Malargüe Site Remediation:A Successful Solution for Uranium Mill Tailings

Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) has the responsibility for restoring uranium mining facilities once the operations have finished.CNEA,within its Environmental Program and in compliance with its legal responsibilities,decides to implement a restoration project for all sites related to the mining and processing of uranium ores.The Malargüe Site is located within the Province of Mendoza in the city of Malargüe.It is the first site to successfully complete its remediation.The activities consist of relocation of tailings to an engineering repository.The tailings management(encapsulation) and rehabilitation of the area was finished in June 2017.The remediation alternative for the ore tailings was selected after conducting comparative studies and submitted the project to the society for consideration.The objective of the encapsulation of the mineral tails is to isolate them from the environment,also proceeding with the decontamination and rehabilitation of the area (landscaping,post-closure monitoring and 20 years monitoring period).Encapsulation consisted of the construction of a containment cell for the mine tailings,to isolate them and prevent pollutants from entering the environment through the transfer routes.To clean the impacted areas,the soil was removed,it was incorporated into the encapsulation,and the filling was carried out with natural soils from the area.Remediation prevents radon transfer to the environment,as ^(222)Ra is an alpha emitter with a half-life of four days,which produces its own radioactive progeny.Radon progeny are solids,and when a ^(222)Ra nucleus emits an alpha particle into the air,the resulting ^(218)Po nucleus,momentarily electrically charged,adheres to any dust particle.Remediation prevents the discharge into the air containing radon and also containing dust particles charged with intensely radioactive radon progeny.The tasks mentioned make it possible to decrease radon emanation,reduce radiological risks to the public and prevent the entry of rainwater into the system.In addition,the containment system prevents the discharge of contaminated liquids into the environment,avoiding contamination of the groundwater.All these activities are according to the concepts of sustainability.

Recent advances in core-shell organic framework-based photocatalysts for energy conversion and environmental remediation

Direct conversion of solar energy into chemical energy in an environmentally friendly manner is one of the most promising strategies to deal with the environmental pollution and energy crisis.Among a variety of materials developed as photocatalysts,the core-shell metal/covalent-organic framework(MOF or COF)photocatalysts have garnered significant attention due to their highly porous structure and the adjustability in both structure and functionality.The existing reviews on core-shell organic framework photocatalytic materials have mainly focused on core-shell MOF materials.However,there is still a lack of indepth reviews specifically addressing the photocatalytic performance of core-shell COFs and MOFs@COFs.Simultaneously,there is an urgent need for a comprehensive review encompassing these three types of core-shell structures.Based on this,this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding and useful guidelines for the exploration of suitable core-shell organic framework photocatalysts towards appropriate photocatalytic energy conversion and environmental governance.Firstly,the classification,synthesis,formation mechanisms,and reasonable regulation of core-shell organic framework were summarized.Then,the photocatalytic applications of these three kinds of core-shell structures in different areas,such as H_(2)evolution,CO_(2)reduction,and pollutants degradation are emphasized.Finally,the main challenges and development prospects of core-shell organic framework photocatalysts were introduced.This review aims to provide insights into the development of a novel generation of efficient and stable core-shell organic framework materials for energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Can soil remediation agents synergistically mitigate rice Cd content and CH_(4)emission from karst paddies?

Rice(Oryza sativa L.)paddies are increasingly threatened by cadmium(Cd)pollution,and potentially serve as CH_(4)emitters to the atmosphere.Remediation agents widely mitigate Cd pollution in paddy soil,however,we know little about their regulations on CH_(4)emission.Here,via adding biochar(B),sulfhydryl-modified palygorskite(SMP),and selenium foliar fertilizer(SFF),we conducted a pot experiment to investigate soil and rice Cd contents together with in-situ CH_(4)f luxes.Compared to CK,the addition of SMP,SFF,and B-SMP reduced Cd in brown rice by 25%to 50%,25%,and 50%to 75%,respectively.Agents 7%B,7%B-0.01%SMP,and SFF reduced CH_(4)emissions by 8.46%,5.30%,and 4.11%,respectively.CH_(4)emission increased gradually along the growing season,with the cumulative CH_(4)fluxes ranging between 338.82 and 619.13 kg hm^(-2).Our results highlight that mixed 7%B-0.01%SMP and SFF showed collaborative eff ects on Cd remediation and CH_(4)emission.This study reveals the feasibility of reducing Cd pollution and CH_(4)emission in karst rice paddies,which hopes to supplement the knowledge of collaborative controls on soil remediation and carbon emission.

Pollution source identification methods and remediation technologies of groundwater: A review

Groundwater is an important source of drinking water.Groundwater pollution severely endangers drinking water safety and sustainable social development.In the case of groundwater pollution,the top priority is to identify pollution sources,and accurate information on pollution sources is the premise of efficient remediation.Then,an appropriate pollution remediation scheme should be developed according to information on pollution sources,site conditions,and economic costs.The methods for identifying pollution sources mainly include geophysical exploration,geochemistry,isotopic tracing,and numerical modeling.Among these identification methods,only the numerical modeling can recognize various information on pollution sources,while other methods can only identify a certain aspect of pollution sources.The remediation technologies of groundwater can be divided into in-situ and ex-situ remediation technologies according to the remediation location.The in-situ remediation technologies enjoy low costs and a wide remediation range,but their remediation performance is prone to be affected by environmental conditions and cause secondary pollution.The ex-situ remediation technologies boast high remediation efficiency,high processing capacity,and high treatment concentration but suffer high costs.Different methods for pollution source identification and remediation technologies are applicable to different conditions.To achieve the expected identification and remediation results,it is feasible to combine several methods and technologies according to the actual hydrogeological conditions of contaminated sites and the nature of pollutants.Additionally,detailed knowledge about the hydrogeological conditions and stratigraphic structure of the contaminated site is the basis of all work regardless of the adopted identification methods or remediation technologies.

Effect of salinization on soil properties and mechanisms beneficial to microorganisms in salinized soil remediation-a review

Salinized soil is an important reserved arable land resource in China.The management and utilization of salinized soil can safeguard the current size of arable land and a stable grain yield.Salt accumulation will lead to the deterioration of soil properties,destroy soil production potential and damage soil ecological functions,which in turn will threaten global water and soil resources and food security,and affect sustainable socio-economic development.Microorganisms are important components of salinized soil.Microbial remediation is an important research tool in improving salinized soil and is key to realizing sustainable development of agriculture and the ecosystem.Knowledge about the impact of salinization on soil properties and measures using microorganisms in remediation of salinized soil has grown over time.However,the mechanisms governing these impacts and the ecological principles for microbial remediation are scarce.Thus,it is imperative to summarize the effects of salinization on soil physical,chemical,and microbial properties,and then review the related mechanisms of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms in salinized soil remediation via direct and indirect pathways.The stability,persistence,and safety of the microbial remediation effect is also highlighted in this review to further promote the application of microbial remediation in salinized soil.The objective of this review is to provide reference and theoretical support for the improvement and utilization of salinized soil.

Feasibility Evaluation of Using Biochar-based Permeable Reactive Barrier for the Remediation of Mercury and Arsenic Composite Polluted Water Bodies

This study employed a modified biochar material to construct a permeable reactive barrier(PRB)for the treatment of water bodies polluted with mercury and arsenic.The experimental results demonstrated that the addition of goethite-modified biochar significantly enhanced the remediation efficiency of As(III),achieving a maximum removal rate of 100%.Conversely,pure biochar exhibited high efficiency in the removal of Hg(II),with a maximum removal rate approaching 100%.Furthermore,the pH level of the water significantly influenced the adsorption efficiency of heavy metal ions,with the optimal removal performance observed at a pH of 6.0.The PRB system demonstrated excellent removal rates under low concentrations of heavy metals.However,as the concentration increased,the remediation efficiency exhibited a slight decrease.In summary,the findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the use of modified biochar in the construction of PRBs for the remediation of mercury and arsenic-polluted water bodies.Furthermore,the study reveals the mechanism by which pH and heavy metal concentration influence remediation efficiency.

Ecological Remediation Technology of Urban Landscape Water Body

Urban landscape water body is not only an important part of urban landscape construction,but also an important way to maintain landscape diversity and biodiversity,carrying the beautiful yearning of urban residents for natural life.A good state of urban landscape water body is crucial to the ecological environment of the city.However,due to the poor kinetic energy of urban landscape water body and the influence of various human factors,the quality of urban landscape water body often declines,and urban population is threatened by water security problems.Through the study of several water body ecological remediation technologies,relevant suggestions are put forward,in order to provide a reference for water pollution restoration and treatment in urban human settlement environment.

Effects of Phytoremediation on Soil Contaminated with Pb and Cd in Tolerant Bacterial Populations

Bacterial populations isolated from treated soil,artificially contaminated with lead(Pb)and cadmium(Cd)and undergoing a phytoremediation process were studied to determine their potential application in soil remediation.The physicochemical parameters evaluated in the soil varied significantly.Ten bacterial strains were selected from each polluted soil to test tolerance and growth in contaminated media.The concentrations of heavy metals tested were 1,000 ppm for lead and 850 ppm for cadmium.These strains were morphologically identified through Gram staining.Four strains showing the most significant growth in both contaminants were then selected to verify their tolerance to different concentrations of heavy metals.The results demonstrated that the selected bacteria have high tolerance to Pb,resisting inhibition up to 2,000 ppm.In contrast,strains exposed to cadmium tended to slow their growth as the concentration increased.

An Evaluation of Edible Plant Extracts for the Phytoremediation of Lead Contaminated Water

There is a growing global concern for the environmental and health hazards posed by heavy metal contaminants, especially lead in the soil and ground water. The potential for plant and animal uptake, metabolism, and propagation into food-chain poses great health risks. World communities face a common need to a cheap, efficient, and effective technology to mitigate the growing problem of heavy metal contaminations. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the potential of using aqueous extracts of edible vegetables and fruits for the in-situ remediation of lead contaminated water (1300 PPM). The plants used in this study include Mustard Green (Brassica juncea), Spinach (Spinacea oleracea), Collard Green (Brassica Oleracea), Bitter leaf (Vernonia Amygdalina), Carrot (Daucus Carota Sativus), Red, Green, and Yellow Bell Pepper (Capsicum Annuum ), tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), red and white grape (Vitis vinifera), and lime (Citrus aurantifolia). After shaking triplicate reaction mixtures lead contaminated water with each substrate for 22 hours at room temperature, lead removal by the substrates were analyzed by EPA Method 6010, using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). Results suggest that the order of lead removal is Collard Green (99.8%) >, Spinach (98.7%) > Mustard Green (98.2%) > Green Bell Pepper (97.8%) > Yellow Bell Pepper (97.75%) > White Grape (96.7%)> Carrot (95.5%) > Red Bell Pepper (94.28%) > Red Grape > 93.5% > Tomatoes (84%) > Bitter Leaf (61%). The study concludes that liquid substrates such as the supernatants from pureed edible tuberous, leafy, and fruity vegetables can effectively remove lead from contaminated water.

Improvement in electrokinetic remediation of Pb-contaminated soil near lead acid battery factory

To improve the conventional electrokinetic remediation of Pb-contaminated soil,the Pb-contaminated soil near a lead acid battery factory in the Pearl River Delta region of China was electrokinetically remedied with polarity exchange technique.The variations in Pb removal efficiency and the soil p H value with the treatment time and the exchange polarity interval were determined.It is found that the removal efficiency of Pb reaches a maximum of 87.7% when the voltage gradient is 1 V/cm and the exchange polarity interval is 48 h.This value is far higher than that obtained with conventional electrokinetic remediation（61.8%）.Additionally,the ＂focusing effect＂ which appears in the conventional electrokinetic remediation can be avoided,and thus additional chemicals are not needed for the polarity exchange technique.The mechanism of Pb electromigration behavior in soil during the treatment with the polarity exchange technique was described.

Effects of Red Mud on the Remediation of Pb, Zn and Cd in Heavy Metal Contaminated Paddy Soil

[Objective] To study the remediation efficiency of red mud on Pb, Zn and Cd in the heavy metal contaminated paddy soil of mine area, to clarify its remediation mechanism and fertilizer efficiency on heavy metal contaminated soil. [Method] The soil incubation experiment was conducted to study the effect of red mud on the pH values and electrical conductivity （EC）, and the remediation efficiency of red mud on lead （Pb）, zinc （Zn） and cadmium （Cd） in heavy metal contaminated soil. [Result] Red mud addition reduced the content of exchangeable Pb, Zn and Cd in the soil significantly. Compared with the control, when incubated for 30, 60 and 90 d with the red mud dosage of 4% （W/W）, the exchangeable Pb content was decreased by 39.25%, 41.38% and 50.19%; exchangeable Zn content was decreased by 49.26%, 57.32% and 47.16%; and exchangeable Cd content was decreased by 19.53%, 24.06% and 25.70%, respectively. The application of red mud had significant impact on the share of Pb, Zn and Cd contents in five forms, and different amounts of red mud application all reduced the proportion of exchangeable Pb, Zn and Cd to the total Pb, Zn and Cd. In addition, the proportion of exchangeable Pb, Zn and Cd to total Pb, Zn and Cd decreased with the increasing amount of red mud addition. [Conclusion] The study provided references for reasonable application of red mud and reduction of heavy metal pollution in paddy soil.

Research on Effects of Remediation by Fertilization on Off-Balanced Fluvo-aquic Soils in Nutrient

[Objective] The research aimed to study the effects of fertilization on soil remediation.[Method]Pot fertilizer tests were conducted to remedy the soils which had off-balanced in nutrients resulted by long-term unreasonable fertilization.[Result]The results showed that applying NPK fertilizers with manure was the best method to restore the soil nutrients and increase soil fertility and crop yield;NPK and NP fertilizers could balance soil fertility and increase crop yields,the effects were the same and next to MNPK.Phosphate and nitrogen respectively had the similar restoring effect with NPK fertilizers on soil from long-term NK and PK treatments.[Conclusion]Crops in soil with long-term applying NPK fertilizers had strong dependence on fertilizers.The yields of corn and wheat decreased by 78.6% and 52.8% respectively after stopping applying fertilizers.Meanwhile,The yields of corn and wheat increased by 112% and 182% respectively after stopping applying fertilizers in NK treatment as well as 15.1% and 59% in PK treatment.Manure had strong and last effect on increasing yield.

Study Progress in Remediation of Soil Contaminated by Heavy Metals and Its Application Prospect

Flax is an ideal crop for remedying soil contaminated by heavy metals. It has high tolerance to heavy metals and strong adsorption to heavy metals. Through properly using or adjusting external conditions such as regulator, moisture, fertilizer, microorganisms, and pH value, it is able to improve ability of flax to absorb, trans- fer, and accumulate heavy metals. To improve the ability of flax in remediating heavy metal contaminated soil, it is recommended to strengthen cultivation of flax varieties and screening of germplasm resources, actively carry out studies on tech- nologies of fax remedying heavy metal contaminated soil, implement large-scale and mechanized planting of flax, and promote control of heavy metal contaminated soil.

Remediation of in-situ Leach Mining Contaminated Soil by Amendment-plant Synergism

This study aimed to remediate in-situ leach mining contaminated soil by amendment-plant synergism. The results showed that plant species exhibited ex-tremely significant effects on the concentration of nitrate nitrogen; to be specific, the concentration of nitrate nitrogen in soil planted with wheat was reduced from 692.19 mg/kg to lower than 100 mg/kg; when the mass ratio of amendment to soil reached 3：50 and the amendment particle size was 1-2 mm, the concentration of nitrate ni-trogen in soil planted with wheat was reduced to 43 mg/kg. The amendment type exhibited extremely significant effects on the concentration of ammonium nitrogen; to be specific, when the mass ratio of amendment to soil reached 10：50, the concen-tration of ammonium nitrogen in soil added with 2-3 mm zeolite was reduced from 23 593.75 to 3 300 mg/kg on day 15. Amendments and plants mainly exhibited desorption performance for sulfate radical in soil, and the amendment type extreme-ly significantly affected the concentration of sulfate radical; to be specific, the con-centration of sulfate radical in soil added with limestone increased from 370 mg/kg to 900 mg/kg on day 7.

双齿围沙蚕(Perinereis albuhitensis Grube)生态修复型(Ecological remediation)养殖技术

池塘养殖:通过对低产池塘的改造、清塘、培养底栖硅藻等方法,提高低产池塘的经济产出。(2002～2005)年累计池塘养殖双齿围沙蚕80hm2,总产沙蚕120411kg,平均单产为1505.14kghm2;滩涂养殖:通过在滩涂上放养沙蚕幼体和贝类,来抑制大米草的生长,达到恢复和保持生态平衡的目的。(2004～2005)年累计滩涂养殖面积为400hm2,沙蚕总产337.7t,沙蚕平均单产844.25kghm2,贝类1315.1t,贝类平均单产3287.75kghm2。

Advances in Microbial Remediation on the Application of Heavy Metal Pollution in Agricultural Water Resources

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural water resources is very serious in re- cent years, resulting in large losses of the agricultural economy and endangering human life and health. Due to the advantages of low cost, high efficiency and less secondary pollution, microbial ramediation technology is widely used in the treatment of heavy metal pollution in agricultural water resources. At present, with the progress of modern biotechnology, microbial remediation of heavy metals in agricul- tural water resources has grown rapidly. The sources and status quo of heavy met- al pollution in agricultural water resources at home and aboard, and the principles of microbial remediation of heavy metals pollution in agricultural water resources were reviewed in this paper, as well as the several common microbial remediation technology of heavy metals in agricultural water resources. Additionally, the further research work of heavy metal contaminated agricultural water resources by microbial ramediation were prospected.

Electrochemical remediation of copper contaminated kaolinite by conditioning anolyte and catholyte pH simultaneously

This report examined electrochemical remediation of copper contaminated kaolinite by controlling electrolytes′ pH for both of anolyte and catholyte simultaneously. Results showed that electrokinetic process and remediation efficiency varied obviously when different buffer systems, including citric acid (test 1), nitric acid + EDTA (test 2) and nitric acid (test 3), were used to control catholyte pH and Na_2CO_3 was used at the same time to control all anolyte one. It was found that under such pH condition soil′s pH in soil column kept at 3.0—7.0 successfully, and correspondingly no copper precipitation and decrease of soil electroconductivity appeared, which are usually observed in electrokinetic process due to OH - introduction into soil column by electrochemical reaction occurred in cathode. Electroosmosis flow rates were almost equal for these three tests, indicating that these buffers did not affect Zeta-potential of kaolinite within the examined duration. More acid and basic solution was added into electrokinetic cell when nitric acid was used as buffer than when nitric acid + EDTA and then citric acid were used. Due to introduction of large amounts of ions into soil column, significant higher current was observed for test 3 than other two. Analysis of copper speciation and total quantity in kaolinite indicated that 22.5%, 23.74% and 55.65% Cu were removed from kaolinite for test 1, test 2 and test 3 respectively after only 10 days′ electrokinetic remediation.

Surfactant-Enhanced Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants:Potential and Assessment

Phytoremediation is becoming a cost-effective technology for the in-situ clean up of sites polluted with hydrophobic organic contaminants （HOCs）. The major factors limiting phytoremediation are the mass transfer, rate of plant uptake, and microbial biodegradation of HOCs. This article discusses the potential of surfactants to enhance desorption, plant uptake, and biodegradation of HOCs in the contaminated sites. Positive effects of surfactants on phytoremediation have been recently observed in greenhouse studies. The presence of some nonionic surfactants including polyoxyethylene sorbltan monooleate （Tween 80） and polyoxyethylene（23）dodecanol （Brij35） at relatively low concentrations resulted in significant positive effects on phytoremediation for pyrene-contaminated soil. However, the anionic surfactant （sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS） and the cationic surfactant （cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTMAB） were not useful because of their phytotoxicity or low efficiency for surfactant-enhanced phytoremediation （SEPR）. The mechanisms of SEPR for HOC-contaminated sites were evaluated by considering experimental observations. In view of concerns about the cost effectiveness and toxicity of surfactants to plants, more research is needed to enhance the use of SEPR technology.

Invited review:Remediation strategies for mycotoxin control in feed

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of different species of fungi.Aflatoxin B1(AFB1),deoxynivalenol(DON),zearalenone(ZEN)and fumonisin B1(FB1)are the main mycotoxins contaminating animal feedstuffs.These mycotoxins can primarily induce hepatotoxicity,immunotoxicity,neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity,consequently cause adverse effects on the health and performance of animals.Therefore,physical,chemical,biological and nutritional regulation approaches have been developed as primary strategies for the decontamination and detoxification of these mycotoxins in the feed industry.Meanwhile,each of these techniques has its drawbacks,including inefficient,costly,or impractically applied on large scale.This review summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the different remediation strategies,as well as updates of the research progress of these strategies for AFB1,DON,ZEN and FB1 control in the feed industry.

A review on heterogeneous photocatalysis for environmental remediation:From semiconductors to modification strategies

Heterogeneous photocatalysis,an advanced oxidation process,has garnered extensive attention in the field of environmental remediation because it involves the direct utilization of solar energy for the removal of numerous pollutants.However,the application of heterogeneous photocatalysis in environmental remediation has not achieved the expected consequences due to enormous challenges such as low photocatalytic efficiencies and high costs of heterogeneous photocatalysts in large-scale practical applications.Furthermore,pollutants in the natural environment,including water,air,and solid phases,are diverse and complex.Therefore,extensive efforts should be made to better understand and apply heterogeneous photocatalysis for environmental remediation.Herein,the fundamentals of heterogeneous photocatalysis for environmental remediation are introduced.Then,potential semiconductors and their modification strategies for environmental photocatalysis are systematically presented.Finally,conclusions and prospects are briefly summarized,and the direction for the future development of environmental photocatalysis is explored.This review may provide reference directions toward understanding,researching,and designing photocatalytic remediation systems for various environmental pollutants.