Heavy Metal Accumulation in Plants on Mn Mine Tailings

The Xiangtan Manganese （Mn） Mine in the middle of Hunan Province, China, has been mined since 1913 with mine tailings including excavated wastes, wastewater, and smelting wastes. A survey was conducted on the Mn mine tailing soils and eight plants on the Mn mine tailings. The concentrations of soil Mn, Pb, and Cd and the metal-enrichment traits of these eight plants were analyzed simultaneously. Exceptionally high concentrations of these three metals were found in the soils, especially on the tailing dam. Each plant investigated in this study accumulated the three heavy metals, but no hyperaccumulator of these metals was found. However, analysis indicated that Poa pratensis Linn., Gnaphalium affine D. Don, Pteris vittata L., Conyza canadensis （L.） Cronq., and Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. possessed specially good metalenrichment and metal-tolerant traits. P. pratensis, G. affine, and P. vittata were Pb-tolerant plants; and C. canadensis, P. pratensis, and G. affine were Cd-tolerant plants. P acinosa had a great tolerance to Mn, and it was a valuable plant for on-site phytoremediation. Phragmites communis Trin. was found to have high metal tolerance and economic benefit as a raw material for paper and should be considered for soil remediation. G. affine and C. canadensis had excessive accumulation of Mn and could be useful in phytoremediation. However, although P. pratensis was a good accumulator, it was not a suitable plant for soil remediation because its biomass was too little.     

不同改良剂对黑麦草在铜矿尾矿砂上生长的影响

Montmorillonite, rice straw, organic manure and chemical fertilizer were used as amendment materials for copper mine tailings, and their effects on mine tailing pH, nutrients and metal availability to ryegrass were investigated. Chemical fertilization was the most effective one in improving ryegrass growth in mine tailings among the amendment materials examined. It was found that montmorillonite raised biomass of ryegrass at the 1st and 2nd cuts, but it did not give further positive effects at the 3rd and 4th cuts. The effect of organic materials on ryegrass growth was not so good as expected, mainly due to their slow decomposition in mine tailings with less soil microorganisms. Available Cu and Zn contents in mine tailings decreased in the presence of montmorillonite but increased when rice straw and organic manure were used as amendments. Cu and Zn contents in ryegrass decreased with increasing the rate of montmorillonite application but increased with the rate of rice straw. Zn showed much stronger mobility from soil to ryegrass than Cu, and almost all the available N and P in mine tailings, except for the treatments with organic manure, were completely consumed after ryegrass had grown in mine tailings for more than four months and been harvested for four times. Owing to its large biomass and high metal uptake, ryegrass is a potential plant for remediation of metal contaminated soils in practice.     

中国原油污染区重金属空间分布模式及其潜在来源研究

Twenty-two soil samples were collected at the subregional scale （50 km2） around Gudao Town, a typical oil-producing region of the Shengli Oilfield in the Yellow River Delta, China to determine the spatial distribution patterns and potential sources of heavy metals in soils of crude oil-polluted regions. The concentrations of total petroleum hydrocaxbons （TPHs） and heavy metals as well as other soil properties were determined and the enrichment factor values were calculated for the heavy metals measured. Principal component analysis （PCA） and cluster analysis （CA） were used to estimate potential sources contributing to the concentrations of heavy metals in the soils. The results revealed that the soils were slightly alkaline （pH = 7.33-8.05） and high in salinity （1.43-41.30 g kg-1）, TPHs （0.51 28.40 g kg-1） and organic matter （1.74-31.50 g kg-1）. The mean concentrations of the measured heavy metals Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and V were 18.4, 78.2, 20.8, 0.19, 56.6, 26.3 and 62.1 mg kg-1, respectively. Although the concentrations of all the metals measured in this study were not high enough to exceed the national control standards, there was a significant enrichment of Cd in the study area and Zn and Ni were in the category of deficiency to minimal enrichment. The spatial distribution patterns of Cu, Cr, Ni and V were similar and partially affected by oil exploitation and petroleum hydrocarbon spills. Potential sources of Cr, Ni, V and Cu in the soils were both natural sources and petroleum hydrocarbon spills, while Zn, Pb and Cd were probably from anthropogenic sources such as farming activities and traffic.     

重金属迁移与土壤性质的关系

Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg runoff from yellow limestone soil and purple soils and the relationships between the mobility of the heavy metals and the soil characteristics were studied in laboratory using a rainfall simulator. The results showed that the concentrations of soluble Zn in surface runoff were significantly negatively correlated with the contents of < 0.002 mm particles and CEC of the soils, indicating that Zn was mostly adsorbed by clays in the soils. The contents of Cu and Hg in surface runoff were positively related to their contents in the soils. The amounts of Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg removed by surface runoff were influenced by the amounts of soil and water losses and their contents in the soils, and were closely related to the contents of soil particles 1~0.02 mm in size.     

Impact of Urbanization on Shanghai＇s Soil Environmental Quality

Heavy metal contents in the soils in the Baoshan District of Shanghai were monitored to evaluate the risk of soilenvironmental quality degradation due to rapid urbanization and to reveal the ways of heavy metal accumulation in soilduring rapid urban sprawl. It was found that the soils in this district were commonly contaminated by Pb, Zn andCd. Evaluated with a geo-accumulation index (Igeo). the rate of Pb contamination in soils was 100% with 59% of thesegraded as moderate-severe or severe; Zn contamination reached 59%with 6%graded as moderate-severe or severe; andCd contamination was over 50%, with one site graded as moderate-severe and another severe-extremely severe. Metalcontamination of soils around the Shanghai metropolis was mainly attributed to trait‘m, industrial production, wastewaterirrigation and improper disposal of solid wastes. Because of continuing urbanization, the cultivated land around themetropolis should be comprehensively planned and carefully managed. Also the soil environmental quality of vegetableproduction bases in this area should be monitored regularly, with vegetables to be grown selected according to the degreesand types of soil contamination.     

城市化对上海土壤环境质量的影响

Heavy metal contents in the soils in the Baoshan District of Shanghai were monitored to evaluate the risk of soil environmental quality degradation due to rapid urbanization and to reveal the ways of heavy metal accumulation in soil during rapid urban sprawl. It was found that the soils in this district were commonly contaminated by Pb, Zn and Cd. Evaluated with a geo-accumulation index (I_geo), the rate of Pb contamination in soils was 100% with 59% of these graded as moderate-severe or severe; Zn contamination reached 59% with 6% graded as moderate-severe or severe; and Cd contamination was over 50%, with one site graded as moderate-severe and another severe-extremely severe. Metal contamination of soils around the Shanghai metropolis was mainly attributed to trame, industrial production, wastewater irrigation and improper disposal of solid wastes. Because of continuing urbanization, the cultivated land around the metropolis should be comprehensively planned and carefully managed. Also the soil environmental quality of vegetable production bases in this area should be monitored regularly, with vegetables to be grown selected according to the degrees and types of soil contamination.     

陇海铁路郑州—圃田段铁路旁土壤重金属污染

The pollution status and horizontal distribution of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Cd) in the soil on railroad side along the Zhengzhou-Putian section of Longxi-Haizhou Railroad were studied by collecting soil samples along a sampling section perpendicular to the railroad at the distances of 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 m from the railroad edge. The concentrations of heavy metals in the sampling soils were higher than those of the control site. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd were found to be the highest in the soils at the railroad edge, and then decreased with increasing distance from the railroad. The highest concentrations of Ni, Cr, and Cu in soils were located at about 10-30 m from the railroad. Compared with the single factor pollution index (SFPI) of heavy metals calculated for the control site, the average SFPI from the sampling sites decreased in the order of Cr > Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu. There were notable negative correlations between the integral pollution index (IPI) of soil heavy metals at all sampling sites and the distances from the railroad. According to three IPIs calculated from the background values of heavy metals in och-aquic Cambisols, the heavy metal concentrations in the control soil, and the 2nd levels for soil heavy metals in GB15618-1995, the study area could be divided, based on the distances from the railroad, into four pollution zones: heavy pollution zone (0-10 m), medium pollution zone (10-50 m), slight pollution zone (50-100 m), and warning zone (100-500 m), respectively.     

城郊结合区蔬菜种植地土壤性质特征

Human activity and urbanization result in urban-rural environmental gradients.Undersanding effect of the gradients on soil properties is necessary for management of the soils around urban areas.In this study,soil quality of some vegetable fields was characterized along an urban-rural gradient in shaoxing County,Zhejiang Province.Fifteen soilphysical and chemical properties were evaluated by using principal component analysis.Results showed that there was a great variation in the soil quality along the gradient.From rural to urban zones,soil organic matter,water-stable aggregates,cation exchangeable capacity(CEC),total N and P,and available K increased,whereas soil pH value decreased.In addition,Pb,Cu,Ni,Co,Zn and Cr in the soils tended to be accumulated toward the urban zone.Sequential chemical extraction showed that mobility of all the heavy metals in the soils tended toincrease from the rural to the urban zones.The variation of soil properties accounted for by the first principal component was significantly explained bythe difference in application rates of municipal wastes.     

华北矿区残留态铜、铅在土壤剖面中的分布与迁移

Residual heavy metals are commonly considered to be immobile in soils, leading to an underestimation of their environmental risk. This study investigated the distribution and transport of residual heavy metals along soil profiles, using the Xiaoqinling gold mining region in North China as a case study. Soil samples were collected at three depths from three locations near the tailing heap. The speciation of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) (exchangeable, carbonate-bound, Fe-Mn oxide-bound, organic matter-bound, and residual fractions) was determined using a sequential extraction procedure. The residual fraction’s morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that metal fraction distributions along the soil profiles were influenced by each fraction’s mobility. Residual fraction with high chemical stability cannot be transformed from or into other fractions. This led to the conclusion that the high concentration of residual metals in soils mainly resulted from residual fraction transport.The SEM analysis showed that fine particles (submicrons) were mainly attached to large particles and were likely released and transported by water flow. The more sorptive fractions (non-residual fractions) were mainly retained in the top soil, and the more mobile fractions (residual fraction) were mainly leached to the deep soil. Cu and Pb concentrations in the residual fraction decreased slightly and those in the non-residual fractions decreased significantly with soil depth. These suggest a relatively higher residual metal mobility along the soil pro?les. Therefore, residual metals can be transported in soils and their environmental risk can not be ignored in assessing soil contamination.     

复垦沉积池土壤中镍、铅、锌的吸附

The wastes used to amend soils sometimes have high concentrations of metals such as nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). To determine the capacity of soils to retain these metals, the sorption capacities of different mine soils with and without reclamation treatments (tree vegetation and waste amendment) for Ni, Pb and Zn in individual and competitive situations were evaluated using the batch sorption technique. The untreated settling pond soil had low capacity for Ni, Pb and Zn retention. The site amended with wastes (sewage sludges and paper mill residues) increased the sorption capacity most, probably because of the higher concentrations of soil components with high retention capacity such as carbon and clay fraction. No significant competition was observed between metals in the competitive sorption experiment, indicating that the maximum of sorption was not achieved by adding 0.5 mmol L^-1 of metal. We can conclude that, despite the possible additions of Ni, Pb and Zn from wastes to degraded soils, sewage sludges and paper mill residues have a high sorption capacity that would prevent the metals from being in a mobile form.     

红透山铜尾矿重金属分布及其对土壤重金属污染的影响

通过对红透山铜尾矿重金属分布及尾矿区和农田区土壤重金属污染状况进行研究,结果显示:尾矿中四种重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd均出现不同程度的淋滤-富集现象,对周围土壤存在较大的环境威胁。尾矿区土壤综合污染指数16.27,达重污染程度;周围农田土壤为轻度污染,综合污染指数1.29。四种重金属的污染状况分别为:Cd、Cu为重度污染,Zn为轻度污染,Pb为安全级别。     

不同修复方式对铅锌尾矿砂微生态环境的改良作用

采用盆栽试验方法研究黑麦草、黑麦草联合改良剂等不同修复方式对铅锌尾矿砂的理化性质和微生物性状的改良作用。结果表明,不同处理使铅锌尾矿砂中有机质、碱解氮、速效磷含量显著提高,其中黑麦草联合10%菜园土和1%赤泥处理(CN1)对铅锌尾矿砂中有机质、碱解氮、速效磷含量明显提高,分别比对照提高了51.82%,300.00%和901.29%。添加改良剂显著增加了黑麦草的生物量,减少了黑麦草根部重金属的含量。不同处理使铅锌尾矿砂中微生物数量,微生物C、N含量显著增加,其中CN1处理使细菌、真菌、放线菌数量和微生物C、N含量增加效果最好,分别比对照增加了33.78,5.99,21.82,6.34,6.35倍。各处理显著提高了尾矿砂中脲酶、磷酸酶、蔗糖酶、纤维素酶活性,其中CN1处理使脲酶、磷酸酶、蔗糖酶、纤维素酶活性分别比对照提高了18.43,12.58,5.00,9.15倍。黑麦草联合10%菜园土和1%赤泥较其他处理有利于提高铅锌尾矿砂的肥力,改良尾矿砂的微生态环境,促进植物生长。     

肥料重金属含量状况及施肥对土壤和作物重金属富集的影响

本文对肥料中重金属的含量状况以及施肥对土壤和农作物重金属累积影响的研究进展进行了系统分析和总结。过磷酸钙中锌（Zn）、 铜（Cu）、 镉（Cd）、 铅（Pb）含量高于氮肥、 钾肥和三元复合肥,有机-无机复混肥料中的Pb含量高于其他化肥。有机肥如畜禽粪便、 污泥及其堆肥中的重金属含量高于化肥,猪粪中的Cu、 Zn、 砷（As）、 Cd含量明显高于其他有机废弃物,鸡粪中铬（Cr）含量高;污泥和垃圾堆肥中Pb或汞（Hg）含量高。商品有机肥Zn、 Pb和镍（Ni）含量高于堆肥,Hg含量高于畜禽粪便。多数研究表明,氮磷钾配施与不施肥相比土壤Cd和Pb含量增加,施用有机肥比不施肥提高土壤Cu、 Zn、 Pb、 Cd含量。施用化肥对农作物重金属富集的影响不明确,而施用有机肥可提高作物可食部位Cu、 Zn、 Cd、 Pb 的含量,影响大小与有机肥种类、 用量、 土壤类型和pH以及作物种类等有很大关系。在今后的研究中应着重以下几个方面, 1）典型种植体系下土壤重金属的投入/产出平衡; 2）不同种植体系下长期不同施肥措施对土壤重金属含量、 有效性影响的动态趋势; 3）典型种植体系和施肥措施下土壤对重金属的最高承载年限; 4）现有施肥措施下肥料中重金属的最高限量标准。     

Heavy Metals Contamination in Century-Old Manmade Technosols of Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

Technosols are anthropogenic soils that may be strongly impacted by heavy metal deposition, which have not yet been described in Antarctica. In this paper, we present a chemical study of what is supposedly the oldest manmade soil from Antarctic Peninsula, developed in the vicinity of Trinity House and Nordenskjold Hut at Hope Bay. Chemical and morphological soil attributes indicate that a former ornithogenic site (penguin rookery) was further subjected to human disturbance, following local exploration since 1903. We detected very high amounts of heavy metals such as Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. For the most impacted site, pseudototal concentrations of these elements reach 47, 2,082, 19,381, and 5,225 mg kg^?1, respectively. Enrichment factors were calculated using Zr as reference element, and high values were found for these contaminated sites, qualifying some of them as extremely polluted. Also, both the mobilizable and mobile fraction of Cd and Pb indicate the need of intervention in the affected area. These findings are all consistent with the human impacts and strong contamination. Strong positive correlation between the pseudototal concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn indicates a similar source of pollution. These soils may represent the oldest Technosols in Antarctic Continent.     

内蒙古草原白乃庙铜矿区土壤重金属污染特征研究

对位于内蒙古荒漠草原上的白乃庙铜矿采选矿区土壤和尾矿区周围土壤重金属污染状况进行了调查研究。结果表明,矿区土壤中Cu、Cr、Ni、Fe和Mn浓度均高于内蒙古土壤平均值。单因子指数法评价结果表明,五个调查区域土壤都受到了重金属Cu、Cr、Ni、Mn、Fe的污染,其中Cu为重污染,Cr、Ni、Mn、Fe为轻污染,Pb为安全级别,Zn和As只对某些区域有轻污染。综合污染指数法评价结果表明,五个调查区域的土壤重金属污染等级均属重污染,主要贡献元素是Cu,其次是Cr、Ni、Mn、Fe,这与尾矿砂中这些重金属的浓度是相对应的。由于周边地形复杂,多为低山丘陵,所以该地区主导风向对于尾矿库区不同方向土壤重金属污染水平的影响差异并不显著。     

Microelements in anthropogenically contaminated soils in the central part of Petrozavodsk

Urban soils (Urbic Technosols) formed within or near the industrial sites removed of service show a considerable excess over the regional background in the content of Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Ni, as well as over the average content of W, Mo, Pb, Sb, Cr, Cu, Sn, Ni, Zn, and Mn in urban soils. Microelements are concentrated for the most part in the soil fine earth, and above all, in the fraction with particle size <0.1 mm. Surface films (on quartz and feldspar grains) of quartz–feldspar–muscovite (partially with tremolite and chlorite) composition and undifferentiated dispersed mixture of quartz, albite, microcline, muscovite and organomineral soil substance are the strongest concentrators of heavy metals and metalloids. Pb and Sn are partially present in soils as oxides, and a part of Zn and Pb, in the form of substantial admixtures to technogenic chemical compounds. As a whole, distribution of elements in the studied soils is controlled by the specifics and type of contamination, resistance of coarser grains to weathering under the given physicochemical conditions, and by predominantly mineral (quartz–feldspar) composition of the solids in soil layers and the features of elements proper.     

尾矿库尾砂及周边农田土壤重金属形态分布及其生物有效性

采用BCR（community bureau of reference）连续提取法对大宝山矿山槽对坑尾矿库尾砂和周边农田土壤重金属Cd、Pb、Cu和Zn的形态分布及其生物有效性进行了分析。结果表明,尾砂中Cd、Pb、Cu和Zn残渣态占绝对优势,占其总量的百分数均在85%以上。农田土壤中Cd、Cu和Zn都以残渣态为主,分别占其总量的60%、60%和90%以上,Pb以残渣态和可还原态为主,占其总量的93.44%。农田土壤重金属有效性较尾砂大,尾砂和农田土壤重金属生物有效性均以Pb为最高。     

Heavy metal content and toxicity of mine and quarry soils

Purpose

Soils formed in metallic mines and serpentinite quarries, among other unfavourable features, have high levels of heavy metals. They can release into the environment causing surface and subsurface water contamination, uptake by plants, their accumulation in the food chain and adverse effects on living organisms. In this work, we studied the magnitude of the soils’ toxic effects not only on spontaneous plants but also on two species with phytoremediation potential.

Materials and methods

Several soils from two different exploitations were selected: a lead and zinc mine and a serpentinite quarry. Soils were characterized, and the pseudo-total and extractable contents of Co, Cr and Ni in soils from a serpentinite quarry were determined. The Cd, Pb and Zn pseudo-total and extractable contents were determined in soils developed in the Pb/Zn abandoned mine. Using a biotest, the chronic toxicity of the soil samples on higher plants was determined. Festuca ovina L., Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link., Sinapis alba L. and Brassica juncea L. were selected, the first two because they are spontaneous plants in the study areas and the last two because they have heavy metal phytoremediation potential.

Results and discussion

Pseudo-total contents of Co, Cr and Ni in the serpentinite quarry soils and of Zn, Pb and Cd in the Zn/Pb mine soils exceed generic reference levels. CaCl₂ is the reactant that extracts the highest proportion of Co, Cr and Ni in the quarry soils and EDTA the largest proportion of Pb Zn and Cd content in the mine soils. The germination index values based on seed germination and root elongation bioassays revealed increasing plant sensitivity to the mine soils in the following order: B. juncea?<?S. alba?<?F. ovina?<?C. scoparius. The wide range of GI values indicates that the response of test plants to soil heavy metals depended on their concentrations and soil characteristics, especially pH and organic matter content.

Conclusions

The pollution index indicates severe Cd, Pb and Zn contamination in the mine soils, as well as high Cr and Ni and moderate Co contamination in the serpentinite quarry soils. The performed biotests were suitable for identifying toxic soils and showed that the studied soils are toxic to the spontaneous plants, more to C. scoparius than to F. ovina. They also indicate that the mine soils are more toxic than the quarry soils for both species.

     

鸡西矿区废弃地重金属含量及其污染评价

以黑龙江省鸡西市矿区废弃地为研究区,对不同矿区废弃地(石墨尾矿、电厂煤灰坝和工矿采石场)重金属元素Zn,Ni,Cr,As,Pb,Hg进行含量分析和污染评价,结果表明:石墨尾矿Zn和Ni含量、电厂煤灰坝Ni含量均较高,且超过了国家土壤环境质量二级标准;Cr,As和Pb含量在3种矿区废弃地中均未超过二级标准,其中除Zn和Cr在电厂煤灰坝低于一级标准外,其他均高于一级标准,而Hg含量均超过了三级标准,说明Hg是主要也是最强烈的污染源。综合污染指数在石墨尾矿、煤灰坝和采石场分别达到了5.60,3.74,7.66,污染等级达到了重污染,说明这3种废弃地是强烈的污染源,会对矿区周围的生态环境产生严重威胁和污染,并提出了防治对策。