PM10 spatial distribution and metals speciation study in the Bilbao metropolitan area during the 2017–2018 period

Speciation of respirable particles is becoming increasingly important from an epidemiological and analytical point of view to determine the potential effects of air pollution on human health. For this reason, current laws and analytical sampling methods focus on particle size, as it turns out to be the main factor for the greater or lesser penetration into the airways. In this sense, particles of less than 10 μm in diameter (<10 μm), referred to as PM10, are the particles that have a higher capacity for access to the respiratory tract and, therefore, more significant effect on them. In this sense, one of the most important factors that have a key role in the PM10 atmospheric pollution effect is the dispersion effect with the direct influence of natural effects such as wind, rain, topography apart from others. In this work, PM10 data extracted from the Basque Government environmental stations (19 sampling points) in the Biscay province (Basque Country, north of Spain) were combined with the results obtained from the use of self-made passive samplers (SMPS) in the same sampling points areas and subsequently, the sample analysis with a non-invasive elemental technique (Scanning Electron Microscope coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry) was carried out. Thanks to this methodology, it was possible to determine a wide variety of metals in PM10 such as Al, Fe, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ti, etc. Most of them present as oxides and others as part of natural aggregations such as quartz, aluminosilicates, phosphates etc

Impact assessment of metals on soils from Machu Picchu archaeological site

Machu Picchu is an archaeological Inca sanctuary from the 15th century, located 2430 m above the sea level in the Cusco Region, Peru. In 1983, it was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The surroundings and soils from the entire archaeological site are carefully preserved together with its grass parks. Due to the importance of the archaeological city and its surroundings, the Decentralized Culture Directorate of Cusco-PAN Machu Picchu decided to carry out a careful monitoring study in order to determine the ecological status of the soils. In this work, elemental and molecular characterization of 17 soils collected along the entire park was performed by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after acidic digestion assisted by microwave energy. Thanks to the combination of these analytical techniques, it was possible to obtain the mineral composition and metal concentrations of all soils from these 17 sampling points. Finally, different statistical treatments were carried out in order to confirm the ecological status of the different sampling points from Machu Picchu archaeological site concluding that soils are not impacted

Are children playgrounds safe play areas? Inorganic analysis and lead isotope ratios for contamination assessment in recreational (Brazilian) parks

In city playgrounds, there is a potential risk of harming children’s health by contamination coming from anthropogenic activities. With the aim to determinate the sources and the risk of hazardous elements, soil samples were collected in 19 selected playgrounds of different urban and rural areas from the Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil). The concentration of 23 metals and metalloids and lead isotopic ratios were determined by ICP-MS. The methodology proposed here, firstly, classified the parks according to the average metal content by means of the NWACs (Normalized-and-Weighted Average Concentrations) and assess the contamination risk determining the Contamination Factors (CFs). Finally, statistical tools (correlation analysis and principal component analysis) were used to identify the most important contamination sources. The statistical tools used, together with lead isotopic composition analysis of the samples, revealed that coal combustion is the main source of contamination in the area. Vegetation was identified as a barrier for the contamination coming from the city. Nonetheless, some of the soils present a possible toxicological risk for humans. In fact, Cr, Sb, and Pb concentrations were higher than the Residential Intervention Values (VIRs) defined by the Environmental Protection Agency of the State of São Paulo, also in Brazil

Nanominerals and potentially hazardous elements from coal cleaning rejects of abandoned mines: Environmental impact and risk assessment

Soils around coal mining are important reservoir of hazardous elements (HEs), nanominerals, and ultrafine compounds. This research reports and discusses the soil concentrations of HEs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in coal residues of abandoned mines. To assess differences regarding environmental impact and risk assessment between coal abandoned mines from the Santa Catarina state, eighteen coal cleaning rejects with different mineralogical and chemical composition, from eight abandoned mines were collected. Nanominerals and ultra-fine minerals from mining-contaminated areas were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), providing new information on the mineralogy and nano-mineralogy of these coal residues. The total contents of 57 elements (HEs, alkali metals, and rare earth elements) were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The calculation of NWACs (Normalized Average Weighted Concentration), together with the chemometric analysis by Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed the variability of the samples regarding their city and their mine of origin. Moreover, the results confirmed the existence of hotspots in mines near urban areas

Europako uraren zuzentarauaren helburuak, egokitasuna eta ezarpena: Europatik Euskal Herrira

Europan ezarrita zeuden uraren inguruko araudi guztiak bateratzeko asmoz sortu zen 2000. urtean Uraren Europako Zuzentaraua (European Water Framework Directive, WFD). Bere helburu nagusia 2015. urterako Europako estatukideek beraien mugen barnean kokaturiko ur-masa guztien (gainazaleko zein lurpeko uren) egoera ekologiko ona ziurtatzea da. Helburua erdiesteko kide bakoitzak bere ur-masen ikerketarako eta hobekuntzarako plan bereziak garatu behar ditu. Egoeraren larritasunaren arabera, hainbat mailatako monitorizazio-programak diseinatzea eskatzen da, hots, zaintzarako, ekintzarako edo ikerketarako monitorizazioak. Datu esanguratsuak eta konparagarriak lortzeko beharrezkotzat jotzen da, bestalde, inguru eta konpartimendu bakoitzerako erreferentzia-balio egokiak (Environmental Quality Standards-ak, EQS-ak) definitzea. Espero zitekeenez, Zuzentarauaren ezarpena ez da prozesu erraza gertatzen ari. Orain arte Europa mailan egindako lanetan oinarrituz, ur-masen portzentaje esanguratsua sailkatu da ur-masa oso eraldatu moduan. Euskal Herrian esaterako, ur-masen %7.8ak besterik ez du eskuratzen egoera ekologiko ona. Are gehiago, garrantzi ekologiko eta ekonomiko handia duten trantsizio-uren artean ez da egoera ekologiko ona eskuratzen duen ur-masarik identifikatu. Hau guztia kontuan hartuta, onartuta dago ezinezkoa gertatuko dela Zuzentarauak 2015. urterako finkaturiko xedea lortzea Europako herrialde gehienetan, Euskal Herria barne. Beraz, Zuzentarauren ezarpenerako bidean oraindik egiteke dagoen lana gogorra da

Evidence of mercury sequestration by carbon nanotubes and nanominerals present in agricultural soils from a coal fired power plant exhaust

Mercury (Hg) in agricultural soils could have negative effects on the environment and the human health. The exposure to high level of Hg through different absorption pathways, such as ingestion and diet through soil-plant system could permanently damage developing foetus of animals and humans. With the aim to assess the potential environmental and health risk and to study the behaviour and fate of Hg from agricultural soils to the environment, 47 soil samples were collected around a thermoelectric power plant in the Santa Catarina (Brazil). The Hg concentration measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) ranged from 0.16 to 0.56 mg kg−1. The distribution obtained by kriging interpolation allowed the identification of the main pollution sources. To see the morphology and composition of soil samples, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) were used combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), showing that the carbon nanotubes and magnetite as nanomineral contributed to Hg retention. The mentioned molecular characterization, and the low Contamination Factors (CF) values obtained, suggested that there is low risk to the food security of the agro-ecosystems area near to the CFPP in the terms of Hg inputs and contamination

Metalak eta metaloideak itsasadarretan: kutsadura jarraitzeko erreminta analitikoen

265 p.[EN]In the year 2000 the broadest ranging and most specific programme of measures relating to water ever known in Europe, the European Water Framework Directive, EWFD, was implemented across the Community. In compliance with the Directive, Member States of the European Union must implement the Directive and ensure the Good Ecological Status, (GES) of their waters by the year 2015. Amongst the water bodies mentioned in the Directive, river estuaries are of special importance, not only because of their notable social and economic value but also because of their significant ecological value. The Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary suffered the negative effects of the surrounding area's economic development for many years, in which time chemical pollution accumulated endlessly in the estuary water and sediment. As a result of a general plan to restore the river estuary, however, the situation is gradually improving. As part of the implementation of the WFD, surveillance monitoring was carried out in the Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary, with water and sediment samples collected every 3 months between April 2008 and October 2010. Trace element concentrations in the sediment were determined, along with several other physicochemical properties. The datasets obtained in these three years, as well as similar data gathered by our research group between January 2005 and January 2008, were used in their entirety. The whole data matrix was analysed using different methods (statistical, graphic and chemometric techniques, amongst others) with a view to assessing the spatial and temporal variability of pollution and identifying possible pollution sources, amongst various other objectives. At the same time, with respect for green chemistry, cleaner, safer and faster alternative analytical methods based on non-destructive spectroscopic techniques were developed for the determination of trace elements in sediment

Metalak eta metaloideak itsasadarretan: kutsadura jarraitzeko erreminta analitikoen

265 p.[EN]In the year 2000 the broadest ranging and most specific programme of measures relating to water ever known in Europe, the European Water Framework Directive, EWFD, was implemented across the Community. In compliance with the Directive, Member States of the European Union must implement the Directive and ensure the Good Ecological Status, (GES) of their waters by the year 2015. Amongst the water bodies mentioned in the Directive, river estuaries are of special importance, not only because of their notable social and economic value but also because of their significant ecological value. The Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary suffered the negative effects of the surrounding area's economic development for many years, in which time chemical pollution accumulated endlessly in the estuary water and sediment. As a result of a general plan to restore the river estuary, however, the situation is gradually improving. As part of the implementation of the WFD, surveillance monitoring was carried out in the Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary, with water and sediment samples collected every 3 months between April 2008 and October 2010. Trace element concentrations in the sediment were determined, along with several other physicochemical properties. The datasets obtained in these three years, as well as similar data gathered by our research group between January 2005 and January 2008, were used in their entirety. The whole data matrix was analysed using different methods (statistical, graphic and chemometric techniques, amongst others) with a view to assessing the spatial and temporal variability of pollution and identifying possible pollution sources, amongst various other objectives. At the same time, with respect for green chemistry, cleaner, safer and faster alternative analytical methods based on non-destructive spectroscopic techniques were developed for the determination of trace elements in sediment