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Soils of arid regions are exposed to drought and drastic temperature oscillations throughout the year. Transport mechanisms in these soils are therefore very different from the ones in temperate regions, where rain dictates the fate of most elements in soils. Due to the low rainfall and high evaporation rates in arid regions, groundwater quality is not threatened and all soil contamination issues tend to be overlooked. But if soil contamination happens, where do contaminants go? This study tests the hypothesis of upward metal movement in soils when evaporation is the main transport mechanism. Laboratory evaporation tests were carried out with heavy metal spiked Saudi soil, using circulation of air as the driving force (Fig. 1). Main results show that loamy soil retains heavy metals quite well while evaporation drives heavy metals to the surface of a sandy soil. Evaporation transports heavy metals upward in sandy soils of arid regions, making them accumulate at the soil surface. Sand being the dominating type of soil in arid regions, soils can then be a potential source of contaminated aerosols and atmospheric pollution - a transboundary problem. Some other repercussions for this problem are foreseen, such as the public ingestion or inhalation of dust., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are persistent and toxic contaminants which are difficult to remove from fine porous material like clayey soils. The present work aims at studying two electroremediation techniques for the removal of PAHs from a spiked natural silt soil from Saudi Arabia and a silty loam soil from The Netherlands which has been exposed to tar contamination for over 100 years. The two techniques at focus are electro-osmosis and electrodialysis. The latter is applied for the first time for the removal of PAH. The efficiency of the techniques is studied using these two soils, having been subjected to different PAH contact times. Two surfactants were used: the non-ionic surfactant Tween 80 and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) to aid desorption of PAHs from the soil. Results show a large discrepancy in the removal rates between spiked soil and long-term field contaminated soil, as expected. In spiked soil, electro-osmosis achieves up to 85% while electrodialysis accomplishes 68% PAH removal. In field contaminated soil, electro-osmosis results in 35% PAH removal whereas electrodialysis results in 79%. Short recommendations are derived for the up-scale of the two techniques., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Clay liners are charged membranes and show semipermeable behavior regarding the flow of fluids, electrical charge, chemicals and heat. At zero gradients of temperature and hydrostatic pressure, a salt concentration gradient across a compacted clay sample induces not only an osmotic flux of water and diffusion of salt across the membrane but also an electrical potential gradient, defined as membrane potential. Laboratory experiments were performed on commercially available bentonite samples in a rigid-wall permeameter connected to two electrically insulated fluid reservoirs filled with NaCl solutions of different concentrations and equipped with Ag/AgCl electrodes to measure the electrical potential gradient. The effect of membrane potential could be cancelled out by short-circuiting the clay with the so-called virtual shortcut. The potential gradient across the sample is brought to zero with a negative feedback circuit. It was observed that the water flux and the diffusion of Cl- were hindered by the occurrence of a membrane potential, indicating that an electroosmotic counterflow is induced. Flow parameters were calculated with modified coupled flow equations of irreversible thermodynamics. They were in excellent agreement with values reported in the literature. Comparing the method of short-circuiting with a study elsewhere, where the electrodes were physically short-circuited, it was shown that the virtual shortcut is more appropriate because physically short-circuiting induces additional effects that are attributed to the fluxes.

In two sulfide-rich freshwater sediments from the Biesbosch and Kromme Rijn River in the Netherlands differing in carbonate content and acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content, metal and sulfide dissolution kinetics were studied at different acid concentrations by varying both the procedure of acid addition and the extraction time. The establishment of equilibrium was monitored by measuring the pH in time, which reached a near constant value. The equilibrium pH was reached quickly when large amounts of acid were added and slowly when small amounts of acid were added. This observation was confirmed by the yield of extracted metals after either a 45-min or 24-h extraction over a pH range from 0 to 5. The pH factor seemed to be of more influence than time for the dissolution of metals. The amount of extracted metals was highly dependent on the metal itself due to its physico-chemical behavior. Although the sediments studied varied in carbonate content, acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and total metal content, the extracted fraction of metals compared with their total content in the sediment was similar for most metals. Finally, the AVS content as well as the ratio of simultaneously extracted metals (SEM; sum of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) to AVS decreased with increasing pH. Because the SEM to AVS ratio may be used to set environmental quality criteria for the sediment compartment, this observation is of significance.

The speciation of metals in a contaminated, anoxic, sulfide-rich, freshwater sediment was determined experimentally, using a sequential extraction procedure based on the method of Tessier et al. Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of sequential extractions, the applied methodology allowed the investigation of the influence of aeration and acidification on the distribution of various metals in the sediment. Aeration caused Zn and Cd to be released from sulfides. Carbonates were partly dissolved by the oxidation process, causing mobilisation of Ca. Fe became less mobile owing to a stronger binding to organic matter. The speciation of K, Al, Ni, Pb and Mn and to a lesser extent of Cu was not affected by aeration. As a result of acidification of the aerated sediment, Ca, Mn, Ni, Zn and Cd became more mobile owing to the dissolution of carbonates.

In the first stage of a programme of sampling and analysis for pesticide residues in groundwater in The Netherlands, the upper groundwater below four vulnerable soils was analysed for nearly 2,5 years in eight sampling rounds. Of 18 compounds analysed, including some metabolites, 1,3-dichloropropene, aldicarb, ethoprophos dinoseb, metamitron, atrazine, desethyl- and desisopropylatrazine, metolachlor and ethylenethioureum were repeatedly detected in the groundwater in concentrations above 0.1 micrograms.dm-3, the limit for pesticides in drinking water set by the EC. These observations were made below fields with potatoe-, maize- and bulb flower culture, all on low-humic to moderately humic sandy soils. No residues were found below a cracked light clay on a sandy subsoil. On the locations sampled evidence was found for complete in situ removal in the upper groundwater of 1,3-dichloropropene, high persistence of aldicarb residues and partial in situ degradation of dinoseb.

The current study emphasizes on the applicability of combining the electrokinetic (EK) and permeable reactive barriers (PRB) techniques compared to the simple EK technique. For this purpose, a statistical analysis is conducted using the Fractional Factorial Design statistical method. Also, General Linear Model and Two-sample T-Test analyzes are considered to clarify which type of soil remediation technique represents the highest efficiency. Calcium peroxide, an affordable material with easy capability for cultivation, is utilized in the PRB process to eliminate the soil from diesel contamination. The experiments were performed for 3 days and 10 days, according to which the initial contamination rates of 10 and 20% were selected, and the applied voltages were 20 V and 30 V. Using the innovative remediation technique, the experiments were conducted for 10 days with 20% initial pollution content and the applied voltage of 30 V, the initial gasoil content was about 190.5 mg/g, and after applying the proposed technique, the average final pollution content throughout soil reached approximately 37 mg/g. This experiment was also conducted for the approximately initial gasoil content of 185, 206, and 191 mg/g, which led to the removal efficiency of 79.59%, 78.93%, and 79.15%, respectively. The main novelty of this paper is attributed to the use of calcium peroxide in the EK-PRB technique and the statistical analysis conducted in this study that indicates the remarkable efficiency of the proposed approach. It was also revealed that the efficiency of the proposed technique is on par with the other state-of-art ones presented in the literature and even sometimes outperforms them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrokinetic (EK) remediation technology can enhance the migration of reagents to soil and is especially suitable for in situ remediation of low permeability contaminated soil. Due to the long aging time and strong hydrophobicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from historically polluted soil, some enhanced reagents (oxidant, activator, and surfactant) were used to increase the mobility of PAHs, and remove and degrade PAHs in soil. However, under the electrical field, there are few reports on the roles and combined effect of oxidant, activator, and surfactant for remediation of PAHs historically contaminated soil. In the present study, sodium persulfate (PS, oxidant, 100 g L−1) or/and Tween 80 (TW80, surfactant, 50 g L−1) were added to the anolyte, and citric acid chelated iron(II) (CA-Fe(II), activator, 0.10 mol L−1) was added to catholyte to explore the roles and contribution of enhanced reagents and combined effect on PAHs removal in soil. A constant voltage of 20 V was applied and the total experiment duration was 10 days. The results showed that the removal rate of PAHs in each treatment was PS + CA-Fe(II) (21.3%) > PS + TW80 + CA-Fe(II) (19.9%) > PS (17.4%) > PS + TW80 (11.4%) > TW80 (8.1%) > CK (7.5%). The combination of PS and CA-Fe(II) had the highest removal efficiency of PAHs, and CA-Fe(II) in the catholyte could be transported toward anode via electromigration. The addition of TW80 reduced the electroosmotic flow and inhibited the transport of PS from anolyte to the soil, which decreased the removal of PAHs (from 17.4 to 11.4% with PS, from 21.3 to 19.9% with PS+CA-Fe(II)). The calculation of contribution rates showed that PS was the strongest enhancer (3.3~9.9%), followed by CA-Fe(II) (3.9~8.5%) (with PS), and the contribution of TW80 was small and even negative (−1.4~0.6%). The above results indicated that the combined application of oxidant and activator was conducive to the removal of PAHs, while the addition of surfactant reduced the EOF and the migration of oxidant and further reduced the PAHs removal efficiency. The present study will help to further understand the role of enhanced reagents (especially surfactant) during enhanced EK remediation of PAHs historically contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loess is a collapsible soil; when it collapses, it can cause significant damage to structures built on it. Improvement in the stability and strength performance of loess is necessary to meet engineering needs. In the present study, the effects on the physical-chemical and rheological characteristics of Ghardaïa loess of adding bentonite and lime (southern Algeria) were examined. Rheological characterization of suspensions was implemented to assess the mechanical sensitivity of the bonds and the structural inter-particle resistance to both the chemical effect and mechanical impact. By analyzing the viscosity results and the evolution of the rheological parameters, the improvements needed in terms of the resistance characteristics of the loess-bentonite and loess-lime mixtures were evaluated and confirmed. The loess physical sensitivity was examined through grain-size distribution and plasticity properties. The pH and electrical conductivity of the mixtures were also used to explore structural modifications. Physical test results showed that introduction of the additives changed the loess texture and improved the plasticity of mixtures. Chemical examination (via change in pH and electrical conductivity) revealed the structural changes in the mixtures studied. Rheological test results showed that increasing concentrations of bentonite and lime improves the mechanical strength and increased the yield stress, consistency, and viscosity of the suspensions. The creation of cement interactions between mixture particles explained the increase in those parameters. Hydration, agglomeration, and inter-particle flocculation induced by the additives promoted these interactions. The experimental results led to the conclusion that bentonite and lime may represent an effective means to improve the performance in terms of preventing loess collapse and to increase its resistance to mechanical impact. The results presented in the present study may provide a geotechnical and rheological working database for the control and treatment of loess collapse and landslides in the region under study. Technical data related to loess may, therefore, be beneficial in terms of civil engineering, public works, hydraulics, and the manufacture of construction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on root surfaces has essential impacts on PAH phytoremediation. An Fe plaque is commonly formed on the root surface of aquatic plants. Therefore, it is worth investigating the impact of the Fe plaque on PAH adsorption on rice root surfaces. Using Bayesian linear water–methanol cosolvent models, we estimated accurate water–biosorbent partition coefficient values for phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene between water and rice root biosorbent fractions, including rice root materials with Fe plaque, removed Fe plaque, and removed Fe plaque and lipids. Our results showed that Fe plaque inhibited the adsorption of PAHs on rice root surface; the inhibition impacts increased with hydrophobicity of PAHs. This result highlights the need for considering the impact of Fe plaque on PAH adsorption during phytoremediation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:392–399. © 2020 SETAC KEY POINTS: We demonstrate that iron plaque could inhibit PAH adsorption on rice roots and the inhibition effect will increase with hydrophobicity of PAHs.Comparing to rice root biosorbents with iron plaque, the contribution of roots without iron plaque increases two times for pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene.It is necessary to consider the impact of iron plaque of rice roots on the adsorption of HOCs on rhizosphere interface during phytoremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents and discusses experimental results on the characterisation and metal leaching potential of a biogenic, metal-rich sulphidic sludge, generated in a sulphate-reducing bioreactor, operated to treat acidic synthetic solutions bearing Fe, Zn, Ni and Cu. The sustainability of the metal removal bioprocess strongly depends on the fate of the sludge. To propose appropriate management practices, a detailed characterisation of the sludge is necessary. The granulometry, chemical composition and mineralogy of the sludge were initially determined. The mobility of the metals was assessed via a modified Tessier experimental procedure. The leachability of the sludge metal content was determined via a standard compliance method (EN 12457-2) and experiments designed to evaluate the effect of pH and time on metal leaching from the sludge. The sludge metal content sums up to 69.5% dw, namely iron (14.8%), zinc (18.7%), nickel (17.7%) and copper (18.2%) and, based on the criteria set by European Union, the sludge is characterised as hazardous and inappropriate for landfilling without any pretreatment. The sludge consists mainly of very fine poorly crystalline aggregates of Fe, Zn, Cu and Ni sulphides. The fine grain size, the poorly crystalline structure and the oxidation of sulphide upon exposure to water/air render the high metal content of the sludge recoverable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy metal distribution in the tidal flat has great effect on the estuary environment. The study aims to find the heavy metal distribution mechanism in the sediment of a middle tidal flat in Yangtze Estuary, China. The effects of grain size, the redox cycle of Fe, Mn during early diagenesis and post-depositional migration, and humic acid on the distribution of heavy metals have been studied extensively. Surface and core sediments from middle tidal flat of eastern Chongming Island were collected and analyzed the content of element Al, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Zr and humic acid. The results showed that grain size, the geochemistry of Fe, Mn during early diagenesis and post-depositional migration, and humic acid had significant effect on the distribution of heavy metals. Copper, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn mainly accumulated in the fine particles. Copper, Pb and Zn had similar seasonal variation in surface sediment and similar vertical distribution in the four seasons with Al, Fe, Mn and humic acid. Copper, Pb and Zn remobilized after deposition together with redox-sensitive elements Fe and Mn and accumulated in the redox boundary. Peak value of heavy metals, Fe, Mn and humic acid was observed in the four seasons at different depths at the redox boundary. Zirconium and Cr had opposite distribution than the other heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical parameters and major ion concentrations from sediments of a freshwater lake in the town of Åtvidaberg, southeastern, Sweden, were used to identify the geochemical processes that control the water chemistry. The lake sediments are anoxic, characterized by reduced sulfur and sulfidic minerals. The hypothesis tested is that in sulfidic-anaerobic contaminated sediments, the presence of redox potential changes creates a favorable condition for sulfide oxidation, resulting in the release of potentially toxic metals. The acid volatile sulfide (AVS) contents ranged from 5.5 μmol/g to 16 μmol/g of dry sediment. Comparison of total mine tailing metals (∑mine tailing metals) with simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) in sediments indicates that up to 20% of the ∑mine tailing metals are bound to the solid phase as AVS. Consequently, the AVS and SEM analysis classified all sediment samples as potentially toxic in terms of heavy metal concentrations (i.e., SEM to AVS ratio distribution > 1). Evaluation of hydrogeochemical data suggests that calcite dissolution, iron (III) oxyhydroxysulfate mineral jarosite (H-jarosite) precipitation, hematite precipitation, and siderite precipitation are the most prevailing geochemical processes that control the geochemical interactions between the water column and sediment in a mine-impacted lake. The geochemical processes were verified and quantified using a chemical equilibrium modeling program, Visual MINTEQ, Ver 3.1, beta. The identified geochemical processes create an environment in which the characteristics of sulfate-rich waters and acidic-iron produce the geochemical conditions for acid mine drainage and mobilization of toxic metals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:563-572. © 2015 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A passive sampling technique-diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) was used to determine profiles of 14 metals on fine scale at SWI of two sites in Yingkou coast and to investigate biogeochemical process of Mn/Fe and other metals. Based on DGT concentration/flux and biogeochemical mechanism, remobilization character of metals in sediment profile was studied. Both profiles of two sites indicated sharp peaks of Fe and Mn at anoxic sediment, which verified redox process of Fe/Mn with large fluxes. Especially, very large peaks of Mn at −9.75 cm (7.239 × 10 µg cm s) and Fe at −9.25 cm (1.420 × 10 µg cm s) at site 2 corresponding with sulfide concentrations at same depths in profile were used for the calculation of saturation index to assess the solubility of metal sulfide. Other metals in certain segments of profiles at two sites indicated coupled geochemical process between them and Fe/Mn. DGT probe should be a reliable tool to measure multi-metals in sediment porewater and to assess geochemical process in coastal area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the report of the FOCUS groundwater working group (FOCUS, 2009) with respect to the higher tier leaching assessments. The PPR Panel is of the general opinion that, as suggested in the FOCUS report, substance parameter refinement can be applied in risk assessment. State of the art knowledge has developed to such an extent that scenario refinement is feasible as well, but will make assessment more complex unless embedded in basic tools and adequate guidance. The same is true for spatial modelling but establishment of adequate databases will require quite some effort. The Panel considers current knowledge on groundwater hydrology insufficient for implementation of monitoring as the highest tier of the assessment at the European level. The implementation of scenario refinement and spatial modelling requires clear criteria on the extent of arable surface areas with estimated leaching rates below the threshold level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were similar distribution characteristics for acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) in surface sediments, and the concentrations of AVS and SEM decreased from the deposition area to the center of the bay (lake). The ratio of AVS to SEM was <1 in the surface sediments, indicating that heavy metals in surface sediments may be bioavailable. The concentration of AVS increased with sediment depth, followed by a decrease with large variation, while the concentration of SEM remained constant. By comparing the concentration of SEM with total metals, it was shown that extracted Cu and Ni decreased with sediment depth, indicating increasing association of Cu and Ni with sulfides in deeper sediment layers. The lower extracted ratios for Pb and Zn compared with sulfidic sediment illustrated that AVS should not have strong control on sediment Pb and Zn. The molar ratio of AVS and reactive iron showed that heavy metals were dynamic and active in sediments in this lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study are to obtain information on the leachability of dioxins depending on the samples, to confirm the effect of dissolved humic matter (DHM) on the leachability of dioxins, and to evaluate the suitability of the detoxification treatments specified by the Japanese government for the reduction of leachability of dioxins. In this study, the leachability of dioxins from raw and treated fly ash was evaluated by a 24-hour batch leaching test and by an extraction test repeated three times with DHM solution, whose concentration was determined to be 700 mg-OC/L as an initial concentration based on organic carbon (OC) from adsorption tests of DHM to fly ash. The leaching concentration from fly ash samples having high DHM adsorption capacity was low regardless of pH, and that from samples having relatively low adsorption capacity and high pH was largely increased. Therefore, it is expected that the leachability of dioxins from treated fly ashes would be reduced by avoiding high pH and enhancing the DHM adsorption capacity rather than by using the detoxification method specified. We also confirmed that increase of the leachability of HOPs due to DHM is not as large as known in condition that is composed of three phases of HOPs, DHM, and solid matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1982, sediments contaminated with zinc, cadmium, and copper were dredged from Lake DePue in Illinois and deposited in a diked sediment disposal area (DSDA) that is flooded annually for at least three months. Data from soil and groundwater samples collected at multiple depths within and adjacent to the DSDA indicate vertical movement of the metals in the subsurface, although groundwater outside of the DSDA was not contaminated with any of the metals. Zinc was elevated in almost all of the wells inside the DSDA. Cadmium concentrations were elevated in shallow wells inside the DSDA, while copper was rarely detected in the groundwater. Comparisons of groundwater samples taken within the DSDA under flooded and unflooded conditions suggest that pH and redox conditions controlled metal solubilities. A comparison between soil cores and sediment cores from Lake DePue suggest that zinc was more mobile than cadmium or copper within the DSDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil yeast Lipomyces starkeyi was tested for its ability to degrade triazine herbicides. Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) was employed as a solid medium in culture plates instead of agar. The cell sizes of the control (without nitrogen source) on the PVA gel plate were much smaller than those on the agar gel plate. The difference between the diameters of the sample and control colonies on the PVA gel plate were almost twice those of the colonies on the agar gel plate (1.9 and 1.0 mm, respectively). Thus, the PVA gel plate is much better than the agar plate for evaluating the degree of utilization of a sole nitrogen source. The yeast grew well (more than 4 mm in diameter) with 1,3,5-triazine or cyanuric acid as nitrogen source. In addition, melamine and thiocyanuric acid inhibited growth of the yeast, and the sizes of colonies were smaller than those of the control. All triazine herbicides tested (simazine, atrazine, cyanazine, ametryn, and prometryn) could be degraded and assimilated by L. starkeyi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fenamiphos is widely used as an insecticide and nematicide in bowling greens and agriculture, information on its sorption in tropical soils is limited. In this study, mobility, sorption, and desorption dynamics of 14C-fenamiphos in three contrasting Brazilian soils were examined both in batch and column experiments. Fenamiphos sorption coefficients (Kd) were 2.33, 3.86, and 3.9 L kg−1 for the three soils tested. The insecticide exhibited linear adsorption isotherms in all the three soils, and desorption was in a range of 30-40% during a 72-h period. With its low mobility, fenamiphos did not percolate through the soil profile even after 48 h. However, there is a risk of leaching to water bodies due to runoff because of its high solubility in water. In view of the fact that fenamiphos and its oxidation products are highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates and could affect the soil microbial activities even at low concentrations, the present information is of great importance in risk assessment of fenamiphos in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]