse potential under the current scarce resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xiaowei
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Chen Xiuling
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China.
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China.
| | - Chen Zhibiao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Cai Binggui
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Chen Zhiqiang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Li Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Chen Feiyan
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Wang Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Fan Yifei
- Xiamen University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Liu Jie
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology, Funded By Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
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Jia YG, Yan Z, Shang L, Chen J. Environmental risk of ion-absorbed rare earth ores: concentration of leaching agent and fractionation of Pb. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:6425-6436. [PMID: 38151558 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Rare earth (RE) is an important strategic resource; however, there has been a growing concern about the environmental problems caused by RE mining, such as ammonia nitrogen pollution and heavy metal pollution. There is a limited research about the behavior of leaching agents and the fractionation of RE and heavy metal during the mining process for ion adsorption of rare earth ore (IRE-ore) in the previously available papers. In this study, (NH4)2SO4 solution, which commonly used in the production of mining IRE-ore, was used as a leaching agent. The adsorption behavior of ore soils on ammonium ions was explored by batch experiments. The adsorption process of IRE-ore on ammonium ions followed a pseudo-second-order equation and was controlled by the kinetics of surface adsorption and intra-particle diffusion; the ammonium ion adsorption isotherm conformed to the Freundlich isotherm equilibrium equation, and the higher concentration advantage made the ore soils possess a higher adsorption capacity of ammonium ion. In addition, the fractionation characteristics of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), and lead (Pb) in the ore soil during the leaching process were simulated based on the batch and column leaching experiments. The results demonstrated that the exchangeable states of La and Ce in IRE-ore were high, and the exchangeable, carbonate-bound La and Ce were almost all leached out by (NH4)2SO4 leaching agent, while the most of exchangeable Pb flowed out along with leaching agent, and a small amount of leached Pb in the ore soil was converted to iron and manganese oxide-bound Pb and enriched in the direction of migration of the leaching solution, and when the environment (e.g., pH and Eh) changed, this part of Pb may be re-activated. Our research might serve as crucial baseline knowledge for the adsorption of ammonium ions by ore soils, and provide a data reference for reducing the use of leaching agents and developing sustainable technologies for green mining of ion-adsorption RE ores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gang Jia
- China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zhenli Yan
- China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Liannan Shang
- China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Center of Xi'an Mineral Resources Survey, CGS, Xi'an, 710100, China.
| | - Jian Chen
- China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China
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Meng X, Zhao H, Zhao Y, Shen L, Gu G, Qiu G. Heap leaching of ion adsorption rare earth ores and REEs recovery from leachate with lixiviant regeneration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165417. [PMID: 37429479 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
In this work, semi-industrial scale heap leaching of 200 t ion adsorption rare earth ores (IRE-ore) and rare earth elements (REEs) recovery from lixivium was first conducted. Biosynthetic citrate/(Na)3Cit, a typical microbial metabolite, was chosen as the lixiviant to conduct heap leaching. Subsequently, an organic precipitation method was proposed, which used oxalic acid to effectively recover REEs and reduce the production cost by lixiviant regeneration. The results showed that the heap leaching efficiency of REEs reached 98 % with a lixiviant concentration of 50 mmol/L and a solid-liquid ratio of 1:2. The lixiviant can be regenerated during the precipitation process, with REE yields and impurity aluminum yields of 94.5 % and 7.4 %, respectively. The residual solution can then be cyclically used as a new lixiviant after simple adjustment. High-quality rare earth concentrates with a rare earth oxide (REO) content of 96 % can be finally obtained after roasting. This work provides an eco-friendly alternative for IRE-ore extraction to solve the environmental issues caused by traditional technology. The results proved feasibility and provided a foundation for in situ (bio)leaching processes in further industrial tests and production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Meng
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hongbo Zhao
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Li Shen
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guohua Gu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Guanzhou Qiu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Lab of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
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9
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Abrantes G, Almeida V, Maia AJ, Nascimento R, Nascimento C, Silva Y, Silva Y, Veras G. Comparison between Variable-Selection Algorithms in PLS Regression with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Predict Selected Metals in Soil. Molecules 2023; 28:6959. [PMID: 37836802 PMCID: PMC10574190 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil is one of the Earth's most important natural resources. The presence of metals can decrease environmental quality if present in excessive amounts. Analyzing soil metal contents can be costly and time consuming, but near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric tools can offer an alternative. The most important multivariate calibration method to predict concentrations or physical, chemical or physicochemical properties as a chemometric tool is partial least-squares (PLS) regression. However, a large number of irrelevant variables may cause problems of accuracy in the predictive chemometric models. Thus, stochastic variable-selection techniques, such as the Firefly algorithm by intervals in PLS (FFiPLS), can provide better solutions for specific problems. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of FFiPLS against deterministic PLS algorithms for the prediction of metals in river basin soils. The samples had their spectra collected from the region of 1000-2500 nm. Predictive models were then built from the spectral data, including PLS, interval-PLS (iPLS), successive projections algorithm for interval selection in PLS (iSPA-PLS), and FFiPLS. The chemometric models were built with raw data and preprocessed data by using different methods such as multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), standard normal variate (SNV), mean centering, adjustment of baseline and smoothing by the Savitzky-Golay method. The elliptical joint confidence region (EJCR) used in each chemometric model presented adequate fit. FFiPLS models of iron and titanium obtained a relative prediction deviation (RPD) of more than 2. The chemometric models for determination of aluminum obtained an RPD of more than 2 in the preprocessed data with SNV, MSC and baseline (offset + linear) and with raw data. The metals Be, Gd and Y failed to obtain adequate models in terms of residual prediction deviation (RPD). These results are associated with the low values of metals in the samples. Considering the complexity of the samples, the relative error of prediction (REP) obtained between 10 and 25% of the values adequate for this type of sample. Root mean square error of calibration and prediction (RMSEC and RMSEP, respectively) presented the same profile as the other quality parameters. The FFiPLS algorithm outperformed deterministic algorithms in the construction of models estimating the content of Al, Be, Gd and Y. This study produced chemometric models with variable selection able to determine metals in the Ipojuca River watershed soils using reflectance-mode NIR spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Abrantes
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil; (G.A.); (V.A.)
| | - Valber Almeida
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil; (G.A.); (V.A.)
| | - Angelo Jamil Maia
- Agronomy Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171-900, Brazil; (A.J.M.); (R.N.); (C.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Rennan Nascimento
- Agronomy Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171-900, Brazil; (A.J.M.); (R.N.); (C.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Clistenes Nascimento
- Agronomy Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171-900, Brazil; (A.J.M.); (R.N.); (C.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Ygor Silva
- Agronomy Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171-900, Brazil; (A.J.M.); (R.N.); (C.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yuri Silva
- Agronomy Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, Brazil;
| | - Germano Veras
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil; (G.A.); (V.A.)
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10
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Xiao C, Wan K, Hu J, Deng X, Liu X, Zhou F, Yu J, Chi R. Performance changes in the anammox process under the stress of rare-earth element Ce(III) and the evolution of microbial community and functional genes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023:129349. [PMID: 37336455 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The high Ce(III) content in ionic rare-earth tailings wastewater has hindered the application of anammox process in this field. Here, the effect of Ce(III) on the performance of anammox processes was investigated, and the evolution of microbial communities and functional genes was explored using metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that the reactor nitrogen removal rate decreased when the Ce(III) concentration reached 25 mg/L, although ammonia nitrogen removal (92.31%) and nitrogen removal efficiency (81.33%) remained at a high level; however, both showed a significant decreasing trend. The relative abundance of anammox bacteria increased continuously from P1-P5, reaching 48.81%, whereas the relative abundance of Candidatus jettenia reached 33.71% at P5, which surpassed that of Candidatus brocadia as the most abundant anammox bacteria, and further analysis of functional genes and metabolic pathways revealed that Candidatus brocadia was richer in biochemical metabolic genes, whereas Candidatus jettenia had richer efflux genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunqiao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang 443007, China.
| | - Kai Wan
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang 443007, China
| | - Jinggang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Xiangyi Deng
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Xuemei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Junxia Yu
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Ruan Chi
- Key Laboratory of Novel Biomass-Based Environmental and Energy Materials in Petroleum and Chemical Industry, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang 443007, China
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11
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Traore M, He Y, Wang Y, Gong A, Qiu L, Bai Y, Liu Y, Zhang M, Chen Y, Huang X. Research progress on the content and distribution of rare earth elements in rivers and lakes in China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114916. [PMID: 37058831 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
This study reviewed the content and distribution of rare earth elements (REE) in rivers and lakes in China based on the online literature. The sequence distribution of REE presented the decreasing trends in the order: of Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Sm > Gb > Dy>Er > Yb > Eu > Lu > Ho > Tb > Tm in rivers water. Pearl River and the Jiulong River constitute a significant sediments REE reservoir with an average value mean of 229.6 mg/kg and 266.86 mg/kg, respectively; both have higher concentrations than the global river average (174.8 mg/kg) and higher than the local soil background (Chinese soil background). The Liaohe River is one of China's most polluted rivers, with REE distribution ranging from 106.61 to 174.71 g/L (average 144.59 g/L in water). The total concentrations of dissolved REE in rivers near REE mining areas in China are higher than in other rivers. Increasing anthropogenic inputs to natural systems may permanently alter the natural signatures of REE. The distribution characteristics of REE in Chinese lakes (sediments) varied greatly, and the mean enrichment factor (EF) was sorted as follows: Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy>Er > Yb > Eu > Ho > Tb > Tm > Lu, where Ce was the most abundant followed by La, Nd, and Pr, and these four elements account for 85.39 % of the total concentration of REE. The REE in the sediments obtained from Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake had an average concentration respectively of 254.0 μg/g and 197.95 μg/g; both are considerably higher than the average upper continental crust (146.4 μg/g) and higher than in other lakes in China and around the world. The distribution and accumulation of LREE in most lake sediments result from the joint action of human activities and natural processes. It concluded that mining tailings were the primary cause of REE pollution in sediments, and industrial and agricultural activities are mainly responsible for water contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mory Traore
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yafei He
- Tianjin College, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Tianjin 301830, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Aijun Gong
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Lina Qiu
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuzhen Bai
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Baotou Water Quality Detection Technology Co., Ltd, Baotou 014000, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xinyu Huang
- School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Science and Application of Functional Molecular and Crystalline Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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12
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Li T, Yu X, Li M, Rong L, Xiao X, Zou X. Ecological insight into antibiotic resistome of ion-adsorption rare earth mining soils from south China by metagenomic analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162265. [PMID: 36801324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistome has led to growing global threat to public health. Rare earth elements play important roles in modern society and mining activity for them has caused serious impact on soil ecosystems. However, antibiotic resistome in, especially, ion-adsorption rare earth-related soils is still poorly understood. In this work, soils were collected from ion-adsorption rare earth mining areas and adjacent regions of south China and metagenomic analysis was employed for profile, driving factors and ecological assembly of antibiotic resistome in the soils. Results show prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes conferring resistance to tetracycline/fluoroquinolone (adeF), peptide (bcrA), aminoglycoside (rpsL), tetracycline (tet(A)) and mupirocin (mupB) in ion-adsorption rare earth mining soils. Profile of antibiotic resistome is accompanied by its driving factors, i.e., physicochemical properties (La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Y of rare earth elements in 12.50-487.90 mg kg-1), taxonomy (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs, plasmid pYP1, Transposase_20). Variation partitioning analysis and partial least-squares-path modeling demonstrate that taxonomy is the most important individual contributor and pose most direct/indirect effect to antibiotic resistome. Further, null model analysis reveals stochastic processes as dominant ecological assembly of antibiotic resistome. This work advances our knowledge on antibiotic resistome with emphasis on ecological assembly in ion-adsorption rare earth-related soils for ARGs mitigation, mining management and mine restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taijia Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China; School of Life Science, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Xinyang Yu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Mi Li
- School of Life Science, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Lingling Rong
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Xiaoyu Xiao
- School of Life Science, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China
| | - Xiaoming Zou
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
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13
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Ben Y, Cheng M, Liu Y, Wang L, Yang Q, Huang X, Zhou Q. The stimulatory effect and mechanism of low-dose lanthanum on soybean leaf cells. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 441:129924. [PMID: 36113347 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Light rare earth elements (LREEs) have been long used in agriculture (i.e., mainly via aerially applied LREE fertilizers) based on the fact that low-dose LREEs promote plant growth. Meanwhile, the toxic effects of low-dose LREEs on organisms have also been found. However, the cellular and molecular mechanism of low-dose LREEs acting on organisms remain unclear. Plants are at the beginning of food chains, so it is critical to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanism of low-dose LREEs on plants. Here, lanthanum (La) and soybean were the representatives of LREEs and plants, respectively. The effects of low-dose La on soybean leaves were investigated, and the stimulatory effect and mechanism of low-dose LREEs on leaf cells were revealed. Specifically, clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) activated by low-dose La is an influx channel for La in soybean leaf cells. The intracellular La and La-activated CME jointly disturbed multiple forms of intracellular homeostasis, including metallic element homeostasis, redox homeostasis, gene expression homeostasis. The disturbed homeostasis either stimulated cell growth or caused damage to the plasma membrane of soybean leaf cells. These results provide new insights for clarifying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of low-dose LREEs as a class of stimulators instead of nutrients to stimulate plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ben
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mengzhu Cheng
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yongqiang Liu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lihong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Qing Yang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiaohua Huang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
| | - Qing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu Cooperative Innovation Center of Water Treatment Technology and Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
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14
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Huang Y, Wen W, Liu J, Liang X, Yuan W, Ouyang Q, Liu S, Gok C, Wang J, Song G. Preliminary Screening of Soils Natural Radioactivity and Metal(loid) Content in a Decommissioned Rare Earth Elements Processing Plant, Guangdong, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14566. [PMID: 36361445 PMCID: PMC9657683 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Radiological aspects such as natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 40K combined with potentially toxic metal(loid) (PTM) distribution features were seldom simultaneously investigated in rare earth element (REE) processing activities. This work was designed to investigate the distribution levels of natural radioactivity, air-absorbed dose rate of γ radiation as well as PTMs at a typical REE plant in Guangdong, China. Ambient soils around REE processing facilities were sampled, measured and assessed. The natural radioactivity of radionuclides of the samples was determined using a high-purity germanium γ-energy spectrometer while the air-absorbed dose rate of γ radiation was measured at a height of 1 m above the ground using a portable radiometric detector. The PTM content was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the specific activities of the radionuclides ranged from 80.8 to 1990.2, 68.2 to 6935.0, 78.4 to 14,372.4, and 625.4 to 2698.4 Bq·kg-1 for 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K, respectively, representing overwhelmingly higher activity concentrations than worldwide soil average natural radioactivity. The radium equivalent activity and external hazard index of most samples exceeded the limits of 370 Bq·kg-1 and 1, respectively. The measured air-absorbed dose rate of γ radiation was in a range of 113~4004 nGy·h-1, with most sites displaying comparatively higher values than that from some other REE-associated industrial sites referenced. The content levels of PTMs of Cu, Ni, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, and As were 0.7~37.2, 1.8~16.9, 20.4~2070.5, 39.4~431.3, 2.3~1411.5, 0.1~0.7, 6.7~526.1, and 59.5~263.8 mg·kg-1, respectively. It is important to note that the PTM contents in the studied soil samples were 2.1~5.4 times higher for Zn-As and 1.4 times higher for Pb than the third level of the China soil standard while 2.5~13 times higher for Zn-As and 1.2 times higher for Pb than Canadian industry standard. The findings call for subsequent site remediation to secure the ecological environment and human health after the REE processing plant was decommissioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaole Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wangfeng Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaoliang Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wenhuan Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qi’en Ouyang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Siyu Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Cem Gok
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20160, Turkey
| | - Jin Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Gang Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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15
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Sun Y, Lu T, Pan Y, Shi M, Ding D, Ma Z, Liu J, Yuan Y, Fei L, Sun Y. Recovering rare earth elements via immobilized red algae from ammonium-rich wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 12:100204. [PMID: 36157340 PMCID: PMC9500351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2022.100204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Biotreatment of acidic rare earth mining wastewater via acidophilic living organisms is a promising approach owing to their high tolerance to high concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs); however, simultaneous removal of both REEs and ammonium is generally hindered since most acidophilic organisms are positively charged. Accordingly, immobilization of acidophilic Galdieria sulphuraria (G. sulphuraria) by calcium alginate to improve its affinity to positively charged REEs has been used for simultaneous bioremoval of REEs and ammonium. The results indicate that 97.19%, 96.19%, and 98.87% of La, Y, and Sm, respectively, are removed by G. sulphuraria beads (GS-BDs). The adsorption of REEs by calcium alginate beads (BDs) and GS-BDs is well fitted by both pseudo first-order (PFO) and pseudo second-order (PSO) kinetic models, implying that adsorption of REEs involves both physical adsorption caused by affinity of functional groups such as -COO- and -OH and chemical adsorption based on ion exchange of Ca2+ with REEs. Notably, GS-BDs exhibit high tolerance to La, Y, and Sm with maximum removal efficiencies of 97.9%, 96.6%, and 99.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the ammonium removal efficiency of GS-BDs is higher than that of free G. sulphuraria cells at an initial ammonium concentration of 100 mg L-1, while the efficiency decreases when initial concentration of ammonium is higher than 150 mg L-1. Last, small size of GS-BDs favors ammonium removal because of their lower mass transfer resistance. This study achieves simultaneous removal of REEs and ammonium from acidic mining drainage, providing a potential strategy for biotreatment of REE tailing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yabo Sun
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials (Anhui University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry of Anhui Province, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, PR China
| | - Tao Lu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Yali Pan
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Menghan Shi
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Dan Ding
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Zhiwen Ma
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Jiuyi Liu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Yupeng Yuan
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
| | - Ling Fei
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, 70504, United States
| | - Yingqiang Sun
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, School of Material Science & Engineering, Anhui University, Jiulong Rd 111, Hefei, Anhui, 230039, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials (Anhui University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry of Anhui Province, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, PR China
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16
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Liu XR, Liu WS, Tang YT, Wang SZ, Cao YJ, Chen ZW, Xie CD, Liu C, Guo MN, Qiu RL. Effects of in situ leaching on the origin and migration of rare earth elements in aqueous systems of South China: Insights based on REE patterns, and Ce and Eu anomalies. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 435:128959. [PMID: 35483265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In situ leaching of ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits has released large amounts of REE-containing wastewater. However, the origin, speciation, distribution and migration of REEs in aqueous systems of the mining catchment are poorly understood. Groundwater, surface water, in situ leachates and weathered granite soil samples were collected from a catchment affected by mining activities in South China. The REE concentrations in groundwater (6.18 × 10-3-0.49 μmol L-1) and surface water (2.54-44.05 μmol L-1) decreased from upstream to downstream. REEs in groundwater were detected in organic matter associated (FA-REE) colloids, while the REE3+ and REE(SO4)+ were converted to REE(CO3)+ and FA-REE colloids from leachates and upstream surface water to downstream. The REE patterns of leachates and upstream groundwater (light and middle REE enrichment) resembled those of soil, but showed heavy REE enrichment due to FA-REE colloids in the downstream. REE in surface water were derived from middle REE enriched leachate. The Ce and Eu anomalies in the water samples indicated the REE origin (i.e., mining activities) and the hydrological variations (e.g., oxidation environment and water-rock interaction). Our results reveal the origin and fate of REE in aqueous systems of ion-adsorption REE mining catchments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Rui Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Shen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ye-Tao Tang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Zhong Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying-Jie Cao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Wu Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Can-Die Xie
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chang Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei-Na Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rong-Liang Qiu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
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