Evaluation of phytoextracting cadmium and lead by sunflower,ricinus,alfalfa and mustard in hydroponic culture

Soil contaminated with heavy metals cadmium （Cd） and lead （Pb） is hard to be remediated. Phytoremediation may be a feasible method to remove toxic metals from soil, but there are few suitable plants which can hyperaccumulate metals. In this study, Cd and Pb accumulation by four plants including sunflower （Helianthus annuus L.）, mustard （Brassicajuncea L.）, alfalfa （Medicago sativa L.）, ricinus （Ricinus communis L.） in hydroponic cultures was compared. Results showed that these plants could phytoextract heavy metals, the ability of accumulation differed with species, concentrations and categories of heavy metals. Values of BCF （bioconcentration factor） and TF （translocation factor） indicated that four species had dissimilar abilities of phytoextraction and transportation of heavy metals. Changes on the biomass of plants, pH and Eh at different treatments revealed that these four plants had distinct responses to Cd and Pb in cultures. Measurements should be taken to improve the phytoremediation of sites contaminated with heavy metals, such as pH and Eh regulations, and so forth.

Adsorption characteristics of copper,lead,zinc and cadmium ions by tourmaline

The adsorption characteristics of heavy metals： Cu（Ⅱ）, Pb（Ⅱ）, Zn（Ⅱ） and Cd（Ⅱ） ions on tourmaline were studied. Adsorption equilibrium was established. The adsorption isotherms of all the four metal ions followed well Langmuir equation. Tourmaline was found to remove heavy metal ions efficiently from aqueous solution with selectivity in the order of Pb（Ⅱ）〉Cu（Ⅱ）〉Cd（Ⅱ）〉Zn（Ⅱ）. The adsorption of metal ions by tourmaline increased with the initial concentration of metal ions increasing in the medium. Tourmaline could also increase pH value of metal solution.The maximum heavy metal ions adsorbed by tourmaline was found to be 78.86, 154.08, 67.25, and 66.67 mg/g for Cu（Ⅱ）, Pb（U）, Zn（Ⅱ） and Cd（U）, respectively. The temperature （25-55℃） had a small effect on the adsorption capacity of tourmaline. Competitive adsorption of Cu（Ⅱ）, Pb（Ⅱ）, Zn（Ⅱ） and Cd（Ⅱ） ions was also studied. The adsorption capacity of tourmaline for single metal decreased in the order of Pb〉Cu〉Zn 〉Cd and inhibition dominance observed in two metal systems was Pb〉Cu, Pb〉Zn, Pb〉Cd, Cu〉Zn, Cu〉Cd, and Cd〉Zn.

Influences of phosphate nutritional level on the phytoavailability and speciation distribution of cadmium and lead in soil

A pot experiment was conducted to examine the influence of phosphate levels on the phytoavailability and speciation distribution of cadmium （Cd）, lead （Pb） in soil. Spring wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） was selected as the tested plant. There were 5 phosphate fertilizer（Ca（H2PO4）2） levels including 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg P2O5/kg soil, marked by P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively. CdCl2·2.5H2o and Pb（NO3）2 were added to soil as the following levels： Cd ＋ Pb = 25＋0, 0＋1000, and 25＋1000 mg/kg, marked by T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The results showed that the P fertilizer promoted the dry weight of wheat in all treatments and alleviated the contamination induced by Cd and Pb. With increasing levels of the additional P fertilizer, Cd concentration in different parts （root, haulm, chaffand grain） of wheat decreased at the P1 level at first and then increased. The soluble plus exchangeable （SE） fraction of Cd in soil decreased at the P1 level and then increased from P2 to P4 levels. The moderate P fertilizer reduced the phytoavailability of Cd. The application of P could obviously restrain the uptake of Pb by wheat and there were significantly negative correlations between the levels of P and the uptake of Pb. Phosphorus supply resulted in a decrease in the SE fraction of Pb and there was a significantly negative correlation between the levels of P and the SE fraction of Pb in soil. All the levels of the P fertilizer in this experiment could reduce the phytoavailability of Pb. Thus, it is feasible to apply the P fertilizer （Ca（H2PO4）2） to Pb contaminated soils. However, the levels of P application should be restricted in case that redundant P may increase the phytoavailability of Cd.

Removal of heavy metals from a contaminated soilusing tartaric acid

This study reports the feasibility of remediation of a heavy metal （HM） contaminated soil using tartaric acid, an environmentally-friendly extractant. Batch experiments were performed to test the factors influencing remediation of the HM contaminated soil. An empirical model was employed to describe the kinetics of riM dissolution/desorption and to predict equilibrium concentrations of HMs in soil leachate. The changes of HMs in different fractions before and after tartaric acid treatment were also investigated. Tartaric acid solution containing HMs was regenerated by chestnut shells. Results show that utilization of tartaric acid was effective for removal of riMs from the contaminated soil, attaining 50%-60% of Cd, 40%-50% of Pb, 40%-50% of Cu and 20%-30% of Zn in the pH range of 3.5-4.0 within 24 h. Mass transfer coefficients for cadmium （Cd） and lead （Pb） were much higher than those for copper （Cu） and zinc （Zn）. Sequential fractionations of treated and untreated soil samples showed that tartaric acid was effective in removing the exchangeable, carbonate fractions of Cd, Zn and Cu from the contaminated soil. The contents of Pb and Cu in Fe-Mn oxide fraciton were also significantly decreased by tartaric acid treatment. One hundred milliliters of tartaric acid solution containing HMs could be regenerated by 10 g chestnut shells in a batch reactor. Such a remediation procedure indicated that tartaric acid is a promising agent for remediation of HM contaminated soils. However, further research is needed before the method can be practically used for in situ remediation of contaminated sites.

Technical Innovation of Land Treatment Systems for Municipal Wastewater in Northeast China

On the basis of ecological principles including holistic optimization, cycling and regeneration, and regional differentiation, land treatment systems (LTSs) for municipal wastewater were continuously explored and updated in the western Shenyang area and the Huolinhe area, China. Intensified pretreatment, addition of a man-made soil filtration layer, and use of an ecologically diversified secondary plant cover were proved to be technically feasible. Hydraulic loading was determined according to the assimilation capacity of soil ecosystems, thus ensuring safe operation of wastewater treatment. This modernized and alternative approach to wastewater treatment had been widely applied in middle-sized and small cities and towns of Northeast China, and these innovative systems in some areas had indicated favorable ecological, social, and economic benefits.

Temporal-spatial distribution and variability of cadmium contamination in soils in Shenyang Zhangshi irrigation area,China

Heavy metal contamination in soils has been of wide concern in China in the last several decades. The heavy metal contamination was caused by sewage irrigation, mining and inappropriate utilization of various agrochemicals and pesticides and so on. The Shenyang Zhangshi irrigation area （SZIA） in China is a representative area of heavy metal contamination of soils resulting from sewage irrigation for about 30 years duration. This study investigated the spatial distribution and temporal variation of soil cadmium contamination in the SZIA. The soil samples were collected from the SZIA in 1990 and 2004; Cd of soils was analyzed and then the spatial distribution and temporal variation of Cd in soils was modelled using kriging methods. The kriging map showed that long-term sewage irrigation had caused serious Cd contamination in topsoil and subsoil. In 2004, the Cd mean concentrations were 1.698 and 0.741 mg/kg, and the maxima 10.150 and 7.567 mg/kg in topsoils （0-20 cm） and subsoils （20-40 cm） respectively. These values are markedly more than the Cd levels in the second grade soil standard in China. In 1990, the Cd means were 1.023 and 0.331 mg/kg, and the maxima 9.400 and 3.156 mg/kg, in topsoils and subsoils respectively. The soil area in 1990 with Cd more than 1.5 mg/kg was 2701 and 206.4 hnl2 in topsoils and subsoils respectively; and in 2004, it was 7592 and 1583 hm^2, respectively. Compared with that in 1990, the mean and maximum concentration of Cd, as well as the soil area with Cd more than 1.5 mg/kg had all increased in 2004, both in topsoils and subsoils.

Adaptability of microbial inoculators and their contribution to degradation of mineral oil and PAHs

Five dominant bacteria strains（A cetobacter sp., Alcdigenes sp., Micrococcus sp., Arthrobacter sp. and Bacillus sp.） and five fungi strains （Cephalosporium sp. Ⅰ, Cephalosporlum sp. Ⅱ, Aspergillus sp. Ⅰ, Aspergillus sp. Ⅱ and Fusarium sp.） isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil were used to assess the potential capability of mineral oil and PAH enhanced degradation separately and jointly using the batch liquid medium cultivation with diesel oil spiked at 1000 mg/L. The experiment was performed on a reciprocal shaker in the darkness at 25℃ to 30℃ for 100 d. The dynamic variation in the activity of microbial inoculators in each treatment and the degradation of the target pollutants during the period of experiment were monitored. Results showed a more rapid biodegradation of mineral oil and PAHs at the beginning of the experiment （about 20 d） by dominant bacteria, fungi and their mixture than that of the indigenous microorganisms, however, thereafter an opposite trcnd was exhibited that the removal ratio by indigenous microorganisms was superior to any other dominant treatments and the tendency lasted till the end of the experiment, indicating the limited competitive capability of dominant microorganisms to degrade the contaminants, and the natural selection of indigenous microorganisms for use in the removal of the contaminants. At the end of the experiment, the removal ratio of mineral oil ranged from 56.8 % to 79.2 % and PAHs ranged from 96.8 % to 99.1% in each treatment by microbial inoculators,