Search results for "POLLUTION"
showing 10 items of 2765 documents
Mineralogy and geochemistry of Terra Rossa soils, western Sicily: insights into heavy metal fractionation and mobility
1996
Abstract The distribution of heavy metals in typical Terra Rossa soils and their partitioning in specific soil phases are estimated on the basis of the comparative evaluation of bulk contents, results from sequential chemical extraction procedure (SEP) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis ( SEM EDX ). A general natural enrichment of heavy metals with respect to average soil is observed. Cadmium proves to be remarkably high (up to 2.4 ppm). Large amounts of Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn occur in the ‘residual’ fraction. The results indicate selective accumulation of the heavy metals in Fe oxides, present as hematite, goethite and maghemite. There is good evidence th…
Metal accumulation in sediments and benthic invertebrates in lakes of Latvia
1998
The concentrations of cadmium, lead, nickel and copper in waters, sediments (total metal concentrations and their speciation forms) and benthic macroinvertebrates in 11 lakes of Latvia were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Metal concentrations in lake waters, sediments and biota were compared with water chemistry. Compared to total concentrations, metal speciation forms in sediments were better correlated with respective metal concentrations in invertebrates. Therefore, the evaluation of potential metal bioaccumulation should consider metal speciation. The mean concentrations of trace metals in benthic invertebrates in Latvia were much lower than in other countries, which ca…
Production of methylated mercury, lead, and cadmium by marine bacteria as a significant natural source for atmospheric heavy metals in polar regions
1999
Abstract Mixed and pure bacterial cultures of polar origin were incubated in model experiments under polar conditions. The releasing rates of monomethyl and dimethyl mercury (MeHg+ and Me2Hg), trimethyl lead (Me3Pb+), and monomethyl cadmium (MeCd+) were determined in dependence on the incubation time. This is the first time that methylation of cadmium by bacteria could be shown. The formation of tetramethyl and dimethyl lead (Me4Pb and Me2Pb2+) was also checked but no release of these methylated compounds was observed. The determination of methylated mercury compounds was carried out by using a purge and trap system after derivatisation of monomethyl mercury into the volatile methylethyl me…
Mineral nutrients in leaves and bast of pedunculate oak (Quercus Robur L.) at different states of defoliation
1998
Abstract Adult oaks (age > 135a) with different grade of defoliation were investigated for their mineral nutrient contents in leaves and bast. In the leaves of the trees with a defoliation of more than 60 % lower concentrations of almost all nutrients were found. No differences were found between defoliation class 1 (defoliation ≤ 25 %) and defoliation class 2 (defoliation ≤ 45 %). In all defoliation classes the mineral nutrient contents are in the normal range except the contents of magnesium, which is in the range of deficiency in all defoliation classes. The mineral contents in bast showed high concentrations of cadmium, manganese zinc, and aluminum in dead trees, and in the case of cadm…
Vertical standing copper nanowires for electrochemical sensor of nitrate in water
2020
Nitrogen, in the forms of nitrate (NO3-), nitrite, or ammonium, is a nutrient needed for plant growth and it is a common constituent of fertilizers [1]. When fertilizers are overused, they contaminate the ground water and then the food chain. For humans, a low level of nitrate is advisable because it increases the blood flow and has a good effect on both blood pressure and cardiovascular system. On the contrary, a high concentration of nitrate can be dangerous for humans. Nitrate ions undergoes different chemical transformations (i.e. to nitrite ions by Escherichia coli) producing different nitrogen-based compound such as nitrite ions, nitric oxide and ammonia [2]. These chemicals lead to s…
Effect of pH, cation concentration and sorbent concentration on cadmium and copper removal by a granular activated carbon
1999
The single adsorption of cadmium and copper from aqueous solutions has been investigated on Darco 12-20 mesh granular activated carbon for a wide range of experimental conditions: pH, metal concentration and carbon concentration. The results showed the efficiency of the activated carbon as sorbent for both metals. Metal removal increases on raising pH and carbon concentration, and decreases on raising the initial metal concentration. The adsorption processes have been modelled using the surface complex formation (SCF) Triple Layer Model (TLM) with a single surface bidentate species or with an overall surface species with fractional stoichiometry. Bidentate stoichiometry considering pH, meta…
Toxico-resistance of Baltic amphipod species to heavy metals
2013
Benthic organisms are important components of aquatic ecosystems and have been widely used to assess environmental pollution. Being very sensitive to a wide range of toxicants amphipods are often used as test objects in eco-toxicological studies. The aim of this study was to compare toxico-resistance of various Baltic amphipod species to exposure of heavy metals. The acute toxicity (48-h LC50 and 96-h LC50) of cadmium (CdCl2), copper (CuSO4) and zinc (ZnSO4 ⋅ 7H2O) was detected experimentally, using juveniles and adults of brackish water amphipods, Monoporeia affinis, Bathyporeia pilosa, Gammarus tigrinus, Pontogammarus robustoides and the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex as test objects.…
Effects of cadmium exposure on the ultrastructure of hepatopancreatic cells of Thais haemastoma (gastropoda, prosobranchia)
1993
Abstract Specific histopathological parameters have been proposed as good indicators of heavy-metal pollution. Hence the study of ultrastructural alterations in target organs from sentinel animals after heavy-metal exposure may provide a useful tool in understanding the cellular role in heavy-metal metabolism. The main purpose of this study was the determination of the ultrastructural changes in the different hepatopancreatic-cell types of Thais haemastoma after experimental exposure to cadmium. Specimens of this species from the Gulf of Valencia were exposed to sublethal doses of cadmium during a period of 96 h. The hepatopancreas was excised and prepared in a routine manner for electron m…
Quantitative relations between different concentrations of micro- and macroelements in mosses and lichens: the region of Opole (Poland) as an environ…
2010
We examined the concentration of selected metals: Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, as well as activity of 137Cs in samples of moss and lichen, collected in the area surrounding Bory Stobrawskie, a wood complex situated in southern Poland. The concentration of metals was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The activity of 137Cs was determined by gamma spectrometry. We used these results, as well as results published in the literature, to determine the correlation between the concentration of analytes in lichens and in mosses. The analysis of the function ln(cx,moss) = lna + bln(cx,lichen) indicated with high degree of certainty that the concentration levels of analytes accumulated in…
Environmental cadmium, lead and nickel contamination: possible relationship between soil and vegetable content
1991
The cadmium, lead and nickel content of soils of four agricultural areas exposed to different degrees of environmental pollution and vegetables grown there were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). In order to ascertain the possible relationship between the heavy metal content of soils (total and extractable) and of vegetables grown in them, the correlation between the two was calculated. The highest correlation values between metal content of soil and vegetables are these corresponding to nickel: the total metal content in soils and leaves-stems are linear (p<0.01). The extractable metal content of soils and leaves-stems are linear (p<0.1). Therefore, soil seems to be the…