Transfer of Cd, Pb, and Zn to water spinach from a polluted soil amended with lime and organic materials

Purpose

The transfer of heavy metals from soil to crops comprises several steps, including soil-to-root and subsequent root-to-shoot tranfer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different steps of soil-to-crop transfer of Cd, Pb, and Zn.

Materials and methods

This study was carried out with a greenhouse pot experiment using a soil polluted with Cd, Pb, and Zn which was amended with rice straw, pig manure, sheep dung, or peat, with and without lime. Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) was used as the test crop and was grown after a season of rice cultivation.

Results and discussion

The results showed that all the amendments promoted the root-to-shoot transfer of Cd, Pb, and Zn. The soil-to-root transfer factors (TFs) of Pb and Zn tended to increase with increasing available Pb and Zn in the soils, while no clear relationship between the TF of Cd and available soil Cd was observed. The root-to-shoot TF of Cd, Pb, and Zn tended to decrease with increasing available amounts in the soils and were negatively correlated with the concentrations of the metals in the roots (r _Cd?=?0.820, r _Pb?=?0.789, r _Zn?=?0.769).

Conclusions

The soil-to-root transfer of Cd, Pb, and Zn was significantly different from the root-to-shoot transfer. The soil-to-root transfer was mainly influenced by the amount of available metal in soil, whereas the root-to-shoot transfer was mainly controlled by the concentrations of the metals in the root.     

Heavy metal accumulation from zinc smelters in a carbonate rock region in Hezhang County, Guizhou Province, China

In this study, four sites (Sites A, B, C and D, which were associated with varying durations of zinc smelting) namely two slag piles (Profile1, Profile 2) at Sites B and C and two water channels at Sites A and D in Hezhang County, Guizhou Province, Southwestern China, were investigated. Significantly elevated mean Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations, 11,192 (±8,991), 20,563 (±16,727) and 137 (±112) mg kg^?1 in slag Profile 1(n=10), and 12,535(±4,408), 26,189 (±6,209) and 47.9 (±30.1) mg kg^?1 in slag Profile 2 (n=12) were detected, respectively. Both profiles had high pH values (7.72 ± 0.37 in Profile 1 and 8.33 ± 0.49 in Profile 2). In addition, high mean Pb, Zn and Cd in soils (14,945 (±9,696), 17,059 (±12,534) and 61.9 (±33.6) mg kg^?1) and in stream sediments (11,450 (±7,097), 20,768 (±11,404) and 66.8 (±25.5) mg kg^?1) were found at Site D. A Composite Pollution Index (CPI) determined for each study Site confirms the anthropogenic origins of the observed Pb, Zn and Cd contamination. Small portions (<3% of the total) of exchangeable Pb and Zn fractions in samples were extracted by using a sequential extraction technique. In contrast, 37.7% (±7.69%), 21.3% (±7.75%) and 22.7% (±13.2%) of total Pb, Zn and Cd was associated with the carbonate bound fraction. This is indicative of the alkaline pH associated with the carbonate based-ores of this region. Further, total metal concentrations were positively and significantly correlated with soil Fe contents. This may in large part be due to the co-precipitation of Pb, Zn and Cd with Fe minerals in the surface weathering environment. However, a potential threat still exists with regards to the environment release of Pb, Zn and Cd as a result of an alteration of the pH environment, such as in the acidic rhizosphere environment of cultivated crops or acid deposition in this region. It is therefore suggested that immediate remediation measures are implemented to minimize potential risks.     

Increasing the Knowledge of Heavy Metal Contents and Sources in Agricultural Soils of the European Mediterranean Region

This paper contributes to increase the knowledge of the contents and sources of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) to agricultural soils in Castellón province (Spain), a representative area of the European Mediterranean region. The surface horizons of 77 agricultural soils under vegetable crops were sampled and heavy metals were analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) after microwave extraction using the USEPA 3051A method. Mean heavy metal contents were similar to those obtained in other areas of this region. However, heavy metal contents (e.g. Cr, Pb) in some soils were above the maximum limit set in the 86/278/CEE Directive. Multivariate analysis (correlation analysis and principal component analysis – PCA) was performed so as to identify the sources of heavy metals to soils. Co, Fe and Ni were highly correlated amongst them (r?>?0.800; p?<?0.01), whereas Cr and Mn were less correlated with Co, Fe and Ni (r?>?0.500; p?<?0.01). Other relationships among heavy metals (i.e. Cu, Pb and Zn) were also identified, although correlation coefficients were not so high as those among Co, Fe and Ni (r?<?0.500; p?<?0.01). Contents of Co, Fe, Mn and Ni were interpreted to be mainly associated with parent rocks corresponding to the first principal component (PC1). On the other hand, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were interpreted to be mainly related to anthropogenic activities and comprised the second (Pb and Zn) and the third (Cd and Cu) principal components (PC2 and PC3, respectively), designated as anthropogenic components. Remarkably, Cr appears to be related in the study area to both the lithogenic and the anthropogenic components. Lithogenic elements were highly correlated with soil properties. Positive relationships with CEC (r?>?0.200; p?<?0.05) and clay (r?>?0.400; p?<?0.01), and negative relationships with carbonates (r?>??0.400; p?<?0.01) and sand (r?>??0.300; p?<?0.01) were observed. Anthropogenic elements were less correlated with soils properties, since these elements are generally more mobile because they form more soluble chemical species associated to anthropogenic sources. Particularly, no correlation was found between Cd and Zn and soil properties. These findings extend results achieved in other parts of the region, highlighting the need to set soil quality standards in order to declare soils affected by anthropogenic pollution, particularly in the case of anthropogenic metals such as Cd, Cu and Pb, and also Cr and Zn in some areas. Further knowledge from other areas in this region would improve the basis for proposing such standards at regional level, which is a priority objective in Europe according to the European Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection.     

Characteristics of Heavy-Metal Tolerance and Growth in Two Ecotypes of Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. Grown on Huize Lead–Zinc Mining Area in Yunnan Province,China

A field survey of herbaceous plants growing on the Huice lead (Pb)–zinc (Zn) mining area in Yunnan, China was conducted to identify species accumulating concentrations of cadmium (Cd), Pb, and Zn. In total, 200 plant samples of 112 species from 34 families were collected. At the same time, 200 soil samples were collected. Based on Cd, Pb, and Zn tolerance and growth, wild Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. was chosen as a primary pioneer plant. Then, to confirm if Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. may be used as a pioneer plant, the tolerance to Cd, Pb, and Zn and growth of two ecotypes (mining-area ecotype and non-mining-area ecotype) Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. were studied further with pot experiments. In 10 samples of wild Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. in the Huice lead–zinc mine, concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in the soil did not correlate with those in the root (P > 0.05) and shoot (P > 0.05), respectively. Correlations between Cd concentrations in root and shoot were not observed (P > 0.05), whereas those of Pb and Zn were observed (P < 0.05). Both the enrichment coefficient and translocation factor were <1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn for the wild Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. In the two ecotypes of Oxyria sinensis Hemsl., in pot experiments, the treatment concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn did not correlate (P > 0.05) with concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in root and shoot. Significant correlations between the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in root (P < 0.01) and shoot (P < 0.05) were observed in the two ecotypes. Both enrichment coefficient and translocation factors were <1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn in the two ecotypes, respectively. Treatment concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn did not significantly correlate (P > 0.05) with plant height and crowns of the two ecotypes. Treatment concentrations of Pb and Zn did not correlate (P > 0.05) with the biomass of the two ecotypes, whereas that of Cd related significantly to biomass in the two ecotypes. Oxyria sinensis Hemsl. was suggested to utilize a tolerant strategy to heavy metals (i.e., exclusion). It was a pioneer plant and will be used in restoration of a vegetation cover in a Pb–Zn mine after further research in tolerant mechanisms and restoration ability are conducted.     

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Arabian Gulf Using the Clam Meretrix meretrix Linnaeus, 1758

The present study is an attempt to assess the heavy metal contamination in the marine environment of the Arabian Gulf of Saudi Arabia. The concentrations of heavy metals in water and the soft tissues of the bivalve species Meretrix meretrix Linnaeus, 1758, from different stations along the Arabian Gulf coastline, were determined during the summer season of 2008. Bioaccumulation of some heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn) in fresh parts of the clam (M. meretrix) was measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The average concentrations of heavy metals in the clam tissues were 0.224?C0.908, 0.294?C2.496, 3.528?C8.196, and 12.864?C24.56 mg/kg wet weight for Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn, respectively. In water, the mean concentration values of these metals were arranged in the following descending order: Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd. The heavy metal concentrations in tissues of M. meretrix were within the acceptable standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Commission Européenne, and the Food and Drug Administration of the USA. From the human public health point of view, these results seem to show no possibility of acute toxicities of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn if the edible clam is consumed. It is recommended that relevant authorities should carry out a continual assessment on the levels of these pollutants in the studied area.     

Soil properties and metal accumulation by earthworms in the Siena urban area (Italy)

This paper reports the results of a study focused on the metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, U and Zn) distribution in soils and uptake and accumulation by earthworms Nicodrilus caliginosus (Savigny) from urban, peri-urban, green-urban and non-urban zones of Siena municipality (central Italy). The main goal was to define the influence of soil properties and metal soil contents on the uptake of these contaminants by earthworms. Data indicated that Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn soil contents increased in the following order: non-urban < green-urban < peri-urban < urban soils, suggesting that vehicular traffic affects the distribution of these metals. Pb and Sb were the main soil contaminants and their highest enrichments were found in urban sites where stop-and-go traffic occurs. Concentrations of these traffic-related metals in earthworms showed a distribution pattern similar to that in soil, suggesting that soil contamination influenced the uptake of Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn by N. caliginosus. There were significant positive correlations between Cd, Pb and Sb earthworm concentrations and their soil contents. The lack of correlation for Cu and Zn could be due to the physiological regulation of these elements by earthworms. Statistical analysis pointed out that the uptake and accumulation of Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn by earthworms were affected by some soil physicochemical properties such as the organic carbon and carbonate contents that are able to rule the bioavailability of metals in soils.     

Incubating Rainbow Trout in Soft Water Increased Their Later Sensitivity to Cadmium and Zinc

Water hardness is well known to affect the toxicity of some metals; however, reports on the influence of hardness during incubation or acclimation on later toxicity to metals have been conflicting. We incubated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) near the confluence of two streams, one with soft water and one with very-soft water (average incubation hardnesses of about 21 and 11 mg/L as CaCO₃, respectively). After developing to the swim-up stage, the fish were exposed for 96-h to a mixture of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in water with a hardness of 27 mg/L as CaCO₃. The fish incubated in the higher hardness water were about two times more resistant than the fish incubated in the extremely soft water. This difference was similar or greater than the difference that would have been predicted by criteria hardness equations had the fish been tested in the different acclimation waters. We think it is plausible that the energy demands for fish to maintain homeostasis in the lower hardness water make the fish more sensitive to metals that inhibit ionoregulation such as Cd and Zn. We suggest that if important decisions were to be based upon test results, assumptions of adequate hardness acclimation should be carefully considered and short acclimation periods avoided. If practical, incubating rainbow trout in the control waters to be tested may reduce uncertainties in the possible influences of differing rearing water hardness on the test results.     

Heavy Metal Uptake and Extraction Potential of Two Bechmeria nivea (L.) Gaud. (Ramie) Varieties Associated with Chemical Reagents

Two varieties of Bechmeria nivea (L.) Gaud. (Ramie), namely, triploid Tri-2 and diploid Xiangzhu-3, were potted with soils from Guangdong for 15 weeks and treated with 10 mmol kg^?1 EDTA or EGTA before harvest at 17th week. Lead, Zn, and Cd in plant and soil materials were analyzed, and their potential ecological risk in soils was simultaneously evaluated. These three metals in soils was found to be above 14.4, 3.0, and 29.9 times higher than the national (China) background value, 10.9, 6.19, and 96.7 times higher than the local (Guangdong) background value, and 1.25, 1.20, and 9.67 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration for soils, respectively. An ecological risk analysis of metals using Häkanson's method indicated an extremely high contamination and a significantly high potential ecological risk by these three metals in soils. The both ramie varieties contained respective concentration exceeding the concentration of <10, <80, and <0.27 mg kg^?1, respectively, for Pb, Zn, and Cd in normal plants, suggesting they were multimetal tolerant. Tri-2 generally contained higher Pb, Zn, and Cd than Xiangzhu-3. Treatment with EDTA or EGTA applied at 10 mmol kg^?1 generally promoted Pb or Cd concentration in both plants while the uptake of Zn was depressed. The ramie variety of Tri-2 and Xiangzhu-3 could extract 0.161 and 0.147 t?ha^?1 of Cd, respectively, equaling to the 0.17 t Cd per hectare by Cd-hyperaccumulating species Viola baoshanensis. Therefore, two ramie varieties in this study had a higher extracting potential for removal of Cd from contaminated soils.     

Emission Factors of Cement Industry in Turkey

The levels of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, S,Se and Zn in the terrestrial mosses Scleropodium purumand Hypnum cupressiforme, collected from 75 samplingsites in Galicia (NW Spain), were determined. Using thesedata, four statistical methods of estimating backgroundlevels were then compared: one based on the use ofmultifactorial analysis, another that uses modal analysis, athird based on analysis of cumulative frequency curves, andthe last, which involves identifying groups of data with acovariance close to 60%. The first method was discountedbecause of difficulties in interpretation of the resultingdata. Very different estimates of background levels ofelements were obtained depending on which of the remainingmethods was used, and modal analysis was finally chosen asthe most suitable. Background levels varied depending on themoss species used and the levels of Al, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni,Pb and Se in the two species were significantly different(p < 0.001). It was found that the dominant lithology in thesampling area had no influence on the estimated background levels.     

Effects of Phosphorus Additions on Lead,Cadmium, and Zinc Bioavailabilities in a Metal-Contaminated Soil

The use of phosphorus (P) to reduce lead (Pb)bioavailability is being proposed as an alternative to excavationand disposal as a remedial technology for Pb-contaminated soilsin residential areas. The objective of this study was todetermine the influence of P sources and rates andCaCO₃additions on the bioavailabilities of Pb, cadmium (Cd), and zinc(Zn) in a contaminated soil material using plants, a sequentialextraction procedure, and ion activities in equilibrium solutionas indicators. A contaminated soil containing 370 mg kg^-1 Cd, 2800 mg kg^-1 Pb and 29100 mg kg^-1 Zn was amended ina factorial arrangement of CaCO₃ (0 or 2000 mg kg^-1) and P as rock phosphate or KH₂PO₄ at 0:1, 2:1 or 4:1P:Pb mole ratios. A pot study was conducted using sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). The addition of P did not influence Pb concentrations in plant tissue and had little effect on Cd concentrations. An interaction between P source and level of P addition was found for Zn concentrations in plant tissue; concentrations increased with increasing amounts of P from KH₂PO₄ anddecreased with increasing amounts of P from rock phosphate. Sequential extraction results suggested a much greater reduction in Pb bioavailability from treatment withKH₂PO₄ than with rock phosphate and that P influencedthe fractionations of Cd and Zn. Activities of Cd²⁺,Pb²⁺, and Zn²⁺ in equilibrium solutions generally weredecreased by rock phosphate and increased by KH₂PO₄. Saturation indices suggested the addition ofKH₂PO₄shifted the soil equilibrium from octavite to hydroxypyromorphite, whereas solid-phase control of Cd²⁺ andZn²⁺ was not influenced by soil amendments. A soluble Psource was more effective in reducing Pb bioavailability thanrock phosphate but had variable effects on Cd and Znbioavailabilities.     

Forms of Cd,Cu, Pb,and Zn in soil and their uptake by cereal crops when applied jointly as carbonates

The cereal crops (barley -Hordeum vulgare L., maize -Zea mays L., wheat -Triticum vulgare L.) were grown in a greenhouse using a sandy soil type treated with various doses of cadmium carbonate (salt), copper carbonate (malachite), lead carbonate (cerussite), and zinc carbonate (smithsonite), added jointly. The following levels of these metals were used: Cd ? 5, 10, 50μg g^?1 soil; Cu and Pb - 50,100, 500 μg g^?1 soil; Zn-150, 300, 1500 μg g-1 soil. Sequential extraction was adopted to partition the metals into five operationally-defined fractions: exchangeable, carbonate, Fe-Mn oxides, organic, and residual. The residual was the most abundant fraction in the untreated (control) soil for all the metals studied (50 to 60% of the total metal content). The concentrations of exchangeable Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were relatively low in untreated soil but increased (over the three year period) in treated soils for Cd, Zn, and Cu, whereas only small changes were observed for Ph. This experiment showed a significant increase in Cd, Zn, and Cu in tissue of plants grown on the treated soil, but a non-significant change in plant tissue with respect to Pb concentration.     

Leaching of metals from the A-horizon of a spruce forest soil

The study quantifies the amount of metals (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr, V, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) leached from the A-horizon of a podzolic spruce forest soil in southern Sweden during 2.5 yr, and offers statistical evidence of environmental conditions of importance to metal release. Considerable losses of Pb, Cr, Ni and V may occur from the A-horizon of forest soils under conditions favoring leaching of organic matter, Fe, and Al, i.e. during periods of comparably high soil temperature and moisture. Metals with a larger fraction present in exchangeable form (Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd) are more susceptible to minor pH changes. An accelerated deposition or internal production of acidic matter therefore will reduce the retention times of these elements particularly.     

Copper,Cadmium, and Zinc Concentrations in Juvenile Chinook Salmon and Selected Fish-Forage Organisms (Aquatic Insects) in the Upper Sacramento River,California

This study assessed the downstream extent andseverity of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn)contamination from acid mine drainage on juvenile chinook salmon(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and aquatic insects over aroughly 270-km reach of the Sacramento River below KeswickReservoir. During April–May 1998, salmon were collected fromfour sites in the river and from a fish hatchery that receiveswater from Battle Creek. Salmon from river sites were examinedfor gut contents to document their consumption of variousinvertebrate taxa, whereas salmon from river sites and thehatchery were used for metal determinations. Midge(Chironomidae) and caddisfly (Trichoptera) larvae and mayfly(Ephemeroptera) nymphs were collected for metal determinationsduring April–June from river sites and from Battle and Buttecreeks. The fish hatchery and Battle and Butte creeks served asreference sites because they had no history of receiving minedrainage. Salmon consumed mostly midge larvae and pupae (44.0%,damp-dry biomass), caddisfly larvae (18.9%), Cladocera (5.8%),and mayfly nymphs (5.7%). These results demonstrated thatinsects selected for metal determinations were important as fishforage. Dry-weight concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Zn weregenerally far higher in salmon and insects from the river thanfrom reference sites. Within the river, high metalconcentrations persisted as far downstream as South Meridian (thelowermost sampling site). Maximum concentrations of Cd (30.7 μg g^-1) and Zn (1230 μg g^-1),but not Cu (87.4 μg g^-1), in insects exceeded amounts that other investigators reported as toxic when fed for prolonged periods to juvenile salmonids.     

Leachability of cadmium, lead, and zinc in a long-term spontaneously revegetated slag heap: implications for phytostabilization

Purpose

For abandoned slag heaps, the spontaneous establishment of a vegetation cover is usually considered beneficial as it represents a means of phytostabilization. However, for slag containing heavy metals, such a vegetation cover has a potential long-term effect on the fate of the metals. The objective of this study was to investigate how the long-term spontaneous revegetation of a slag heap can affect the fractionation and the leachability of Cd, Zn, and Pb.

Materials and methods

Soils from two plots covered by either Armeria maritima or Agrostis tenuis and a bare plot soil were sampled from a slag heap from a zinc smelting plant and characterized. The Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction scheme was adopted to determine the metal pools. The leachability of Cd, Pb, and Zn was assessed by means of a leaching column experiment.

Results and discussion

Long-term presence of a plant cover increased the proportion of Zn in the most mobile fraction and Pb in the fraction bound to organic matter. Cd distribution was relatively unaffected. Overall, the metal leachability was enhanced in the revegetated soils, notably due to higher organic anion release. However, responses of metal behavior to revegetation depended on the established plant species. The highest leachability of Cd was found in the soil covered by Agrostis tenuis, while the highest leachability of both Zn and Pb was observed in the soil below Armeria maritima.

Conclusions

Any remediation strategy for metal-rich waste dumps by phytostabilization should take into careful consideration the potential long-term mobilization effect of plant establishment on heavy metals. We conclude that, when using pioneer plants for phytostabilization purposes, preference should be given to pseudo-metallophyte over hyperaccumulator species.     

Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a Rural Community Leewards of a Waste Incineration Plant

In a rural community (Stephanskirchen, Southern Germany) near a waste incineration plant 7 soils, sewage sludge, waste incineration residues, the gutter sediment of a family home, and mosses were sampled to determine the total concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn and 20 PAHs. Representative samples were used to measure NH₄NO₃- and EDTA-extractable Cd, Pb, and Zn as well as 20 PAHs in particle size separates (clay, silt, fine and coarse sand). Sites near the main road, hill top, and forested sites contain up to 1.24 mg Cd, 888 mg Pb, and 279 mg Zn per kg. The heavy metal concentrations of the sewage sludge, the gutter sediment, and especially the waste incineration residues are extremely high (up to 57 mg Cd, 3300 mg Pb, and 5700 mg Zn per kg). The extractability of Pb and Zn with NH₄NO₃ is low (< 5%), that with EDTA is high (up to 71.2% of total Cd, 82.5% of total Pb, and 47.2% of total Zn). The sum concentrations of PAHs range between 0.4 and 470 mg kg^?1. The silt has the highest PAH concentrations of the particle size separates. High saturation of organic matter with PAHs in the sand indicates high recent PAH deposition. Selected ratios of single PAHs reveal diesel and gasoline exhausts as main sources for PAH. Principal component and cluster analysis show that the pollutant pattern depends on the C_org concentration and on the time passed since deposition. There is no significant influence of the waste incineration emissions on the heavy metal and PAH concentrations.     

Lead,zinc, cadmium and fluoride in small mammals from contaminated grassland established on fluorspar tailings

The total body concentrations of Pb, Cd, and fluoride were higher at the contaminated grassland site established on fluorspar tailings compared to an uncontaminated control site for all three species of small mammal, Apodemus sylvaticus, Microtus agrestis and Sorex araneus. Zn was also higher in M. agrestis and S. araneus but in A. sylvaticus it significantly decreased and, overall, there was good evidence of homeostatic control of Zn in all three species even at the high dietary intakes at the tailings dam. Accumulation in kidney, liver and bone(femur) showed the expected pattern with Pb and fluoride highest in bone and Cd in the kidney for both the control and the contaminated sites. The only exception was S. araneus at the contaminated site were Cd was highest in the liver rather than the kidney. The accumulation of Pb, Cd and fluoride at the contaminated site was in the decreasing species order S. araneus > M. agrestis > A. sylvaticus in terms of total body concentration or target organ concentration. This order probably reflected the decreasing dietary intake rates of the three species although physiological interspecific differences may be of significance. For example, S. araneus showed considerable capability for bioconcentrating Cd to much higher total body than dietary concentrations at the high dietary intake rates at the contaminated site.     

Lethal critical body residues as measures of Cd,Pb, and Zn bioavailability and toxicity in the earthworm<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia fetida</Emphasis>

Background. Earthworm heavy metal concentrations (critical body residues, CBRs) may be the most relevant measures of heavy metal bioavailability in soils and may be linkable to toxic effects in order to better assess soil ecotoxicity. However, as earthworms possess physiological mechanisms to secrete and/or sequester absorbed metals as toxicologically inactive forms, total earthworm metal concentrations may not relate well with toxicity. Objective  The objectives of this research were to: i) develop LD₅₀s (total earthworm metal concentration associated with 50% mortality) for Cd, Pb, and Zn; ii) evaluate the LD₅₀ for Zn in a lethal Zn-smelter soil; iii) evaluate the lethal mixture toxicity of Cd, Pb, and Zn using earthworm metal concentrations and the toxic unit (TU) approach; and iv) evaluate total and fractionated earthworm concentrations as indicators of sublethal exposure. Methods  Earthworms (Eisenia fetida (Savigny)) were exposed to artificial soils spiked with Cd, Pb, Zn, and a Cd-Pb-Zn equitoxic mixture to estimate lethal CBRs and mixture toxicity. To evaluate the CBR developed for Zn, earthworms were also exposed to Zn-contaminated field soils receiving three different remediation treatments. Earthworm metal concentrations were measured using a procedure devised to isolate toxicologically active metal burdens via separation into cytosolic and pellet fractions. Results and Discussion  Lethal CBRs inducing 50% mortality (LD₅₀, 95% CI) were calculated to be 5.72 (3.54-7.31), 3.33 (2.97-3.69), and 8.19 (4.78-11.6) mmol/kg for Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively. Zn concentrations of dead earthworms exposed to a lethal remediated Zn-smelter soil were 3-fold above the LD₅₀ for Zn and comparable to earthworm concentrations in lethal Zn-spiked artificial soils, despite a 14-fold difference in total soil Zn concentration between lethal field and artificial soils. An evaluation of the acute mixture toxicity of Cd, Pb, and Zn in artificial soils using the Toxic Unit (TU) approach revealed an LD₅₀ (95% CI) of 0.99 (0.57-1.41) TU, indicating additive toxicity. Conclusions  Total Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in earthworms were good indicators of lethal metal exposure, and enabled the calculation at LD₅₀s for lethality. The Zn-LD₅₀ developed in artificial soil was applicable to earthworms exposed to remediated Zn-smelter soil, despite a 14-fold difference in total soil Zn concentrations. Mixture toxicity evaluated using LD₅₀s from each single metal test indicated additive mixture toxicity among Cd, Pb, and Zn. Fractionation of earth worm tissues into cytosolic and pellet digests yielded mixed results for detecting differences in exposure at the sublethal level Recommendation and Outlook  CBRs are useful in describing acute Cd, Pb, and Zn toxicity in earthworms, but linking sublethal exposure to total and/or fractionated residues may be more difficult. More research on detoxification, regulation, and tissue and subcellular partitioning of heavy metals in earthworms and other invertebrates is needed to establish the link between body residue and sublethal exposure and toxicity. Keywords: Bioavailability; Cd; critical body residues; earthworms; metals; Pb; soil; Zn An erratum to this article is available at .     

Phytoextraction of Heavy Metals by Eight Plant Species in the Field

Phytoremediation is an in situ, cost-effective potential strategy for cleanup of sites contaminated with trace metals. Selection of plant materials is an important factor for successful field phytoremediation. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the phytoextraction abilities of six high biomass plants (Vertiveria zizanioides, Dianthus chinensis, Rumex K-1 (Rumex upatientia × R. timschmicus), Rumex crispus, and two populations of Rumex acetosa) in comparison to metal hyperaccumulators (Viola baoshanensis, Sedum alfredii). The paddy fields used in the experiment were contaminated with Pb, Zn, and Cd. Our results indicated that V. baoshanensis accumulated 28 mg kg^?1 Cd and S. alfredii accumulated 6,279 mg kg^?1 Zn (dry weight) in shoots, with bioconcentration factors up to 4.8 and 6.3, respectively. The resulting total extractions of V. baoshanensis and S. alfredii were 0.17 kg ha^?1 for Cd and 32.7 kg ha^?1 for Zn, respectively, with one harvest without any treatment. The phytoextraction rates of V. baoshanensis and S. alfredii for Cd and Zn were 0.88 and 1.15%, respectively. Among the high biomass plants, R. crispus extracted Zn and Cd of 26.8 and 0.16 kg ha^?1, respectively, with one harvest without any treatment, so it could be a candidate species for phytoextraction of Cd and Zn from soil. No plants were proved to have the ability to phytoextract Pb with high efficiency.     

Distribution Assessment and Source Identification Using Multivariate Statistical Analyses and Artificial Neutral Networks for Trace Elements in Agricultural Soils in Xinzhou of Shanxi Province, China

Multivariate statistical analyses were used to assess the contents and distributions of trace elements in agricultural soils in Xinzhou of Shanxi Province, China, and to identify their sources. Samples with high levels of trace elements were concentrated in eastern Xinzhou, with contents declining from the east to west. Principal component and redundancy analyses revealed strong correlations among Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Se, V, and Zn contents, suggesting that these elements were derived from similar parent materials. There were also strong correlations between the contents of these elements and soil properties. Contents of Cd and Pb were significantly higher in the agricultural soil samples than in the background soil samples (P < 0.05), and were higher in areas with higher levels of gross domestic product but decreased with distance to the nearest road. Therefore, human activities appear to have a strong influence on the Cd and Pb distribution patterns. A novel artificial neural network (ANN) model, using environmental input data, was used to predict the soil Cd and Pb contents of specified test dates. The performances of the ANN model and a traditional multilinear model were compared. The ANN model could successfully predict Cd and Pb content distributions, projecting that soil Cd and Pb contents will increase by 128% and 25%, respectively, by 2020. The results thus indicated that the economic condition of an area has a greater effect on trace element contents and distributions in the soil than the scale of the economy itself.     

Influence of Airborne Pollution on Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Al Accumulation and Physiological Parameters of Plant Leaves in Antakya (Turkey)

In this study, the effects of industrial and urban pollution on Pb, Al, Cd, Cu, and Zn accumulation, peroxidase activity, and pigment and protein contents were investigated in shrub and tree leaves in Antakya, Turkey. We determined that industrial and traffic activities produce the most plant-incorporated air pollutants in Antakya City. Cu and Al amounts were high in plants in the urban street location and Cd, Pb, and Zn amounts where high for all plants in the industrial site. Acer negundo L. showed maximum Pb and Zn accumulation at the industrial site and Al accumulation for the urban street site. Higher Cd and Cu amounts were detected in Platanus orientalis L. and Nerium oleander L. in the industrial and urban street sites, respectively. Compared to the control site, decreases in pigment and total soluble protein contents and increases in peroxidase enzyme activity were more evident in industrial and urban street sites. Our results indicated that industry and urban air pollution is high in Antakya City and Pb pollution was at an especially alarming level for vegetation and human health.