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Rétif J, Zalouk-Vergnoux A, Briant N, François Y, Poirier L. Trophic dilution of rare earth elements along the food chain of the Seine estuary (France). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 206:116671. [PMID: 39024907 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Society's interest in rare earth elements (REEs) and their increasing use in many fields is leading to enrichments in aquatic environments, such as estuaries. This study of the Seine estuary assessed the distribution of REEs along the food web, including different species from 5 phyla representing different trophic levels. Total REE concentrations, which were higher in algae, mollusks, crustaceans and annelids (4.85-156; 1.59-4.08; 2.48 ± 1.80 and 0.14 ± 0.11 μg/g dw, respectively) than in vertebrates (0.03-0.15 μg/g dw), correlated with δ15N indicated a trophic dilution. REE contributions in the studied species were higher for light REEs than for heavy and medium REEs. Positives anomalies for Eu, Gd, Tb and Lu were highlighted particularly in vertebrates, possibly due to species-dependent bioaccumulation/detoxification or related to anthropogenic inputs. The calculated BAF and BSAF indicated an important partitioning of REEs in organisms compared to the dissolved phase and a limited transfer from sediment to organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Rétif
- Nantes Université, Institut des Substances et Organismes de la Mer, ISOMer, UR 2160, F-44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Aurore Zalouk-Vergnoux
- Nantes Université, Institut des Substances et Organismes de la Mer, ISOMer, UR 2160, F-44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Nicolas Briant
- Ifremer, CCEM Contamination Chimique des Écosystèmes Marins, F-44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Yannick François
- Nantes Université, Institut des Substances et Organismes de la Mer, ISOMer, UR 2160, F-44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Laurence Poirier
- Nantes Université, Institut des Substances et Organismes de la Mer, ISOMer, UR 2160, F-44000 Nantes, France.
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Ma S, Han G. Rare earth elements reveal the human health and environmental concerns in the largest tributary of the Mekong river, Northeastern Thailand. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118968. [PMID: 38643820 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118968] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The widespread application of rare earth elements (REEs) in contemporary industries and agriculture, has caused emerging contaminant accumulation in aquatic environments. However, there is a limited scope of risk assessments, particularly in relation to human health associated with REEs. This study investigated the provenance, and contamination levels of REEs, further evaluating their environmental and human health risks in river sediments from an agricultural basin. The concentrations of REEs ranged from 30.5 to 347.7 mg/kg, with showing an upward trend from headwater to downstream. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified natural and anthropogenic input, especially from agricultural activities, as the primary source of REEs in Mun River sediments. The contamination assessment by the geoaccumulation index (I-geo) and pollution load index (PLI) confirmed that almost individual REEs in the samples were slightly to moderately polluted. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) showed mild to moderate risks in Mun River sediment. Regular fertilization poses pollution and ecological risks to agricultural areas, manifesting as an enrichment of light REEs in river sediments. Nevertheless, Monte Carlo simulations estimated the average daily doses of total REEs from sediments to be 0.24 μg/kg/day for adults and 0.95 μg/kg/day for children, comfortably below established human health thresholds. However, the risk of REE exposure appears to be higher in children, and sensitivity analyses suggested that REE concentration contributed more to health risks, whether the adults or children. Thus, concerns regarding REE contamination and risks should be raised considering the wide distribution of agricultural regions, and further attention is warranted to assess the health risks associated with other routes of REE exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunrong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; Frontiers Science Center for Deep-time Digital Earth, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Guilin Han
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; Frontiers Science Center for Deep-time Digital Earth, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China.
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3
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Bian Z, Dong W, Ning Z, Song Y, Hu K. Recovery of terbium by Lysinibacillus sp. DW018 isolated from ionic rare earth tailings based on microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1416731. [PMID: 38887713 PMCID: PMC11180810 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1416731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is considered as an environmentally friendly microbial-based technique to remove heavy metals. However, its application in removal and recovery of rare earth from wastewaters remains limited and the process is still less understood. In this study, a urease-producing bacterial strain DW018 was isolated from the ionic rare earth tailings and identified as Lysinibacillus based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Its ability and possible mechanism to recover terbium was investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the urease activity of DW018 could meet the biomineralization requirements for the recovery of Tb3+ from wastewaters. The recovery rate was as high as 98.28% after 10 min of treatment. The optimal conditions for mineralization and recovery were determined as a bacterial concentration of OD600 = 1.0, a temperature range of 35 to 40°C, and a urea concentration of 0.5%. Notably, irrespective of CaCO3 precipitation, the strain DW018 was able to utilize MICP to promote the attachment of Tb3+ to its cell surface. Initially, Tb3+ existed in amorphous form on the bacterial surface; however, upon the addition of a calcium source, Tb3+ was encapsulated in calcite with the growth of CaCO3 at the late stage of the MICP. The recovery effect of the strain DW018 was related to the amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, and phosphate groups on the cell surface. Overall, the MICP system is promising for the green and efficient recovery of rare earth ions from wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijun Bian
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
| | - Wei Dong
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
- Yichun Lithium New Energy Industry Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Yichun, China
| | - Zhoushen Ning
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
| | - Yuexin Song
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
| | - Kaijian Hu
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
- Yichun Lithium New Energy Industry Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Yichun, China
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Gasull M, Camargo J, Pumarega J, Henríquez-Hernández LA, Campi L, Zumbado M, Contreras-Llanes M, Oliveras L, González-Marín P, Luzardo OP, Gómez-Gutiérrez A, Alguacil J, Porta M. Blood concentrations of metals, essential trace elements, rare earth elements and other chemicals in the general adult population of Barcelona: Distribution and associated sociodemographic factors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 909:168502. [PMID: 37977377 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168502] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Very little information is available on the population distribution and on sociodemographic predictors of body concentrations of rare earth elements (REE) and other chemicals used in the manufacturing of high-tech devices. OBJECTIVES To analyze the distribution and associated sociodemographic factors of blood concentrations of chemical elements (including some metals, essential trace elements, rare earth elements and other minority elements) in a representative sample of the general population of Barcelona (Spain). METHODS A sample of participants in the Barcelona Health Survey of 2016 (N = 240) were interviewed face-to-face, gave blood, and underwent a physical exam. Concentrations of 50 chemical elements were analyzed by ICP-MS in whole blood samples. RESULTS All 50 chemicals studied, including 26 REE and minority elements, were detected. Lead, silver, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony, strontium, thallium and six essential trace elements were detected in more than 70% of the population. The most frequently detected REE and minority elements were europium (62%), thulium (56%), gold (41%), indium (31%), ruthenium (24%), and tantalum (20%). Less affluent occupational social classes had higher percentages of detection of some REE. Median concentrations of silver, arsenic, cadmium and mercury were: 0.091, 3.01, 0.309, and 3.33 ng/mL, respectively. Women had lower median concentrations than men of lead (1.47 vs. 2.04 μg/dL, respectively), iron and zinc, and higher concentrations of copper and manganese. The influence of sociodemographic characteristics on chemical concentrations differed by sex. CONCLUSIONS While well-known contaminants as lead, mercury, cadmium, or arsenic were detected in the majority of the population, numerous individuals had also detectable concentrations of chemicals as europium, indium, thulium, or gold. Sociodemographic and physical characteristics (sex, age, social class, weight change) influenced concentrations of some chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Gasull
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Judit Camargo
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Pumarega
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain; CIBER de Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Campi
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Zumbado
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain; CIBER de Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Contreras-Llanes
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales, Salud y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Laura Oliveras
- Qualitat i Intervenció Ambiental, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patricia González-Marín
- Qualitat i Intervenció Ambiental, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Octavio P Luzardo
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain; CIBER de Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Gómez-Gutiérrez
- Qualitat i Intervenció Ambiental, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Alguacil
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales, Salud y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Miquel Porta
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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5
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Wan Q, Liu B, Zhang M, Zhao M, Dai Y, Liu W, Ding K, Lin Q, Ni Z, Li J, Wang S, Jin C, Tang Y, Qiu R. Co-transport of biochar nanoparticles (BC NPs) and rare earth elements (REEs) in water-saturated porous media: New insights into REE fractionation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 453:131390. [PMID: 37060752 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated the co-transport behavior of three REEs3+ (La3+, Gd3+, and Yb3+) with and without biochar nanoparticles (BC NPs) in water-saturated porous media. The presence of REEs3+ enhanced the retention of BC NPs in quartz sand (QS) due to decreased electrostatic repulsion between BC NPs and QS, enhanced aggregation of BC NPs, and the contribution of straining. The distribution coefficients (KD) in packed columns in the co-transport of BC NPs and three REEs3+ were much smaller than in batch experiments due to the different hydrodynamic conditions. In addition, we, for the first time, found that REE fractionation in the solid-liquid phase occurred during the co-transport of REEs3+ in the presence and absence of BC NPs. Note that the REE fractionation during the co-transport, which is helpful for the tracing application during earth surface processes, was driven by the interaction of REEs3+ with QS and BC NPs. This study elucidates novel insights into the fate of BC NPs and REEs3+ in porous media and indicates that (i) mutual effects between BC NPs and REE3+ should be considered when BC was applied to REE contaminated aquatic and soil systems; and (ii) REE fractionation provides a useful tool for identifying the sources of coexisting substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wan
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Beibei Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Miaoyue Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Man Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuan Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenshen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kengbo Ding
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qingqi Lin
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhuobiao Ni
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shizhong Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chao Jin
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yetao Tang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Rongliang Qiu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Zanardo M, Cozzi A, Cardani R, Renna LV, Pomati F, Asmundo L, Di Leo G, Sardanelli F. Reducing contrast agent residuals in hospital wastewater: the GREENWATER study protocol. Eur Radiol Exp 2023; 7:27. [PMID: 37142839 PMCID: PMC10160294 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-023-00337-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential enviromental impact of iodinated (ICAs) and gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have recently come under scrutiny, considering the current nonselective wastewater treatment. However, their rapid excretion after intravenous administration could allow their potential recovery by targeting hospital sewage. The GREENWATER study aims to appraise the effective quantities of ICAs and GBCAs retrievable from patients' urine collected after computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, selecting ICA/GBCA per-patient urinary excretion and patients' acceptance rate as study endpoints. Within a prospective, observational, single-centre, 1-year framework, we will enrol outpatients aged ≥ 18 years, scheduled to perform contrast-enhanced CT or MRI, willing to collect post-examination urine in dedicated canisters by prolonging their hospital stay to 1 h after injection. Collected urine will be processed and partially stored in the institutional biobank. Patient-based analysis will be performed for the first 100 CT and 100 MRI patients, and then, all analyses will be conducted on the pooled urinary sample. Quantification of urinary iodine and gadolinium will be performed with spectroscopy after oxidative digestion. The evaluation of the acceptance rate will assess the "environmental awareness" of patients and will aid to model how procedures to reduce ICA/GBCA enviromental impact could be adapted in different settings. Key points • Enviromental impact of iodinated and gadolinium-based contrast agents represents a growing point of attention.• Current wastewater treatment is unable to retrieve and recycle contrast agents.• Prolonging hospital stay may allow contrast agents retrieval from patients' urine.• The GREENWATER study will assess the effectively retrievable contrast agents' quantities.• The enrolment acceptance rate will allow to evaluate patients' "green sensitivity".
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Affiliation(s)
- Moreno Zanardo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Andrea Cozzi
- Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Rosanna Cardani
- Biobank BioCor, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | | | | | - Luigi Asmundo
- Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Leo
- Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy
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7
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Wysocka IA, Rogowska AM, Kostrz-Sikora P. Investigation of anthropogenic gadolinium in tap water of polish cities: Gdańsk, Kraków, Warszawa, and Wrocław. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 323:121289. [PMID: 36791951 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121289] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In urban areas where tap water is often produced by a purification of water supplied from a river bank filtration, a significant fraction of gadolinium (Gd) total pool is of an anthropogenic origin. It happens because Gd-based contrast agents used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are not removed during wastewater treatment and they are discharged to the environment and returned to the water cycle. Despite the growing number of MRI examinations worldwide, little is known about the anthropogenic Gd in Polish surface water as well as drinking water. The aim of this pilot study was to gain information about the occurrence of emergent pollution as Gd in potable water available for inhabitants of Polish municipal areas. Tap water samples from Gdańsk, Kraków, Wrocław and Warszawa were analyzed by an inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry after their preconcentration by a seaFAST-pico chromatographic system. In this study, the sum of REE was in the range registered in the drinking waters of European urban regions (usually below 100 ng/L). The highest values of the sum of REE total concentrations were observed in the tap water samples collected in Warszawa (37.7 ng/L) and Wrocław (35.9 ng/L and 32.9 ng/L), where water supplies originate from the Wisła River and Oława River, respectively. The highest total Gd concentration was observed in the tap water of Warszawa city where the anthropogenic Gd fraction represented about 90% of the total Gd. The lowest values of the sum REE were registered in tap waters of Gdańsk (sum of REE below 2.2 ng/L) with up to 17% of the anthropogenic Gd. Thus, our study showed the occurrence of the anthropogenic Gd in all analyzed tap waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Agnieszka Wysocka
- Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Anna Maria Rogowska
- Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Kostrz-Sikora
- Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Kohl J, Schweikert M, Klaas N, Lemloh ML. Intracellular bioaccumulation of the rare earth element Gadolinium in ciliate cells resulting in biogenic particle formation and excretion. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5650. [PMID: 37024513 PMCID: PMC10079679 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32596-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ciliates are abundant unicellular organisms capable of resisting high concentrations of metal ions in the environment caused by various anthropogenic activities. Understanding the cellular pathways involved in resistance to and detoxification of elements is required to predict the impact of ciliates on environmental element cycles. Here, we investigated the so far unknown process of tolerance, cellular uptake and bioaccumulation of the emerging rare earth element gadolinium (Gd) in the common ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. Gd treatment results in the intracellular formation and excretion of biogenic Gd-containing particles. This cellular process effectively removes dissolved Gd from the organic growth medium by 53.37% within 72 h. Based on light and electron microscopic observations, we postulate a detoxification pathway: Cells take up toxic Gd3+ ions from the medium by endocytosis, process them into stable Gd-containing particles within food vacuoles, and exocytose them. Stable biogenic particles can be isolated, which are relatively homogeneous and have a diameter of about 3 µm. They consist of the elements Gd, C, O, P, Na, Mg, K, and Ca. These findings broaden the view of metal ion accumulation by protists and are of relevance to understand environmental elemental cycles and may inspire approaches for metal recovery or bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kohl
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Michael Schweikert
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- SRF AMICA, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Norbert Klaas
- IWS, Research Facility for Subsurface Remediation (VEGAS), University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Marie-Louise Lemloh
- SRF AMICA, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Materials Testing Institute, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
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9
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Mędyk M, Falandysz J, Nnorom IC. Scandium, yttrium, and lanthanide occurrence in Cantharellus cibarius and C. minor mushrooms. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:41473-41484. [PMID: 36633747 PMCID: PMC10067650 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
There is a dearth of data on rare earth elements (REE), yttrium and scandium in foods which extends also to baseline datasets for edible wild mushrooms, though this has started to change in the last decade. Concentrations and shale normalized patterns of REE and Y (REY) were studied by using inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometer in 22 pools (2235 specimens) of Cantharellus cibarius (Golden Chanterelle) collected in Poland and also a pool of C. minor (Small Chanterelle) (153 specimens) from Yunnan (Chinese Province). The total REY plus Sc varied in C. cibarius from 10 to 593 µg kg-1 dw whereas that for the Yunnan's C. minor was 2072 µg kg-1 dw. C. minor from Yunnan has higher REY and Sc compared to the C. cibarius. Sc concentrations in twenty C. cibarius pools were below 1 µg kg-1 dw, but 17 and 27 µg kg-1 dw were detected at the other two sites and 66 µg kg-1 dw was detected in C. minor. The median Y content of C. cibarius and C. minor was 22 µg kg-1 dw and 200 µg kg-1 dw. The difference in REY and Sc concentrations and shale normalized patterns between mushrooms from Poland and Yunnan seems to reflect the regional difference in concentration and composition of these elements in the soil bedrock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Mędyk
- Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology, University of Gdańsk, 63 Wita Stwosza Str., 80-308, Gdańsk, PL, Poland
| | - Jerzy Falandysz
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, 1 Muszyńskiego Street, 90-151, Łódź, Poland.
| | - Innocent Chidi Nnorom
- Analytical/Environmental Unit, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria
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10
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Oluwasola IE, Ahmad AL, Shoparwe NF, Ismail S. Gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCAs): Uniqueness, aquatic toxicity concerns, and prospective remediation. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2022; 250:104057. [PMID: 36130428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The current toxicity concerns of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have birthed the need to regulate and, sometimes restrict its clinical administration. However, tolerable concentration levels of Gd in the water sector have not been set. Therefore, the detection and speedy increase of the anthropogenic Gd-GBCAs in the various water bodies, including those serving as the primary source of drinking water for adults and children, is perturbing. Nevertheless, the strongly canvassed risk-benefit considerations and superior uniqueness of GBCAs compared to the other ferromagnetic metals guarantees its continuous administration for Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) investigations regardless of the toxicity concerns. Unfortunately, findings have shown that both the advanced and conventional wastewater treatment processes do not satisfactorily remove GBCAs but rather risk transforming the chelated GBCAs to their free ionic metal (Gd 3+) through inadvertent degradation processes. This unintentional water processing-induced GBCA dechelation leads to the intricate pathway for unintentional human intake of Gd ion. Hence exposure to its probable ecotoxicity and several reported inimical effects on human health such as; digestive symptoms, twitching or weakness, cognitive flu, persistent skin diseases, body pains, acute renal and non-renal adverse reactions, chronic skin, and eyes changes. This work proposed an economical and manageable remediation technique for the potential remediation of Gd-GBCAs in wastewater, while a precautionary limit for Gd in public water and commercial drinks is advocated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idowu Ebenezer Oluwasola
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; School of Science and Computer Studies, Food Technology Department, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State 360231, Nigeria.
| | - Abdul Latif Ahmad
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
| | - Noor Fazliani Shoparwe
- Gold, Rare Earth, and Material Technopreneurship Centre (GREAT), Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia.
| | - Suzylawati Ismail
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
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11
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Gadolinium Accumulation and Toxicity on In Vitro Grown Stevia rebaudiana: A Case-Study on Gadobutrol. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911368. [PMID: 36232670 PMCID: PMC9569896 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gadolinium-based contrast agents are molecular complexes which are extensively used for diagnostic purposes. Apart from their tremendous contribution to disease diagnostics, there are several issues related to their use. They are extremely stable complexes and potential contaminants of surface and ground waters, an issue which is documented worldwide. The irrigation of fields with contaminated surface waters or their fertilization with sludge from wastewater treatment plants can lead to the introduction of Gd into the human food supply chain. Thus, this study focused on the potential toxicity of Gd on plants. For this purpose, we have studied the molecular effects of gadobutrol (a well-known MRI contrast agent) exposure on in vitro-grown Stevia rebaudiana. The effects of gadobutrol on plant morphology, on relevant plant metabolites such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, ascorbic acids (HPLC), minerals (ICP-OES), and on the generation of free radical species (MDA assay and EPR) were assessed. Exposures of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 1, and 3 mM gadobutrol were used. We found a correlation between the gadobutrol dose and the plant growth and concentration of metabolites. Above the 0.1. mM dose of gadobutrol, the toxic effects of Gd+3 ions became significant.
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12
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Tran TN, Do QC, Kim D, Kim J, Kang S. Urchin-like structured magnetic hydroxyapatite for the selective separation of cerium ions from aqueous solutions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 430:128488. [PMID: 35183829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, bio-inspired urchin-like structured hydroxyapatite (UHdA) and its magnetic composite (UHdA@Fe3O4) were developed for efficient and easy separation of cerium ions (Ce3+) from aquatic waste streams. UHdA and UHdA@Fe3O4 exhibited superior Ce3+ adsorption capacities of 248.39 and 230.01 mg/g-UHdA respectively, compared to a commercial HdA (141.71 mg/g-HdA) due to their hierarchical mesoporous structure and large specific surface area. The adsorption of Ce3+ to UHdA and UHdA@Fe3O4 were heterogeneous, pseudo-second-order-kinetic, and the rate-limiting step was external mass transfer and intra-particle diffusion. Moreover, thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic nature. The high selectivity towards Ce3+ in multi-ionic systems is attributed to the strong affinity between strong Lewis acid (Ce3+) and base (PO43- and OH-) interactions. XRD, FTIR, and XPS analysis demonstrated that the adsorption was mainly attributable to the ion exchange of Ce3+ with Ca2+ and to surface complexation. The desorption of Ce3+ was efficiently accomplished using 0.1 M HNO3. The results suggest that UHdA and UHdA@Fe3O4 could be promising choices for the adsorption and recovery of rare earth elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Nhung Tran
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Quoc Cuong Do
- Chemical & Process Technology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dogun Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Sunchon National University, 255 Jungang-ro, Suncheon, Jeollanam-do 57922, Republic of Korea.
| | - Junho Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seoktae Kang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Mehrabi K, Kaegi R, Günther D, Gundlach-Graham A. Emerging investigator series: automated single-nanoparticle quantification and classification: a holistic study of particles into and out of wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. NANO 2021; 8:1211-1225. [PMID: 34046179 PMCID: PMC8136323 DOI: 10.1039/d0en01066a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Single particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-TOFMS), in combination with online microdroplet calibration, allows for the determination of particle number concentrations (PNCs) and the amount (i.e. mass) of ICP-MS-accessible elements in individual particles. Because sp-ICP-TOFMS analyses of environmental samples produce rich datasets composed of both single-metal nanoparticles (smNPs) and many types of multi-metal NPs (mmNPs), interpretation of these data is well suited to automated analysis schemes. Here, we present a new data analysis approach that includes: 1. automatic particle detection and elemental mass determinations based on online microdroplet calibration, 2. correction of false (randomly occurring) multi-metal associations caused by measurement of coincident but distinct NPs, and 3. unsupervised clustering analysis of mmNPs to identify unique classes of NPs based on their element compositions. To demonstrate the potential of our approach, we analyzed water samples collected from the influent and effluent of five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Switzerland. We determined elemental masses in individual NPs, as well as PNCs, to estimate the NP removal efficiencies of the individual WWTPs. From WWTP samples collected at two points in time, we found an average of 90% and 94% removal efficiencies of single-metal and multi-metal NPs, respectively. Between 5% to 27% of detected NPs were multi-metal; the most abundant particle types were those rich in Ce-La, Fe-Al, Ti-Zr, and Zn-Cu. Through hierarchical clustering, we identified NP classes conserved across all WWTPs, as well as particle types that are unique to one or a few WWTPs. These uniquely occurring particle types may represent point sources of anthropogenic NPs. We describe the utility of clustering analysis of mmNPs for identifying natural, geogenic NPs, and also for the discovery of new, potentially anthropogenic, NP targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamyar Mehrabi
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Ralf Kaegi
- Department of Process Engineering, Eawag Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Detlef Günther
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich Switzerland
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