High-resolution profiles of trace metals assessed by DGT techniques in lake sediment porewaters

The technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) was applied to obtain high-resolution vertical profiles of trace metals in sediment porewater of a eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu. All sampling sediments were under anaerobic conditions with Eh values below 0, the redox potential profile in M4 was relatively stable, and higher Eh values in M4 than that in M1 were observed due to hydrodynamic effects. Fe, Mn and As exhibited closely corresponding profiles due to the co-release of Fe and Mn oxides and the reduction of As. Higher Fe and Mn concentrations and lower As concentrations were observed in M1 of the western half-lake than those in M4 of the eastern half-lake due to different sources and metal contamination levels in the two regions. Cu and Zn showed increasing concentrations similar to Mn and Fe at 1–2 cm depth of sediments, while DGT measured Co, Ni, Cd and Pb concentrations decreased down to 3–4 cm in the profiles. Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb showed insignificant regional concentration variances in the western and eastern half-lakes. According to the R(C _DGT/C _{centrifugation}) values, the rank order of metal labilities decrease as follows: Fe (>1) > Cu, Pb, Zn (>0.9) > Co, Ni, Cd (>0.3) > Mn, As (>0.1).     

Assessment of heavy metal concentrations and associated resistant bacterial communities in bulk and rhizosphere soil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Avicennia marina</Emphasis> of Pichavaram mangrove,India

Heavy metals are known to pose a potential threat to terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna. Due to increasing human influence, heavy metal concentrations are rising in many mangrove ecosystems. Therefore, an assessment of heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Fe, Mn, and Zn) concentrations was conducted within the bulk soil and rhizosphere soil of Avicennia marina at the Pichavaram Mangrove Forest in India. The rhizosphere soil showed higher concentrations of metals than the bulk soil. Compared to the bulk soil, the metals Cd, Fe, Mn, and Zn were 6.0–16.7% higher, whereas Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb were 1.7–2.8% higher concentration. Among the three selected sampling sites (dense mangrove forest, estuarine region, and sea region), the sea region had the highest concentration of all heavy metals except Zn. The trend of the mean metal concentration was Fe > Mn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Zn > Cd. Heavy metals concentrations elevated by the 2004 tsunami were persistent even after 4 years, due to sedimentary soil processes, the rhizosphere effect of mangroves, and anthropogenic deposition. Analysis of the heavy metal-resistant bacteria showed highest bacterial count for Cr-resistant bacteria and rhizosphere soil. The maximum level of heavy metal-resistant bacteria was observed at the site with the highest heavy metal contamination. The heavy metal-resistant bacteria can be used as indicator of heavy metal pollution and furthermore in bioremediation.     

Effect of pH and salinity on flocculation process of heavy metals during mixing of Aras River water with Caspian Sea water

The flocculation process of metals can play an effective and important role in self-purification of metals during the mixing of freshwater with seawater in estuary. Such processes are of highly ecological and biological importance. The present study deals with the effect of pH and salinity on the flocculation process of dissolved Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn and Pb on a series of mixtures with salinities ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 ‰ with various pHs values (pH 7, 7.5 and 8) during the mixing of the Aras River water with the Caspian Sea water. The flocculation trend of Pb (100 %) > Ni (62.5 %) > Zn (30.43 %) > Mn (25 %) > Cu (18.18 %) at different salinity regimes (0.5–2.5 ‰) at pH 7, indicates well that Pb, Ni, Zn and Mn have non-conservative behavior and Cu has relatively conservative behavior. At various salinity ranges (0.5–2.5 ‰) and pH 7.5, the flocculation trend of Pb (100 %) > Ni (62.5 %) > Mn (37.5 %) > Cu (24.24 %) > Zn (17.39 %) indicates that Pb, Ni, Mn and Cu have non-conservative behavior and Zn has relatively conservative behavior. Also, the flocculation trend of Pb (100 %) > Zn (78.26 %) > Ni (62.5 %) > Mn (37.5 %) > Cu (15.15 %) at different salinities (0.5–2.5 ‰) and pH 8, indicates that Pb, Zn, Ni and Mn have non-conservative behavior and Cu has relatively conservative behavior. Cluster analysis indicates Mn and Ni are mainly governed by salinity. According to the mean annual discharge of the Aras River (5,323 × 10⁶ m³/year), the annual discharge of dissolved Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn and Pb into the Caspian Sea would reduce from 175.66, 85.17, 85.17, 1,224.29 and 53.23 to 149.04, 53.23, 31.94, 266.15 and 0.00 ton/year, respectively.     

Contamination and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in street dust of Tehran,Iran

Heavy metals are introduced in human tissue through breathing air, food chain and human skin. They can cause damage to the nervous system and internal organs. In the present study, sixty street dust samples were collected from the central area of Tehran and were digested in the laboratory to determine the content of Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The level of contamination with the analyzed metals was determined according to the following indices: geo-accumulation index (I _geo), enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), integrated pollution index (IPI) and potential ecological risk index (RI). The average concentration of heavy metals found was in the order of Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd. The average I _geo values for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 1.53, ?1.88, 2.68, ?0.67, 1.62 and 2.70, respectively. Among the investigated heavy metals, zinc and copper had the maximum average EF values and were placed into the “very severe enrichment” class. Potential ecological risk factor (E _r) also indicated that Cd had the highest risk, and it was classified as of considerable potential ecological risk. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the appearance of Cd in the human environment. The calculated potential ecological risk index values also illustrated that the street dust samples presented a “moderate ecological risk.” The calculated IPI values showed that the pollution levels of the street dust samples ranged from high to extremely high.     

Heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of Gökçekaya Dam Lake,Eskişehir,Turkey

The present study to find seasonal (September 2010–June 2011) heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Fe, As) contamination and the origins thereof in surface sediments of Gökçekaya Dam Lake, as constructed on Sakarya River, the third-longest river in Turkey and the largest river of the Northwestern Anatolia. Upon analyses for the purpose thereof, heavy metal contamination in annual average concentrations in the lake sediment varied, respectively, as Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > As > Cd. Statistical assessments performed in order to see whether the average values of the heavy metal contamination as measured at stations placed in the lake changed by seasonal periods. There found statistically significant differences especially in Cd, Zn, and Pb between seasonal periods. In accordance with the Sediment Quality Index, Gökçekaya Dam Lake sediment was classified as “highly polluted” in terms of the amount of anthropogenic contaminants of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index values (I _geo) were calculated in order to geochemically interpret the source of contamination due to heavy metal concentration in the lake sediment and the level of pollution. The As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni Pb, and Zn values demonstrated that the sediment was rich for anthropogenic contaminants. The lake was found especially rich for arsenic (14.97–34.70 mg/kg) and lead (68.75–98.65 mg/kg) in accordance with annual average values. In general the lake was geochemically characterized as “moderately contaminated” in terms of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn content.     

Assessment of heavy metal contamination levels of street dust in the city of Lublin,E Poland

Heavy metals are constantly emitted into the environment and pose a major threat to human health, particularly in urban areas. The threat is linked to the presence of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in street dust, which consists of mineral and organic particles originating from the soil, industrial emitters, motor vehicles, and fuel consumption. The study objective was to determine the level of street dust contamination with trace metals in Lublin and to indicate their potential sources of origin. The analyses were carried out with an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The sampling sites (49) were located within the city streets characterised by varying intensity of motor traffic. The following mean content values and their variation (SD) were determined: Cd: 5.1?±?1.7 mg kg^?1, Cr: 86.4?±?23.3 mg kg^?1, Cu: 81.6?±?69.2 mg kg^?1, Ni: 16.5?±?3.9 mg kg^?1, Pb: 44.1?±?16.4 mg kg^?1, and Zn: 241.1?±?94.6 mg kg^?1. The level of pollution was assessed with several widely used geochemical indices (geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, pollution index, index of ecological risk, and potential ecological risk index). For most of the indices, the mean (median) values are arranged in the following manner: Zn?>?Cu(or Cd)?>?Pb?>?Ni?>?Cr. In general, street dust in Lublin does not show pollution with Cr, Ni, and Pb. I_geo and EF indices show moderate levels for Cu, Cd, and Zn; their presence in street dust is linked with anthropogenic factors (motor traffic). A significant threat is posed by Cd, and more than half of the samples show considerable pollution with cadmium (median for the index of ecological risk: 151). The spatial pattern of indices and the results of statistical analyses (CA, PCA) indicate three groups of elements: (1) Cr and Ni: natural origin; (2) Pb: mixed origin; and (3) Cd, Cu, and Zn: anthropogenic origin (mainly motor vehicle traffic). Higher content values for metals of anthropogenic origin in street dust indicate that it is a source of pollution of soil and air in the city.     

Evaluation of the removal of heavy metals in a natural wetland impacted by mining activities in Mexico

This research is focused on evaluating heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) uptake and removal by Eleocharis ovata, Cyperus manimae, Typha dominguensis, and Pteridium aquilinum in a natural wetland impacted by mining activities. We analyzed heavy metals content and distribution in native plants, soils, and water of a semipermanent natural wetland in Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero, and we also determined the physicochemical characteristics of the water. Translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were evaluated. Results showed that physical and chemical conditions are favorable for plants development. Correlation analysis showed a good and positive relation (0.95) between Cu and Pb in soils and plants. In the analyzed matrices: Zn (0.62–2.20 mg/L) exceeded the permissible limits in water, high concentrations of Pb and Zn (26.57–525.67 and 266.67–983.33 mg/kg, respectively) were detected in the studied soils, and Pb exceeded the normal range for E. ovata and P. aquilinum in the analyzed plants. Uptake of heavy metals in the tissues of different species was found in the following order: root > leaf. Data of TF and BCF showed that E. ovata is a tolerant plant with respect to heavy metals exposure since TF value was greater than 1. This study showed that E. ovata could be considered as a bioaccumulator of heavy metals in contaminated soils.     

Distribution and enrichment of trace metals and arsenic at the upper layer of sediments from Lerma River in La Piedad,Mexico: case history

Lerma River is one of the largest rivers in Mexico. Over the past 20 years, unplanned population growth occurred along its course and the river has been used as the only outlet for industrial and domestic wastewater disposal. The aim of the present study was to determine trace metals such as Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, and arsenic concentrations at the upper layer of sediments of the Lerma River meander in La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico. Sediment samples were collected from eight different sites during the rainy and dry seasons. All samples were physically characterized, and concentration values of trace metals and As were determined. On the basis of protection criteria for freshwater sediments, concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb were found to exceed the lowest effect level; moreover, the concentrations were found to exceed the severe effect level at some sites, particularly for Cu. Statistical analyses showed significant differences between sampling seasons for Fe and As, and among sites for Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. In addition, the enrichment factor indicates the following order Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > As, and the geoaccumulation index (I _geo) indicates contamination in the following order Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > As > Pb. The Lerma River meander in La Piedad shows a reduction in pollution by trace metals and arsenic near the drain area and downstream of the meander. However, there are significantly higher concentrations of these elements in sediments of sites located in the middle part of the city.     

Contamination assessment and health risk of heavy metals in dust from Changqing industrial park of Baoji,NW China

The contents of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in the dust samples collected from Changqing industrial park of Baoji city, NW China, were measured by XRF, while As and Hg in the dust samples were analyzed by AFS. Geo-accumulation index (I _geo), pollution index (PI) and integrated pollution index (IPI) were calculated to evaluate the heavy metal contamination level of dust. The health risk due to exposure to heavy metals in dust was analyzed by the Health Risk Assessment Model of US EPA. The results show that the arithmetic means of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn are 23.3, 16.4, 1591.8, 178.2, 0.243, 346.5, 40.2, 1,586.2 and 1,918.8 mg kg^?1, respectively, which are higher than the background values of Shaanxi soil, especially for Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn. The mean values of I _geo reveal the order of Pb > Zn > Cr > Hg > Cu > As > Co > Ni > Mn. The high I _geo of Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn in dust indicates that there is considerable pollution from Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn, while the low I _geo of As, Co, Mn and Ni presents no pollution in dust. The assessment results of PI support the results of I _geo, and IPI indicates heavy metals in dust polluted seriously. The health risk assessment shows that ingestion of dust particles is the route for exposure to heavy metals from dust, followed by dermal adsorption. Exposure to As, Cr and Pb from dust may pose a potential health threat to children and adults. The risk of cancer from As, Co, Cr and Ni due to dust exposure is low.     

Flocculation of heavy metals during mixing of freshwater with Caspian Sea water

Flocculation of colloidal size fraction for Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni and Mn was investigated on a series of mixtures with water salinities ranging from 1.5 to 9.5‰ during mixing of Haraz River with the Caspian Sea water. The flocculation trend of Zn (85.5%) > Mn (55.2%) > Cu (39.6%) > Pb (33.7%) > Ni (11.3%) indicates that Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn have non-conservative behavior and Ni has relatively conservative behavior during estuarine mixing. Highest flocculation of heavy metals occurs between salinities of 1.5 and 4.5‰. Statistical analysis indicates that the flocculation of Cu, Zn and Ni is governed by pH and total nitrogen.     

Geostatistical analyses and fractionation of heavy metals in urban soil from industrial district in Weinan, NW China

The concentrations of metals (Pb, Cr, Ba, Zn, V, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni and As) in 38 soil samples collected from the industrial district in Weinan (NW China) were determined by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The magnetic parameters of soil including low-/high-frequency susceptibility and frequency-dependent susceptibility were measured. The modified three-step BCR sequential extraction procedure was used to evaluate mobility, availability and persistence of trace elements in urban soil samples. Multivariate (principal component analysis, clustering analysis and correlation analysis) and geostatistical analysis (ArcGIS tools) were applied to the obtained data to evaluate the analytical results and to identify the possible pollution sources of metals as well as geo-spatial distributions. The results revealed that the sampling area was mainly influenced by two main sources: (1) Ba, Cu, Pb, Cr and Zn were mainly derived from industrial sources, which combined with coal combustion as well as traffic factor. The mobility sequence based on the sum of the BCR sequential extraction stages was: Pb (53.79 %) > Zn (51.78 %) > Cu (50.96 %) > Ba (42.59 %) > Cr (18.47 %). Pb was the metal predominantly associated (~46.86 %) with the form bound to Fe/Mn oxides, and the highest percentage of Zn was exchangeable and carbonate-bound fraction. Cu was present mainly in organic fraction, while the residual fraction was the most dominant solid phase pool of Cr (~81.53 %) and Ba (~57.41 %). (2) Mn, V, Co, As and Ni in the study area were consistently from natural sources. The analysis of enrichment factors indicated that urban soils in Weinan City were classified as having significant enrichment by Ba, Cu, Pb, Cr and Zn. The overall results proposed the future tactics for Weinan environment quality control on a local scale that concerned not only the levels of risky, but also the industrial emission abatement techniques as well as urban setting.     

Distribution and immobilization of heavy metals in Pliocene aquifer sediments in Wadi El Natrun depression, Western Desert

The Pliocene aquifer receives inflow of Miocene and Pleistocene aquifer waters in Wadi El Natrun depression. The aquifer also receives inflow from the agricultural activity and septic tanks. Nine sediment samples were collected from the Pliocene aquifer in Wadi E1 Natrun. Heavy metal (Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb) concentrations of Pliocene aquifer sediments were investigated in bulk, sand, and mud fractions. The determination of extractable trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Pb) in Pliocene aquifer sediments using sequential extraction procedure (four steps) has been performed in order to study environmental pathways (e.g., mobility of metals, bounding states). These employ a series of successively stronger chemical leaching reagents which nominally target the different compositional fractions. By analyzing the liquid leachates and the residual solid components, it is possible to determine not only the type and concentration of metals retained in each phase but also their potential ecological significance. Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Al concentrations are higher in finer sediments than in coarser sediments, while Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb are enriched in the coarser fraction. The differences in relative concentrations are attributed to intense anthropogenic inputs from different sources. Heavy metal concentrations are higher than global average concentrations in sandstone, USEPA guidelines, and other local and international aquifer sediments. The order of trace elements in the bulk Pliocene aquifer sediments, from high to low concentrations, is Fe?>?Al?>?Mn?>?Cr?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?V?>?Sr?>?Ba?>?Pb?>?Mo?>?Cd?>?Co. The Pliocene aquifer sediments are highly contaminated for most toxic metals, except Pb and Co which have moderate contamination. The active soluble (F0) and exchangeable (F1) phases are represented by high concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn and relatively higher concentrations of Pb and Cd. This may be due to the increase of silt and clay fractions (mud) in sediments, which act as an adsorbent, retaining metals through ion exchange and other processes. The order of mobility of heavy metals in this phase is found to be Pb?>?Cd?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Fe?>?Mn. The values of the active phase of most heavy metals are relatively high, indicating that Pliocene sediments are potentially a major sink for heavy metals characterized by high mobility and bioavailability. Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phase is the most important fraction among labile fractions and represents 22% for Cd, 20% for Fe, 11% for Zn, 8% for Cu, 5% for Pb, and 3% for Mn. The organic matter-bound fraction contains 80% of Mn, 72% of Cu, 68% of Zn, 60% of Fe, 35% of Pb, and 30% of Cd (as mean). Summarizing the sequential extraction, a very good immobilization of the heavy metals by the organic matter-bound fraction is followed by the carbonate-exchangeable-bound fraction. The mobility of the Cd metal in the active and Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phases is the highest, while the Mn metal had the lowest mobility.     

Distribution and speciation of heavy metals in surface sediments from the Yangtze estuary and coastal areas

The concentrations and speciation of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the sediments of the nearshore area, river channel and coastal zones of the Yangtze estuary, China, were systematically investigated in this study. The concentrations of all heavy metals except Ni in the sediments of the nearshore area were higher than those of the river channel and coastal zones. In the nearshore area, the concentrations of most heavy metals except Hg in the sediments of the southern branch were higher than those of the northern branch because of the import of pollutants from the urban and industrial activities around. When compared with the threshold effect level (TEL) and geochemical background levels, Cr, Ni and As accumulated and posed potential adverse biological effects. The speciation analysis suggested that Cd, Pb and Zn in the sediments of the three zones showed higher bioavailability than the other heavy metals, and thus posed ecological risk. Significant correlations were observed among Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn (r > 0.77) in the nearshore area, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb (r > 0.85) in the river channel and Ni, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn (r > 0.75) in the coastal zone. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the discharge of unban and industrial sewage, shipping pollution and the properties of the sediments (contents of Fe, Mn, Al, TOC, clay and silt) dominated the distribution of heavy metal in the nearshore area, river channel and coastal zones of the Yangtze estuary.     

Geochemistry of trace metals and Pb isotopes of sediments from the lowermost Xiangjiang River, Hunan Province (P. R. China): implications on sources of trace metals

This paper reports a geochemical study of trace metals and Pb isotopes of sediments from the lowermost Xiangjiang River, Hunan province (P. R. China). Trace metals Ba, Bi, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Pb, Tl, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Nb and Ta were analyzed using ICP-MS, and Pb isotopes of the bulk sediments were measured by MC-ICP-MS. The results show that trace metals Cd, Bi, Sn, Sc, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sb, Pb and Tl are enriched in the sediments. Among these metals, Cd, Bi and Sn are extremely highly enriched (EF values >40), metals Zn, Sn, Sb and Pb significantly highly (5 < EF < 20), and metals Sc, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Tl moderately highly (2 < EF < 5) enriched in the river sediments. All these metals, however, are moderately enriched in the lake sediments. Geochemical results of trace metals Th, Sc, Co, Cr, Zr, Hf and La, and Pb isotopes suggest that metals in the river sediments are of multi-sources, including both natural and anthropogenic sources. Metals of the natural sources might be contributed mostly from weathering of the Indosinian granites (GR) and Palaeozoic sandstones (PL), and metals of anthropogenic sources were contributed from Pb–Zn ore deposits distributed in upper river areas. Metals in the lake sediments consist of the anthropogenic proportions, which were contributed from automobile exhausts and coal dusts. Thus, heavy-metal contamination for the river sediments is attributed to the exploitation and utilization (e.g., mining, smelting, and refining) of Pb–Zn ore mineral resources in the upper river areas, and this for the lake sediments was caused by automobile exhausts and coal combustion. Metals Bi, Cd, Pb, Sn and Sb have anthropogenic proportion of higher than 90%, with natural contribution less than 10%. Metals Mn and Zn consist of anthropogenic proportion of 60–85%, with natural proportion higher than 15%. Metals Sc, Cr, Co, Cu, Tl, Th, U and Ta have anthropogenic proportion of 30–70%, with natural contribution higher than 30%. Metals Ba, V and Mo might be contributed mostly from natural process.     

Distribution,enrichment and sources of trace metals in the topsoil in the vicinity of a steel wire plant along the Silk Road economic belt,northwest China

The West Development Program, initiated in 2000 by the central government of China, has attracted huge investments in the arid and semiarid regions of northwest China. As a consequence of this development, environmental pollution and ecological degradation have been widely reported. The Silk Road economic belt proposed by China promotes further economic development in the regions, but rational planning and regular monitoring are essential to minimize any additional negative impacts of the anthropogenic activities. This article reports an investigation on the distribution, enrichment and sources of trace metals in the topsoil in and around the Ningxia Hengli Steel Wire Plant (HSWP) situated along the Silk Road economic belt. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, V and Co in the surface soils of the study area vary, respectively, in the following ranges: 0.083–18.600, 21.9–2681.0, 58.0–100.0, 14.6–169.9, 59.0–4207.3, 19.3–40.8, 411–711, 55.2–76.6 and 7.46–25.21 mg/kg. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Co are significantly higher than their local background values. Pollution levels of these trace metals in the surface soils were assessed using contamination index (C _f ⁱ ), geo-accumulation index (I _geo), modified contamination degree (mC _d) and pollution load index. The potential ecological risks caused by the metal pollution were assessed by means of potential ecological risk factor (E _f ⁱ ) and potential ecological risk index. The Spearman correlation and cluster analysis were applied to determine the contamination sources. The HSWP zone, associated with very high potential ecological risk caused by Pb and Cd, is more seriously contaminated by trace metals than the residential zone. This study indicates that Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Co mainly originate from industrial pollution, whereas Cr, Mn, Ni and V result from both industrial activities and natural processes.     

Trace metal in beach sediments of Velanganni Coast,South India: application of autoclave leach method

The concentration of trace metals like Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were studied in beach and estuarine sediments of the Velanganni Coast, South East coast of India to understand metal pollution due to urbanization/industrialization. This area was affected by the urbanization activity like untreated effluent discharge, transportation and incineration of solid waste, etc. In this context, quality of the sediments was evaluated based on the enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index, and sediment quality guidelines. Furthermore, correlation matrix and principal compound analyses have been performed with SPSS 7.5 statistical software. The result illustrated that the metal enrichment is in the following order: Cd > Cr > Ni > Zn > Pb > Mn > Cu. The level of Igeo suggests that Cd has moderately polluted the sediment class. Similarly, principal component analysis showed that Cd and Pb accounted for the anthropogenic pollution, but Pb inferred as its tracers level. The results strongly indicate anthropogenic sources for moderate input of Cd contamination in to Velanganni coastal sediments.     

Heavy metal concentrations in roadside-deposited sediments in Kuwait city

In the present study, roadside-deposited sediment samples collected from Kuwait city district, in Kuwait, were analyzed for specific heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn). Contamination assessment status of heavy metals in roadside sediments was made using mathematical models in terms of enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I _geo), and contamination factor (CF). The sediments showed remarkably high levels of all the metals, except Ni, above background concentrations in the following order (As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, and Cr). CF and I _geo revealed overall moderately uncontaminated and moderate contamination, respectively, but the EFs for all metals ranged between moderate and significant enrichment.     

Adsorptive removal of eight heavy metals from aqueous solution by unmodified and modified agricultural waste: tangerine peel

Analysis was carried out using tangerine peel aiming its use as a potential adsorbent of eight heavy metal ions (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) from aqueous solution. This agricultural waste was tested both in its untreated and also chemically modified form. Based on Fourier transformation infrared spectra, a comparison of biosorbent structure before and after chemical treatment was made. Batch adsorption tests were conducted at different pH and mass of sorbent to examine the influence on the effectiveness of simultaneous removal of tested ions. Kinetic studies were conducted at optimum pH 5.0 and sorbent dosage 300 mg. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best fit the experimental data with high correlation coefficients (r² > 0.9997). By optimizing listed parameters, high removal efficiencies (> 89%) were achieved. According to the results obtained in this study, the remediation of water polluted with heavy metals could be done using modified tangerine peel as an agricultural waste material.     

Impact of land use types on the concentrations of metals in soils of urban environment in Nigeria

The concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were determined in soils under different land use types in an urban environment in order to study the impact of land uses on the concentrations of metals in the soils. The mean concentration range of metals for all land use types were 42.1 to 410, 11.2 to 118.2, 4388.2 to 31891.1, 9.7 to 65.4, 0.1 to 1.8, 4.7 to 35.2, 2.0 to 16.8 and 77.9 to 881.7 mg/kg, for Mn, Pb, Fe, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and Zn, respectively. The computed multiple pollution index (MPI) indicated that 67 % of the examined sites had MPI values between 1 and 20 i.e. at the pollution range, while 33 % of sites had MPI values of zero which indicated that these sites were not polluted with the studied metals. Zinc had the highest impact on the multiple pollution index values. Three main principal components were identified from the principal component analysis which include (i) Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Ni originating from both industrial and agricultural sources, and as well as automobile exhausts; (ii) Fe and Mn which originated from both natural and anthropogenic sources; (iii) Cd which its anthropogenic origin is different from components I and II. This study provided information on the sources of metals in the urban environment and extent of contamination associated with each land use, which are useful in the ranking of contaminated sites, environmental quality management, environmental forensic studies and guidance for remediation/redevelopment of contaminated land.     

Potential ecological risk assessment,enrichment, geoaccumulation,and source identification of metals in the surface sediments of Choghakhor Wetland,Iran

This study reported the first comprehensive research on identification of metal concentrations (Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr) in order to provide baseline data for future studies, identify possible sources, determine degree of pollution, and identify potential ecological risks of metals in surface sediments from Iran’s Choghakhor Wetland. The order of metal concentration was as follows: Fe > Mg > Mn > Pb > Cd > Cr, with mean concentrations of 6140.35, 1647.32, 289.03, 1.10, and 0.45 µg/g of dry weight, respectively. These results reveal that Choghakhor Wetland is not heavily polluted compared to other regions. The results of enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (I _geo) showed that Fe, Pb, Mg, Cr, and Mn presented low levels of contamination and probably originated from natural sources. On the other hand, the results of EF and I _geo indices suggested that Cd concentrations in sediments of Choghakhor Wetland originated from anthropogenic sources. Based on the results of three sets of sediment quality guidelines, only Cd concentration in sediments of Choghakhor Wetland is a threat for aquatic organisms of Choghakhor Wetland. The results of multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed that Fe–Mn, Cr–Mg, and Pb groups originated from natural sources, while Cd concentrations in sediments of Choghakhor Wetland originated from both natural and anthropogenic sources (mainly chemical fertilizers). To our knowledge, this is the first study about metal concentrations in sediments of Choghakhor Wetland, and because of low levels of these metals, these concentrations can be considered background levels for future investigation.