Silver (Ag) and thallium (Tl) are nonessential elements that can be highly toxic to a number of biota even when present in the environment at trace levels. In spite of that, the literature on the chemistry and fate of Ag and Tl in soils is extremely scanty. In that context, the key objective of this research was to compare the sorption characteristics of trace amounts of Ag and Tl on a range of...

The urban environment quality is of vital importance as the majority of people now live in cities. Due to the continuous urbanisation and industrialisation in many parts of the world, metals are continuously emitted into the terrestrial environment and pose a great threat on human health. An extensive survey was conducted in the highly urbanised and commercialised Hong Kong Island area (80.3 km...

Nature has slow occurring biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and heavy metals and the cycles have significantly controlled environmental fates of these elements. The trace elements and heavy metals cannot be degraded like organic pollutants and they may transform and become stable and persistent contaminants that accumulate in soil and sediments [1–3]. Estuaries play an important role in h...

The study compares nitric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) extraction of forest soils for the analysis of trace metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd. Fifty forest soil samples from ten different locations were extracted using both methods. The two extraction procedures were compared through regression analysis for each element. All elements were analysed by flame atomic absorption s...

in this article, groundwater samples in urban areas of kerman studied to assess the degree of pollution by heavy metals and major ions and other water quality parameters as a consequence of geology and anthropogenic sources. 43 samples were collected and analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, titration and potentiometery for some heavy metals (cd, cr, cu, mn, pb and zn), m...

Producing nutritious and safe foods sufficiently and sustainably is the ultimate goal of modern agriculture. Past efforts have focused on increasing crop yields, but enhancing the concentrations of mineral micronutrients has become an urgent task because about half of the world population suffers from the malnutrition of iron, zinc, and selenium. Biofortification of these trace elements can be ...

A total of 664 soil samples distributed among different geographic regions and soil types were collected across Wisconsin to describe the distribution of arsenic relative to parent material, soil texture, and drainage class. Soils from 6 inches in depth were composited, digested in aqua regia, and analyzed for 17 trace elements. Observed soil arsenic concentrations range from a high of 39 milli...

MAMMALS and birds sometimes seek shelter or nesting sites in the ground. Many of them scarcely affect the soil as a medium for plant growth. A notable exception is the soil-dwelling rodents. Although their acreweight is usually only about a few pounds even in the uncultivated land, their soil transporting activities sometimes are considerable. In building their tunnels and nests, they transport...

To evaluate the accumulation of trace elements (TE) by vegetables produced in the vicinity of abandoned pyrite mines, eighteen different small farms were selected near three mines from the Portuguese sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (São Domingos, Aljustrel and Lousal). Total and bioavailable As, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations were analyzed in the soils, and the same TE were analyzed in three d...