Combination of electroreduction with biosorption for enhancement for removal of hexavalent chromium

Hexavalent chromium is one of the most toxic heavy metals in aqueous solutions. It has been well documented that the brown seaweed can be used as a promising biosorbent for the sequestration of this heavy metal from wastewater. However, the uptake of Cr(VI) is reportedly a rather slower process; the sorption equilibrium can only be established after a few days, much slower than a few hours for the trivalent chromium ion. In this study, we developed a novel technology of electrochemically assisted biosorption (ECAB) system for the enhancement of the treatment efficiency. It was found through our study that the removal efficiencies of Cr(VI) and total chromium were greatly enhanced by 48.1% and 51.3%, respectively, with the application of -1.0V in the ECAB system. The conversion of Cr(III) due to the electroreduction of Cr(VI) and the higher pH due to the cathodic H(2) evolution created a favorable condition for the uptake of chromium onto the modified seaweed (MSW). The reduction and adsorption of Cr(VI) by MSW was proved to play a minor role in the removal. Both direct electroreduction and indirect electroreduction by atomic H(*) contributed to the reduction of Cr(VI).     

Analytical speciation of chromium in in-vitro cultures of chromate-resistant filamentous fungi

In this work, different analytical speciation schemes have been used to study the reduction of Cr(VI) by a chromate-resistant strain of filamentous fungi Ed8 (Aspergillus sp), indigenous to contaminated industrial wastes. As demonstrated previously, this strain has the capability to reduce chromate present in the growth medium without its accumulation in the biomass, yet the reduced chromium end-products have not been characterized. Liquid growth medium, initially containing 50 mg L(-1) Cr(VI), was analyzed for Cr(III)/Cr(VI) and for total Cr at different time intervals (0-24 h) after inoculation with fungi. Three hyphenated procedures, based on the Cr(III)-EDTA formation and species separation by anion-exchange or ion-pairing reversed-phase chromatography with ICP-MS or DAD detection were used. The results obtained for Cr(VI) in each case were consistent, demonstrating efficient reduction of chromate during 24 h of Ed8 growth. However, pre-column complexation with EDTA did not ensure complete recovery of the reduced forms of chromium in the above procedures. An alternative speciation scheme, based on extraction of Cr(VI)-benzyltributylammonium bromide (BTAB) ion pairs into chloroform and subsequent determination of residual chromium by ICP-MS has provided evidence on the effective conversion of chromate into reduced chromium species in the growth medium. The results indicate the feasibility of using Ed8 strain for chromate bioremediation purposes. Analytically it can be concluded that speciation of chromium in biological systems should not be limited to its two most common oxidation states, because the actual reduced chromium species are not converted quantitatively to Cr(III)-EDTA.     

Speciation dependent studies on chromium absorption using calcium alginate and iron doped calcium alginate biopolymer

Attempt has been made to develop methodologies for preconcentration of chromium in the biodegradable polymer beads. The uptake behaviors for chromium have been studied with Ca-alginate (CA) and Fe-doped calcium alginate (Fe-CA) beads. The work also aims to study the differential attitude of CA and Fe-CA towards Cr(III) and Cr(VI) so that, depending on the oxidation state of chromium effluent, environmentally sustainable methodologies can be prescribed for removal of chromium. Radiotracer ⁵¹Cr has been chosen as precursor of stable chromium throughout the experiment. It was found that Fe-CA beads are suitable for removal of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) while CA beads can be used for the speciation and separation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) at pH 5.     

Speciation of chromium in sea water

Dissolved chromium(III) and (VI) are coprecipitated separately from sea water, and chromium in the precipitates and particulate matter is determined by thin-film x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. In combination with an ultraviolet irradiation procedure whch releases bound metals, the method provides information about the speciation of chromium in near-shore surface sea water. The ratios of labile Cr(III)/(IIO+VI) generally lie in a narrow range (0.4–0.5) as do the sums of labile Cr(III) and (VI) concentrations (0.3–0.6 μg l^?1). Bound chromium is variable (0–3 μg l^?1) and constitutes from 0 to 90% of total dissolved chromium. Acidification of the samples in the traditional manner for trace metal determination is shown to alter the proportion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI).     

An Opportunity for Recycling Semi‐dry Scrubber Residues Directly from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Plants without Concern of Leaching Toxicity

The leaching behaviors of heavy metals from semi‐dry scrubber (SDS) residues of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plants are re‐investigated. The most leachable heavy metals in semi‐dry scrubber residues from municipal solid waste incinerators are found to be chromium ions (Cr(III) and Cr(VI)), but neither lead nor cadmium. Both of the leachabilities of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in MSWI scrubber residue are a function of the CaO/Al₂O₃ ratio of residues. The pH‐dependent leaching behaviors are only observed in the case of Cr(III), but not for Cr(VI). Our results show that it is worth recycling SDS residues which possess a lower chemical composition ratio of CaO/Al₂O₃, in order to reduce the potential risk of toxic leaching of chromium species.     

Separation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) using melamine-formaldehyde resin and determination of both species in water by FAAS

A method is described for the determination of Cr(VI) and total chromium by FAAS. Cr(VI) is separated from Cr(III) by adsorption on melamine-formaldehyde resin. After elution of Cr(VI) with 0.1 mol/l NaAc solution, it is analysed by FAAS. Total chromium is determined by FAAS after conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, total Cr(VI) is concentrated as above. If the total concentration of chromium is sufficient, the determination can be directly made by FAAS. Cr(III) can then be calculated by subtracting Cr(VI) from the total Cr. This method was successfully applied to the determination of chromium in lake water.     

Role of Bacillus cereus in Improving the Growth and Phytoextractability of Brassica nigra (L.) K. Koch in Chromium Contaminated Soil

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) mediate heavy metal tolerance and improve phytoextraction potential in plants. The present research was conducted to find the potential of bacterial strains in improving the growth and phytoextraction abilities of Brassica nigra (L.) K. Koch. in chromium contaminated soil. In this study, a total of 15 bacterial strains were isolated from heavy metal polluted soil and were screened for their heavy metal tolerance and plant growth promotion potential. The most efficient strain was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and was identified as Bacillus cereus. The isolate also showed the potential to solubilize phosphate and synthesize siderophore, phytohormones (indole acetic acid, cytokinin, and abscisic acid), and osmolyte (proline and sugar) in chromium (Cr⁺³) supplemented medium. The results of the present study showed that chromium stress has negative effects on seed germination and plant growth in B. nigra while inoculation of B. cereus improved plant growth and reduced chromium toxicity. The increase in seed germination percentage, shoot length, and root length was 28.07%, 35.86%, 19.11% while the fresh and dry biomass of the plant increased by 48.00% and 62.16%, respectively, as compared to the uninoculated/control plants. The photosynthetic pigments were also improved by bacterial inoculation as compared to untreated stress-exposed plants, i.e., increase in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll a + b, and carotenoid was d 25.94%, 10.65%, 20.35%, and 44.30%, respectively. Bacterial inoculation also resulted in osmotic adjustment (proline 8.76% and sugar 28.71%) and maintained the membrane stability (51.39%) which was also indicated by reduced malondialdehyde content (59.53% decrease). The antioxidant enzyme activities were also improved to 35.90% (superoxide dismutase), 59.61% (peroxide), and 33.33% (catalase) in inoculated stress-exposed plants as compared to the control plants. B. cereus inoculation also improved the uptake, bioaccumulation, and translocation of Cr in the plant. Data showed that B. cereus also increased Cr content in the root (2.71-fold) and shoot (4.01-fold), its bioaccumulation (2.71-fold in root and 4.03-fold in the shoot) and translocation (40%) was also high in B. nigra. The data revealed that B. cereus is a multifarious PGPR that efficiently tolerates heavy metal ions (Cr⁺³) and it can be used to enhance the growth and phytoextraction potential of B. nigra in heavy metal contaminated soil.     

Simultaneous determination of hexavalent and total chromium in water and plating baths by spectrophotometry

A new spectrophotometric determination method of hexavalent chromium in waste water and plating baths is described based on the oxidation of beryllon III by chromium(VI) in 0.02M sulphuric acid medium. The decrease in the absorbance of beryllon III was measured at 482 nm with an apparent molar absorptivity of 5.15 x 10(4)1.mole(-1).cm(-1). Beer's law was obeyed for chromium(VI) over the range 0-25 mug/25 ml. After the oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) by ammonium persulphate, total chromium can be determined. Therefore, chromium(III) can be calculated by subtracting chromium(VI) from total chromium. The detection limit is 0.015 and 0.020 mug/25 ml for chromium(VI) and total chromium, respectively. A sensitive spectrophotometric method for trace Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in waste water and plating baths was developed with good precision and accuracy. The reaction is also discussed.     

Preconcentration procedures for the determination of chromium using atomic spectrometric techniques: A review

Chromium is one of the regulated toxic metals in the environment. Naturally, this element exists mainly in two oxidation: Cr(III) and Cr(VI). In general, Cr(VI) is more toxic than Cr(III). Cr(VI) affects human physiology, accumulates in the food chain and causes severe health problems ranging from simple skin irritation to lung carcinoma. Hence, the determination of chromium traces as well as its speciation in environmental samples is a very important task. In recent years, several preconcentration methods such as coprecipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, cloud point extraction, and solid phase extraction have been developed and widely used. The aim of this study is to review the recent literature (mainly last 5 years) on the preconcentration technologies those have been used in chromium removal before the determination step by atomic spectrometric techniques. Their advantages and limitations in application are also evaluated.     

Uptake of Heavy Metals by Lupin Plants in Artificially Contaminated Sand: Preliminary Results

The aim of this study was to investigate the tolerance, uptake and accumulation of several metals of environmental interest by lupin plants. The effects of different metals on those parameters were evaluated individually as well as in groups, since the latter matches more closely real environmental conditions. The chemical form of some metals was also taken into consideration. Lupin plants were grown in different batches of sand artificially contaminated with Pb(II), Cd(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI), CH 3 Hg + and Hg(II) (each metal at the 50 mg L m 1 level) or their combinations. After 4 weeks of growth, the results indicated that lupins were quite tolerant to Cd(II), Pb(II), Cr(III) and Hg(II) since contamination with those metals did not cause significant weight differences between metal-treated and control plants. On the other hand, the presence of Cr(VI) and CH 3 Hg + induced severe signs of toxicity. Metal accumulation in lupins plants was influenced not only by the chemical form of the analyte but also by the co-presence of other metals. Metal concentration in the plants once harvested were found to be 4.9 g kg m 1 , 2.3 g kg m 1 , 0.4 g kg m 1 and 0.2 g kg m 1 for Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II) and Cr(III), respectively. Metals were preferentially accumulated in roots although a fast translocation to shoots was detected for Hg(II).     

Coprecipitation as a means of separation in substoichiometric isotope dilution analysis

Chromium has been determined by isotope dilution in artificial standards and in standard alloys using the substoichiometric principle. As a substoichiometric reaction the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was used, followed by separation of these species by coprecipitation of the trivalent chromium on a Ti(OH)₄ precipitate. For amounts smaller than 1 μg the standard method had to be modified owing to spontaneous reduction of hexavalent chromium in the solution. Interferences from other metals, if they occur, can be easily overcome. The method is simple and inexpensive.     

Speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) by Means of Melamine-Urea-Formaldehyde Resin and FAAS

 A method is described for the quantitative preconcentration and separation of trace chromium in water by adsorption on melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin. Cr(VI) is enriched from aqueous solutions on the resin. After elution the Cr(VI) is determined by FAAS. The capacity of the resin is maximal at ∼ pH 2. Total chromium can be determined by the method after oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) by hydrogen peroxide. The relative standard deviations (10 replicate analyses) for 10 mg/L levels of Cr(VI), Cr(III) and total chromium were 1.5, 3.5 and 2.8% respectively. The procedure has been applied to the determination and speciation of chromium in lake water, tap water and chromium-plating baths.     

用原子吸收光谱对痕量铬作价态分析

本文详细研究了鱼腥藻对Ｃｒ＾３＋和Ｃｒ＾６＋离子的选择吸附条件，发现Ｃｒ＾３＋的最佳吸附ＰＨ值为４－５；Ｃｒ＾６＋的最佳ＰＨ为７左右，一定量柠檬酸能抑制Ｃｕ＾２＋，Ｐｂ＾２＋及Ｃｄ＾２＋对Ｃｒ＾６＋的吸附干扰。建立了痕量铬的不同价态原子吸收分析方法；对金属离子与藻之间的吸附机理作了初步探讨。     

Heavy Metal Resistances and Chromium Removal of a Novel Cr(VI)-Reducing Pseudomonad Strain Isolated from Circulating Cooling Water of Iron and Steel Plant

Three bacterial isolates, GT2, GT3, and GT7, were isolated from the sludge and water of a circulating cooling system of iron and steel plant by screening on Cr(VI)-containing plates. Three isolates were characterized as the members of the genus Pseudomonas on the basis of phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. All isolates were capable of resisting multiple antibiotics and heavy metals. GT7 was most resistant to Cr(VI), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 6.5 mmol L^?1. GT7 displayed varied rates of Cr(VI) reduction in M2 broth, which was dependent on pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, and inoculating dose. Total chromium analysis revealed that GT7 could remove a part of chromium from the media, and the maximum rate of chromium removal was up to 40.8 %. The Cr(VI) reductase activity of GT7 was mainly associated with the soluble fraction of cell-free extracts and reached optimum at pH 6.0～8.0. The reductase activity was apparently enhanced by external electron donors and Cu(II), whereas it was seriously inhibited by Hg(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II). The reductase showed a K _m of 74 μmol L^?1 of Cr(VI) and a V _max of 0.86 μmol of Cr(VI) min^?1 mg^?1 of protein. The results suggested that GT7 could be a promising candidate for in situ bioremediation of Cr(VI).     

Determination of trace metals and speciation of chromium ions in atmospheric precipitation by ICP-AES and GFAAS

Sampling and analytical techniques used for determining trace metal concentrations in atmospheric precipitation waters collected in Hungary are presented. The results of the analyses are briefly discussed and special attention is devoted to chromium speciation. For the preconcentration of the trace metals a chelating cellulose, iminodiacetic acid ethylcellulose (IDAEC) microcolumn was used in a flow-injected system. Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ti, V and Zn were determined by ICP-AES. In precipitation water the concentrations of the trace elements were in the 0.1-50 mug/l. range. The two forms of chromium, Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were separated using IDAEC and the anion exchanger diethylamine ethylcellulose, respectively. Cr was determined by GFAAS. In atmospheric precipitation the concentration of Cr(III) was in the range of 0.1-0.4 mug/l. while that of Cr(VI) in the range of 0.04-0.1 mug/l.     

ENAA studies of chromium uptake by Arthrobacter oxydans

To study chromium uptake by Arthrobacter oxydans [Cr(VI)-reducing bacteria isolated from Columbia basalt rocks, USA] the instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis (ENAA) was applied. It was established that chromate accumulation is dose-dependent and it is most intensive in the interval of Cr(VI) concentrations (10-50 mg/l). At lower concentrations of Cr(VI) (up to 50 mg/l) the most intensive formation of Cr(V) was found using ESR method. Besides, it was established that reduction from Cr(VI) to Cr(V) is a faster process than the uptake of Cr(VI). According to ENAA measurements, in contrast to Cr(VI), Cr(III) is not accumulated in Arthrobacter oxydanscells up to concentrations of 200 mg/l. Using epithermal neutron activation analysis the background levels of 17 major, minor and trace elements were determined in Arthrobacter oxydans. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Highly integrated flow assembly for automated dynamic extraction and determination of readily bioaccessible chromium(VI) in soils exploiting carbon nanoparticle-based solid-phase extraction

An automated dynamic leaching test integrated in a portable flow-based setup is herein proposed for reliable determination of readily bioaccessible Cr(VI) under worst-case scenarios in soils containing varying levels of contamination. The manifold is devised to accommodate bi-directional flow extraction followed by processing of extracts via either in-line clean-up/preconcentration using multi-walled carbon nanotubes or automatic dilution at will, along with Cr(VI) derivatization and flow-through spectrophotometric detection. The magnitude of readily mobilizable Cr(VI) pools was ascertained by resorting to water extraction as promulgated by current standard leaching tests. The role of carbon nanomaterials for the uptake of Cr(VI) in soil leachates and the configuration of the packed column integrated in the flow manifold were investigated in detail. The analytical performance of the proposed system for in vitro bioaccessibility tests was evaluated in chromium-enriched soils at environmentally relevant levels and in a standard reference soil material (SRM 2701) with a certified value of total hexavalent chromium. The automated method was proven to afford unbiased assessment of water-soluble Cr(VI) in soils as a result of the minimization of the chromium species transformation. By combination of the kinetic leaching profile and a first-order leaching model, the water-soluble Cr(VI) fraction in soils was determined in merely 6 h against >24 h taken in batchwise steady-state standard methods.     

Determination of the speciation of chromium from a bicycle factory discharge

The discharge from a bicycle factory in Dar-es-Salaam was analysed for dissolved trace metals so as to monitor what was being introduced onto the environment. An X-ray Fluorescence Spectrophotometer with a Si (Li) detector connected to a multichannel analyser Canberra 40 series was used for the analysis. Computation of the peaks and results was done by a Professional Deck 350 computer. The elements contained in the discharge were Ca (596 ppm), Ti (369 ppm), Cr (11 ppm), Zn (0.98%) and Sr (73.5 ppm). Further analysis of the speciation of chromium revealed that there was Cr(III) (9 ppm) and Cr(VI) 2 ppm. The level of Cr(VI) was considered too high considering its toxicity.     

Preconcentration and Determination of Chromium Species Using Octadecyl Silica Membrane Disks and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A novel and selective method for the fast determination of trace amounts of chromium species in water samples has been developed. The procedure is based on the selective formation of chromium diethyldithiocarbamate complexes at different pH in the presence of Mn(II) as an enhancement agent of chromium signals followed by elution with organic eluents and determination by atomic flame absorption spectrometry. The maximum capacity of the employed disks was found to be (396±3) µg and (376±2) µg for Cr(III) and Cr(VI), respectively. The detection limit of the proposed method is 49 and 43 ng·L^?1 for Cr(III) and Cr(VI), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for determination of chromium species Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in different water samples.     

水溶液中六价铬在碳纳米管上的吸附

针对用碳纳米管对水溶液中六价铬的吸附净化进行了研究, 考察了溶液浓度、溶液pH值、共存的三价铬离子等因素对吸附行为的影响. 实验结果表明, 碳纳米管在室温下对于六价铬的吸附量随着平衡浓度的增大而升高, 在铬浓度为493.557 mg•L−1时碳纳米管吸附量达到最大值为532.215 mg•g−1; 六价铬的浓度在300~700 mg•L−1的范围内, 碳纳米管对铬的吸附量变化不大；大于700 mg•L−1时, 随着铬的平衡浓度的升高碳纳米管对铬的吸附量降低, 铬浓度为961.074 mg•L−1时, 碳纳米管吸附量降至194.631 mg•g−1. 在pH值为2~7的范围内, 碳纳米管对六价铬的吸附量随着溶液pH值的减小而增大; 而在碱性条件下, pH值对碳纳米管吸附六价铬的影响不大. 溶液中存在三价铬时, 碳纳米管对六价铬的吸附量明显降低, 表明三价铬与六价铬有竞争吸附. 此外, 活性炭的对比吸附实验表明, 在低浓度时, 譬如在六价铬浓度为190 mg•L−1吸附时, 碳纳米管对铬的吸附量约为活性炭的6倍；而在高浓度下, 譬如六价铬浓度为493 mg•L−1时, 碳纳米管对铬的吸附量约为活性炭的2倍.