Investigation of the effect of some parameters on the degree of leaching antimony from stibnite

The paper presents results of experiments of agitation leaching of antimony from stibnite in alkaline solutions of Na2S +NaOH. The influence of different solution solutions ratio of the reacting phases and of different rate of stirring on the degree of leaching of antimony was investigated

PRECONCENTRATION OF COPPER FROM SYNTHETIC AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS USING MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

The determination of heavy metal contents in various components of the environment is very important in the context of environmental protection. In laboratory practice often happens that the determination of trace and ultra-trace contents of heavy metals in natural aqueous samples by available method is not sufficient with respect of required accuracy. In such cases it is necessary to include appropriate treatment of the samples prior to their analysis. For the purpose of preconcentration of the trace metal content the solid phase extraction (SPE) is often used. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered to be suitable sorbent material enabling increase the separation and preconcentration efficiency of SPE over other conventional silica-based sorbents. This work includes the evaluation of experimental conditions (pH of sample solution, content of the analyte, method used for CNTs oxidation and amount of solid sorbent) used in SPE-CNT preconcentration of copper from synthetic aqueous solutions

Application of the extraction by EDTA acid on gravitation dust sediment samples from the Koice industrial region

This work is focused on the experimental determination of the effect of extraction time and pH of the 0.05 M EDTA on the extraction degree of selected elements. It has been determined that the pH of 0.05 M EDTA = 7 as specified by the norm is possible to be used for the extraction of the dust sediment but the 1-hour extraction is not satisfactory for the isolation of all mobilizable elements forms

MATRIX CHARACTERIZATION AS A TOOL OF INVESTIGATION OF RISK HEAVY METALS BEHAVIOUR IN THE ENVIRONMENT

In this paper the matrix characterization of chosen solid environmental samples and assessment of its impact on the association of risk metals with mineral phases of these samples, which makes their mobility in the environment, is presented. Results of X-ray diffraction analysis, determination of total carbon contents (TOC, TIC) and constituent elements have confirmed differences in the mineralogical composition of samples. In the soil and sediment samples, more than 80 % content of mineral forms of silicon and silicates was determined, moreover sediment contains also carbonates. In the sample of gravitation dust sediment (GDS), high (approx. 80 %) content of amorphous material was determined. The rest was formed from a wide variety of minerals. In comparison with two other samples under study, amount of GDS in the environment is least, but in spite of this it significantly influences input of heavy metals to the soils, particularly in the industrial areas

Utilization of Extraction Procedures for Evaluating Environmental Risk from Waste Materials

Several procedures for extracting content from different waste materials types were investigated, with the aim of evaluating their environmental impact. The waste materials consisted of wastes from bauxite ore processing by means of the Bayer process (red mud, Ajka, Hungary), bauxite ore using the sintering process followed by the Bayer process (brown-red mud, Žiar nad Hronom, Banská Bystrica region, Slovakia) and sulphide ores (metal-rich post-flotation tailing, Lintich, Slovakia). The extraction procedures were carried out with the aim of isolating “mobilizable” fractions using 0.05 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and 0.43 M acetic acid (AA) (representing environmental risk during changes in normal environmental conditions) and “maximum potentially mobilizable” fractions using 2 M HNO3 (representing the total environmental risk). The content of chosen toxic heavy metals (THMs) (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) and Fe, Mn as metals creating Fe/Mn oxides in the extracts and solutions after microwave digestion was determined using high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS FAAS). On the basis of the results obtained in this study, it is possible to state that different origin of waste materials is reflected in different mobility of toxic heavy metals into the surrounding environment. From the point of view of toxic heavy metals mobility, disposal site of wastes after bauxite processing are much less of a threat to the environment than disposal site of flotation sludge after processing sulphide ores. The single extraction of 0.43 M AA is more effective than the extraction of 0.05 M EDTA for the purposes of determining the content of metals in the mobilizable fraction of tailing waste materials. The mobility of the studied toxic heavy metals in the Lintich tailing decreases in the direction from the lagoon to the dam, which may indicate the fact that the dam serves to a certain extent to inhibit the mobility of metals into the surrounding ecosystem

Sediment matrix characterization as a tool for evaluating the environmental impact of heavy metals in metal mining, smelting, and ore processing areas

In this work, the matrix characterization (mineralogy, total and local chemical composition, and total organic (TOC) and inorganic carbon (TIC) contents) of different types of sediments from mining-and metallurgy-influenced areas and the assessment of the impact of the matrix on the association of potentially hazardous metals with the mineral phases of these samples, which affect their mobility in the environment, are presented. For these purposes, sediment samples with different origins and from different locations in the environment were analyzed. Anthropogenic sediments from metal-rich post-flotation tailings (Lintich, Slovakia) represent waste from ore processing, natural river sediments from the Hornad River (Kosice, Slovakia) represent areas influenced predominantly by the metallurgical industry, and lake sediments from a water reservoir Ruzin (inflow from the Hornad and Hnilec Rivers, Slovakia) represent the impact of the metallurgical and/or mining industries. The total metal contents were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, the local chemical and morphological microanalysis by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and the TOC and TIC contents by infrared (IR) spectrometry. The mobility/bioavailability of Cu, Pb, and Zn in/from sediments at the studied areas was assessed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and acetic acid (AA) extraction and is discussed in the context of the matrix composition. The contents of selected potentially hazardous elements in the extracts were determined by the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS FAAS).Web of Science1903art. no. 15

A Comprehensive View of the Optimization of Chromium (VI) Processing through the Application of Electrocoagulation Using a Pair of Steel Electrodes

In the presented article, an electrocoagulation method using a steel cathode and a steel anode was used to obtain chromium from laboratory-prepared model solutions with known compositions. The study aimed to analyze the effect of solution conductivity, pH, and 100% efficiency of chromium removal from the solution, as well as the highest possible Cr/Fe ratio in the final solid product throughout the process of electrocoagulation. Different concentrations of chromium (VI) (100, 1000, and 2500 mg/L) and different pH values (4.5, 6, and 8) were investigated. Various solution conductivities were provided by the addition of 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg/L of NaCl to the studied solutions. Chromium removal efficiency equal to 100% was achieved for all studied model solutions for different experiment times, depending on the selected current intensity. The final solid product contained up to 15% chromium in the form of mixed FeCr hydroxides obtained under optimal experimental conditions: pH = 6, I = 0.1 A, and c (NaCl) = 3000 mg/L. The experiment indicated the advisability of using a pulsed change of electrode polarity, which led to a reduction in the time of the electrocoagulation process. The results may help in the rapid adjustment of the conditions for further electrocoagulation experiments, and they can be used as the optimization experimental matrix

Environmental study of two significant solid samples: gravitation dust sediment and soil

In this work are presented results of the complex study of two significant solid environmental samples: gravitation dust sediments (industrial pollutants, potential source of risk elements input to soils) and soils (component of the environment, potential source of risk elements input to food web). The first phase of this study was focused on the study of the significant chemical properties (phase composition, content of organic and inorganic carbon) of the dust and soil samples. In the second phase, the fractionation analysis was used on the evaluation of the mobility of chosen risk elements (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in the studied samples. The single-step extractions were applied in the order of the isolation of the element forms (fractions), with different mobilities during defined ecological conditions by utilization of the following reagents: 1 mol dm − 3 NH4NO3 for isolation of the “mobile” fraction, 0.05 mol dm − 3 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and 0.43 mol dm − 3 CH3COOH for isolation of the “mobilizable” fraction, and 2 mol dm − 3 HNO3 for isolation of all releasable forms. On the basis of the results obtained in this study, it is possible to state that different origins and positions of solid environmental samples in the environment reflect in different chemical properties of their matrix. The different properties of the sample matrix result in different mobilities of risk elements in these kinds of samples. The fractionation analysis with single-step extraction for isolation element fractions is the method most suitable for easy checking of environmental pollution and for evaluation of risk elements cycle in the environment.Web of Science18421130112