Investigation of heavy metals mobility in shrimp aquaculture sludge—Comparison of two sequential extraction procedures

Influence of heavy metals was investigated by conducting various tests on the samples collected from aquaculture shrimp in Selangor, Malaysia. The concentration of heavy metals in the sludge and potential of mobility based on its association forms was studied. Two sequential extraction methods (five stages Tessier method and three steps BCR method) were used to determine the binding forms of the metals.From the analysis, Ca, Fe and Mn were found to be highest concentrated metals compared to Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb in aquaculture shrimp sludge. From the sequential extraction, Cd, Mn and Pb were mostly found in exchangeable/carbonate form, showed its susceptibility to be leached easily. Also Cu and Zn were extracted predominantly in oxidizable form. All metal concentrations (except Cd, Zn and Cu) were extracted to be higher in residual fraction in this method. The results of BCR method are totally similar to the five stages Tessier method. By comparing the percent of recovery, the BCR method was better than Tessier method. Nevertheless for both methods the percent of their recoveries were acceptable. For Pseudototal metal digestion, although the concentration of Cd is less than other heavy metals, it is very harmful as a fertilizer because Cd is one of the heavy metals that might be in the leaf or fruit of plants. Also for investigation of Ca in the sludge, this element was measured and high amounts of that show sludge is useful for growing of plant. The results of direct digestion of heavy metals show that with the control of Cd in this sludge we can use this sludge as fertilizer in soils for agriculture but it is better if it is used for fruitless plants.     

Evaluation of heavy metal bioavailability in soil amended with poultry manure using single and BCR sequential extractions

In the present study, three-step Community Bureau of Reference sequential extraction scheme (BCR-SES) and single extraction methods were performed to assess the mobility and availability of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn) in an agricultural soil before and after amendment with poultry waste (PW).The PW samples were collected from poultry farms, situated in Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan. The extractable heavy metals were measured by flame and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The validation of the method was carried out by analysis of a certified reference material of soil amended with sewage sludge (BCR-483). The single extractions using calcium chloride and EDTA, separately, while BCR-SESs were developed to evaluate the available heavy metals to plants and their environmental accessibility for control soil (CS), PW and soil amended with PW (SPW).The pH of the PW and SPW were found to be < 6.0, which may enhance the leaching of heavy metals to agricultural soil. The results from the partitioning study indicated that easily mobilised forms (acid exchangeable) of Cd were higher than other heavy metals. The oxidisable fractions of all heavy metals were dominant in PW and SPW as compared to found in CS samples. The EDTA- and CaCl₂-extractable heavy metals correspond to 5.0 to 10 and 0.5 to 3.0%, respectively of total contents in all three solid samples. Contamination factors revealed that the retention of Pb and Zn were higher compared with Cu, Cd and Fe in CS, PW and SPW samples.     

Recovery and stabilization of heavy metal sludge (Cu and Ni) from etching and electroplating plants by electrolysis and sintering

This work dealt with the recovery and stabilization of the sludge with heavy metals (Cu and Ni) produced from etching and electroplating plants. The heavy metals in the sludge were deprived of by acid leaching, followed by precipitation with 28% NH₄OH, and finally by electrolysis. In the electrolysis, the recovery percentage and purity were investigated at different electronic currency and temperature. The metal-deprived sludge was stabilized by mixing with glass powder and clay, followed by sintering at high temperature. How the ratio of glass powder to metal-deprived sludge affected final products (sludge bricks) was explored, in terms of specific gravity, absorption capacity, unconfined compressive strength, morphology, the volume shrinkage ratio and burn-up ratio. The volume shrinkage ratio and burn-up ratio of sludge bricks increased with metal-deprived sludge contents. The heavy metal remaining in sludge bricks was assessed through TCLP (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) and by the analysis of SEM and EDX. The results from TCLP showed that the contents of leached metals were all below the regulatory criteria. This fact approved the feasibility of our method.     

Speciation Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Municipal Sludge of Huainan,China

In order to fully understand the morphological characteristics and pollution status of heavy metals in the dewatered sludge of Huainan Municipal sewage treatment plant, the physical and chemical properties were analyzed, and the content and occurrence forms of heavy metals (As, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in the sludge were studied using the geological accumulation method (Igeo), risk assessment coding method (RAC), and potential ecological risk index method to evaluate the ecological risk. The results showed that the municipal sludge in Huainan was rich in nutrients, with good prospects for agricultural utilization. There were differences in the morphological distributions of different heavy metals. The Igeo values for Ni, As, Cr, and Pb were below 0. The results of RAC indicated that the risk level of Cr in sludge was a low risk, and those of other heavy metals were moderate risks. The potential ecological risk of Cd had the highest potential ecological risk, and the other six metals were of low ecological risk. This conclusion can provide basic data and a theoretical reference for the comprehensive utilization of sludge in sewage treatment plants.     

A Comparison of Conventional and Ultrasound-Assisted BCR Sequential Extraction Methods for the Fractionation of Heavy Metals in Sewage Sludge of Different Characteristics

The purpose of this study was to determine the heavy metal (HM: Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg) content in particular chemical fractions (forms) of sewage sludge with different characteristics (primary and dewatered sludge) using conventional (CSE) and ultrasound-assisted (USE) BCR sequential extraction methods (Community Bureau of Reference, now the Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme). The concentrations of HMs were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry (ICP-OES). Only mercury was assayed with cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). Ultrasound treatment was conducted in the ultrasonic bath (Sonic 5, Polsonic). The optimal sonication time (30 min) was determined using ERM-CC144 (Joint Research Center; JCR) certified reference material. The conducted experiment revealed that the use of ultrasound waves shortened the extraction time to 4 h and 30 min (Stages I to III). The recoveries (R_M) of heavy metals ranged from 62.8% to 130.2% (CSE) and from 79.8% to 135.7% (USE) for primary sludge, and from 87.2% to 113.2% (CSE) and from 87.8% to 112.0% (USE) for dewatered sludge. The only exception was Hg in dewatered sludge. The conducted research revealed minor differences in the concentrations and fractionation patterns for Cd, Ni, and Zn extracted from sludge samples by the tested methods. However, it was confirmed that the above findings do not significantly affect the results of a potential ecological risk assessment (with minor exceptions for Cd and Zn in the primary sludge), which is extremely essential for the natural use of sludge, and especially dewatered sludge (the final sludge). The shorter extraction time and lower energy consumption prove that ultrasound-assisted extraction is a fast and simple method for HM fractionation, and that it provides an alternative to the conventional procedure. Therefore, it can be considered a “green method” for the assessment of the bioavailability and mobility of heavy metals in solid samples.     

城市污水污泥与固体垃圾混烧过程中重金属迁移特性的研究

通过城市污水污泥与固体垃圾合成样品在小型管式焚烧炉内的混烧实验,采集灰渣样品进行XRF化学成分分析和浸出毒性鉴别测试,结合污水污泥焚烧过程中热力学平衡计算,定量表征了污水污泥中Cu、Pb、Zn、 Mn、Ni在焚烧过程中向底灰、飞灰和烟气迁移的特性及对灰渣的毒性影响。研究结果表明,污水污泥混烧显著提高了飞灰和底灰中重金属含量,其中Zn和Pb增加量最大,而Ni、Mn、Cu依次减少;随着有机氯的加入,飞灰中重金属含量呈现递增趋势,其中Zn表现最明显。毒性测试结果显示,污水污泥的混烧也导致了垃圾焚烧飞灰中Zn和Pb的浸出浓度超过中国对危险废物浸出的控制标准值。同时,重金属迁移的热力学平衡模型预测结果与实验结果差距较大。这表明热力学平衡计算方法还需进一步考虑影响重金属氯化物形成的其他因素,如在焚烧过程中反应动力学、焚烧室内氧气含量变化、与其他元素间的化学反应等。     

Application of Leaching Tests for the Assessment of Available Heavy Metals from Domestic and Industrial Sludges

Various sludge samples from different domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants were analyzed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry to evaluate their total and available contents of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe). The EDTA and acetic acid single extraction procedures were applied to these samples with the aim to study the leaching behaviour of the metals in the different sludges and also to predict their possible mobility when these wastes are disposed on the environment and landfills. In acidic medium, a higher extraction efficiency was observed for the major part of the elements studied in the industrial sludges, except for Ni and Zn, which were also considerably released from domestic sludges. In contrast, in the presence of the EDTA complexing ligand, a more elevated mobility of metals was found in the domestic sludges and little or no metals were released from the industrial sludges. Moreover, the results of the microwave total digestions were compared, for all metals, with those obtained using a more simplified pseudototal digestion procedure (based on the EPA Method 3051, named microwave assisted acid digestion of sediments, sludges, soils and oils) and a good agreement was found between them, except for Cr and Ni in some particular samples. The between-batch precision (expressed as RSD) of both compared digestion methods was very similar and values lower than 7.7% were obtained in both cases. A certified domestic sludge material (SRM 2781) was employed to validate the two digestion procedures and no significant differences were found between the certified and experimental values for all the elements studied.     

利用柠檬酸去除污泥中重金属的新工艺

经柠檬酸络合后采用离子交换法处理污泥中的重金属,该方法包括3个步骤:浸提过程、固液分离、浸提液的净化和循环。对影响浸提液的净化和循环步骤中的主要影响因素进行了研究。结果表明,732型阳离子交换树脂性能优异,对重金属的离子交换率接近100%;以5%HCl溶液为洗脱剂,动态逆流操作条件下,Cu、Ni和Zn的洗脱率分别达到88.85%、86.15%和88.40%;以铝片为置换剂,对重金属Pb、Cd、Cu、Ni都能得到90%以上的置换率。循环实验表明,处理后污泥中的重金属含量符合《农用污泥中污染物控制标准》(GB4284-84),柠檬酸可以实现循环使用。     

施用污泥堆肥对土壤和小白菜重金属积累的影响

以金华市污水处理厂污泥为研究对象,利用它对小白菜进行的盆栽试验,研究了以污泥作堆肥对土壤和小白菜重金属积累的影响.结果表明,随着污泥堆肥施用量的增加,土壤和小白菜地上部组织的Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb含量也呈积累趋势,当施用量为10%时,地上部组织的重金属含量超过国家食品卫生标准.由此说明,在污泥堆肥和利用过程中应进一步严格控制重金属及其在作物体中积累,尤其控制可食部分中重金属的含量和污泥堆肥长期施用过程中的重金属在土壤和作物中的积累.     

On the Possibility of Recovery of Heavy Metals from Excess Activated Sludge at 6-37°C

A method for recovery of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Co) from excess activated sludge is proposed, based on substitution of heavy metals in the cells of microorganisms by calcium after introducing poorly soluble calcium salts into the system at 6-37°C.     

Bioextraction of heavy metals from colloidal sludge systems

Chemical (acidic) and biological (under the action of acidogenic metabolites synthesized by microorganisms present in a sediment) extraction of heavy metals from colloidal sludge sediments produced at a wastewater biochemical treatment plant is studied. It is established that both methods provide at least 80% extraction of heavy metals, which decreases in the sequence Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Co > Pb > Cr. The advantage of the biological procedure is the possibility of using the processed sludge sediments, which contain many useful components, as fertilizers.     

Metal fractionation in olive oil and urban sewage sludges using the three-stage BCR sequential extraction method and microwave single extractions

The conventional three-stage BCR sequential extraction method was employed for the fractionation of heavy metals in sewage sludge samples from an urban wastewater treatment plant and from an olive oil factory. The results obtained for Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn in these samples were compared with those attained by a simplified extraction procedure based on microwave single extractions and using the same reagents as employed in each individual BCR fraction. The microwave operating conditions in the single extractions (heating time and power) were optimized for all the metals studied in order to achieve an extraction efficiency similar to that of the conventional BCR procedure. The measurement of metals in the extracts was carried out by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results obtained in the first and third fractions by the proposed procedure were, for all metals, in good agreement with those obtained using the BCR sequential method. Although in the reducible fraction the extraction efficiency of the accelerated procedure was inferior to that of the conventional method, the overall metals leached by both microwave single and sequential extractions were basically the same (recoveries between 90.09 and 103.7%), except for Zn in urban sewage sludges where an extraction efficiency of 87% was achieved. Chemometric analysis showed a good correlation between the results given by the two extraction methodologies compared. The application of the proposed approach to a certified reference material (CRM-601) also provided satisfactory results in the first and third fractions, as it was observed for the sludge samples analysed.     

Application of Short Sequential Extraction Procedure（SSEP） for the Determination of Zn, Cu, and Cd Contents in Riverbed Sludge in Hejiagou, Harbin, China

IntroductionThe environment is contaminated by high concen-trations of metals from different sources such as conta-minated soils[1—10], sediments[11—15], and sewage orindustrial sludge[16—20]. However, there has been noreport on the determination of he…     

大庆地区城市污泥中重金属元素含量水平调查与分析

采用原子吸收光谱法和原子荧光光谱法测定了大庆市四座生活污水处理厂污泥中重金属元素含量,平行测定的相对标准偏差在1.6%~4.6%,加标回收率在93.6%~102.1%,表明方法的精密度和准确度都较好,四个污水处理厂污泥中重金属总量大小依次为ZnCuCrPbNiCd,锌的含量高可能与城市排水管道大多采用镀锌材料以及锌的理化性质有关。将其含量水平与标准比较发现:大庆城市污泥中重金属含量水平不高,完全符合《农用污泥中污染物控制标准》的重金属标准,为城市污泥处理、处置和环境管理提供可靠的数据支持。     

DTG-DTA study of sewage sludge used in the sorption of Cd2+ and Co2+

The present study was carried out for evaluating the retention behavior of sanitary sewage in relation to cadmium and cobalt ions in an ascendant continuous-flow reactor. It was found that the studied sludge presented a high assimilation of the metals, probably due to the presence of anionic groups, which favors adsorption and complexation processes. Thermal analyses of the samples showed a shift in the thermal decomposition of the ‘in natura’ sludge, when compared with those of the samples spiked with the metals, confirming the possibility of interactions between the heavy metals and the anionic groups present in the sludge.     

Behaviour of inorganic constituents of municipal sewage sludge during fluidized-bed combustion

The fate of main heavy metals in municipal sewage sludge (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was investigated using a fluidized-bed reactor. The behaviour of metals in the incinerator was explored by comparing metal contents in the two main ash streams: bottom (in-bed) ash and ash separated by a cyclone (cyclone-catch ash). All metals showed enrichment in the cyclone ash. The ash originating from sewage sludge is thermally quite stable consisting of quartz, hematite, spar(s), mica(s), apatite, and anhydrite. It does not soften nor becomes sticky and does not tend to agglomerate at temperatures up to 950°C.     

应用地质累积指数评价南昌市城市污泥重金属污染

应用地质累积指数对南昌市城市污泥(包括污水处理厂污泥和纸厂废水处理污泥)的重金属污染进行了分析评价。结果表明,城市污泥重金属中Pb、Cr按地质累积指数分级均为0,属无污染;As地质累积指数为0～1之间,表现为无污染～中度污染;青山湖污水处理厂污泥主要的重金属污染元素为Cd、Hg、Cu、Zn,其平均的地质累积指数为2～4,表现为中度污染～强污染。     

Heavy-metal pollution and its state in algae in Kakehashi river and Godani river at the foot of Ogoya mine, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Alga as Achnanthes minutissima among diatoms is a widely adaptable taxon on the state of an aquatic environment. In this study, it was found that diatom had a specific tolerance to heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd etc.) in river water samples, because the diatom assemblage consisted of almost only Achnanthes minutissima in Kakehashi river and Godani river, which were polluted with waste water from Ogoya copper mine. The relationship between the concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) in river water and the attached substances (algae and silt etc.) and the relative abundances of diatom taxa were investigated in detail. The results indicated that the higher is the concentration of heavy metals in the river environment, the higher is only the relative abundances of Achnanthes minutissima. Thus, the taxon can be used as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution. The relative rates of toxic chemical forms of copper in algae were 61 - 92% in the attached substances and 49-70% in the sediment on the river bed, respectively. Therefore, it was found that diatom as Achnanthes minutissima had a tolerance to heavy metals in river water, being able to live in such an environment. Since the water treated with calcium hydroxide from the deposition reservoir of Ogoya mine enters in Godani river, the river is polluted by heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd etc.). From the viewpoint of both biological and chemical analyses, Godani river is still polluted with heavy metals, because their concentrations in the river samples were very high. On the other hand, in Kakehashi river, the concentrations of heavy metals were very low and the distributions of some diatoms appeared in an unpolluted Nishimata river were observed. Therefore, Kakehashi river seems to be considerably recovered from heavy-metal pollution after closing the Ogoya mine.     

Simultaneous Removal of Heavy Metals (Cu,Cd, Cr,Ni, Zn and Pb) from Aqueous Solutions Using Thermally Treated Romanian Zeolitic Volcanic Tuff

Increased concentrations of heavy metals in the environment are of public health concern, their removal from waters receiving considerable interest. The aim of this paper was to study the simultaneous adsorption of heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn and Pb) from aqueous solutions using the zeolitic volcanic tuffs as adsorbents. The effect of thermal treatment temperature, particle size and initial metal concentrations on the metal ions sorption was investigated. The selectivity of used zeolite for the adsorption of studied heavy metals followed the order: Pb > Cr > Cu > Zn > Cd > Ni. The removal efficiency of the heavy metals was strongly influenced by the particle sizes, the samples with smaller particle size (0–0.05 mm) being more efficient in heavy metals removal than those with larger particle size (1–3 mm). Generally, no relevant changes were observed in heavy metals removal efficiency for the treatment temperatures of 200 °C and 350 °C. Moreover, at a higher temperature (550 °C), a decrease in the removal efficiencies was observed. The Cd, Zn, Cu, Cr, Zn and Ni sorption was best described by Langmuir model according to the high values of correlation coefficient. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model presented the best correlation of the experimental data.     

Combination of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) and total-reflexion X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) for determination of heavy metals associated with colloidal humic substances

To assess the structural variability of colloidal humic substances and the associated heavy metals an off-line coupling of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF⁴) with total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) is presented. AF⁴ allows a rather gentle separation of colloids with a minimum of interference and artifacts as no shear forces, drying, or interactions with a stationary phase are involved. After a calibration with suitable polymer particles of known molecular weight, the molecular weight distribution of colloidal humic substances between 1 and 10³ kDa can be assessed with AF⁴. The combination with TXRF permits a simultaneous multielement analysis after preconcentration of samples on the AF⁴ channel using an optimized buffer. The analysis of seepage and sewage water sample and a sewage sludge sample yielded continuous distributions of the molecular weight and the associated heavy metals. The potential of AF⁴-TXRF coupling for the study of metal ion exchange equilibria with colloids was demonstrated by spiking seepage water with various heavy metals and subsequent AF⁴-TXRF analysis of the heavy metals bound to the colloidal fraction (Cu, Cr, Zn, Ni, Co).