Substantiation of a technology for surface reclamation of tailings dump containing toxic wastes

An innovative technology has been substantiated for the environmental rehabilitation of areas subject to adverse anthropogenic impacts during the past century. The up-to-date state of the anthropogenic system generated as a result of the activity of former Khrustal’nensky ore-dressing plant has been estimated. Characteristics of anthropogenic pollution have been determined, and principles and concepts have been developed for ensuring environmental safety of tailings dump via reclamation of its surface.     

Potentiometric Determination of Mercury with Iodide-Selective Electrodes

The conditions for the application of commercial Radelkis OR-I-7111-D (Hungary) and Crytur 53–17 (Czech Republic) iodide-selective electrodes to the determination of mercury were found. A procedure for the direct potentiometric determination of mercury in industrial products and anthropogenic chemical wastes was proposed.     

The influence of Karamkenskoe deposit tailing dump on the region hydrosphere and the dump recultivation (Magadan region)

The paper discusses the studies of anthropogenic pollution of Magadan region hydrosphere with the wastes of Karamkenskoe deposit after emergency destruction of the hydroengineering facilities of deposit tailing, dump having led to closure channel formation and volley of water and part of the tailings into the river Khasyn basin. Suggestions have been made on the neutralization of negative influence of Karamkenskoe deposit tailing dump and recultivation of its surface.     

Studies on thorium and uranium disequilibrium on the surface layers of the coastal sediments and their absolute concentrations in the sediments

Measurements of thorium and uranium isotopic activity ratios have been carried out with top layers of the sediments of the West coast of India in order to understand the behaviour and distribution of these isotopes in the coastal region. The southern part of the West coast contains a large amount of placer deposits while the northern region is free from such deposits.     

火试金重量法与AAS湿法结合测定砂金矿中金的含量

砂金矿中二氧化硅和金的含量较高,本文用传统的火试金重量法与AAS湿法相结合来测定砂金矿中的金含量,用以得到较为精确的结果。本文用科学的配料方法,调节好熔渣的硅酸度,得到品质更好的熔渣与铅扣。再通过二次补正收集分散在熔渣中的金,之后进行三次补正收集灰皿中残留的金含量,然后用原子吸收光谱—AAS湿法测定三次补正得到的金银合粒与分金液中金的含量,从而得到更精确的结果。此方法操作简便、适用性广、精密度与准确度较高。通过加标测试此方法金的回收率在99.2%～100.3% 之间,金的相对标准偏差(RSD)在0.24%～0.6%之间。     

Data processing technique for mercury determination by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence,using amalgamation with gold

We have developed a method to determine mercury concentrations using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) which leads to reliable results. The usual sample preparation procedure of TXRF is not applicable due to element loss by evaporation on account of its high vapor pressure. The method we developed consists of forming an amalgam on a thin layer of gold affixed in a specular-surface quartz reflector while it is in contact with a mercury ionic solution. Subsequently, a traditional TXRF analysis is performed. Since the mercury and gold peaks overlap, we have developed a data processing scheme to achieve the most precise results. Using a molybdenum anode X-ray tube at 40 kV and 20 mA, the limit of detection achieved for a 10-μl specimen with 2000 s counting time is 250 ppb.     

Determination of gold in gold ores

The gold content of placer gold flakes and gold bearing ores has been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis /INAA/ and radiochemical neutron activation analysis /RNAA/. It was discovered that significant errors result in the instrumental method for gold flakes as small as 10 mg due to sample self-absorption of neutrons during irradiation. Reliable results were obtained, for both ore samples and gold flakes, by dissolving the samples in aqua regia prior to irradiation.     

Rare earth elements in mine,slime, and river waters in the Kavalerovsky and Dalnegorsky districts of the Russian Far East

The concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) in anthropogenic (mine and slime) and river waters of Kavalerovsky and Dalnegorsky districts of the Far East have been estimated. The highest concentrations of REs have been found in mine water of the Dubrovskoe deposit (Kavalerovsky district), especially in the slime waters of the old tailing dump of the Krasnorechenskaya ore-dressing plant (KODP, Dalnegorsky district). Contamination of the Rudnaya river water has been detected in the vicinity of the KODP old and new tailings dumps. Taking into account that REEs are concomitant with sulfide minerals, the former can be extracted by repeated processing of wastes from the KODP old and new tailings dumps.     

A Review of the Anaerobic Digestion of Fruit and Vegetable Waste

Fruit and vegetable waste is an ever-growing global question. Anaerobic digestion techniques have been developed that facilitate turning such waste into possible sources for energy and fertilizer, simultaneously helping to reduce environmental pollution. However, various problems are encountered in applying these techniques. The purpose of this study is to review local and overseas studies, which focus on the use of anaerobic digestion to dispose fruit and vegetable wastes, discuss the acidification problems and solutions in applying anaerobic digestion for fruit and vegetable wastes and investigate the reactor design (comparing single phase with two phase) and the thermal pre-treatment for processing raw wastes. Furthermore, it analyses the dominant microorganisms involved at different stages of digestion and suggests a focus for future studies.     

Mercury adsorption on gold surfaces employed in the sampling and determination of vaporous mercury: a scanning tunneling microscopy study

To clarify the mechanism of mercury adsorption on gold surfaces thin epitaxial gold films have been exposed to trace amounts of gaseous mercury under laboratory conditions for different periods of time. The changes in the surface morphology of the thin films caused by the exposure have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The evolution of the surface structures with time has been also investigated, in the course of a few days after the exposure. The adsorption of mercury on the gold surfaces has caused drastic changes in the morphology of the surfaces. Pits and islands of 2 to 30 nm in diameter have appeared on the surface, their size and density per unit area depending on the amount of exposure to mercury. The formation of pits and islands followed a certain path of events.     

Mercury adsorption on gold surfaces employed in the sampling and determination of vaporous mercury: a scanning tunneling microscopy study

To clarify the mechanism of mercury adsorption on gold surfaces thin epitaxial gold films have been exposed to trace amounts of gaseous mercury under laboratory conditions for different periods of time. The changes in the surface morphology of the thin films caused by the exposure have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The evolution of the surface structures with time has been also investigated, in the course of a few days after the exposure. The adsorption of mercury on the gold surfaces has caused drastic changes in the morphology of the surfaces. Pits and islands of 2 to 30 nm in diameter have appeared on the surface, their size and density per unit area depending on the amount of exposure to mercury. The formation of pits and islands followed a certain path of events.     

A comparison of potentiometric,spectrophotometric and atomic absorption spectrometric methods for the determination of mercury in wastes

The potentiometric titration with dithiooxamide applied to mercury determinations in industrial wastes is compared with cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometry and spectrophotometry with dithizone. The potentiometric method is shown to have adequate sensitivity and selectivity as well as economic advantages.     

Determination of mercury by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence using amalgamation with gold

Analysis by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) is unsuitable for determining mercury concentrations because the usual sample preparation produces evaporation and loss of this element as a consequence of its high vapour pressure and low boiling point.A method that has been developed to achieve this determination involves forming an amalgam while a thin layer of silver (obtained by sputtering or evaporation) is in contact with an ionic solution of Hg; subsequently, a traditional TXRF analysis is performed. This was the first method reported in the literature to apply the TXRF technique for reliably determining mercury concentrations with high sensitivity.This work shows how a similar procedure may be employed to measure mercury concentrations. This second method involves forming an amalgam of gold using microlitre quantities of the solution to be analysed. As gold is a highly malleable material, it allows the production of very thin films, the weight of which is a few orders of magnitude higher than the mass of mercury present in the amalgam. The determination is performed in the usual way using the TXRF technique. The sensitivity of this method (≈ 5 ppm) is inferior to that of the former method, and data processing is quite difficult because the peaks for mercury and gold overlap, but the experiment is simple to execute and improved sensitivity is expected to be attained by forming the amalgam with larger volumes of sample and with a more responsive data processing scheme.     

Mercury concentrations in fish from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Excessive mercury concentrations ostensibly due to pollution have been widely reported in fish tissue. The concentrations of mercury occurring naturally in fish tissue have not been well defined. A collection for mercury analysis of 198 fish of five species was made in 1972 in three high altitude streams in the Great Smoky Mountains, 20–25 km from the nearest pollution source. Mercury concentrations were (means, p.p.m.): rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri, 0.036; brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, 0.018 ; banded sculpin Cottus carolinae, 0.025; rosyside aceClinostomus funduloides, 0.044; stoneroller Campostoma anomalum, 0.039. There was no significant difference in mercury concentration among fish analyzed whole, with gastrointestinal tract removed, or a strip of axial musculature. There was a significant (P0.05) difference in mercury concentration among species in one stream and in three species from different streams. A second collection of fish of the same species in 1973 verified the 1972 results. Methylmercury constituted 93 ±2.6% of total mercury. These results indicate that all fish acquire about the same tissue concentrations of mercury at chronic exposure to very low levels.     

Calorimetry in testing waste materials from the brown coal combustion

The calorimetric measurements were applied in testing the wastes collected from different furnaces in electric power plants as materials to be used in civil engineering. The fly ash materials were collected from two power stations based on different brown coal deposits and working with conventional and fluidized bed installation. The reactivity of high calcium fly ash from sub-bituminous coal combustion has been proved in calorimetric, conductometric, chemical shrinkage, and rheological measurements before their practical implementation on larger scale. Highly soluble components of fly ash contribute to the hydration products and structure formation, followed by setting and hardening of fly ash–cement mixture. These results have been the base of research project aimed in the innovative solutions dealing with the management of deposits of wastes generated as a result of coal combustion. The standardization and potential use on larger scale of these materials, necessary from the environmental point of view, seems to be the question of nearest future.     

Oligonucleotide Functionalized Microporous Gold Electrode for the Selective and Sensitive Determination of Mercury by Differential Pulse Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry (DPAdSV)

Abstract

A novel electrode modified with oligonucleotide and microporous gold was fabricated for the determination of mercury by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV). Microporous gold was synthesized by electrochemical reduction using dynamic hydrogen bubble template. The oligonucleotide was immobilized on microporous gold by self-assembly. The prepared electrode exhibited an improved electrochemical response for mercury(II) ion because of the large surface area and excellent electron transfer capacity provided by microporous gold and the specific coordination between mercury ion and thymine bases in oligonucleotides. Under the optimal experiment conditions, the oligonucleotide functionalized microporous gold electrode had a linear relationship between the stripping current and mercury ion concentration in the range from 0.5 to 30?µg/L with a detection limit of 0.021?µg/L. Moreover, the prepared electrode exhibited good selectivity, reproducibility, repeatability and stability. Furthermore, the prepared electrode was applied to detect mercury in tap water with satisfactory results.     

Extending the metal interface generality of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy: Underpotential deposited layers of mercury,thallium, and lead on gold electrodes

Surface-enhanced Raman (SER) spectra are reported for several adsorbates at underpotential deposited (upd) layers of mercury, thallium, and lead on an electrochemically roughened gold electrode. For upd mercury monolayers, SER bands were obtained for the surface-halide stretching mode, ν_M-X, of adsorbed chloride and bromide that are of comparable intensities to those observed on the unmodified gold substrate. The ν_M-X peak frequencies are downshifted by 15–24 cm⁻¹ on the former relative to the latter surface, consistent with a smaller extent of halide bond covalency on mercury. These spectral changes induced by upd formation could be reversed by anodic stripping of the mercury monolayer. Comparable results were also obtained by prior formation of the upd monolayer in a separate solution followed by electrode transfer rather than by deposition in the solution of interest. Satisfactory SER spectra at upd mercury are reported additionally for thiocyanate and pyridine, as are similar experiments for upd thallium and lead layers on gold. Of the above adsorbates, only pyridine yielded easily measurable SER spectra for these layers, having 2–3 fold smaller signal intensities than on unmodified gold. The SERS intensity decreases upon thallium, and lead upd formation exhibited both irreversible and reversible components. Differential capacitance-potential plots for upd mercury indicate some similarities to liquid mercury interfaces. The results indicate that overlayers on gold provide a means of extending SERS to metals that in themselves do not exhibit suitable Raman scattering enhancements.     

A radiochemical neutron activation analysis method for the determination of total mercury in coal

A radiochemical neutron activation analysis method has been developed based on pyrolysis followed by double gold amalgamation for the determination of mercury in solid samples. Accurate results were obtained for mercury in six standard reference materials of varying matrices, including coal. Linearity was demonstrated up to mercury concentrations of 10,000 ng/g. The method is capable of yielding precise, reproducible values with a detection limit of 5 ng/g for mercury in coal.     

Problems of Reducing Environmental Damage Caused in the Past Century by Mining Facilities and Ways of Their Solution in the Far Eastern Federal District

Given are the results of many-years’ research aimed at implementing the major state policies in the field of environmental development of the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation, eliminating environmental damage accumulated due to past mining activities, and restoring disturbed natural ecosystems. In this regard, the purpose of the study was to justify the need to develop a method for reclamation of the surface of the tailing dumps of bankrupt mining enterprises of the Far Eastern Federal District to ensure their environmental safety. Innovative proposals have been developed to reduce negative impact of toxic mining wastes on the environment, the novelty of which has been confirmed by patents of the Russian Federation.     

土壤地球化学在广南斗月金矿中的应用

对现已发现的超大型金矿和国内金矿资源进行统计,结果表明,大型、超大型矿床中与微细浸染型金矿相对应的金矿成因类型(如渗滤热液型金矿、含碳浅变质碎屑岩型金矿等)占有很大比例。因此开展对微细浸染型金矿的研究和找矿具有重要的实际意义。在广南斗月金矿开展1∶10000土壤地球化学测量(简称化探),了解测区以Au为主的As、Sb、Hg、Ag土壤地球化学背景,确定化探异常下限,圈定Au、As、Sb、Hg、Ag化探(次生晕)异常,根据各异常面积的大小、浓度的高低以及五个元素异常套合(组合)情况等综合因素,对化探综合异常进行评序和分级,结合地质简测等地质资料的综合研究分析,判别具有潜在找矿价值的异常区,为进一步地质勘探工作提供靶区。