Evaluation of trace element concentration (acid leachable) in sediments from River Pánuco and its adjacent lagoon areas, NE México

A set of forty-one surface sediment samples were collected in River Pánuco and its adjoining lagoon areas in NE Mexico to identify the enrichment pattern of trace elements. The samples were analyzed for sediment texture, carbonates, organic carbon and acid leachable trace elements (ALTEs) using autoclave method [Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd, V, Be, Ba, Sr, As]. Geochemical results of Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, V and Sr in zone 1 indicate that erosion in the upland region (Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains) is very high. The above feature is supported by the supremacy of finer sediments (82.12 %), carbonates (44.67 %) and organic carbon (10.74 %), which are brought down from the drainage basin. The overall average concentration of ALTEs Mn (607 μg g^?1), Cu (28.29 μg g^?1), Ni (16.56 μg g^?1), Pb (46.11 μg g^?1), Cd (1.81 μg g^?1) and Zn (92.18 μg g^?1) indicates higher values than the lowest effect level (LEL) and effects range low (ERL) of environmental indicators. The results suggest that they are due to the increase in oil refineries, metal based industries, shipping activities and the effluent input which could enter the biological cycle and might create human health problems.     

Enhancement of nickel biosorption on fungal biomass by enzymatic and alkali pretreatments

Enzymatic and alkali pretreatments were employed to improve nickel biosorption capacity of Rhizomucor pusillus biomass. Pretreatment with 0.002–80 g l^?1 NaOH and 0.0001–0.1 Anson Unit (AU) g^?1 protease enhanced the biosorption capacity of fungal biomass. Increasing the concentration of NaOH from 0.002 to 5 g l^?1 improved nickel removal from 93.2 to 100.0 % while untreated biomass showed 64.6 % Ni(II) removal. Pretreatment with higher concentrations of NaOH, 5–80 g l^?1 resulted in nearly complete removal of nickel ions. Pretreatment of the biomass with 0.0001 AU g^?1 protease improved the nickel removal to over 91 %, while increasing the enzyme loading to 0.1 AU g^?1 improved the removal to 93 %. Untreated biomass removed 78.4, 63.0, and 96.3 % of chromium, copper, and lead ions, respectively, from a mixture solution of the ions. Respective metal removals were increased to 100, 98.9, and 100 % after pretreatment with 0.2 g l^?1 NaOH solution and to 87.8, 86.7, and 100 % after the enzymatic pretreatment with 0.1 AU g^?1 protease. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that alkali and enzymatic pretreatments enhanced the porosity of the biomass. Furthermore, compositional analysis showed that both of the pretreatments removed a major part of fungal proteins (2.1–95.8 % removal). Glucosamine, N-acetyl glucosamine, and phosphates were the major ingredients of the pretreated biomass.     

Determination of Trace Silver in Polymetallic Ore Samples by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry after Solid‐Phase Extraction Using a Microcolumn Comprising Eggshell Membrane

A rapid and inexpensive method was developed for the determination of trace silver in polymetallic ore samples by use of eggshell membrane (ESM), a natural biomaterial, as the solid‐phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The ESM was used for the separation/pre‐concentration of silver, and the parameters affecting sensitivity, such as pH, sample flow rate, eluent volume and eluent flow rate, were carefully investigated. ESM was found to be an effective solid phase extractant for the adsorption of trace silver over a wide range of acidity from 0.02 to 0.50 mol l^?1 HNO₃. The sample solution in 0.4 mol l^?1 HNO₃ was pumped through an ESM microcolumn at the rate of 1.0 ml min^?1. Silver was absorbed, and then eluted with a solution of 1.0% m/v thiourea–0.5% v/v HCl. Under these optimal conditions, ESM exhibited a good enrichment efficiency for silver with a dynamic adsorption capacity of 1.7 mg g^?1. The proposed method was applied to the FAAS determination of trace silver in polymetallic ores and geological reference materials, GSO‐2, 3 and 5, and GSD‐11, GSD‐12, and the determined values were in good agreement with certified values.     

Enrichment pattern of leachable trace metals in roadside soils of Miri City,Eastern Malaysia

This article presents the results on distribution and enrichment pattern of acid-leachable trace metals (ALTMs) from roadside soil of Miri city, Sarawak, East Malaysia. The city is one of the fastest developing in the Malaysian region with huge petroleum resources. ALTMs Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn and Cd along with organic carbon and carbonates (CaCO₃) were analyzed in 37 soil sediments collected from roadside. The enrichment of ALTMs [especially Cu (0.4–13.1 μg g^?1), Zn (9.3–70.7 μg g^?1), Pb (13.8–99.1 μg g^?1)] in the roadside soils indicate that these metals are mainly derived from sources related to traffic exhausts, forest fires and oil refineries. The comparative study and enrichment pattern of elements indicates that Mn, Cu, Zn and Pb are enriched multi-fold than the unpolluted soil and Ni, Pb, Cd in some samples compared to Sediment Quality Guidelines like Lowest Effect Level (LEL) and Effects Range Low (ERL) in the region which is mainly due to the recent industrial developments in the region.     

Magnetite nanoplates decorated on anodized aluminum oxide nanofibers as a novel adsorbent for efficient removal of As(III)

In this study, arsenic as an environmental top-ranked hazardous substance was efficiently removed by a novel adsorbent fabricated by magnetite Fe₃O₄ nanoplates decorated on anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanofibers. AAO nanofibers were prepared by anodic polarization method, and then Fe₃O₄ nanoplates were grown on AAO-based substrate by hydrothermal method to fabricate AAO/Fe₃O₄ nanosorbent. Morphology of the fabricated adsorbents was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and their crystallinity was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Arsenic (III) removal potential of the proposed adsorbent from contaminated water samples was investigated by the determination of As(III) amounts in the samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy before and after adsorption process at sub-μg L^?1 levels. The results showed that without pre- and post-treatments such as pH adjustment, As(III) was removed effectively from contaminated water samples by using the proposed adsorbent. AAO/Fe₃O₄ sorbent showed excellent ability to remove 0.1 mg L^?1 As(III) from water samples up to 96 % uptake. Freundlich adsorption isotherm model was used to interpret the As(III) adsorption on proposed sorbent. The Freundlich isotherm parameters n and k _F were obtained to be 2.2 and 10.2, respectively, representing the high affinity of proposed adsorbent for arsenic removal.     

Phosphorus Budget of the Sundarban Mangrove Ecosystem: Box Model Approach

Phosphorus (P) cycling in mangroves plays an important role in productivity but the magnitude of atmospheric input in the mangrove P budget is still uncertain. This study applied a box model approach to assess P budget in the Indian Sundarban, the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem for conceptual understanding of P cycling and for better representation of transport and transformation of P within the mangrove ecosystem. The P content in the sediment (0.19–0.67 μg g^?1) was found much below its maximum retention capacity (322 μg g^?1) and was lower than the mean marine sediment (669 μg g^?1). The C:N and C:P ratios were correlated (r ² = 0.66, P < 0.01) and the major fraction of available P was recycled within the organic structure of mangrove ecosystem, thus maintaining productivity through conservation strategies. Atmospheric input accounted for 56.7% of total P input (16.06 Gg year^?1) and 50% of total P output (14.7 Gg year^?1) was attributed to plant uptake. Budget closing or unaccounted P (1.36 Gg) was only 8.5% of the total input. Two feedback pathways, i.e., input of P from dust fallout and biochemical mineralization of organic matter, significantly affected P availability. The findings of the study suggest that atmospheric deposition is of major importance as a natural and/or anthropogenic forcing function in the Sundarban mangrove system.     

Sorption of lead by chemically modified rice bran

In this work, the effectiveness of native and chemically modified rice bran to remove heavy metal Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution was examined. Chemical modifications with some simple and low-cost chemicals resulted in enhancement of the adsorption capacities and had faster kinetics than native rice bran. Experiments were conducted in shake flasks to monitor the upshot of parameters over a range of pH, initial Pb(II) concentrations and contact times using a batch model study. The sorption capacities q (mg g^?1) increased in the following order: NaOH (147.78), Ca(OH)₂ (139.08), Al(OH)₃ (127.24), esterification (124.28), NaHCO₃ (118.08), methylation (118.88), Na₂CO₃ (117.12) and native (80.24). The utmost uptake capacity q (mg g^?1) was shown by NaOH-pretreated rice bran. The results showed that, using NaOH-modified rice bran, the chief removal of Pb(II) was 74.54 % at pH 5, primary Pb(II) concentration 100 mg L^?1 and contact time 240 min. Equilibrium isotherms for the Pb(II) adsorption were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Langmuir isotherm model, showing Pb(II) sorption as accessible through the high value of the correlation coefficient (R ² = 0.993), showed a q _max value of 416.61 mg g^?1. The kinetic model illustrated adsorption rates well, depicted by a second order, which gives an indication concerning the rate-limiting step. Thermodynamic evaluation of the metal ion ?G ^o was carried out and led to the observation that the adsorption reaction is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. NaOH chemically modified rice bran was a superb biosorbent for exclusion of Pb(II) and proved to be excellent for industrial applications.     

Fast,green and effective chromium bio-speciation using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sepia pharaonis</Emphasis> endoskeleton nano-powder

The development of a fast, effective, simple and low-cost procedure for chromium speciation is an analytical challenge. In this work, a new and simple method for speciation and determination of chromium species in different matrices was developed. Sepia pharaonis endoskeleton nano-powder was used as an adsorbent for the dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction. Finally, the desorbed chromium was determined using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. The experimental results showed that Cr(III) could be quantitatively extracted by the adsorbent, while Cr(VI) adsorption was negligible. Concentrated H₂SO₄ and ethanol reduced Cr(VI)–Cr(III), and total chromium content was assessed as Cr(III). Then, the Cr(VI) concentration in the sample was calculated as the difference. The optimum conditions were obtained in terms of pH, adsorbent amount, contact time, and type, concentration and volume of eluent. Under the optimum conditions that involved the speciation of chromium ions from 25 mL of the water samples at pH 7.0 using 0.025 g of the adsorbent with contact time of 5 min, the method was validated in terms of linearity, precision and accuracy. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range of 0.01–25.00 μg L^?1 for Cr(III). The obtained limit of detection for the proposed method was 0.003 µg L^?1. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was found to be 995.57 mg g^?1. The proposed method was validated by the speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in different real water and wastewater samples with satisfactory results.     

Metal distributions in seawater,sediment and marine benthic macroalgae from the South Australian coastline

Algal species which are ubiquitous along the coastlines of many countries reflect the environmental conditions of the coastal seawater and may serve as useful biomonitors of anthropogenic pollution. Heavy metal concentrations of ten elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) of potential environmental concern were determined in seawater, sediments and twelve species of benthic marine macroalgae from four locations (Glenelg, Port Adelaide, Port Broughton and Port Pirie) along the South Australian coastline. The four sites chosen represented varying degrees of metal contamination, where the capacity for benthic macroalgae to accumulate heavy metals from the environment was evaluated. Spatial differences in heavy metal concentration in both seawaters and sediments were observed at all sites with the highest concentrations of heavy metals including Cd (125 μg g^?1), Pb (2,425 μg g^?1) and Zn (7,974 μg g^?1) found in the finer sediment fractions (<250 μm) of Port Pirie. While all algal species studied (Acrosorium polyneurum, Anotrichium tenue, Cystophora Cephalornithos Cystophora monillifera, Cystophora monilliformis, Dictyopteris australis, Gelidium micropterum, Gracilaria, Hormophysa Cuneiformis, Sargassum cinctum, Scaberia agardhii and Ulva lactuca) accumulated metals to varying degrees, Blindigia marginata was a good biomonitor species for a number of metals including Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Pb and Zn, exhibiting both relatively high total metal concentrations and significant concentration factors.     

Arsenic mobilization in alluvial soils of Punjab, North–West India under flood irrigation practices

A laboratory investigation was carried out to examine the mechanism of arsenic (As) mobilization under flooded conditions (24 and 240 h) in 18 alluvial soils of Punjab, North–West India. Total dissolved As increased from a range of 3–16 μg L^?1 (mean 9 μg L^?1) to a range of 33–1,761 μg L^?1 (mean 392 μg L^?1) with the increase in flooding period from 24 to 240 h. The amount of As mobilization varied depending upon redox potential (pe) created by flooding conditions. After 24 h of flooded conditions, pe of soil water suspension ranged from ?1.75 to 0.77 (mean ?0.24). Increasing the flooding period to 240 h, pe of soil water suspension decreased in the range of ?4.49 to ?2.74 (mean ?3.29). Pourbaix diagram identified arsenate (HAsO₄ ^2?) as predominant species in most of the alluvial soil–water suspensions under oxidized conditions, after 24 h of equilibration period, which ultimately transformed to arsenite (H₃AsO₃ ⁰) after 240 h of anaerobic condition due to more reduced status. The solid phase identified was orpiment (As₂S₃). Identification of iron and manganese species in alluvial soil water suspension by Pourbaix diagram indicated decline in both soluble Fe²⁺ and SO₄ ^2? concentration due to the formation of iron sulfide mineral phase after 240 h under anaerobic conditions. In these soils, decline in soluble Fe was also due to the precipitation of vivianite [Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O]. Elevated arsenic content and low pe value were measured in aquifers located in paddy growing fields comparative to aquifers of other sites. Large degree of variability in As concentrations was recorded in aquifers located at same sites. Thus, it is better to analyze each aquifer for their As content rather than to depends on the prediction on As content of neighbouring wells. The present investigation elucidates that flood irrigation practices in Punjab for growing paddy crop could induce the geochemical conditions favorable to mobilize arsenic from surface soils which could eventually elevate its content in the underlying shallow aquifers. Water abstracted from these aquifers by hand pumps or tube wells for drinking purposes could create hazards for local population due to loading with arsenic concentration above the safe limits. Thus, to avoid further contamination of shallow aquifers with arsenic, it is advisable to shift the flooded rice cultivation to other upland crops having lesser water requirement.     

Mass-size distribution of PM10 and its characterization of ionic species in fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10−2.5) mode, New Delhi, India

Size distribution of PM₁₀ mass aerosols and its ionic characteristics were studied for 2 years from January 2006 to December 2007 at central Delhi by employing an 8-stage Andersen Cascade Impactor sampler. The mass of fine (PM_2.5) and coarse (PM_10?2.5) mode particles were integrated from particle mass determined in different stages. Average concentrations of mass PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were observed to be 306 ± 182 and 136 ± 84 μg m^?3, respectively, which are far in excess of annual averages stipulated by the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PM₁₀: 60 μg m^?3 and PM_2.5: 40 μg m^?3). The highest concentrations of PM_10?2.5 (coarse) and PM_2.5 (fine) were observed 505 ± 44 and 368 ± 61 μg m^?3, respectively, during summer (June 2006) period, whereas the lower concentrations of PM_10?2.5 (35 ± 9 μg m^?3) and PM_2.5 (29 ± 13 μg m^?3) were observed during monsoon (September 2007). In summer, because of frequent dust storms, coarse particles are more dominant than fine particles during study period. However, during winter, the PM_2.5 contribution became more pronounced as compared to summer probably due to enhanced emissions from anthropogenic activities, burning of biofuels/biomass and other human activities. A high ratio (0.58) of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ was observed during winter and low (0.24) during monsoon. A strong correlation between PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 (r ² = 0.93) was observed, indicating that variation in PM₁₀ mass is governed by the variation in PM_2.5. Major cations (NH₄ ⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺) and anions (F^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^?) were analyzed along with pH. Average concentrations of SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? were observed to be 12.93 ± 0.98 and 10.33 ± 1.10 μg m^?3, respectively. Significant correlation between SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? in PM_1.0 was observed indicating the major sources of secondary aerosol which may be from thermal power plants located in the southeast and incomplete combustion by vehicular exhaust. A good correlation among secondary species (NH⁺, NO₃ ^? and SO₄ ^2?) suggests that most of NH₄ ⁺ is in the form of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate in the atmosphere. During winter, the concentration of Ca²⁺ was also higher; it may be due to entrainment of roadside dust particles, traffic activities and low temperature. The molar ratio (1.39) between Cl^? and Na⁺ was observed to be close to that of seawater (1.16). The presence of higher Cl^? during winter is due to western disturbances and probably local emission of Cl^? due to fabric bleaching activity in a number of export garment factories in the proximity of the sampling site.     

Chromium(VI) adsorption by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Codium tomentosum</Emphasis>: evidence for adsorption by porous media from sigmoidal dose–response curve

Adsorption of Cr(VI) using native and chemically modified marine green macroalgae Codium tomentosum biomass and its adsorption kinetics were studied under specific conditions. Maximum Cr(VI) removal occurred at pH 2 for both untreated and acid-treated biomass. However, base-treated biomass exhibited maximum adsorption at pH 6 due to the hydrolysis of methyl esters present in the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin molecules resulting in carboxyl groups (COO^?) on the surface. The effect of adsorbent dose revealed that untreated and acid-treated biomass follows Henry’s linear isotherm, while base-treated biomass exhibited sigmoidal curve indicating energetic heterogeneity on the adsorbing surface. The monolayer adsorption capacity of untreated, acid-treated and base-treated biomasses was 5.032 ± 0.644, 5.445 ± 0.947, 3.814 ± 0.559 mg g^?1, respectively. Adsorption was found to follow Ho and McKay’s pseudo-second-order kinetic model with decreasing pseudo-second-order rate constant (K ₂, g mg^?1 min^?1) of 0.088 ± 0.037 (acid-treated), 0.019 ± 0.003 (untreated) and 0.012 ± 0.003 (base-treated).     

Modification of PPTA-based polymeric waste and adsorption properties for metal ions

Novel composite adsorbents PPTA-AOx were synthesized by grafting polyacrylonitrile onto poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) followed by converting the acrylonitrile into the amidoxime (AO) groups. Their structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, transmission electron microscopy, etc. Scanning electron microscopy analysis and pore structure analysis manifested that PPTA-AOx adsorbents are all composed of nanoparticles aggregation. The as-synthesized PPTA-AOx adsorbents showed good adsorption capacity for Hg²⁺ with a maximum adsorption capacity of 2.50 mmol g^?1. The pseudo-second-order model can reasonably describe the adsorption kinetics of the three adsorbents for Hg²⁺. Langmuir model provided better fit for the isothermal adsorption of Hg²⁺ on PPTA-AO₁ and PPTA-AO₂, while the Freundlich model was better for PPTA-AO₃. The adsorption process might involve both chemisorption and physisorption. According to the calculated thermodynamic parameters, it can be concluded that the adsorption is an endothermic, spontaneous and entropy-driven process.     

High efficacy on diclofenac removal by activated carbon produced from potato peel waste

In the present study, a novel porous carbon obtained by K₂CO₃ activation of potato peel waste under optimized conditions was applied for the first time as liquid-phase adsorbent of sodium diclofenac in parallel with a commercial activated carbon. The biomass-activated carbon presented an apparent surface area of 866 m² g^?1 and well-developed microporous structure with a large amount of ultramicropores. The obtained carbon presented leaching and ecotoxicological properties compatible with its safe application to aqueous medium. Kinetic data of laboratory-made and commercial sample were best fitted by the pseudo-second-order model. The commercial carbon presented higher uptake of diclofenac, but the biomass carbon presented the higher adsorption rate which was associated with its higher hydrophilic nature which favoured external mass transfer. Both adsorbents presented adsorption isotherms that were best fitted by Langmuir model. The biomass carbon and the commercial carbon presented adsorption monolayer capacities of 69 and 146 mg g^?1, and Langmuir constants of 0.38 and 1.02 L mg^?1, respectively. The better performance of the commercial sample was related to its slightly higher micropore volume, but the most remarkable effect was the competition of water molecules in the biomass carbon.     

Lead removal from aqueous solution by basaltic scoria: adsorption equilibrium and kinetics

Pb-contaminated water is a dangerous threat occurring near metallurgic and mining industries. This circumstance produces serious environment concern, due to Pb(II) high toxic effects. Several reactive materials have been reported for Pb(II) adsorption, but not all reached final Pb(II) suitable concentrations, or they are expensive and rejected in massive remediation technologies; hence, natural materials are good options. The adsorption behavior of a volcanic scoria (two sieved fractions 1425 and <425 µm) was studied toward synthetic Pb(II) water solutions in batch experiments (170.4–912.3 mg L^?1) with high removal efficiencies (97%). The Langmuir model fits both fractions with high linear correlation coefficients (0.9988 and 0.9949) with high maximum capacity values (588.23 and 555.55 mg g^?1). Separation factor R _L parameter varies with initial concentration, and the empirical equation predicts the limits of the material usefulness, a criterion proposed in this paper for conditions’ selection. The Lagergren pseudo-second-order analysis demonstrates chemisorption; calculated rate constant (416.66 mg g^?1 min^?1). Weber–Morris intraparticle model proves that the adsorption phenomena occur fast on the material surface (k _inst = 72 g mg^?1 min^?0.5). The characterization of the volcanic material afforded the elemental composition (X-ray fluorescence), and the empirical formula was proposed. X-ray diffraction patterns verify the material structure as basalt, with a plagioclase structure that matches anorthite and albite, mostly composed of quartz. The presence of oxides on the material surface explain the high Pb(II) adsorption capacity, observed on the surface by scanning electronic microscopy. The studied volcanic scoria has potential use as a Pb(II) adsorbent in water remediation technologies.     

Chemical characterization and sources of PM2.5 at 12-h resolution in Guiyang,China

The increasing emission of primary and gaseous precursors of secondarily formed atmospheric particulate matter due to continuing industrial development and urbanization are leading to an increased public awareness of environmental issues and human health risks in China. As part of a pilot study, 12-h integrated fine fraction particulate matter (PM_2.5) filter samples were collected to chemically characterize and investigate the sources of ambient particulate matter in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Results showed that the 12-h integrated PM_2.5 concentrations exhibited a daytime average of 51 ± 22 µg m^?3 (mean ± standard deviation) with a range of 17–128 µg m^?3 and a nighttime average of 55 ± 32 µg m^?3 with a range of 4–186 µg m^?3. The 24-h integrated PM_2.5 concentrations varied from 15 to 157 µg m^?3, with a mean value of 53 ± 25 µg m^?3, which exceeded the 24-h PM_2.5 standard of 35 µg m^?3 set by USEPA, but was below the standard of 75 µg m^?3, set by China Ministry of Environmental Protection. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) was applied to determine PM_2.5 chemical element concentrations. The order of concentrations of heavy metals in PM_2.5 were iron (Fe) > zinc (Zn) > manganese (Mn) > lead (Pb) > arsenic (As) > chromium (Cr). The total concentration of 18 chemical elements was 13 ± 2 µg m^?3, accounting for 25% in PM_2.5, which is comparable to other major cities in China, but much higher than cities outside of China.     

Chemical treatment of teff straw by sodium hydroxide,phosphoric acid and zinc chloride: adsorptive removal of chromium

In this study, teff (Eragrostis tef) straw has been chemically treated and tested as an adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal. Chemically treatment of teff straw was done by NaOH, H₃PO₄ and ZnCl₂ solutions. Scanning electron micrograph and X-ray diffraction were used for anatomical characterization, whereas Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used for surface change characterization of adsorbents. Effects of different experimental parameters like pH (2–12), initial Cr(VI) concentration (100–900 mg/L), adsorbent dose (2.5–20 g/L), contact time (15–360 min) and temperature (288–318 K) were studied. Temperature increment was found to stimulate the adsorption process. Langmuir isotherm was found to give better representation over wide range of temperature for untreated, H₃PO₄- as well as ZnCl₂-treated teff straw, and Freundlich isotherm best represented the isotherm data for NaOH-treated teff straw. Maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of untreated, NaOH-, H₃PO₄- and ZnCl₂-treated teff straw was found to be 86.1, 73.8, 89.3 and 88.9 mg/g, respectively. Respective values of average effective diffusion coefficient (D _e) were found to be 2.8 × 10^?13, 2.59 × 10^?14, 1.32 × 10^?13 and 1.14 × 10^?13 m²/s, respectively. The negative value of ΔG _o for all the adsorbents indicates Cr(VI) spontaneous adsorption. Isosteric heat of adsorption (ΔH _st,a) was found to vary with surface coverage (θ). ΔH _st,a increased for untreated, H₃PO₄- and ZnCl₂-treated teff straw, and decreased steadily with θ for NaOH-treated teff straw.     

Removal of lead (II) from synthetic and batteries wastewater using agricultural residues in batch/column mode

The present article explores the ability of five different combinations of two adsorbents (Arachis hypogea shell powder and Eucalyptus cameldulensis saw dust) to remove Pb(II) from synthetic and lead acid batteries wastewater through batch and column mode. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial Pb(II) concentration and contact time were investigated with synthetic solutions in batch mode. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study revealed that carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups were mostly responsible for the removal of Pb(II) ions from test solutions. The kinetic data were found to follow pseudo-second-order model with correlation coefficient of 0.99. Among Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models, the Langmuir model provided the best fit to the equilibrium data with maximum adsorption capacity of 270.2 mg g^?1. Column studies were carried out using lead battery wastewater at different flow rates and bed depths. Two kinetic models, viz. Thomas and Bed depth service time model, were applied to predict the breakthrough curves and breakthrough service time. The Pb(II) uptake capacity (q _e = 540.41 mg g^?1) was obtained using bed depth of 35 cm and a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1 at 6.0 pH. The results from this study showed that adsorption capacity of agricultural residues in different combinations is much better than reported by other authors, authenticating that the prepared biosorbents have potential in remediation of Pb-contaminated waters.     

Assessment of air quality during 19th Common Wealth Games at Delhi, India

The 19th Common Wealth Games was organized at Delhi, India, during October 3 to 14, 2010, where more than 8,000 athletes from 71 Commonwealth Nations have participated. In order to give them better environment information for proper preparedness, mass concentrations of particulate matters below 10 microns (PM₁₀) and 2.5 microns (PM_2.5), black carbon (BC) particles and gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NO) were monitored and displayed online for ten different locations around Delhi, including inside and outside the stadiums. This extensive information system for air quality has been set up for the period from September 24 to October 21, 2010, and data have been archived at 5-min interval for further research. During the study period, average concentration of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 was observed to be 229.7 ± 85.5 and 112.1 ± 56.0 μg m^?3, respectively, which is far in excess of the corresponding annual averages, stipulated by the national ambient air quality standards. Significant large and positive correlation (r = 0.93) between PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 implies that variations in PM₁₀ mass are governed by the variations in PM_2.5 mass. The mass concentrations of PM_2.5 inside the stadium were found to be ~18 % lower than those outside; however, no large variations were observed in PM₁₀. Mean concentrations of BC, CO and NO for the observation period were 10.9 μg m^?3 (Min, 02 μg m^?3; Max, 31 μg m^?3), 1.83 ± 0.89 ppm (Min, 0.48 ppm; Max, 4.55 ppm) and 37.82 ppb (Min, 2.4 ppb; Max, 206.05 ppb), respectively. BC showed positive correlation (r = 0.73) with CO suggests unified source for both of them, mainly from combustion emissions. All the measured parameters, however, show a significant diurnal variation with enhanced peaks in the morning and late night hours and lower values during daytime.     

The distribution, sources and toxicity risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and n-alkanes in riverine and estuarine core sediments from the Daliao River watershed

The burial characteristics and toxicity risks associated with n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the riverine and estuarine sediments of the Daliao River watershed were investigated based on three sediment cores. The sum of the n-alkane and PAH concentrations, normalized to organic carbon (OC), ranged from 0.27 to 63.09 μg g^?1OC^?1 and 6.60 to 366.20 μg g^?1OC^?1, respectively. The features and the history of industrial activities, such as the oil and chemical industries and port activities near the river and estuary, resulted in different distributions and sources of hydrocarbons. The sources of pollution were identified based on n-alkane indexes and on diagnostic ratios of PAHs. The diagnostic ratios indicated that the n-alkanes were derived from both biogenic and petrogenic sources in different proportions and that the PAHs were derived primarily from petrogenic combustion sources. A hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the core samples into two clusters. The first cluster, river sediments, corresponded to industrial activities; the second cluster, estuarine sediments, corresponded to port shipping activities. The toxic potency of the PAHs in the cores was assessed in terms of toxic equivalents (TEQs) of dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene. The top layer of the sediment in the cores had a relatively high toxicity. The TEQ values for benzo(a)pyrene (TEQ_BaP) and dioxins (TEQ_TCDD) furnished a consistent assessment of the PAHs in the sediment cores.