Radionuclide accumulation in green and brown macroalgae at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Summary The concentration of technogenic and natural radionuclides were measured in brown and green macroalgae from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast for the period 1996 and 2003 using low-level gamma spectroscopy. Mean values and concentration range for the studied species enables the comparison of the nuclide content in macroalgae showing that brown algae accumulate the studied radionuclides to a higher extent.     

Radionuclide uptake in red macroalgae from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Summary Technogenic and natural radionuclide content in red macroalgae (Ceramium rubrum, Corallina officinalisand Callithamnion corymbosum) from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, collected in the period 1992-2003, was studied by low-level gamma-spectrometry. The data show that the nuclide concentrations depend on macroalgae species and coast locations. The highest nuclide content was measured in Ceramium rubrumspecies. The ¹³⁷Cs mean value is 9.8 Bq/kg, 19.6 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra and 17 Bq/kg for ²¹⁰Pb. The radionuclide pollution is considerably small due to the absence of nuclear facilities along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.     

海水中铜、铅、镉、锌国标测定条件优化

对海水中铜、铅、镉、锌国标测定方法进行了条件优化,研究了冲洗溶液、萃取溶剂、络合剂、pH、提取量对实验结果的影响,在优化条件下,铜、铅、镉、锌测定的相对标准偏差在0.0%~2.0%之间,标样测定结果均优于等离子发射光谱法等4种方法。     

Determination of mobile form contents of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in soil extracts by combined stripping voltammetry

The amount of mobile forms of Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu in extracts obtained by treating soil samples with ammonium nitrate were determined by an appropriate combination of anodic and cathodic stripping voltammetry with hanging mercury drop electrode. Every analysis required three mercury drops: on the first one, zinc was determined; on the second, cadmium and lead; on the third, copper was determined. Zinc, lead and cadmium were determined by conventional differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. For copper determination, adsorptive differential-pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry with amalgamation using chloride ions as a complexing agent was applied. The standard deviation of the results was from 1 to 10% depending on the metal content in the sample. Voltammetric results were in good agreement with the AAS analysis. No microwave digestion of soil extracts was necessary.     

Road dust pollution of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn along Islamabad Expressway, Pakistan

Islamabad Expressway is one of the busiest roads in the capital of Pakistan. For the assessment of heavy metal pollution level in dust generated on the Expressway, 13 samples of dust were collected from various places around the highway and four samples of soil were obtained from the undisturbed green land in Islamabad. The samples were analyzed for five heavy metals using FAAS (flame atomic absorption spectrometry). The average concentration values of the metals Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were found to be 5 ± 1, 52 ± 18, 23 ± 6, 104 ± 29 and 116 ± 35 mg kg^{- 1} respectively, which were generally lower than the values cited in literature. The inter-elemental correlation of Cu and Pb indicated that they belonged to common anthropogenic sources. The pollution level was estimated based on the geoaccumulation index (I_geo), the pollution index (PI), and the integrated pollution index (IPI). The values of IPI were in the following order: Cu > Pb > Zn > Cd > Ni. All the indices for the metals under consideration were either low or corresponded to middle level of pollution. The pollution level is expected to increase due to rapid urbanization of the area. Some protective measures have therefore been proposed.     

微波消解-原子吸收光谱法测定酵母中铁、铜、锰、铅、镉

采用微波消解-原子吸收光谱法测定了高活性干酵母中铁、铜、锰、铅及镉5种微量元素含量。用微波消解法处理样品,具有简便、快速的优点。方法的标准曲线线性关系良好(r=0.995~0.999),方法加标回收率在96.0%~103.0%,相对标准偏差(RSD,n=6)在2.0%~4.9%。表明方法具有较好的准确性和重复性,用于实际酵母样品的测定,获得了满意的结果。     

石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定转基因棉籽中的铅镉铜铬

本文探讨了干法灰化与湿法消解-石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定转基因与非转基因棉籽中重金属元素铅、镉、铜和铬的方法,比较了两种预处理方法对测定结果的影响.结果表明:两种方法均能满足分析测定的需要.将分析方法应用于转基因与非转基因棉籽中四种重金属含量的测定,结果显示,转基因棉籽中铅和铜的含量明显低于非转基因棉籽,镉和铬的含量与非转基因棉籽相当.     

Determination of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in seawater using high resolution magnetic sector inductively coupled mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS)

A novel method, combining isotope dilution with standard additions, was developed for the analysis of eight elements (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in seawater. The method requires just 12 mL of sample and employs an off-line pre-concentration step using the commercially available chelating resin Toyopearl AF-Chelate-650M prior to determination by high resolution inductively coupled plasma magnetic sector mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Acidified samples were spiked with a multi-element standard of six isotopes (⁵⁷Fe, ⁶²Ni, ⁶⁵Cu, ⁶⁸Zn, ¹¹¹Cd and ²⁰⁷Pb) enriched over natural abundance. In addition, standard additions of a mixed Co and Mn standard were performed on sub-sets of the same sample. All samples were irradiated using a low power (119 mW cm⁻²; 254 nm) UV system, to destroy organic ligands, before pre-concentration and extraction from the seawater matrix. Ammonium acetate was used to raise the pH of the 12 mL sub-samples (off-line) to pH 6.4 ± 0.2 prior to loading onto the chelating resin. The extracted metals were eluted using 1.0 M Q-HNO₃ and determined using ICP-MS. The method was verified through the analysis of certified reference material (NASS-5) and the SAFe inter-comparison samples (S1 and D2), the results of which are in good agreement with the certified and reported consensus values. We also present vertical profiles of the eight metals taken from the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series (BATS) station collected during the GEOTRACES inter-comparison cruise in June 2008.     

The utilization of modified BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure for the fractionation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in soil reference materials of different origins

A modified three-step sequential extraction procedure for the fractionation of heavy metals, proposed by the Commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) has been applied to the Slovak reference materials of soils (soil orthic luvisols, soil rendzina and soil eutric cambisol), which represent pedologically different types of soils in Slovakia. Analyses were carried out by flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS or ETAAS). The fractions extracted were: exchangeable (extraction step 1), reducible-iron/manganese oxides (extraction step 2), oxidizable-organic matter and sulfides (extraction step 3). The sum of the element contents in the three fractions plus aqua-regia extractable content of the residue was compared to the aqua-regia extractable content of the elements in the origin soils. The accuracy obtained by comparing the determined contents of the elements with certified values, using BCR CRM 701, certified for the extractable contents (mass fractions) of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in sediment following a modified BCR-three step sequential extraction procedure, was found to be satisfactory.     

First Systematic Voltammetric Measurements of Cd,Pb, and Cu in Hydrofluoric Acid-Dissolved Siliceous Spicules of Marine Sponges: Application to Antarctic Specimens

Ultrasensitive Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry is used for the first time for the systematic determination of Cd, Pb, and Cu in siliceous spicules of marine sponges; the procedure is performed directly in hydrofluoric acid solution, according to a procedure previously established in our laboratory, with the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of such measurements and to improve knowledge of heavy metal distribution in Porifera. The following Demospongiae species are considered: Sphaerotylus antarcticus, Haliclona sp., Kirkpatrickia coulmani, and Inflatella belli from the Ross Sea, Antarctica, and Petrosia ficiformis from the Mediterranean Sea, Italy. The method shows a good accuracy; the analytical variability is approximately ±10% for all the metals studied and for all the measurements performed, showing a good repeatability of the method in consideration of low metal concentrations (order of tenths of µg g^?1 dry weight, i.e., of hundreds of ng L^?1 in the HF solution). In particular, the concentrations of heavy metals in the body of the sponge vary in the range 0.038–0.93 µg g^?1 dry weight (d.w.) for Cd, 0.024–0.52 µg g^?1 d.w. for Pb, and 0.32–1.3 µg g^?1 d.w. for Cu. Similar ranges of concentration were recorded in the oscula of S. antarcticus and I. belli. Heavy metal concentration in the spicules can vary within and between specimens and, in particular, siliceous spicules of Antarctic sponges show higher concentrations of Cd and Pb and lower concentrations of Cu than those from the Mediterranean.     

Removal of Mn(II) and Cd(II) from wastewaters by natural and modified clays

The adsorption capacities of commercial and Brazilian natural clays were evaluated to test their applications in wastewater control. We investigated the process of sorption of manganese(II) and cadmium(II) present in synthetic aqueous effluents, by calculating the adsorption isotherms at 298 K using batch experiments. The influence of temperature and pH on the adsorption process was also studied. Adsorption of metals was best described by a Langmuir isotherm, with values of Q ₀ parameter, which is related to the sorption capacity, corresponding to 6.3 mg g^{− 1} for K-10/Cd(II), 4.8 mg g^{− 1} for K-10/Mn(II), 11.2 mg g^{− 1} for NT-25/Cd(II) and 6.0 mg g^{− 1} for NT-25/Mn(II). We observed two distinct adsorption mechanisms that may influence adsorption. At the first 5 min of interaction, a cation exchange mechanism that takes place at exchange sites located on (001) basal planes is predominant. This process is inhibited by low pH values. After this first and fast step, a second sorption mechanism can be related to formation of inner-sphere surface complexes, which is formed at edges of the clay. The rate constants and the initial sorption rates correlate positively with temperature in all studied systems, denoting the predominance of a physisorption process. The addition of complexing agents that are incorporated within the K10 structure, enhance metal uptake by the adsorbent. The results have shown that both Cd(II) and Mn(II) were totally retained from a 50 mg L^{− 1} solution when K10 grafted with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) was used as adsorbent.     

Trace metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ni, Co) in marine suspended particulate matter: an international ICES intercomparison exercise

 The aim of this intercomparison exercise was to assess the comparability of trace metal analyses of blank filters and of marine suspended particulate matter (SPM) on filters performed by laboratories in ICES member countries. Fifteen experts from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, and the United States were invited to participate in this exercise for trace metal analyses of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ni and Co (tentative) in SPM. Each filter analysed in this project was an individual sample, the absolute loadings on the filters varying from 0.8 to 2 mg of SPM. The inter-laboratory means and the relative standard deviations (RSD) from the grand mean for the metals determined were: Al 67.5 mg/g, 8.3%, Fe 51.7 mg/g, 10.9%, Cd 1.5 μg/g, 22.7%, Cu 39 μg/g, 13.3%, Pb 38 μg/g, 34.7%, Mn 1060 μg/g, 13%, Ni 49.2 μg/g, 29%, Zn 182 μg/g, 32.5%, Li 52.8 μg/g, 26.1%, Co 15.4 μg/g, 23.6%. In general, the exercise demonstrated that it is possible for the various participants to collect very small amounts of SPM and analyse it by the different determination techniques. Compared to earlier exercises, comparability between laboratories was still difficult to achieve and limited. Received: 27 June 1996 Accepted: 15 August 1996     

Determination of As,Cd, Cu,Hg and Pb in biological samples by modern electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Pollution from heavy metals has increased in recent decades and has become an important concern for environmental agencies. Arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury and lead are among the trace elements that have the greatest impact and carry the highest risk to human health. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) has long been used for trace element analyses and over the past few years, the main constraints of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) methods, namely matrix interferences that provoked high background absorption and interferences, have been reduced. The use of new, more efficient modifiers and in situ trapping methods for stabilization and pre-concentration of these analytes, progress in control of atomization temperatures, new designs of atomizers and advances in methods to correct background spectral interferences have permitted an improvement in sensitivity, an increase in detection power, reduction in sample manipulation, and increase in the reproducibility of the results. These advances have enhanced the utility of Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) for trace element determination at μg L⁻¹ levels, especially in difficult matrices, giving rise to greater reproducibility, lower economic cost and ease of sample pre-treatment compared to other methods. Moreover, the recent introduction of high resolution continuum source Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-ETAAS) has facilitated direct solid sampling, reducing background noise and opening the possibility of achieving even more rapid quantitation of some elements. The incorporation of flow injection analysis (FIA) systems for automation of sample pre-treatment, as well as chemical vapor generation renders (ETAAS) into a feasible option for detection of As and Hg in environmental and food control studies wherein large numbers of samples can be rapidly analyzed. A relatively inexpensive approach with low sample consumption provide additional advantages of this technique that reaches figures of merit equivalent to Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Herein is presented an overview of recent advances and applications of (ETAAS) for the determination of As, Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb in biological samples drawn from studies over the last decade.     

Analytical performance of a multi-element ICP-AES method for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb determination in blood fraction samples

An analytical method using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) for rapid simultaneous determination of seven heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb) in human blood fractions, like plasma, cells fraction and whole blood, is performed. The optimum wavelength was selected using as criterions the sensitivity, the linearity and recovery of aqueous standard solutions. The pretreatment of the sample, the centrifugal conditions, the necessity of digestion and the dilution of the digests were also studied. For plasma it was possible to avoid digestion of the sample, but for cells fractions and whole blood the digestion is necessary. The samples were acid-digested by HNO₃ in closed Teflon tubes under high temperature and pressure conditions and were diluted before injection into ICP-AES. Also, optimization of the inductively coupled plasma conditions like nebulizer argon flow rate, sample flow rate and power of radio frequency was performed for each analyte. Finally, the effect of the type of the employed calibration technique on the total variation of the method was examined. Calibration using the standard addition technique was proved more accurate for the determination in terms of analyte recovery. The sensitivity and recovery (Cd 99%, Co 101%, Cr 100%, Cu 99%, Mn 101%, Ni 100% and Pb 97%) of the developed method are presented for all examined blood fractions. Correspondence: George A. Zachariadis, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece     

An experimental design for the determination of Cu and Pb in marine sediments using taguchi's method

Taguchi's method appears to be an ideal statistical tool for the post-analysis correct determination of chemical composition in marine sediment samples. Using Taguchi's method in the chemistry laboratory, controllable factors such as mass per volume ratio, digestion temperature, digestion time and acids can be isolated to provide centring and variance control in Cu and Pb measurements or a “correct determination of Cu and Pb concentrations” minimizing the effect of noise factors. Statistical analysis is performed to identify the effect of parameters and their interactions. Also the expected cost savings under optimum condition is calculated. The results are confirmed by further measurements.     

Development of a sequential injection anodic stripping voltammetry (SI-ASV) method for determination of Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) in wastewater samples from coatings industry

This paper describes the development and validation of a sequential injection (SI) anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) method using the hanging mercury drop electrode for accumulation of the heavy metal cations Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II). The method was applied to wastewater samples after proper acid digestion in open vessels to eliminate matrix effects. For a deposition time of 90 s at the flow rate of 10 μl s⁻¹, the detection limits of the method were 0.06, 0.09 and 0.16 μmol L⁻¹ for Cd, Pb and Cu, respectively. Under these conditions the linear dynamic range was between 0.20 and 9.0 μmol L⁻¹ and the sampling frequency was 30 analyses per hour. The relative standard deviation of the method was 3%(n=7) at the concentration level of 2.0 μmol L⁻¹. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by spiking the samples with known amounts of the metal cations, and by comparison with an independent analytical technique, the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Average recoveries were around of 84%, and the results showed no evidence of systematic errors in comparison to the ICP-AES.     

Phenolic compounds,antioxidant activity and Cu,Zn, Cd and Pb content in wild and cultivated cranberries and blueberries

The aim of this study was to determine the content of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb and the total polyphenol (TP) content as well as the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in wild cranberries and blueberries collected from different localities of the Slovakia and to compare them with properties of six cranberry and six highbush blueberry cultivars obtained from the research centre. Compared with cultivated cranberries (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb content: 0.642, 1.496, 0.015 and 0.050 mg/kg FM) in wild fruits, higher Cu (by 37%) and lower Zn, Cd and Pb (by 8%, 7% and 44% respectively) were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry method. In wild blueberries, higher Cu, Zn and Pb (by 16%, 209% and 80% respectively) and similar Cd contents were determined compared with cultivated fruits (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb content: 0.483, 0.541, 0.003 and 0.055 mg/kg FM). The TP contents estimated by spectrophotometry using Folin–Ciocalteau reagent were in intervals 1405–3161 (cranberries) and 1300–3077 (blueberries) expressed as mg GAE/kg FM. While the average TP content determined in wild cranberries was by 31% lower than that in cultivated cranberries, in wild blueberries it was by 97% higher compared with highbush blueberry cultivars. The values of TAC determined by spectrophotometry method using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl were in range 20.67–22.22 (cranberries) and 14.03–24.79 (blueberries) expressed as mmol TE/kg FM. In wild cranberries and blueberries, the lower average TAC values compared with cultivated berries were determined (by 1% and 28%, respectively).     

响应面法优化巴旦木壳对废水Pb、Cu和Cd的吸附及同时测定

研究废弃巴旦木壳对模拟废水中Pb、Cu和Cd的去除率。在单因素试验的基础上,采用响应面法对吸附剂投加量、吸附时间和pH值3因素进行优化。实验结果表明,最佳吸附条件为Pb：为吸附剂投加量0.4g、吸附时间49.38min、pH值为9.96;Cu：吸附剂投加量0.4g、吸附时间49.91min、pH值为10.13;Cd：吸附剂投加量0.4g、吸附时间49.83min、pH值为10.42;在此条件下,Pb、Cu和Cd的去除率分别为87.42%、73.49%和85.11%。采用偏最小二乘法(PLS)对Pb、Cu和Cd模拟混合试样吸附后的溶液进行同时测定,计算得出吸附剂对Pb、Cu和Cd的去除率分别为83.2%、66.0%和83.3%。     

Removal of Cu(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) ions from aqueous solution by dam silt

The removal of heavy metals, such as Cu(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) from aqueous solution was studied using Chorfa silt material (Mascara, Algeria). The main constituents of silt sediment are quartz, calcite and mixture of clays. The experimental data were described using Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) and Langmuir–Freundlich models. The adsorbed amounts of chromium and copper ions were very high (95% and 94% of the total concentration of the metal ions), whereas cadmium ion was adsorbed in smaller (55%) amounts. The Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm model was the best to describe the experimental data. The maximum sorption capacity was found to be 26.30, 11.76 and 0.35 mg/g for Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺, respectively. The results of mean sorption energy, E (kJ/mol) calculated from D–R equation, confirmed that the adsorption of copper, chromium and cadmium on silt is physical in nature.