Cr(VI) sorption/desorption on pine sawdust and oak wood ash

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120808849

The objective of this work was to study Cr(VI) sorption/desorption on two by-products from the wood industry: pine sawdust and oak wood ash. The retention/release experiments were carried out using standard batch-type trials. In the sorption-phase experiments, pine sawdust showed 23% sorption when a concentration of 100 mg Cr(VI)·L-1 was added, whereas sorption on oak wood ash was 17%. In the desorption-phase, chromium release was clearly higher from pine sawdust than from oak wood ash (98% and 66%, respectively). Sorption curves were well fitted to the Freundlich and Lineal models. In view of the results, both materials can be considered of very limited value to remove Cr from polluted soil and water, which can be of relevance regarding its appropriate use as biosorbents and recycled by-products.

Metalaxyl mobility in acid soils: Evaluation using different methods

International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 

DOI: 10.1007/s13762-014-0612-1

In the present work, different methods were tested to evaluate the adsorption and desorption of metalaxyl in two acid soils with different organic carbon and clay contents. The three methods (batch, stirred flow chamber and column) that were examined produced similar findings when the two soils were compared: (a) the metalaxyl adsorption capacity was higher in the soil with higher organic matter and clay content, and (b) the soil with the lower organic matter and clay contents provided higher adsorption rate constants. In the two soils tested, the metalaxyl adsorbed in the soil was highly reversible. When only one soil was considered, the different methods yielded different results. The metalaxyl adsorption and its rate were higher with the stirred flow chamber than in the column experiments, and in the column experiments, the total metalaxyl adsorption and the rate of adsorption were higher than in the batch experiments. The percentages of metalaxyl desorbed from the soil were similar in the stirred flow chamber and column experiments, but in the batch experiments, the percentages were significantly lower. In the stirred flow chamber experiments, the desorption processes were faster than the adsorption processes, while in the column experiments, the adsorption and desorption processes exhibited similar rates.

Time evolution of the general characteristics and Cu retention capacity in an acid soil amended with a bentonite winery waste

Journal of Environmental Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.12.024

The effect of bentonite waste added to a "poor" soil on its general characteristic and copper adsorption capacity was assessed. The soil was amended with different bentonite waste concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40 and 80Mgha-1) in laboratory pots, and different times of incubation of samples were tested (one day and one, four and eight months). The addition of bentonite waste increased the pH, organic matter content and phosphorus and potassium concentrations in the soil, being stable for P and K, whereas the organic matter decreased with time. Additionally, the copper sorption capacity of the soil and the energy of the Cu bonds increased with bentonite waste additions. However, the use of this type of waste in soil presented important drawbacks for waste dosages higher than 20Mgha-1, such as an excessive increase of the soil pH and an increase of copper in the soil solution.

Heavy metals in pastureland soils situated in A Pastoriza (NW Spain) treated with cattle slurry and NPK fertilizers

Spanish Journal of Soil Science, 5, 154-164 (2015)

DOI: 10.3232/SJSS.2015.V5.N2.05

In Galicia (NW Spain), pasturelands cover a broad extension and are mainly used to feed cattle. Farms are managed in an intensive manner, using cattle slurry and inorganic fertilizers to increase pasture production, but also increasing risks of heavy metal pollution. In this work we studied the influence of fertilization practices on total concentrations and in-depth distribution of heavy metals and related elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in two forest soils (SN1, SN2) and five pastureland soils (P1-P5) fertilized with cattle slurry and NPK, in a broadly exploded farmland area (A Pastoriza, Lugo). Soils SN2 and P4 were developed over slate, whereas soils SN1, P1, P2, P3 and P5 evolved on Candana quartzite. Forest soils presented acid pH (4.58-4.68), high Al saturation (75-90%), and low available P concentration (4.78-11.96 mg kg-1), whereas those parameters exhibited better scores in the pastureland soils, due to previous amendment and fertilization practices, thus giving pH 5.17-7.02, Al saturation 0.58-59.24%, and available P 5.24-42.07 mg kg-1. Regarding heavy metals, soil depth did not affect significantly to total concentrations, contrary to that happening with parent material, with higher As, Cu, Fe, and Ni concentrations found in soils over slate (possibly due to the presence of pyritic materials). In most cases, heavy metal total concentrations were lower than that considered as reference background levels for soils developed over each of the parent materials, and were always lower than that considered phyto-toxic. In this study, natural soils usually presented heavy metal total contents similar or even higher than that of the fertilized soils (unless Zn in the P4 pastureland), thus indicating that the spread doses of fertilizers did not influence significantly their concentration levels.

Profiling, distribution and levels of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in traditional smoked plant and animal foods

Food Control, 59 (2016) 581–590

doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.06.036

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH8 plus fluoranthene and pyrene) in “Pan de Cea” bread, “Pimentón de La Vera” paprika, “San Simón da Costa”, “Idiazábal” and “Humus” cheeses, and “Chorizo” garlic pork sausage. Results obtained showed that harmless low molecular weight compounds (Fluoranthene and Pyrene) represented the major contribution to the total PAHs. The most important PAHs according to the levels found were those in the 4 PAHs group (the rest of PAHs to add a total of 8 were contributing at very low levels). PAH4 and PAH8 levels showed percentages ranging from 6.0 to 7.0 % in bread, 16–17 % in paprika, 23–28 % in cheese and 20–24 % in meat sausages, respectively. B(a)P did not exceed the imposed limits in the EU. Bread showed the lower PAH concentration (3.4 μg/kg) followed by cheese (88 μg/kg), smoked sausage (1779 μg/kg) and paprika (9937 μg/kg). “Pimentón de la Vera” paprika is a condiment consumed in small quantities. The PAH profile had in common the decrease in PAH content as their molecular weight increased. These results showed that the contamination detected in “Pan de Cea” bread samples was very low, so that the consumption of this product does not pose a health risk. In cheese samples, the PAH contamination was detected meanly in rind, that accounted around the 100% of the total contamination. In meat sausages samples, the 90% of the total PAHs determined were accumulated in the casing. Considering the edible part, the PAH4 and B(a)P mean contents were below the limit established. Although, the highest PAH levels were detected in “Pimentón de la Vera” paprika, it should be pointed out that this product is a condiment consumed in small quantities and not in an everyday basis, it does not represent a risk for consumers. In cheese and meat sausage, according our estimates, the removal of the external part can be considered a good consumer practices to reduce the ingestion of PAHs.