EDTA-flushing of artificially contaminated soils enhanced Cu extraction but also induced mineral dissolution simultaneously. The mobilization and transport of these metal-EDTA complexes was investigated with column experiments. A quantitative transport model was proposed for simulating the experimental breakthrough curves of Cu, Fe, Al, and Ca. The rate-limited EDTA-promoted extraction and diss...

In the ancient and acidic Ultisol soils of the Southern Piedmont, USA, we studied changes in trace element biogeochemistry over four decades, a period during which formerly cultivated cotton fields were planted with pine seedlings that grew into mature forest stands. In 16 permanent plots, we estimated 40-year accumulations of trace elements in forest biomass and O horizons (between 1957 and 19...

The residues from the extraction of lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) ores of most Pb/Zn mines are permanently stored in tailings ponds, which require revegetation to reduce their environmental impact. This can only be done if the main constraints on plant establishment are evaluated. This can readily be done by field and greenhouse studies. To test this, the properties of different tailings from Lechang Pb/Zn...

A multielement determination of major-to-trace elements in black tea leaves and their tea infusions was carried out by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Tea infusions were prepared as usual tea beverage by brewing black tea leaves in boiling water for 5 min. About 40 elements in tea leaves and tea infusio...

The aim of this study was to estimate the bioavailability of essential (Zn, Cu) and non-essential metals (Cd, Pb) to the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus exposed to soils originating from a gradient of metal pollution in Southern Poland. Metal uptake and elimination kinetics were determined and related to soils properties. Experimental results were compared with tissue metal concentrations observed...

Vanadium (III) gives a greenish- yellow complex with anthranilic acid in presence of pyridine. The complex is extractable with chloroform and is used for photometric determination of vanadium by measuring the absorbance at 390 nm against a reagent blank. Beer's Law holds good in the range of 1-20 pg V/ml. Moderate amounts of Pb (II) , Ca (II) , Sr (II) , Ba (II) , Cd (II) , Mg (II) , Mn (II...

1. Merino sheep fed on a diet of chopped wheaten hay, chopped lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay and oat grain were the source of rumen contents for the study. The diet contained (mg/kg dry weight) 3.3 copper, 0.24 molybdenum and 2.8 sulphur. The effects of adding between 5 and 25 mg Mo/kg as ammonium molybdate (AM) or tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) on the distribution and forms of Cu and Mo in rumen cont...

Nigerian cocoa farmers mostly use copper-based fungicides to control black pod disease of Theobroma cacao. Heavy metals are potentially toxic to soil microbes and soil environment in general. Toxicity depends on chemical association in soil. For this reason, determining the chemical forms of metals in soils is important to evaluate their mobility and bioavailability. Sequential extraction was u...

In this study, we studied the influence of dosage modified bamboo charcoal (KAM-500-400-3) on fixation effect single Cu(II)-contaminated and mixed Cu(II)–Cd(II)-contaminated sediment. The results showed that it could effectively fix heavy metals in both sediment types. sediment, when amount added KAM500-400-3 was greater than or equal to 5%, Cu(II) content overlying pore water substantially red...

Dispersion and runoff of mine tailings have serious implications for human and ecosystem health in the surroundings of mines. Water, soils and plants were sampled in transects perpendicular to the Santiago stream in Zimapan, Hidalgo, which receives runoff sediments from two acidic and one alkaline mine tailing. Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) were measured in water, soils (rh...