Chemical Characterization of Silage Effluents and their Influence on Soil Bound Heavy Metals

Abstract

Silage effluents, generated during silaging of various crops, are produced in high amounts in cattle breeding farms. Due to their acidity and high content of dissolved organic matter, they are causing disposal problems. On the other hand, their ability to mobilise soil bound trace elements (i.e. heavy metals) might be useful for the decontamination of polluted soils.

With an aim to perform metal leaching studies, silage effluents from various ensiled crops (maize, rape, grass, clover, sugar-beet leaves) were collected from Bavarian farms and analysed for their main inorganic and organic constituents. Important TOC sources (TOC concentrations from 13.9 to 53.6 gl^?1) are short chain aliphatic acids (concentrations between 235 and 638 mM·D1^?1; predominant compound: lactic acid), amino acids (ranging from 22.8 to 151 mM·D1^?1) and polypeptides (concentrations from 3.8 to 20.0 g·D1^?1).

The release of heavy metals from two adsorbents (bentonite and peat) and from a polluted soil under the influence of silage effluents was studied in batch tests. The leaching efficiencies for the soil bound metals increase following the order: sugar-beet leaves < clover < maize < rape < grass. The extraction rates obtained with grass silage juice are: Cd 74.7%, Zn 55.7%, Cu 53.5%, Ni 38.9%, Cr 12.7% and Pb 8.9%. After neutralisation the leaching rates dropped, with the exception of copper.     

Desorption of Heavy Metals from Typical Soil Components (Clay,Peat) with Glycine

Abstract

Natural organic chelating agents take part in the mobilization and translocation of heavy metals in unpolluted and polluted soils. They also have to be considered as possible extracting agents for the decontamination of heavy metal polluted soils. For an assessment of the desorption capability of glycinc, heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) were adsorbed onto typical soil components (bentonite and peat). The metal loaded sorbents were resuspended in aqueous solutions of glycine at pH 7.0 and 4.5 and the quantities of the desorbed metals were analysed in the liquid phase. Furthermore, the dependency of the desorption rate on the duration of experiments and the metal content were investigated. The remobilization of heavy metals from bentonite by glycine at pH 7.0 decreases following the order Cu > Ni > Zn > Cd > Pb and ranges from 95% to 9.5%. The desorption rate was significantly lower at pH 4.5 and in suspensions of peat.     

Distribution of Heavy Metals in Water and Soil Solutions Based on Colloid-Size Fractionation

The distribution of heavy metals Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb among the truly dissolved (molecular weight cutoff <1 kD), colloidal (1 kD-0.20 µm and 0.20-0.45 µm) and particulate (>0.45 µm) fractions was investigated in the soil solution and surface water. In 15 soil solutions heavy metals were mainly present in the truly dissolved fraction (<1 kD) with occasional exceptions. And a good correlation was also found between the concentrations of metals in the truly dissolved fractions and the cation exchange capacity of soils. As for the surface water samples, the distribution pattern was more complicated one depending on metal properties and sampling sites.     

The Analysis of Inorganic and Organic Pollutants in Soil with Special Regard to Their Bioavailability

Abstract

The most important inorganic pollutants in soil are the heavy metals. Problems related to the determination of the total and soluble content are discussed. Soluble contents are of interest in connection with studies about bioavailability. Because some of the heavy metals are essential for plant growth, most of the work about bioavailability has been done in the field of plant nutrition. Much less is known about the situation in polluted soils.

It was shown that neutral salt solutions which do not really change the pH of soil during the extraction procedure are best suited to define thresholds of excess. This is in contrast to much stronger extractants like EDTA or DTPA often proposed for the analysis of soils which are deficient in trace elements.

With three sets of experiments the correlation between the contents of cadmium, copper, nickel and zinc extracted by 0.1 M NaNO₃ (as an example of a neutral salt solution) and the plant response (phyto- or zootoxicity) are shown:

—pot experiments using soils which were contaminated by metal salt solutions

—pot experiments using soils from contaminated areas

—field studies in polluted areas. In these studies the aspect of heavy metal leaching was also considered.

The results were converted to indicative values in the Swiss Ordinance of Pollutants in the Soil. These indicative values derived from plant reactions were checked by the carbon mineralisation as an example of a soil microbiological process.

As it was found that organic pollutants are not easily taken up by plant roots the problem of bioavailability is much less important. However, the biodegradation and formation of metabolites has to be considered.     

Interaction of Humic Substances with Organic Pollutants and its Influence on the Concentration of these Pollutants from Water

Abstract

The influence of fulvic acids (FAs) and humic acids (HAs) of different origin on liquid-liquid and solid-phase extraction of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) with broadly varying values of octanol-water partition coefficients K_ow has been investigated. It is shown that the solubilization by dissolved FAs and HAs can lead to a significant decrease in recovery of some HOCs even from very dilute (10–20 mg/l) aqueous solutions of these acids. The results of these investigations and an analysis of the relevant literature data, demonstrate that the extent of solubilization of HOCs by humic substances is determined not only by K_ow, but also by the specific structure of the HOCs. The hypothesis of the formation of intramolecular micelles (IMMs) by unaggregated FAs and HAs, and the partition of HOCs between water and the IMMs is put forward to explain the solubilization of HOCs.     

Dynamics of Heavy Metals in Soils of a Reed Bed System

Abstract

Heavy metal balances of a reed bed system (soil pH > 7, carbonate content about 30%) continuously flooded with sewage during 5 years indicate that only Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu were partly stored in the soil. Strong reductive conditions, high sewage percolation and metal complexation with soluble organic compounds caused a considerable leaching of Fe, Mn, Ni and Cr from the soil and formation of amorphous iron oxides. The results indicate that continously flooded reed bed systems with high percolation rates are not suitable for the elimination of heavy metals. Conversely, it should be possible to purify metal contaminated soils through percolation of sewage with low metal content.     

A Combined Approach Employing Soxhlet Extraction and Linear Gradient Elution Reversed-Phase HPLC for the Fingerprinting of Soil Organic Matter According to Hydrophobicity

This paper reports the results of a study carried out to evaluate the potentiality of combining selective solvent extraction and linear gradient elution reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for characterizing soil organic matter on the basis of polarity of its constituting organic compounds. Such approach comprises the sequential extraction of soil organic matter with organic solvents of increasing polarity in a Soxhlet extractor and the subsequent separation of each extract by RP-HPLC. Accordingly, each soil sample has been subjected to cycles of sequential extraction with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Each sample extracted by one of the four solvents have been dried in a rotary evaporator device at 40°C and then dissolved again in the proper volume of extraction solvent to obtaining sample solutions of concentration ranging from 5.0 to 15 mg ml⁻¹. These sample solutions have been subjected to RP-HPLC separation using a Supelcosil LC-ABZ column that has been eluted by a linear acetonitrile gradient in water, having the same profile for all samples. The study has evidenced the possibility of producing highly repeatable chromatographic profiles, which are correlated to the polarity of organic solvents employed for extracting the organic matter in the Soxhlet extractor.

     

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Some Wild‐Grown Edible Mushrooms

Abstract

In this study some heavy metal uptake in mushroom species, their metal content in soil substrate and the relation in between metal concentration in mushroom and soil were investigated. Mushroom species and soil in which mushroom species were grown were collected from Tokat region of Turkey. Six different mushroom species and their underlying soil (0–10 cm layer) samples were analyzed for some heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Fe, Zn, Cd, Mn, Ni, Cr and Co). The analysis was performed with an atomic absorption spectrometer. The results indicate that in general, heavy metal contents in all mushroom species were lower than the underlying soil substrates except for some mushroom species. The results obtained from the analyses of mushroom and underlying soil samples were evaluated using linear correlation analysis and concentration factors to identify the metal accumulation of mushrooms.     

Mobility of Heavy Metals in Soil Profiles

Abstract

Mobility is a concept frequently used in soil science to estimate the risk of contamination of other environmental compartments. However some confusion exists over the definition of mobility, originating from the fact that this term is used in different fields. Consequently many operational parameters have appeared in relation to mobility estimation. This leads to great difficulties in comparatively interpreting practical data obtained under different conditions, and especially the biological significance of mobility. A standardization of the definition of mobility, taking into account the time scale, should be recommended.

Practical results obtained in reconstituted soil-vegetation systems are discussed, with a particular emphasis on the “mobility” of Cd, Cu and Zn. Several definitions were used to estimate the movement of heavy metals in the studied systems, i.e. the metal exports by plants or by gravitational water and the distribution of metals in the soil profile; this led to opposite conclusions about the mobility order of the three considered metals. However this apparent discrepancy can be resolved by taking into account the chemical species in the liquid phase.     

Derivatization of Humic Compounds: An Analytical Approach for Bound Organic Residues

Abstract

Bound residues of pesticides and their metabolites are defined as being nonextractable with organic solvents, but partly extractable together with the humic matrix by NaOH or other solvents suitable to extract humic compounds. Recently, an improvement in humus extraction from soils was achieved upon derivatization of the organic matter with silylating reagents at room temperature. By this method 70–90% of the organic carbon or nitrogen either from soil or from humin became soluble in organic solvents. The extracts were analyzed by means of ¹³C NMR-spectroscopy. The spectra were well resolved with signal-separation of less than 1 ppm. The extracted humic compounds were of rather low molecular weight, ranging from 300 to 4000 to 6000 d or more.

¹⁴C-labeled residues of pesticides or other xenobiotics found to be nonextractable after exhaustive organic solvent extraction became readily dissolved along with most of the humic matrix using this derivatization procedure. Between 60–80% of ¹⁴C anilazine residues or of ¹⁴C-labeled chlorinated phenols or anilines originating from both previously solvent extracted soil samples or from humin became solubilized in organic solvents.     

Development of Resin Membranes as a Sensitive Indicator of Heavy Metal Toxicity in the Soil Environment

Abstract

Ion exchange resins in contact with soil can act as a sink for metal cations, thereby simulate the action of plant roots. Ion exchange resins in membrane form offer additional advantages in ease of use and handling. A procedure was developed to assess the bioavailability of four heavy metals Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb via direct in soil burial. A growth chamber experiment with three representative crops (oats, radish and lettuce) was set up to determine the phytotoxic levels of the four heavy metals. The critical levels varied widely from crop to crop, and soil to soil. Lettuce was most sensitive to high concentration of metals. The toxic effects are more pronounced on sandier textured soils.     

Quantification of multi-class antibiotics by UHPLC–MS/MS analysis combined with salt-assisted acetonitrile extraction: comparative evaluation of dairy and poultry manure

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive multiresidue method for the analysis of 33 antibiotics from 7 prevalent classes was comparably investigated for both dairy and poultry manure samples, which can be important pollution sources for the release of antibiotics into the environment. Following salting-out-assisted extraction with acetonitrile, the antibiotics were quantified with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry without a clean-up step. By changing the composition of the mobile phase for chromatography, a pronounced signal enhancement was achieved not only for tetracyclines (TCs) but also for other groups of antibiotics in the manure samples. Although the physicochemical properties of selected antibiotics were quite different, the apparent recovery values from dairy and poultry manure samples by using an extraction solvent comprising McIlvaine buffer and ethylenediaminetetraacetic solution at pH 3 were 86–121% and 89–113%, respectively. Apparent recovery of the antibiotics was not remarkably affected by the extraction solvent over a wide range of pH values, with the exception of the recovery of TC antibiotics from poultry manure, which was in the 53–55% range at pH 8. Furthermore, the poor performance of the analytical method for a few of the antibiotics in poultry manure was correlated with high metal and organic contents of the complicated matrix. The high suppression effects of co-eluted matrix components were compensated by constructing matrix-matched calibration curves and by using internal standards. Simultaneous quantification of seven different antibiotic classes with low limit of detection values varying from 0.38 to 31 μg kg^?1 for dairy manure and from 0.32 to 5.85 μg kg^?1 for poultry manure facilitated their monitoring. The application of the developed analytical method to dairy, broiler and layer-hen manure samples from confined animal feeding operations showed that a wide variety of antibiotics at high concentrations were found in broiler manure.     

Determination of Nicotine in the Soil Mixed With Tobacco Powder as Fertilizer

ABSTRACT

The nicotine content of the tobacco powder completely degrades in one week when it is added to a non manured soil. If some organic manure is added to the soil so as to sensibly increase the microbial flora, then nicotine degrades in less than twenty-four hours. In sterilized soil nicotine content is constant over the time because of the total absence of microorganism. In the determination of the nicotine in the soil, accurate analytical results can be obtained by adding methanol to the soil sample at the moment of the sampling. Methanol degrades the enzymatic systems causing a soil sterilization and avoids, therefore, the degradation of the alkaloid. The extracted nicotine is analyzed by means of high performance liquid chromatography in a rapid and accurate manner.     

Study of Sorption Processes of Selected Pesticides on Soils and Ceramic Porous Cups used For Soil Solution Sampling

Abstract

Soil sorption constants of four organochlorine (lindane, dicofol, chlorfenson and tetradifon) and three organophos-phorus pesticides (dimethoate, fenitrothion and methidathion) were measured using two different soils at six concentrations.

Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-20 cm and around 100 cm from an experimental citrus crop field. Effects of soil properties (organic matter, moisture content, pH and texture) on the sorption processes were also investigated.

Partitioning of pesticides between soil and solution was investigated after batch equilibration, using pesticide concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 μg1^?1. The equilibration time was estimated in 2 h for organochlorine, and 72 h for organophosphorus pesticides. Data fitted to Freundlich types adsorption isotherms.

Analytical determinations were carried out by gas chromatography with ECD and NPD detectors, after liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane of the water supernatant.

Moreover, a validation of the use of suction samplers used to collect soil solution samples from the vadose zone, based on a short term study in the laboratory was determined.     

Study of the Contents and Speciation of Heavy Metals in River sediments By Factor Analysis

Abstract

Heavy metals Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Co from two spanish river sediments have been determined by voltammetric techniques, along with % CaCO₃ and % organic matter, and the whole data set examined by means of Factor Analysis, finding a different behaviour of the metals in each river.

Heavy metal speciation in the sediments was carried out by using the Tessier's scheme: Zn and Pb were mainly associated to ‘reducible phases’, Cd and Cu bound to ‘organic matter and sulphides’, and Ni and Co were distributed between the above fractions. The ‘residual’ metals were used as pollution indicators from the rivers, finding a similar behaviour to other industrialized river systems.     

A review on environmental applications of chitosan biopolymeric hydrogel based composites

Abstract

Chitosan (CS) is being used for fabrication of low cost, biocompatible materials that have applicability in fields such as agriculture, biotechnology and environment. In Environmental research, one of the applications of CS based hydrogel composites are in form of biosorbents for eviction of toxic dyes, heavy metals and nutrients from effluent streams. The adsorption potential could be attributed to the reactive functional groups existing on the surface of CS. CS based materials can also be employed for oil/water separation, as a fertilizer carrier, in Microbial fuel cells as Electrolyte membrane and as Electrochemical/Biosensors for detecting and analyzing few environmental pollutants such as pesticides. The earlier review papers on the subject matter have concentrated mainly on dye and heavy metal removal without giving details of its utility in the field of electrochemistry and agriculture. Though the biopolymer holds numerous applications, it has not been discussed extensively. Thus, an attempt has been made to elucidate the current and potential applications of CS hydrogels and composites based on the efficacy it has shown in areas of removal of organic and inorganic contaminants such as dyes, heavy metals and nutrients, in agriculture, oil and water separation, Microbial Fuel cells and Electrochemical/Biosensors.

• HIGHLIGHTS

• Chitosan based hydrogel composites could be extensively used in the field of Environment Technology.

• The composites act as effective biosorbents for dye, heavy metal and nutrient removal because of the functional groups present on Chitosan’s surface.

• These can also be effectively used for oil/water separation and also as a fertilizer/pesticide carrier for their slow release.

• Chitosan based electrolytes can become a promising ecofriendly substitute for synthetic polymers in fuel cells.

• These biopolymers have also been researched upon as electrochemical/biosensors in recent years for detecting environmental pollutants.

     

Simultaneous Determination of Heavy Metals in Bovine Liver and Oyster Tissue by Solvent Extraction-Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

High performance liquid chromatographie method for the simultaneous determination of ppm levels of cadmium, nickel, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper and bismuth in biological samples has been developed. Each 250 mg of Bovine Liver(NBS 1577) or Oyster Tissue(NBS 1566) was ashed in a muffle furnace over night at 500 to 55O°C. Then the ash was treated with 1.5 ml of 2 N hydrochloric acid; and the solution was put into a separatory funnel. The dissolved heavy metals were extracted into chloroform as hexamethylenedithiocarbamato chelates. The metal chelates were separated on a reversed phase column(5 μm, ODS, 4.6 × 15O mm), and determined by measuring the peak height of each metal chelate. Cd, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cu were determined accurately over the concentration range of 0.5–850 ppm with standard deviation ca. 7%.     

Synthesis and catalytic activity of a novel ionic liquid-functionalized metal–organic framework

In this research, a new heterogeneous catalyst is fabricated through covalent modification of iron-based metal–organic framework with ionic liquid. In more detail, using 2-aminoterephthalic acid and iron (III) chloride hexahydrate, amino-functionalized metal–organic framework has been synthesized and then reacted with 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane successively to furnish ionic liquid on metal–organic framework. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by FTIR, TGA, BET, SEM/EDS, XRD and elemental mapping analysis and then employed for catalyzing synthesis of pyrano [2,3‐d]pyrimidines (with yields of 80–100%) from one-pot three-component reaction of aldehydes, barbituric acid and malononitrile in aqueous media. The catalytic test inferred high catalytic activity of the catalyst, superior to that of IL and metal–organic framework. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recovered and recycled for five reaction runs with preserving its morphology.

Graphic abstract

     

Vapor-Liquid Equilibrators To Aid In Making Measurements To Determine Solvent Adducts On Metal Chelates

Abstract

Two vapor-liquid equilibrators to saturate water with organic solvent without forming two liquid phases were developed, thus permitting a more accurate determination of organic adducts to metal chelates. An equation was developed to show that vapor pressure measurements could be used as an alternative method for determining the number of organic adducts on a metal chelate in the aqueous phase.     

The use of solid-phase extraction and direct injection of a copolymer sorbent as slurry into the graphite furnace prior to determination of cadmium by ETAAS

Abstract

Several aquatic heterogeneous humic-solute fractions with known molecular-size ranges were fractionated further by coupled size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The results of SEC-PAGE, obtained for several humic-solute fractions, corresponded reasonably well to the known molecular-size distributions of the dissolved organic matter (DOM). Despite the limited resolving power PAGE appears to offer an alternative coarse method, beside SEC, for fractionation of the heterogeneous humic matter (HM).