淋洗剂乙二胺四乙酸对重金属污染土工程特性的影响

以重金属铅（Pb2+）污染土和淋洗剂乙二胺四乙酸（EDTA）为研究对象,通过批次试验研究了不同浓度EDTA的淋洗对Pb2+污染土的渗透特性、持水特性、压缩特性、抗剪强度等工程特性的影响,为淋洗修复后土壤的二次利用提供参数支持。基于矿物成分、孔隙结构等微观试验,揭示了土壤工程特性变化的内在机制。研究结果表明,当淋洗剂EDTA浓度从0增加到0.15 mol/L,经淋洗修复后的污染土壤pH值从7.94下降到5.12,渗透系数降低超过一个数量级,黏聚力降低50%以上,而内摩擦角增大,持水性能提高,孔隙比从0.81下降到了0.76。微观试验的结果表明,随着淋洗剂浓度的增大,土壤中的蒙脱石、钠长石和伊利石矿物含量减少,石英矿物含量增加,其中蒙脱石含量从7.87%下降到了0.07%,而石英矿物含量增加了11.09%;淋洗后土壤单位质量进汞量由0.22 ml/g降低到0.15 ml/g,土壤总孔隙体积减少。重金属污染土淋洗修复工程在考虑重金属去除率及经济性指标的同时,还应考虑淋洗剂对土壤工程特性的弱化。     

Removal of heavy metals from a contaminated soil using organic chelating acids

Changes in heavy metal speciation and uptake by maize in a soil before and after washing with chelating organic acids, citric acid, tartaric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were assessed. A sandy loam was collected from the vicinity of the Benue industrial layout, Makurdi, Nigeria and spiked with a quinternary mixture of nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead nitrates to achieve higher levels of contamination. Batch soil washing experiments performed on 1.0 g portions of the spiked soil using 0.05 M chelating agents at a solid:liquid ratio of 1:25 showed that washing efficiencies varied in the order: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid> citric acid> tartaric acid with metal extraction yields typically following the sequence, copper> nickel> zinc> cadmium> lead. Sequential extractions proposed by the European Communities Bureau of Reference method used to assess the redistribution of heavy metal forms in the soil showed that apparent metal mobilities were reduced upon soil washing. Citric acid removed most of the metals hitherto associated with the exchangeable and reducible fractions; tartaric acid, the exchangeable metal pools; and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, the non-residual metal pools. Heavy metal assay of harvested biomass of maize grown on unwashed and washed soil samples indicated that metal transfer coefficients, decreased in the order of treatment: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid <citric acid <tartaric acid <unwashed soil. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and citric acid appeared to offer greater potentials as chelating agents to use in remediating the high permeability soil. Tartaric acid, however, is recommended in events of moderate contamination.     

The use of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals

Recent research has shown that phytoextraction approaches often require soil amendments, such as the application of EDTA, to increase the bioavailability of heavy metals in soils. However, EDTA and EDTA–heavy metal complexes can be toxic to plants and soil microorganisms and may leach into groundwater, causing further environmental pollution. In the present study, vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) was studied for its potential use in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. In the pot experiment, the uptake and transport of Pb by vetiver from Pb-contaminated soils under EDTA application was investigated. The results showed that vetiver had the capacity to tolerate high Pb concentrations in soils. With the application of EDTA, the translocation ratio of Pb from vetiver roots to shoots was significantly increased. On the 14th day after 5.0 mmol EDTA kg⁻¹ of soil application, the shoot Pb concentration reached 42, 160, 243 mg kg⁻¹ DW and the root Pb concentrations were 266, 951, and 2280 mg kg⁻¹ DW in the 500, 2500 and 5000 mg Pb kg⁻¹ soils, respectively. In the short soil leaching column (9.0-cm diameter, 20-cm height) experiment, about 3.7%, 15.6%, 14.3% and 22.2% of the soil Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd were leached from the artificially contaminated soil profile after 5.0 mmol EDTA kg⁻¹ of soil application and nearly 126 mm of rainfall irrigation. In the long soil leaching experiment, soil columns (9.0-cm diameter, 60-cm height) were packed with uncontaminated soils (mimicking the subsoil under contaminated upper layers) and planted with vetiver. Heavy metal leachate from the short column experiment was applied to the surface of the long soil column, the artificial rainwater was percolated, and the final leachate was collected at the bottom of the soil columns. The results showed that soil matrix with planted vetiver, could re-adsorb 98%, 54%, 41%, and 88% of the initially applied Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd, respectively, which may reduce the risk of heavy metals flowing downwards and entering the groundwater.     

Chelate enhanced phytoremediation of soil containing a mixed contaminant

Greenhouse tests were conducted to study the effect of chelates on the phytoextraction of cadmium and lead, and the rhizodegradation of used engine oil present as a mixed contaminant in a sandy soil. Indian mustard plants were grown in test pot soil for 30 days and chelates ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) were individually applied to the test soil. The soil was spiked earlier with 50 mg kg^?1 of CdCl₂, 500 mg kg^?1 of PbCl₂ and 500 mg kg^?1 of used engine oil to form the mixed soil contaminant. At the same concentration of chelates, EDTA was found to be more effective than EDDS in increasing the concentration of metal contaminants Cd and Pb in the plant. Compared to EDDS, EDTA was also more effective in promoting rhizodegradation of the organic contaminant formed by used engine oil. The study demonstrated that the application of chelates to soils containing mixed contaminants such as heavy metals (Cd and Pb) and organics (used engine oil) can simultaneously assist metal accumulation at higher concentrations in the biomass of Indian mustard plant and also reduce the amount of used engine oil in the soil through rhizodegradation.     

基于高光谱技术的黑土地微量金属元素探测方法及地学意义

在土壤中重金属含量较低的情况下,重金属的高光谱特征响应非常微弱,不易构建精确的高光谱直接反演模型。为了解决上述问题,依据土壤化学变量间的理化性质,将重金属富集特征转移到与之相关的化学主量元素上,使重金属微弱的信息得以间接定量反演。文中以海伦市黑土土壤为研究对象,通过主成分分析、聚类分析确定了主量元素氧化铁（Fe₂O₃）与微量重金属As、Zn、Cd之间存在明显吸附赋存关系。选用偏最小二乘法构建了研究区氧化铁含量的最佳反演模型（决定系数为0.704,均方根误差为0.148,F检验为12.732）,并利用氧化铁与As、Zn、Cd之间的赋存关系,通过神经网络构建了氧化铁预测值与重金属真实值间的非线性拟合模型,得出As含量的拟合程度最高,Zn的拟合程度较好,Cd的拟合效果较理想,总体相关性分别为0.796、0.732、0.530。研究结果表明,基于氧化铁含量的间接预测模型能对微量重金属As、Zn、Cd进行较好的定量预测,为微量重金属含量的定量分析提供了新的方法参考,为高光谱遥感技术预测土壤重金属含量提供了依据,增强了土壤微量重金属反演可行性,对细化自然资源质量监测、深化开展地学系统综合分析与评价有重要意义。      

Deciphering heavy metal contamination zones in soils of a granitic terrain of southern India using factor analysis and GIS

Soil contamination by heavy metals has been a major concern for last few decades due to increase in urbanization and industrialization. The main objective of this research was to identify the heavy metal contaminated zones in the study area. Twenty five soil samples collected throughout the agriculture, residential and industrial areas were analysed by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF) for trace metals and major oxides. These metals can affect the quality of soil and infiltrate through the soil, thereby causing groundwater pollution. Based on the chemical analysis of major oxides (SiO_2, Al₂O_3, ?Fe₂O_3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na₂O, K₂O, TiO₂, and P₂O₅) and their distribution; it is observed that these soils are predominantly siliceous type with slight enrichment of alumina component in the study area. Correlation matrix (CM) and factor analysis (FA) is employed to the heavy metal variables, viz., Ba, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V, Y, Zn and Zr of the soil to determine the dominant factors contributing to the soil contamination in the area. In the analysis, five factors emerged as significant contributors to the soil quality. The total contribution of these five factors is about 90%. The contribution of the first factor is about 45% and has significant positive loadings of Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn. The contribution of second factor is 22% and has significant positive loadings of Rb, Sr and Y. The contribution of third, fourth and fifth factors is 10, 8 and 5% and show positive loadings for lead, molybdenum and barium respectively to the soil contamination. The spatial variation maps deciphering different zones of heavy metal concentration in the soil were generated in a GIS (geographic information system) based environment using ArcGIS 9.3.1. The results reveal that heavy metal contamination in the area is mainly due to anthropogenic activities.     

pH influence on sorption characteristics of heavy metal in the vadose zone

Sorption is an important process in the modelling and prediction of the movement of heavy metals in unsaturated clay barriers. This experimental study investigates the effect of pH changes in the acidic range on the sorption characteristics of heavy metals such as: lead, copper and zinc in an unsaturated soil. A series of one-dimensional coupled solute and moisture leaching column tests, using different heavy metal solutions, were conducted on an unsaturated illitic soil at varying pH values. Variations of volumetric water content (VWC) with distance were measured for different time durations, and concentrations of heavy metals in the liquid and solid phases were analysed. Partitioning coefficient profiles of contaminants along the soil column were determined for each individual layer in the soil.

Results from column leaching tests showed that the sorption characteristics of heavy metals are controlled by many factors which should be taken into consideration, i.e. the VWC, time of wetting, soil pH, and the influent heavy metal concentrations. Simplification of K_d as a constant and of the VWC as a linear function cannot be considered a good assumption and may lead to an improper evaluation of the sorption phenomena and also to serious errors in predicting contaminant transport through unsaturated soils.     

Mathematical models to predict soil heavy metal toxicity in the 2012 Olympic site

Heavy metal concentrations in samples collected from the London 2012 Olympic Village were determined using a three-step sequential extraction and a rapid extraction method. Metal toxicity was measured by employing the Microtox^? solid phase analysis. Both extraction methods produced comparable results (p?=?0.996), but the rapid method produced higher readings. A number of heavy metals were detected using the two extraction methods, including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, nickel, lead and zinc; beryllium, molybdenum, niobium and titanium were also found in low concentration ranging between 0.16 and 27.10?mg/kg in the total acid digestion. The total metal levels in all the soil samples were within the UK Soil Guideline Value (SGV) except for lead which ranged between 62.9 and 776.2?mg/kg. The 30?min EC₅₀ of different soil fractions was 2?C5.8?g/L. In the absence of any of heavy metals in the SGV, the Dutch Guideline values were referred. Mathematical models for a number of metals were generated based on the changes in EC₅₀ values between each (F1, F2 and F3) soil fractions and the initial toxicity in the non-fractionated samples. The resulting models produced good R² values (>96%) for predicting the change in toxicity of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper by measuring their changes in concentrations. These models could substantially reduce the time requires to determine the toxicity in the samples; they would be a useful tool in the clean up process where monitoring of metal toxicity is required.     

Effects of copper mining on heavy metal contamination in a rice agrosystem in the Xiaojiang River Basin,southwest China

Metallic ore mining causes heavy metal pollution worldwide. However, the fate of heavy metals in agrosystems with long-term contamination has been poorly studied. Dongchuan District (Yunnan, southwest China), located at the middle reaches of the Xiaojiang River, is a well-known 2000-year-old copper mining site. In this work, a survey on soil heavy metal contents was conducted using a handheld X-ray fluorescence instrument to understand the general contamination of heavy metals in the Xiaojiang River Basin. Furthermore, river water, soil, and rice samples at six sites along the fluvial/alluvial fans of the river were collected and analyzed to implement an environmental assessment and an evaluation of irrigated agrosystem. V, Zn, and Cu soil levels (1724, 1047, and 696 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively) far exceeded background levels. The geo-accumulation indexes (I_geo) showed that cultivated soils near the mining sites were polluted by Cd and Cu, followed by Zn, V, Pb, Cr, Ni, and U. The pollution index (Pi) indicated that rice in the area was heavily polluted with Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, and Cu. The difference in orders of metal concentrations between the soil and rice heavy metal contamination was related to the proportion of bioavailable heavy metals in the soil. The crop consumption risk assessment showed that the hazard quotient exceeded the safe threshold, indicating a potential carcinogenic risk to consumers. The Nemerow integrated pollution index and health index indicated that the middle of the river (near the mining area) was the heaviest polluted site.

     

Extraction of heavy metals in Sydney Harbour sediments using 1M HCl and 0.05M EDTA and implications for sediment‐quality guidelines

Sixty sediment samples with a wide range of heavy‐metal concentrations and sediment textures were collected from Sydney Harbour. The samples were extracted with 1M HCl, 0.05M EDTA and HClO₄/HNO₃ and analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry for Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd. 1M HCl extracted a large proportion of heavy metals in oxic sediments (60–100%), whereas the extractability of metals with 0.05M EDTA was generally lower (by ～20%). Extractability was unrelated to the level of contamination or to sediment texture. The extractability of Cu in anoxic sediments was substantially lower with 1M HCl (～20%) and 0.05M EDTA (～10%) than with HClO₄/HNO₃. The extractability of Pb with 0.05M EDTA was also reduced in anoxic sediments (to ～70%). The use of weak extractants, in particular 1M HCl, is recommended by the recently introduced ANZECC and ARMCANZ interim sediment‐quality guidelines. These extractants are believed to provide a better measure of the bioavailable metal content than strong acid extractants. In this study, anoxic, sulfidic environments had a major influence on metal extractability with weak extractants. The implication of this is that the number of samples requiring further testing, as stipulated by the guidelines, would be significantly reduced in anoxic sediments.     

Partitioning of heavy metals on soil samples from column tests

In this study, column tests were used to determine the retention capability of three types of estuarine alluvia collected adjacent to landfill sites in South Wales. Selective sequential extraction (SSE) was used to study the retention mechanisms of heavy metals in the soil columns obtained from leaching experiments. Acid digestion was later used to check the validity of the SSE results. Breakthrough curves show good retention of heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, and Zn) by all soils, where almost 99% of heavy metals were retained with the C_e/C_o values in the order of 10⁻³. The retention strength of these soils was observed to be constant up to five pore volumes (PV). This corresponds with the pH of the effluents and pore water of soil slices, which also show good buffering capacity against very acidic leachate up to 5PV. The heavy metal extraction profiles from SSE show very similar trends with the retention profiles from the leaching experiments, where heavy metals were retained mainly at the top part where the leachate entered the column. SSE indicates qualitatively that heavy metals precipitated with carbonates and amorphous materials (oxides/hydroxides) are higher than heavy metal retention via exchangeable mechanisms. The mass balance calculation gives range of deviation of 1–16% of the total soil extraction. The distribution of the heavy metals with various soil constituents are ranked in the following order: Carbonates>Amorphous oxides hydroxides>Organic matter>Exchangeable phases.     

Comparative evaluation of EDTA, pyridine and acetic acid for the assessment of available heavy metals from domestic and industrial sludges

Various sludge samples from different domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants were analyzed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) to evaluate their total and available contents of heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd and Zn). The EDTA, pyridine and acetic acid single extraction techniques were applied to these samples with the objective of studying the leaching behavior of the metals in different sludges and also to predict their possible mobility when these wastes are disposed on the environment and landfills. In EDTA, higher extraction efficiency was observed for major part of the elements studied in the industrial sludges except for Hg and Cd, which were also considerably released from domestic sludges. Acetic acid and pyridine gave a better extraction efficiency for Zn in industrial sludge than EDTA. Moreover, the results of total digestions were compared, for total metal contents, with those obtained using pseudototal digestion procedure and a good correlation (r² = 0.95) was found between the two methods of digestion.     

Assessment of contamination load on water,soil and sediment affected by the Kongjujeil mine drainage,Republic of Korea

Environmental pollution in the Kongjujeil mine creek was determined on the basis of physicochemical and mineralogical properties for various kinds of waters, soils, precipitates and sediments collected in August and December 1998. The hydrochemistry of water is characterized by an enrichment in concentrations of Ca ²⁺, Si, alkali ions, NO ₃ ^- and Cl ^- in ground and surface water, where relatively the mine waters are significantly enriched in Ca ²⁺+Mg ²⁺, Al, heavy metals and SO ₄ ^2- concentrations. The mine waters have lower pH (3.24) and higher EC (613 µS/cm) compared with those of ground and surface water. The ranges of dD and d ¹⁸O values (SMOW) in the water are -50.2 to -61.6‰ and -7.0 to -8.6‰. Using a computer code, the saturation indices of albite, calcite and dolomite in the mine water show that it is undersaturated, and has progressively evolved toward the equilibrium state. Ground and surface water are nearly saturated. The gibbsite, kaolinite and smectite are supersaturated in the surface and groundwater. Geochemical modeling shows that mostly toxic metals exist largely in the form of metal sulfates and free metals in mine water. These metals in the surrounding fresh water could be formed of carbonate or hydroxide complex ions. Minerals within the soil and sediment near the mining area were partly variable consisting of quartz, mica, alkali feldspar, plagioclase, chlorite, vermiculite, berthierine and clay minerals. The separated heavy minerals, soil and sediment are composed of some pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, malachite, goethite and various hydroxide minerals. Some potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn) are found in extremely high concentrations in the surface soils in the vicinity of the mine. The enrichment index of heavy metals in sediment and surface soil of the mine drainage was very severe, while it was not so great in the cultivated soil.     

土壤修复过程中重金属形态的研究综述

重金属污染土壤的修复是现阶段污染土壤治理中的难点之一,在土壤修复过程中对重金属的形态研究已在多个领域中开展,并且在重金属形态及其与生物有效性和毒性等研究领域取得了一定的成果。本文综述了现阶段在污染土壤修复过程中对重金属形态研究的主要领域,分析研究重金属形态的必要性,总结出土壤修复过程中重金属形态方面应当从重金属在土壤与植物中的存在形态入手,研究重金属元素在不同界面间的迁移转化规律,通过阻断重金属元素在污染源、土壤、生物之间的传递链条,以阻止重金属对生物体造成危害,从而为土壤重金属污染的治理修复提供理论基础。     

珠江三角洲西部典型乡镇稻米与根系土重金属元素含量关系研究

农田土壤环境质量与稻米食用安全性关系非常密切,已有研究表明在采矿、交通、电子工业等影响下,珠三角地区积累了大量环境问题,镉汞砷等污染越来越严重。重金属在土壤-稻米系统中的迁移转化,受其总含量、土壤理化性质、有机质以及微量或大量元素的交互作用影响。为查明广东省佛山市高明区典型乡镇重金属在土壤-稻米系统中的迁移影响因素,为稻米食用安全性预测提供依据,本文在高明区明城镇、更合镇主要农田区,采集了151组稻谷及对应根系土样品,采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法(ICP-OES)、原子荧光光谱法(AFS)等技术测定了土壤重金属、养分元素含量、土壤理化指标以及稻米重金属含量,分析了重金属含量特征及其迁移的影响因子,建立并验证了稻米中重金属含量定量预测模型。结果表明:(1)土壤重金属含量均低于第一次全国土壤污染调查获得的广东省土壤重金属含量均值,并且均低于《土壤环境质量农用地土壤污染风险管控标准》(GB 15618—2018)中的土壤风险管制值,土壤污染风险低;(2)稻米中除Cd、Pb存在轻微超标外,其余重金属含量均低于食品卫生标准限值;(3)土壤重金属总量、土壤理化性质(土壤pH,土壤质地,土壤有机质含量,土壤N、P、K等)是重金属在土壤-稻米系统中迁移的关键控制因素。如土壤Cd、Cu总量与其在稻米中含量呈显著正相关;除Pb外,土壤有机质土壤全氮与各稻米中各重金属含量呈显著负相关;除Cd外,土壤全磷与稻米重金属含量呈显著负相关;土壤质地(SiO_2/Al_2O_3)与稻米各重金属含量均呈显著正相关;(4)根据随机抽取的130组数据,以土壤重金属总量及土壤理化指标为自变量,建立了稻米As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb含量多元回归方程,均达到显著相关,经剩余21组数据的验证,预测方程的平均误差的中位数与平均数最大为31%,最小为7.8%,总体来说预测效果较好,模型可以用来预测高明区及其相似地区的稻米重金属含量。本研究通过探讨土壤理化性质的影响,引入土壤大量营养元素作为影响因素进行探究,可为研究大量营养元素对土壤重金属迁移至稻米的影响以及科学施肥指导提供参考;同时获得的土壤-稻米系统元素迁移影响因素,可对开展重金属生物有效性研究以及水田土壤污染修复、相似地区生态风险评价提供参考;简单探讨了降低研究区重金属生物有效性的方法以及抑制重金属的迁移、降低重金属生物危害的措施,为探究重金属迁移规律特征与地方病、流行病之间的关系提供了思路。     

Soil and groundwater pollution of an urban catchment by trace metals: case study of the Addis Ababa region, central Ethiopia

Analysis of the total heavy metal (Cr, Cd, Pb, As, Cu, Ni, Zn, Co) concentration was performed on 33 soil samples taken from different profiles and soil types in a highly urbanized and industrial sector of Addis Ababa, central Ethiopia. They were analyzed using aqua regia extraction coupled with a four-stage sequential extraction (SE) procedure. The objectives of the analysis were to investigate the degree of soil heavy metal contamination, its binding forms, mobility and the implications for the groundwater resource. The results show a relatively high content of the analyzed trace metals in the soil attributed to anthropogenic and geogenic sources. Although most of the trace metals are found in the upper few centimeters of the residual soils, because of churning processes within the black cotton soils, vertical distribution of the trace metals is complex. According to the heavy metal SE analysis, the major heavy metal contribution is from the residual followed by the hydroxide phases. Groundwater heavy metal contamination is present with more than 90 and 50% of the analyzed groundwater samples exceeding WHO guidelines for Cr and Cd, respectively. Since the degree of soil heavy metal contamination has apparently not surpassed the soil’s buffering capacity, it appears that the transport path of these toxic metals to the groundwater is through fractures, joints, and related preferential flow paths.     

雄安新区西南部土壤重金属污染特征及生态风险评价

土壤重金属污染具有巨大的生态环境风险和危害。本文以雄安新区西南部(老河头镇、同口镇和芦庄乡)的表层土壤和大宗农作物小麦、玉米为研究对象,在对8种重金属As、Ni、Cu、Cr、Pb、Hg、Cd和Zn含量测试分析的基础上,开展了土壤重金属污染和生态风险评价。结果表明:研究区表层土壤局部存在重金属超标情况,重金属的污染程度依次为:Cd>As>Cu>Zn>Pb>Hg,Cr和Ni土壤环境清洁;研究区表层土壤重金属污染是人为源输入,老河头镇及周边大量有色金属冶炼活动是可能的主要污染源;8种重金属的潜在生态危害程度由强至弱依次为:Cd>Hg>As>Cu>Pb>Zn>Cr>Ni;多金属潜在生态风险指数RI的平均值为252,土壤整体的重金属潜在危害程度为中等风险,其中Cd对潜在生态风险指数RI的贡献最大,且Cd的活性最强,迁移能力强,易被植物吸收。研究成果可为雄安新区的土地利用规划提供重要依据。     

Effects of humic acid on heavy metal uptake by herbaceous plants in soils simultaneously contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons

The effects of humic acid (HA) on heavy metal uptake by herbaceous plants in soil simultaneously contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons were investigated. The results showed that HA reduced readily soluble and exchangeable forms of heavy metals in the contaminated soil but increased their plant-available forms. Potential bioavailability and leachability factors became larger than 1 after adding HA to the soil, except for those of Ni, suggesting that more heavy metals could be potentially phytoavailable for plant uptake. Furthermore, HA increased the accumulation of Pb, Cu, Cd, and Ni in the shoots and roots of selected plants. The greatest increase in the accumulation of heavy metals was 264.7 % in the shoot of Festuca arundinacea, with the bioconcentration factor (BCF) increasing from 0.30 to 1.10. Humic acid also increased the BCFs of the roots of Brassica campestris for Ni and Pb. These results suggest that HA amendment could enhance plant uptake of heavy metals, while concurrently reducing heavy metal leachability and preventing subsurface contamination, even in soils simultaneously contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons.     

Spatial pattern of heavy metal concentration in the soil of rapid urbanization area: a case of Ehu Town,Wuxi City,Eastern China

Urbanization has an important effect on the soil ecosystem. Anthropogenic activities during urban sprawl are the sources and methods of migration, transition, and concentration of heavy metals in the soil. In this paper, the Yangtze River delta, the fastest urbanization area in China, was selected to study the influence of urbanization on heavy metal concentration in the soil. The analysis was performed on 218 samples collected from a typical industrial town in the delta. The content of six heavy metals (Hg, Cd, As, Pb, Cu, and Zn) was measured, which showed that the soil was seriously polluted by heavy metals, particularly Hg. In the study area, human activities were the major factors for the heavy metal concentration in the soil. The average content of Hg in the 0–500 m zone from the urban core was 1.4 mg/kg, about five times higher than the grade II threshold of the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils. The content of Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cu decreased gradually with increasing distance from the core of the built-up area, especially Hg. The influence of the anthropogenic activities was found to be anisotropic, and effects in the direction of 315° and 225° were most significant. Hg pollution in the 225° direction of the study area was more serious. These results suggested that the urbanization process affects not only the content but also the spatial pattern of heavy metal concentration in the soil.     

Tracing subsurface migration of contaminants from an abandoned municipal landfill

This paper aims at determining of inorganic leachate contamination for a capped unsanitary landfill in the absence of hydrogeological data. The 2D geoelectrical resistivity imaging, soil physicochemical characterization, and surface water analysis were used to determine contamination load and extent of selective heavy metal contamination underneath the landfill. The positions of the contaminated subsoil and groundwater were successfully delineated in terms of low resistivity leachate plumes of <10 Ωm. Leachate migration towards the reach of Kelang River could be clearly identified from the resistivity results and elevated concentrations of Fe in the river downslope toe of the site. Concentration of Fe, Mn, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, and Pb was measured for the subsoil samples collected at the downslope (BKD), upslope (BKU), and the soil-waste interface (BKI), of the landfill. The concentration levels obtained for most of the analyzed heavy metals significantly exceed the normal range in typical municipal solid waste landfill sites. The measured heavy metal contamination load in the subsoil is in the following order Fe ? Mn > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu. Taking into consideration poor physical and chemical characteristics of the local soil, these metals first seem to be attenuated naturally at near surface then remobilize unavoidably due to the soil acidic environment (pH 4.2-6.18) which in turn, may allow an easy washing of these metals in contact with the shallow groundwater table during the periodic fluctuation of the Kelang River. These heavy metals are believed to have originated from hazardous industrial waste that might have been illegally dumped at the site.