Bioleaching of a Spanish uranium ore

Abstract: The bioleaching of a low-grade uranium ore in shaker and columns using natural, pure and mixed cultures has been studied. Initially, a chemical and microscopical characterization of the mineral was carried out. Orbital shaker experiments were performed to quickly obtain the best bacterial leaching conditions. Afterwards, small columns were used to determine other variables related to percolation leaching. Finally, an uranium ore from the F6 mine (Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain) was leached in the presence of bacteria using large columns (24 cm diameter and 275 cm height). The most important results were: (i) the ore contains sufficient pyrite in order for uranium bioleaching to take place under optimum conditions; (ii) shaker experiments showed that temperature, pH and type of inoculum are the most important variables in bioleaching; (iii) two different ores were attacked in the columns: altered and non-altered. In the first case, the extraction rate of uranium was higher. However, in both cases the final efficiency was very similar (95%).     

酸雨对缙云山林地黄壤汞溶出的影响

Forest yellow soil and arable yellow soil in Jinyun Mountain were collected to study the effect of simulated acid rain(adjusted to pH 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0) on the Hg leaching from soils by the methods of static extraction and dynamic leaching. The results showed that in forest yellow soils, surface accumulation of Hg occurred, and the accumulated Hg was easier to be leached out than that in arable yellow soil by acid rain. The amount of leached Hg was the largest at pH 4.0. To abate the risk of Hg pollution in water bodies by the Hg leaching from this forest soil, the Mountain should be closed, and timber-felling should be forbidden.     

Counter-Current Metal Leaching and Precipitation for Soil Remediation

Chemical acid leaching is an effective technique for extracting toxic metals from the finest fractions of polluted soils. Nevertheless, the use of large quantities of reagents and process water results in prohibitive operating costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical and economic advantages of recirculating water in a counter-current leaching process (CCLP). Five 1-h sulfuric acid extraction steps (at pH = 1.5) followed by three 5-min water-washing steps were applied to the fine particle fraction (<0.125 mm) of an industrial soil polluted by Cd (13.2 mg·kg^?1), Cu (3 100 mg·kg^?1), Mn (685 mg kg^?1), Pb (550 mg·kg^?1), and Zn (2 840 mg·kg^?1). The leaching experiments were carried out at ambient temperature using a 10% soil suspension and in 1-L working volume stirred tank reactors. This paper presents results of conventional and counter-current leaching process (CCLP) tests and shows that the CCLP yields removal results for Cu (85%), Zn (86%), Mn (75%), and Cd (90%) that are similar to those obtained using the conventional leaching process. Moreover, the CCLP uses half of the quantity of acid and one-eighth of the amount of water that the conventional process uses. Metal precipitation with NaOH and Ca(OH)₂ was applied to treat the acidic leachates, and good metal removal yields were achieved with both reagents. However, the large consumption of chemicals implies high operating costs. In addition, the precipitation causes considerable sludge production, particularly when using Ca(OH)₂. Overall, the CCLP coupled to metal precipitation using NaOH and water recycling appears to be the most attractive option for the removal of toxic metals from this industrial soil.     

植物竞争能力测度方法及其应用评价

植物竞争是指不同植物间对限制性资源的共同需求而产生阻碍或制约的相互关系,是生物学领域一个非常重要的方面.竞争特征可以归结为3个方面:(1)竞争强度和重要性,(2)竞争影响和反应;(3)竞争后果.基于不同的角度,形成了一系列植物竞争能力的测度系数,而特定的竞争系数通常要求与相应的试验设计相匹配,这样不同研究间的结果比较非常困难,选用哪种竞争系数来测度植物竞争关系非常困惑.本文简要总结了植物竞争能力的基本组成元素,根据竞争特征对植物竞争测度方法进行归类综述,对竞争能力系数应用领域的可适用性和其功能的局限性进行分析评价,为相关研究正确选择试验设计和测度方法提供帮助.     

Measuring and modelling nitrogen leaching: parallel problems

In studies of nitrate leaching both experimenters and modellers experience problems arising from soil variability. Because of the small-scale heterogeneity that gives rise to mobile and immobile categories of water, both measurements and modelling are easiest in homogeneous sandy soils and most difficult in strongly structured clay soils. There are also parallels at plot and field scale in the problems caused to experimenters by log-normal distributions of nitrate concentrations and those caused to modellers by non-linearity in models. All researchers need to be aware that a reliable estimate of the mean from a set of measurements or a model may necessitate considerations of variances as well as means.     

Bacterial leaching of uranium ore from Figueira—PR, Brazil, at laboratory and pilot scale

Abstract: A bacterial leaching program was carried out in order to evaluate the potential of applying this process to leach uranium from the ore of Figueira-PR, Brazil. The experiments were carried out in shake flasks, column percolation (laboratory and scmipilot scale)and in heap leaching. In shake flasks and in column percolation experiments at laboratory scale, bacterial activity on Ihe ore was confirmed: approximately 60% of uranium was leached, against around 30% in sterilized controls. Colunm percolation experiments at semipilot scale and heap leaching (850 tons of ore) showed uranium extractions of approximately 50%. In both experiments, a complementary sulfuric acid attack, after the bacterial leaching phase, was neccssaw to reach this level of uranium extraction.     

Influence of coal source and treatment upon indigenous microbial communities

Summary The leaching of six Eastern coals was investigated using experimental coal columns subjected to simulated leaching events. Measurements of CO₂ assimilation and specific enrichment cultures indicated that the microbial communities of all leachates were dominated by iron- and sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria. Comparison of CO₂ assimilation rates in leachates and core samples of leached coal indicated that most chemoautotrophs remained within coal columns during leaching. Mean numbers of chemoautotrophic bacteria in leachate samples were correlated with concentrations of dissolved iron and sulfate. Leachates from unwashed, run-of-mine coals contained more chemoautotrophs and more iron and sulfate than did leachates from washed, final product coals. After several leachings, the ratio of sulfur oxidizers to iron oxidizers tended to increase. These data suggest that the chemoautotrophic community of final product coals may be pyritelimited. Aerobic heterotrophs constituted a minor component of the microbial community in leachates from the six coals and their abundance and metabolic activity were apparently not influenced by the beneficiation history of the coal. Changes in rates of acetate metabolism may have been related to microbial succession within the heterotrophic community of coal columns. In all leachates, rates of tritiated methylthymidine assimilation were correlated with rates of acetate incorporation but not with CO₂ assimilation, even though autotrophs dominated the microflora. Thus, thymidine assimilation rates appear to reflect activities or growth of mainly heterotrophic microorganisms in leachate.     

Transient three-dimensional modeling of soil water and solute transport with simultaneous root growth,root water and nutrient uptake

A three-dimensional solute transport model was developed and linked to a three-dimensional transient model for soil water flow and root growth. The simulation domain is discretized into a grid of finite elements by which the soil physical properties are spatially distributed. Solute transport modeling includes passive and active nutrient uptake by roots as well as zero- and first-order source/sink terms. Root water uptake modeling accounts for matric and osmotic potential effects on water and passive nutrient uptake. Root age effects on root water and nutrient uptake activity have been included, as well as the influence of nutrient deficiency and ion toxicity on root growth. Examples illustrate simulations with different levels of model complexity, depending on the amount of information available to the user. At the simplest level, root growth is simulated as a function of mechanical soil strength only. Application of the intermediate level with root water and nutrient uptake simulates the influence of timing and amount of NO3 application on leaching. The most comprehensive level includes simulation of root and shoot growth as influenced by soil water and nutrient status, temperature, and dynamic allocation of assimilate to root and shoot.     

Mineral sulphide oxidation by enrichment cultures of novel thermoacidophilic bacteria

Abstract: Enrichment culture of hot spring water samples with pyrite as substrate has provided acidophiles with novel growth characteristics: with these bacteria, the range of conditions under which rapid microbial oxidation of mineral sulphides has been demonstrated has been extended. The upper temperature limit for bacterial mineral oxidation in reactors has been raised. The dissolution of pyrite occurred during growth of Sulfolobus -like thermophiles up to almost 90C. The most efficient extraction of copper from chalcopyrite occurred at 80–85C. With moderate thermophiles, rapid oxidation of minerals was obtained during autotrophic growth in the absence of supplemental CO₂: a mixed enrichment culture was active in pyrite dissolution at 45–50C in reactors gassed only with air which contrasted with poor growth by well-studied moderate thermophiles in the absence of enhanced CO₂ concentrations.     

The dynamic viscoelasticity and plasticizer leachability of tissue conditioners

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2012.00639.x
The dynamic viscoelasticity and plasticizer leachability of tissue conditioners Objectives: Dynamic viscoelasticity is one of the most important characteristics of tissue conditioners. Leaching of plasticizer from tissue conditioners may cause changes in the dynamic viscoelasticity of these materials. The purpose of this study was to determine the dynamic viscoelasticity and plasticizer leachability of commercial tissue conditioners. Materials and methods: Five commercial tissue conditioners were used in this study: COE Comfort (CC), Fit Softer (FS), Hydro‐Cast (HC), Soft Conditioner (SC) and Visco‐Gel (VG). Five specimens of each material were stored in 37°C distilled water. The dynamic viscoelasticity and plasticizer leaching of each specimen were measured at 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after immersion using a dynamic mechanical analyzer and high performance liquid chromatography. Data were analyzed using one‐way anova and Student–Newman–Keuls test (α = 0.05). Results: Significant differences in dynamic viscoelasticity and plasticizer leaching were found among the materials. The dynamic viscoelasticity of all materials increased or decreased significantly with time. Rapid changes in dynamic viscoelasticity were evident on day 1 after water immersion. The material CC recorded the highest level of plasticizer leaching. Conclusion: These results suggest that the dynamic viscoelasticity of commercial tissue conditioners is affected by plasticizer leaching. However, these effects are limited.     

Leaching of contaminated leaves following uptake and phytoremediation of RDX, HMX, and TNT by poplar

The uptake and fate of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) by hybrid poplars in hydroponic systems were compared and exposed leaves were leached with water to simulate potential exposure pathways from groundwater in the field. TNT was removed from solution more quickly than nitramine explosives. Most of radioactivity remained in root tissues for 14C-TNT, but in leaves for 14C-RDX and 14C-HMX. Radiolabel recovery for TNT and HMX was over 94%, but that of RDX decreased over time, suggesting a loss of volatile products. A considerable fraction (45.5%) of radioactivity taken up by whole plants exposed to 14C-HMX was released into deionized water, mostly as parent compound after 5 d of leaching. About a quarter (24.0%) and 1.2% were leached for RDX and TNT, respectively, mostly as transformed products. Leached radioactivity from roots was insignificant in all cases (< 2%). This is the first report in which small amounts of transformation products of RDX leach from dried leaves following uptake by poplars. Such behavior for HMX was reported earlier and is reconfirmed here. All three compounds differ substantially in their fate and transport during the leaching process.     

Variation of Cu and Zn Fractionation and Mobility in Mine Tailing Soil Due to Experimental Leaching

The aims of this paper were to assess the variation of heavy metal (Cu and Zn) fractions and mobility in abandoned metal mine soil due to batch experimental leaching. Four solutions with different pH levels were used in the experiments. The total and fractional concentrations of heavy metals in untreated and leached soils were determined. The Kruskal–Wallis test was applied to verify the differences in the Cu and Zn distribution in soils before and after leaching. In order to assess the mobility of heavy metals, mobility factors (MFs) were calculated. The research results showed that the original/untreated soil was mainly of a sandy texture and acidic in character. After batch leaching for 7 days, the distribution of heavy metals was dominant in the residual fraction (F5). Heavy metal fractions in F1, F2, F3, and F5 showed a decreasing trend, but an increasing trend in F4 was observed. Among the solutions applied having different pH values, HCl (pH 3) illustrated the strongest effect on decreasing heavy metals in short-term mobile fractions (F1 and F2). The MF of Zn decreased more than that of Cu after 7-day batch leaching.     

关中地区小麦/玉米轮作农田硝态氮淋溶特点

通过田间原位淋溶装置研究了不同施氮量和秸秆覆盖对关中地区小麦/玉米轮作农田90cm深处硝态氮(NO3--N)淋溶量、0～1m土层硝态氮累积及作物产量和氮平衡的影响.试验设不施氮(N1,0kg·hm-2·a-1)、常规施氮(N2,471kg·hm-2·a-1)、推荐施氮(N3,330kg·hm-2·a-1)、减量施氮(N4,165kg·hm-2·a-1)、增量施氮(N5,495kg·hm-2·a-1)和推荐施氮+秸秆覆盖(N3+S)6个不同施肥处理.结果表明:NO3--N淋溶量随施氮量的增加而增大,氮肥的过量施用及秸秆覆盖易造成NO3--N淋溶.N3+S处理90cm处年NO3--N流失量最大,为22.32kg·hm-2,施肥造成的氮流失量为16.44kg·hm-2,比相同施氮量不覆盖处理(N3)高158.9%.NO3--N主要累积在20～60cm土层,年施氮量330kg·hm-2(N3)时,秸秆覆盖与否不影响NO3--N的剖面分布.各施肥处理对作物产量没有显著影响,但减量施氮处理(N4)有减少作物产量的趋势.在本试验条件下,推荐施肥量(小麦施氮150kg·hm-2,玉米施氮180kg·hm-2)在保证作物产量的同时,可减少土壤NO3--N的淋溶和累积.     

Thermophilic bacterial leaching of manganese dioxide

Summary Thermophilic bacterial leaching of low-grade manganese oxide ore was, demonstrated at 50°C and 70°C. A static culture system was used with cane molasses as the nutrient source. By employing batch cultures, with an acid wash to redissolve adsorbed Mn²⁺ at completion of each batch, the bacterial reduction could be driven to completion.     

Fluorescence microscopy techniques for quantitative evaluation of organic biocide distribution in antifouling paint coatings: application to model antifouling coatings

A test matrix of antifouling (AF) coatings including pMMA, an erodible binder and a novel trityl copolymer incorporating Cu₂O and a furan derivative (FD) natural product, were subjected to pontoon immersion and accelerated rotor tests. Fluorescence and optical microscopy techniques were applied to these coatings for quantification of organic biocide and pigment distribution. Total leaching of the biocide from the novel copolymer binder was observed within 6 months of rotor immersion, compared to 35% from the pMMA coating. In pontoon immersions, 61% of the additive was lost from the pMMA coating, and 53% from the erodible binder. Profiles of FD content in the binders revealed an accelerated loss of additive from the surface of the CDP resulting from rosin degradation, compared to even depletion from pMMA. In all samples, release of the biocide was inhibited beyond the Cu₂O front, corresponding to the leached layer in samples where Cu₂O release occurred.     

Tree species shape the elemental composition in the lichen Hypogymnia physodes transplanted to pairs of spruce and beech trunks

The lichen Hypogymnia physodes was sampled from spruce trunks and we used to assess natural elements in the throughfall from pairs of neighbouring beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies) canopies in an unmanaged forest reserve. The beech bark (pH = 4.36 ± 0.13) was less acidic than spruce bark (3.71 ± 0.06). After a 1 yr transplantation onto trunks, lichens on beech had significantly higher concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and P than on spruce, and lower Mn, Zn and C, but had similar Al, B, Fe, N, Na, S and Si concentrations. Base cations (Ca, Mg, K) in lichens highly significantly increased with bark pH, with no overlap between tree species neither for base cations, nor for pH. The results are consistent with the view that trees modify the elemental composition of lichens in their dripzone, and that trees at least to some extent can modify the elemental chemistry of their local surroundings and thus influence ecosystem processes. We discuss lichen transplantation as a method to estimate long-term effects of tree species on local chemical environments.     

我国23个土壤磷素淋失风险评估Ⅰ.淋失临界值

随着磷肥施用量增加,土壤磷素累积,由此所引起的土壤磷素流失(径流和淋失)越来越成为水体磷素的重要来源。研究从广西灵川、云南建水、贵州六枝、福建漳浦、浙江象山、江苏如皋、山东泰安、河南南阳、陕西延安、海南海口、湖北潜江、湖南长沙、北京海淀等13个省(市)采集23种耕地土壤,土壤风干过2mm筛后,加入0,30,40,60,100,160,200,240,300,400mg P／kg土(KH2PO4溶液),并将土壤湿度调节至约50％的田问持水量,25℃下培养4d后风干,再加水至约50％的田问持水量,同上培养再风干,如此进行干湿交替3次达到平衡后,分别用pH8．50．5mol／LNaHCO3溶液(Olsen-P)、0．01mol／L CaCl2溶液(CaCl2-P)和铁滤纸条(Fe-P)测定土壤含磷量。结果表明,Olsen-P与Fe-P呈极显著的线性关系,随着土壤Olsen-P或Fe-P的增加,CaCl2-P提高,存在一个明显的突变点,即土壤磷酸盐淋失临界值。但不同土壤其临界值差异很大,前者的Olsen-P在29．96～156．78mg／kg之间,相应的CaCl2-P为0．14～3.87mg／kg;而后者的Fe-P为0．69～2．17mg／kg,相应的CaCl2-P为0．30～7．38mg／kg。两种方法所得到的临界值大部分土壤十分接近,但一些土壤相差很大。根据所获得的临界值推断,供试的23个土壤中,采自浙江象山(9号)、江苏如皋(11号)的土壤极有可能已经发生了磷酸盐淋失,来自广西灵川(2号)、云南建水(3号)、河南南阳(15号)、陕西延安(17号和18号)土壤比较容易发生磷淋失,而来自贵州六枝(5号和6号)、浙江象山(10号)、湖北潜江(20号和21号)土壤则不太容易发生磷的淋失。     

Ceramic processing of polluted dredged mud

About 45 million m³ of bottom sediment, with an estimated dry matter content of 30%, have to be dredged annually in the Netherlands, of which several million m³ are strongly contaminated with heavy metals and toxic organic substances. Contaminated dredged muds are dumped in special locations on land.The problems of severely polluted muds are likely to remain from many decades to come, and the present disposal reserve may not be adequate. In a densely populated country, large-scale disposal on land is not a satisfactory long-term solution, and a method of cleaning these muds has to be developed. This paper presents some of the results of an investigation into the feasibility of ceramically processing severely polluted dredged muds. Ceramic processing not only destroys the organic micro-pollutants; the leaching of heavy metals is reduced by ceramic bonding and the end-product is a hard, lightweight gravel-size particulate, useful as a building material. Extensive tests have been carried out on the leaching behaviour of the ceramic products and the results showed little or no differences in comparison with other commonly used building materials; the results are better than those of aggregates made from pulverized fuel ashes.     

太湖地区稻田土壤养分淋洗特征

通过排水采集器(Lysimeter)模拟试验,研究了太湖地区不同施肥水平下稻季农田养分淋洗特点。结果表明,施肥后田面水NH4^+-N浓度升高很快,2～3d达到峰值,最高值达26．2mg·L^-1,随后下降很快,这一周期约7～10d,渗漏水中NH4^+-N浓度很低,稻季NH4^+-N淋洗的氮仅占施肥量的0．008％～0．074％,渗漏液中NO3^--N含量随着氮肥用量的增加而增加,其浓度范围在0～7．14mg·L^-1,在土壤剖面中呈上低下高的趋势,稻季氮素的淋洗仍以NO3^--N为主,净淋洗量在3．2～8．3kg·hm^-2之间,占总施肥量的1．40％～2．78％,田面水磷浓度在施磷肥后1d即达最高值,随后下降,下层渗漏液中T-P含量很低,几乎不受施肥量的影响,猪粪能促进磷的迁移。