Leaching Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soil by Using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans or Thiobacillus thiooxidans

Iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria identified as Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and T. thiooxidans were successfully enriched from various soil samples contaminated with heavy metals and organic compounds. Depending on the growth medium, the soil sample, and the type of contaminant, the indigenous isolates solubilized > 50% of most of the heavy metals present in the solid sample (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, Zn, B, Be). Leaching with T. ferrooxidans strains resulted in total extraction of Cd, Co, Cu, and Ni. With sulfur-oxidizing bacteria > 80% of Cd, Co, Cu, and Zn was mobilized from rainwater sludge. Pb and Ba were not detected in the leachate, given the insolubility of their sulfate compounds. An increase in pulp density up to 20%, indicating 6.6% total organic carbon in the soil and rubble leach experiment (sample 557), did not inhibit the growth of the indigenous T. ferrooxidans strain. In view of these results, bioleaching appears to have some potential for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils.     

The effect of sulfur-containing nitrogen fertilizers on the elemental composition of celery (Apium graveolens) grown on a polluted marsh soil

Summary In order to investigate elemental composition of celery, and to quantify the influence of sulfur-containing N-fertilizers on the trace element uptake, a field trial with celery was carried out on marsh soil polluted with municipal wastes. The research yielded the following results:Compared to leaves at harvest time, bulbs showed significantly lower concentrations of Mo, S and Sb, but higher contents of B, Br and Cr and Cu. Since the acidifying effect of the fertilizers was suppressed by the free calcium carbonate in the soil, no significant changes in concentrations of cationic trace elements were detected in plants fertilized with ammonium sulfate compared to those which received urea or calcium ammonium nitrate. On the other hand, in these plants the conspicuous increase in total sulfur was accompanied by a significant decrease in concentrations of up to 30% for B, Br and Sb, 50% for As, 60% for Se and 80% for Mo.According to these results, in plant production on contaminated soils certain plant parts may be marketable due to their low tendency to accumulate toxic elements, and furthermore it may be feasible to reduce the contents of some of these elements in plants by the use of sulfur-containing fertilizers.     

Quantification of Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Plants Affected by Contaminated Irrigation Water

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157: H7 (EHEC) is a major foodborne pathogen capable of causing diarrhea and vomiting, with further complications such as hemolytic‐uremic syndrome (HUS). The aim of this study was to use the real‐time PCR method to quantify the survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7/pGFP in phyllosphere (leaf surface), rhizosphere (volume of soil tightly held by plant roots), and non‐rhizosphere soils (sand and clay) irrigated with contaminated water and compare the results obtained between real‐time PCR method and conventional plate counts. The real‐time PCR probe was designed to hybridize with the (eae) gene of E. coli O157:H7. The probe was incorporated into real‐time PCR containing DNA extracted from the phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and non‐rhizosphere soils irrigated with water artificially contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The detection limit for E. coli O157:H7 quantification by real‐time PCR was 2.3 × 10³ in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere samples. E. coli O157:H7 survived longer in rhizosphere soil than the non‐rhizosphere soil. The concentration of E. coli O157:H7/pGFP in rhizosphere soils was ≥ 10⁴ CFU/g in both soils at day 12 based on both plate count and real time PCR, with the clay soil significantly (P = 0.05) higher than the sandy soil. This data showed that E. coli O157H:7 can persist in the environment for more than 50 d, and this may pose some risk for both animal and human infection and provides a very significant pathway for pathogen recontamination in the environment.     

Analysis of the bacterial strains using Biolog plates in the contaminated soil from Riyadh community

Routine manufacture, detonation and disposal of explosives in land and groundwater have resulted in complete pollution. Explosives are xenobiotic compounds, being toxic to biological systems, and their recalcitrance leads to persistence in the environment. The methods currently used for the remediation of explosive contaminated sites are expensive and can result in the formation of toxic products. The present study aimed to investigate the bacterial strains using the Biolog plates in the soil from the Riyadh community. The microbial strains were isolated using the spread plate technique and were identified using the Biolog method. In this study we have analyzed from bacterial families of soil samples, obtained from the different sites in 5 regions at Explosive Institute. Our results conclude that Biolog MicroPlates were developed for the rapid identification of bacterial isolates by sole-carbon source utilization and can be used for the identification of bacteria. Out of five communities, only four families of bacteria indicate that the microbial community lacks significant diversity in region one from the Riyadh community in Saudi Arabia. More studies are needed to be carried out in different regions to validate our results.     

Role of Enzyveba in the aerobic bioremediation and detoxification of a soil freshly contaminated by two different diesel fuels

The biodegradability of two commercial diesel fuels, i.e., Diesel and HiQ Diesel, herewith designated as G1 and G2, respectively, spiked to an agricultural soil at 10 g kg⁻¹ was studied under aerobic slurry-phase conditions in the absence and in the presence of Enzyveba, i.e., a characterized commercial source of microorganisms and nutrients. A quite similar hydrocarbon composition was displayed by G1 and G2, which were found to be both extensively and almost completely biodegraded under all conditions after 4.5 months of treatment with a remarkable depletion of initial soil ecotoxicity, in particular in the G2 spiked one. The addition of Enzyveba resulted in a higher availability of cultivable specialized bacteria and fungi in the reactors but this only resulted in a slight intensification of soil bioremediation, probably because of the high contents of nutrients and indigenous specialized microorganisms of the soil. A faster biodegradation of hydrocarbons and a more rapid and extensive depletion of initial ecotoxicity were generally observed in the soil reactors spiked with G2 with respect to those spiked with G1 probably for the G2 content of additives capable of improving hydrocarbons bioavailability.     

乙草胺对东北黑土铅形态及生物有效性的影响

通过清洁黑土和污染黑土的形态分级分析和黑土铅对乙草胺的响应实验,对东北黑土铅形态及其乙草胺使用的生物有效性响应进行了研究．结果表明,清洁和污染黑土中的铅均主要以有机质-硫化物结合态铅和残渣态铅这2种生物有效性低的形态为主,而水溶态铅和可交换态铅这2种具生物学活性的铅含量则相对较低．与清洁黑土相比,污染黑土中具生物学活性的铅含量所占总铅含量的比例有所上升．随着农业活动中施入高剂量的乙草胺这一除草剂,黑土中具生物学活性的水溶态和可交换态铅的含量则大幅上升．据分析,其原因是铅在与乙草胺交互作用过程中来自有机质．硫化物结合态铅释放对有效态铅的贡献．     

Selection of a remediation scenario for a diesel-contaminated site using LCA

Goal and Scope A comparison of in situ and ex situ treatment scenarios for a diesel-contaminated site was performed using an evolutive LCA. Treatment time along with primary (residual contamination left in soil or groundwater after treatment) and secondary (impacts due to remediation) environmental impacts were considered. The site under study had a light Non Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) thickness of up to 1 m, a diesel soil concentration of 10,500 mg/kg and a residual contamination in groundwater. Methods Four treatment scenarios to remove LNAPL and to treat soil and groundwater were compared: 1) pump and treat 2) bioslurping, bioventing and biosparging 3) bioslurping, bioventing and chemical oxidation and 4) ex situ treatment using biopiles. The technologies’ design was performed using simulation tools and analytical equations. The LCA was evaluated for each year of treatment. Environmental impacts were assessed using the U.S. EPA Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) method. Results and Discussion The biological in situ scenario (2) showed the least primary and secondary impacts but its treatment time was more than 4 times longer than that obtained for the ex situ scenario (4). The ex situ scenario showed the best treatment time but its secondary impacts were significantly higher than those found for the biological in situ scenario due to the pavement of the treatment area. The combined biological and chemical in situ scenario (3) was the worst in terms of secondary impacts while the pump and treat scenario (1) was the worst in terms of primary impacts. Two scenarios were selected: one based upon low environmental impacts and the other on the fastest treatment time. Conclusions Even without excavation, an in situ treatment can generate more secondary impacts than an ex situ treatment. Low environmental impact scenarios require time while rapid treatment scenarios generate high environmental impacts. The selection of the best remediation scenario will depend on the site owner’s priority. Recommendations Better characterization factors for aggregated substances are required. This paper is openly accessible!     

Counter-Current Attrition Process (CCAP) to Remove Metals,Pentachlorophenol (PCP), Dioxins and Furans (PCDDF) from the 1-4-mm Fraction of Contaminated Soil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of a counter-current attrition process (CCAP) over 15 cycles for removing metals, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDDF) from contaminated soil. The CCAP, applied to the 1–4-mm fraction of a contaminated soil, included five attrition steps (pulp density (PD) = 40% (w w^?1), surfactant [BW] = 2% (w w^?1), t = 20 min, T = 20°C) followed by one rinsing step. The water emerging from the first attrition step was treated using flocculation in the presence of 0.04 g CMX 123 (commercial flocculent) L^?1 before being reintroduced into the CCAP. The CCAP including the treatment of attrition wastewater (ATW) by flocculation achieved a removal of 44 ± 5% As, 26 ± 6% Cr, 24 ± 5% Cu, 49 ± 4% PCP and 45 ± 3% PCDDF. Moreover, the CCAP enabled a significant reduction (78%) in the amount of water required (around 14.5 m³ of water per ton of the 1–4-mm soil fraction). The high removal yields obtained after 15 attrition cycles of the CCAP for PCP and PCDDF and the significant reduction of water consumption confirm that this CCAP can be considered for industrial applications.     

Development & application of Conceptual Framework Model (CFM) for environmental risk assessment of contaminated lands

Dumping sites are the most common types of contaminated lands as they pollute the environment. Environmental management of contaminated sites cannot be delivered effectively and efficiently without robust holistic & integrated risk assessment. Previous studies reveal the absence of a risk assessment model that holistically integrates all essential factors progressively and categorically. The study aimed to develop a holistic & integrated Conceptual Framework Model (CFM) for environmental risk assessment and to apply developed CFM on real-world existing Mahmood Booti Open Dumping Site (MBODS). CFM developed in this study had three main tiers i.e., baseline study, hazard identification & exposure assessment, and risk estimation. For the application of CFM, baseline data were collected and assessed. Water, leachate & soil samples were collected within 1000 m across the site and analyzed for physio-chemical parameters and heavy metals to estimate risk. Results of applied CFM depicted that Physico-chemical analysis of leachate, water, and soil revealed significant pollution levels. Heavy metal analysis exhibited that Ni, Pb, Mn, and Cr levels exceeded the allowable limits of the “World Health Organization” in leachate, water, and soil samples. It also revealed the existence of metals at the source (dumping site itself), pathway, and receptor of the dumping site. Eⁱ_r value for Ni, Pb and Cd from the study area manifested a serious probable risk to ecological integrities. Results for PERI from dumpsite demonstrated a serious ecological risk. It can be concluded that although Mahmood Booti dumping site has been at post-closure stage, it is a momentous source of hazardous toxic contaminants to the nearby inhabitants. The work presented in this paper may reproduce repeatedly to create site-specific risk assessment models of other contaminated lands in a cost-effective, consistent and cohesive manner. Application of CFM at Mahmood Booti Dumping site described detailed risk assessment which helps further in risk management.