Metals in a lateritic peat deposit — A case study from Sri Lanka

Peat is known to show metal enrichment. The geochemical enrichment factor (GEF) of U on peat humic acid is, for example, 10,000. Apart from U, peat accumulates a large number of metals including Cu, V, Ni, Cr, Zn, Pb, Zr, Mo, etc.

A large laterite bound peat deposit in Sri Lanka was studied for its distribution of metals. Most metals, in particular Be, Zr, Li and the majority of the transition series metals, exhibit a strong positive correlation with K, Al, Fe and Mn. A noteworthy feature observed was the poor correlation of the metals with organic carbon, as contrasted with a very good correlation with elemental components of clay. The laterites found around the peat deposit appear to be the possible source materials for the metals in the peat deposit. The geochemical distribution of metals in the peat is governed by:

1. (1) the nature of the organic matter;

2. (2) clay component;

3. (3) pH and Eh changes;

4. (4) marine-continental sediment mixing;

5. (5) nature of source materials for the metals.

Most of the metals appeared to be bound to the clay matrix, coated perhaps with hydrous Fe- and Mn-oxides. The existence of brine-rich marine-based sediments in the peat deposit had an important bearing on the geochemical distribution of the metals, as evidenced by the fact that in saline conditions most metals form chloride complexes, particularly under the prevailing acidic conditions. The metals thus mobilized interact with humic acids. The peat deposit under investigation provides an ideal setting for the study of the distribution of metals in a laterite-clay-peat mixture.     

Magnetic properties and heavy metal content of sanitary leachate sludge in two landfill sites near Bandung,Indonesia

Magnetic properties and heavy metal content of landfill leachate sludge samples from two municipal solid waste disposal sites near Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and their correlation with heavy metals are studied in the present work. Leachate was found to be sufficiently magnetic with mass-specific magnetic susceptibility that varies from 64.8 to 349.0 × 10⁻⁸ m³ kg⁻¹. It is, however, less magnetic than the soils around the landfill sites. The magnetic minerals are predominantly pseudo-single domain and multidomain magnetite. Leachate samples from the older but inactive disposal site, Jelekong, are found to be more magnetic than that from Sarimukti, the younger and active site. The enhancement of leachate due to the soil-derived ferrimagnetic particles is possibly the same for both Sarimukti and Jelekong. The fact that strong correlation between magnetic parameters and heavy metals is observed in Jelekong but is absent in Sarimukti suggests that the use of magnetic measurement as a proxy measurement for heavy metal content in leachate is plausible provided that the magnetic susceptibility exceeds certain threshold value. Moreover, the accumulation of magnetic minerals and heavy metals in leachate might depend on the activity and the age of landfill site.     

垃圾填埋场对周边地质环境影响与防治对策

垃圾填埋场对周边地质环境的污染越来越受到研究人员的重视,其影响因素复杂,不仅与MSW的性质有关,还与垃圾填埋场的类型及其所处地质环境有密切关系。为分析垃圾填埋场中的渗滤液、重金属以及其他有害物质对周边地质环境(地下水环境、土壤环境)的影响规律,对大量相关文献和实验资料进行研究分析。研究结果表明:渗滤液是垃圾填埋场影响周围地质环境最为重要的因素,对渗滤液污染地表水及地下水情况和防治方法进行了探讨;同样渗滤液也是重金属污染土壤的载体,重金属在土壤剖面中的滞留量一般随深度的增加而逐渐减少;重金属对土壤的污染具有积累性和滞后性特点,随着填埋时间的延长污染加重。最后,根据其污染途径和污染规律,提出了相应具体防治对策。     

Accumulation of heavy metals in Oostriku peat bog,Estonia: -site description,conceptual modelling and geochemical modelling of the source of the metals

Oxidation of sulphides leads to the dissolution of metals, which are transported with water and accumulate at geochemical barriers. Such barriers can form in peat bogs. This paper gives an introduction into the long-term processes in Oostriku peat bog where high accumulations of heavy metals are observed. Peat and water samples are analysed for Fe, As and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) using different methods. A concept is based on the observations. Metals are leached by sulphide oxidation in the carbonate rocks upstream of the peat. The water feeds the peat from below. The metals are sorbed and precipitated in the peat. The sulphide oxidation is simulated to examine the origin and metal speciation in the water. The simulated solution is compared with the groundwater entering the peat. The results showed a fair agreement for the major constituents. There were considerable differences for species with low concentrations.     

陕北泥炭中重金属元素丰度及其潜在生态危害

采用原子吸收分光光度计法对陕北榆林地区的孟家湾、河湾、尔林兔3个地区泥炭中的重金属元素进行了分析,并根据Hakanson提出的潜在生态危害指数法对其潜在生态危害性进行了评价。结果表明:Cd元素的含量超过土壤背景值,Cu、Pb、Cr、Mn 4个元素的含量均低于土壤背景值;重金属元素的生态危害指数除Cd较高,属极高水平外,Cu、Pb、Cr、Mn均较低。这3个地区泥炭中的重金属元素生态危害程度为中等以上,且尔林兔>河湾>孟家湾。      

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.     

Long term mobilisation of chemical elements in tephra-rich peat (NE Iceland)

This paper presents geochemical profiles of a tephra-bearing minerotrophic peat column from NE-Iceland obtained using various elemental analyses of the solid phase and the pore water. The influence of tephra grain size, thickness and composition of each tephra on the peat geochemistry was investigated. Interpretations are supported by a statistical approach, in particular by autocorrelation, and by microscopy observations. Minerotrophic peat geochemistry may be strongly dependent upon post-depositional mobilization and possible leaching of elements as demonstrated by Fe and trace metal concentration profiles. Chemical elements, and more specifically potentially harmful metals, can be slowly leached out of volcanic falls during their weathering and re-accumulate downwards. It is emphasised that a tephra deposit can act as an active geochemical barrier, blocking downward elemental movements and leading to the formation of enriched layers. In this study, the formation of poorly amorphous Fe phases above the Hekla 3 tephra is shown. These poorly crystalline Fe phases scavenged Ni.     

Prediction of heavy metals in acid mine drainage using artificial neural network from the Shur River of the Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper mine,Southeast Iran

Water is one of the basic and fundamental requirements for the survival of human beings. Mining of the sulphide mines usually produce a significant amount of acid mine drainage (AMD) contributing to huge amounts of chemical components and heavy metals in the receiving waters. Prediction of the heavy metals in the AMD is important in developing any appropriate remediation strategy. This paper attempts to predict heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) from the AMD using backpropagation neural network (BPNN), general regression neural network (GRNN) and multiple linear regression (MLR), by taking pH, sulphate (SO₄) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations in the AMD into account in Shur River, Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper deposit, southeast Iran. The comparison between the predicted concentrations and the measured data resulted in the correlation coefficients, R, 0.92, 0.22, 0.92 and 0.92 for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn ions using BPNN method. Moreover, the R values were 0.89, 0.37, 0.9 and 0.91 for Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn taking the GRNN method into consideration. However, the correlation coefficients were low for the results predicted by MLR method (0.83, 0.14, 0.9 and 0.85 for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn ions, respectively). The results further indicate that the ANN can be used as a viable method to rapidly and cost-effectively predict heavy metals in the AMD. The results obtained from this paper can be considered as an easy and cost-effective method to monitor groundwater and surface water affected by AMD.     

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.     

Modelling retention of heavy metals in the Oostriku peat bog,Estonia: Comparison of predicted and observed results

In this study, the retention of Ca and other metals (Pb, Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn) in the Oostriku peat bog (central Estonia) was modelled. Equilibrium sorption of metals on amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide and solid organic matter was simulated at steady-state. Ferric oxyhydroxide formation and possible precipitation of other metals (Mn, Pb and Cu) in the peat was also assessed. Evolution of metal sorption fronts along a peat profile over time was simulated with a dynamic model to test if metal–metal competition effects could cause Pb and Cu to sorb at higher amounts in the uppermost peat than in the lower peat, as observed in the field. The predicted sorbed amounts of metals were compared with those previously observed in the peat. In general, good agreement between both batch and dynamic model results and the independent observations at the Oostriku peat site was obtained. This suggests that the relatively simple model approach employed here might be generally useful for assessing other peat sites and similar applications.     

Heavy metals in stream sediments: Effects of human activities

The content of 11 heavy metals in the sediments of a stream system was determined by atomic absorption analysis. Geochemical phases were investigated using a sequential extraction scheme, and bulk contents were assessed with a single HNO₃ extraction. Certain heavy metals were associated with different geochemical phases. Co, Mn, and Ba concentrated primarily in the carbonate and Mn phases, while all the remaining metals concentrated in the Fe and remnant phases. Features located along the stream system influenced the content of heavy metals. Results from the geochemical phases indicated Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Ag were emitted by one landfill, while Cd, Ba, and Ag were emitted by a second landfill. A wastewater treatment facility appeared to emit Ni and Cu. A stream draining a reservoir and joining the study stream resulted in dilution of the heavy metals in the sediments. A populated area along the study stream appeared to emit Mn. The single HNO₃ extraction procedure is quicker to perform than the sequential extraction but does not indicate the phase associations.     

滇西沘江沉积物剖面重金属元素分布特征

采用连续提取法测定流经兰坪金顶铅锌矿区的沘江3个沉积物剖面中重金属元素的含量,分析Pb、Zn、Cd和As在流域的分布特征和在沉积物剖面中的分布特征。结果表明,距矿山75km的河段沉积物中,浅层沉积物中4种金属元素均污染严重,金顶铅锌矿是沉积物中重金属元素的主要来源,随着矿山开发规模的不断扩大,污染程度加深。4种重金属元素中Cd活性态比例高,且污染程度最强、范围最广、深度最大,Zn、Pb次之,As污染相对较轻、范围较小。潜在生态危害指数法研究结果表明,浅层沉积物中重金属元素表现出中等—很强的生态风险性,产生生态危害的主要重金属元素是Cd,其后依次是Pb、As和Zn。     

Influence of parent sediments on the concentration of heavy metals in urban and suburban soils in Turku,Finland

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of parent sediment material on soil geochemistry and to locate possible pollution sources in the area of Turku town in southwestern Finland. The study area is glaciated terrain and subsurface samples were chosen to represent five different parent sediment materials: glacial till, glaciofluvial or littoral sand, clay, peat and marine mud. Elemental concentrations of surface (100 samples) and background soil (50 samples) were analysed by ICP-AES (Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, Sr, Ti, V) and by graphite furnace AAS (As, Cd, Mo, Se). Loss-on-ignition was determined as an indicator of organic matter. Analytical results were examined using multivariate statistical methods. The results indicate that the studied soils are not heavily contaminated; there were only few sample sites with elevated heavy metal concentrations. High Pb concentrations were observed along main traffic routes, and also in places where there has been small-scale use of antifouling paints. However, concentrations of heavy metals in topsoil were in general significantly lower than those measured in large cities elsewhere. The parent material strongly affects the geochemical character of the soils. Clays naturally have a significantly higher concentration of heavy metals than sands or till material. This is also reflected in concentrations in organic topsoil. When assessing target levels for polluted soil, the primary sediment appears to be a more important factor than the amount of organic matter.     

德兴铜矿地区土壤的基本特征及其对重金属元素的吸附研究

本文首先分析了江西德兴铜矿区周围土壤的微量元素和矿物组成特征,结果显示该地区重金属元素富集,且表层土中重金属元素含量与粘土矿物相对含量变化具有较好的一致性。室内土柱淋滤实验结果表明,当总淋滤时间为451 h时,土壤对Pb²⁺的总吸附量为2 584.75 mg/kg,淋滤实验的前半期存在多种竞争吸附机制,后半期土壤对Pb²⁺的吸附基本达到动态平衡。淋滤后土壤矿物的相对质量分数发生了改变,粘土矿物有所减少。粘土矿物在不同土壤层对Pb²⁺的吸附能力也各异。     

Testing the ability of bentonite-amended natural zeolite (clinoptinolite) to remove heavy metals from liquid waste

 The design of environmentally sound liquid waste containment structures has become a crucial task in engineering applications due to ever increasing groundwater contamination from such sites. Construction of such structures usually requires a bottom liner of low hydraulic conductivity as part of the design. In order to reduce the hazards associated with liquid wastes including landfill leachate, bentonite-amended natural zeolite is proposed as an alternative to conventional earthen liners. Among many contaminants associated with liquid wastes, heavy metals are the most dangerous ones. This paper deals with determining the ability of natural zeolite to remove heavy metals from aqueous waste. For this purpose, crushed natural zeolite (clinoptinolite) is amended with commercial powdered bentonite to yield a soil mixture low in permeability and high in ion-exchange capacity. Leachate from a conventional landfill is used as the percolation fluid. Concentrations of certain heavy metals in the effluent fluid percolated through the bentonite-zeolite mixture are compared with that of initial leachate. The conclusion is reached that certain metals are efficiently removed from the influent solution by the soil matrix whereas some ions do not show significant reduction in concentration. This is attributed to high hydraulic conductivity of the bentonite-zeolite mixture.     

Heavy-metal contaminated soils associated with drained fenland in Lancashire,England, UK,revealed by BGS Soil Geochemical Survey.

Areas showing anomalously high levels of heavy metals (eg. Cu, Pb, Sn, Zn) in both peri-urban and rural soils in parts of western Lancashire (UK) were indentified during a regional geochemical survey. The sites were identified as areas of former peat fenland that had been filled in with a variety of domestic and industrial wastes including furnace slag, as well as inert rubble. The very high levels of heavy metals present in the soil raises concerns about possible translocation into food crops, as this is an important market gardening area. There is no direct evidence of a health risk, and the high-pH soils will limit metal mobility and bioavailability, but these soils are worthy of further multidisciplinary scientific investigation.     

Characterization of stabilized waste: Evaluation of pollution risk

This study relates to the characterization of stabilized waste. Various parameters such as granulometric distribution, percentage of mineral and organic matter were estimated to appreciate environmental hazard potential and possibility of metal leaching of the samples of waste from Grange site in France. From the results, it was shown that the granulometric distribution was variable. Therefore, a strong proportion of fines (44.6 %) and medium (45.9 %) was observed due to the age of waste that supports the degradation of a great quantity of organic matter. That was confirmed by the strong mineral matter rate (63.8 %) obtained to determine the organic percentage of matter (36.2 %). The amount of heavy metals such as iron, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead was also studied. The results obtained were in a good agreement with the ones of the literature. Indeed, it appeared that iron, lead, copper, nickel and zinc are in relative strong proportion while cadmium was not very present. Iron represents 78 % of the metals. From the leaching tests, it was shown that the heavy metals concentration were very weak. Moreover, the deposit of studied waste could be a potential source of organic pollution (COD = 150 Mg C/L on average) in the case of precipitation and flood.     

华南地区含硫化物金属矿山生态环境中的重金属元素地球化学迁移模型——重点对粤北大宝山铁铜多金属矿山的观察

粤北大宝山是华南金属成矿带的大型铁铜、铅、锌、钼等多金属综合性矿床,富含硫化物,位于北江支流横石河的上游分水岭,流域封闭性很好。矿山开发引起横石河下游的上坝村成为远近闻名的"癌症"村,部分村民出现"痛痛病"疑似症状。由于其特殊的地理位置和对下游引发的严重污染,该矿山成为研究湿热地区含硫化物金属矿山重金属元素生态-环境地球化学迁移的理想场所。以Zn为例,该矿山重金属元素从矿体中向生物体迁移过程经过尾砂/水反应界面、水/沉积物反应界面、土壤/间隙水溶液界面和土壤/植物界面4个重要的反应界面。其中,尾砂/水反应界面控制重金属从源头尾砂中的释放;水/沉积物反应界面控制重金属在水体中与河流沉积物的沉淀与释放的平衡;土壤/间隙水溶液界面控制土壤生物有效性;土壤/植物界面控制生物对重金属的吸收与利用。4个界面的介质间相互作用较好地刻画大宝山矿山因为开采,重金属元素从内生环境中曝露出来,然后在表生环境中释放、迁移、转化、归宿的迁移模式。上述认识对矿山重金属污染治理具有重要的指导意义。通过改变重金属迁移反应界面的条件,可以阻断矿山元素的迁移,达到污染治理的目的。     

广西红水河中下游马山地区地下水重金属含量及分布特征

为了解红水河中下游马山地区地下水重金属含量及分布特征,以西南岩溶地下水污染调查评价中广西红水河中下游马山地区地下水数据为基础,对该地区27件样品的重金属含量特征、重金属间相关关系、重金属与其它化学组分的相关性以及地下水重金属分布特征进行了研究。结果表明:研究区地下水中重金属含量整体偏低,平均质量浓度顺序为Fe＞(Al)＞Zn＞Mn＞Pb＞Se＞As＞Cd,重金属平均质量浓度均小于中国生活饮用水标准值,且绝大部分重金属含量远远低于该标准值。Mn与Fe、As、Al存在显著或极显著的正相关关系,Zn与Pb、Cd存在明显的相关性,Se与其它７种重金属的相关性均不明显,可能是由于Se与其它重金属的来源差异较大所致。地下水的酸碱性对重金属的富集影响较小,但地下水中主化学成分HCO3-和Ca2+对重金属的富集有较大影响,TDS对绝大部分重金属的影响较小,对As和Cd具有一定的影响。地下水中Mn、Zn、As、Pb、Cd、Se、Al、Fe质量浓度在空间上表现出一定的地区分布特点,整体上重金属高浓度点主要集中在马山县城周围以及古寨、乔利街乡镇周围。      

济南市土壤重金属污染现状及其土壤生物学表征

以济南市区及郊区农田土壤为对象,研究土壤中重金属污染的特征,结果表明,土壤重金属污染不仅引起了生态环境的恶化,而且影响土壤生物多样性,降低了土壤活性。济南市土壤动物各类群的数量与土壤重金属元素含量的相关性统计结果显示:土壤原生动物数量与Co、Ni含量呈明显负相关;土壤线虫数量与Cu、Mo含量呈显著负相关;旱生土壤动物数量与Cu含量呈显著负相关;说明重金属元素对土壤动物多样性具有不利影响,土壤线虫是耐污种类,旱生动物多为不耐污种类,土壤线虫与旱生动物密度之比可以作为土壤重金属污染程度的生物学指标。通过对土壤地球化学元素含量与土壤生物学参数的相关性分析,找到了重金属的敏感生物指标:Pb污染的生物学指标为土壤线虫;As污染的生物学指标是真菌PLFA含量等,用土壤生物作为敏感、快速的重金属污染生物毒性的指示物,具有广阔的应用前景。