Potential Ecological Risk and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Industrial Affected Soils by Coal Mining and Metallurgy in Ostrava, Czech Republic

The purpose of this detailed research was to determine the actual status of heavy metal pollution of soils and an assessment of heavy metal pollution in a highly industrialized city, Ostrava, with a history of long-term impacts from the metallurgy industry and mining. The ecological risks to the area was subsequently also assessed. The heavy metals Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, Pb, V, Zn, Cr and Fe were determined in top-soils (0–20 cm) using atomic absorption spectrometry (F AAS, GF AAS) from three areas with different anthropogenic loads. The obtained data expressed as mean metal concentrations were very varied among the sampled soils and values of all analyzed metal concentrations were higher than its background levels. To identify the ecological risk and assessment of soil pollution, various pollution indices were calculated, such as single pollution indices (Igeo, CF, EF, PI) and total complex indices (IPI, PLI, PINemerow, Cdeg, mCdeg, Er and PERI). The identification of pollution sources was assessed using Pearson’s correlation analysis and multivariate methods (HCA, PCA/FA). The obtained results confirmed three major groups of metals (Fe–Cr, Pb–Cu and Mn–V). A human health risk was identified in the case of Pb, Cd and Cr, and the HI value of V for children also exceede

The use of modified clay materials for the sorption of various industrial pollutants

The Authors dealt with the use of modified clay materials for the removal of dangerous industrial pollutants. Three modification methods (namely modification by Keggin’s polycation, modification by means of humic substances and pillarization at 450 °C) were applied for the creation of modified materials. Clay materials modified by humic substances were used for the sorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous medium in the form of dichromates. Other ways of modification and their combinations were used for the preparation of the sorbents of dangerous gaseous pollutants (toluene, xylene). It was discovered that some modified clay materials sorb the gaseous pollutants twice as much as common sorbent (activated carbon)

Indices of soil contamination by heavy metals - methodology of calculation for pollution assessment (minireview)

This article provides the assessment of heavy metal soil pollution with using the calculation of various pollution indices and contains also summarization of the sources of heavy metal soil pollution. Twenty described indices of the assessment of soil pollution consist of two groups: single indices and total complex indices of pollution or contamination with relevant classes of pollution. This minireview provides also the classification of pollution indices in terms of the complex assessment of soil quality. In addition, based on the comparison of metal concentrations in soil-selected sites of the world and used indices of pollution or contamination in soils, the concentration of heavy metal in contaminated soils varied widely, and pollution indices confirmed the significant contribution of soil pollution from anthropogenic activities mainly in urban and industrial areas.Web of Science18912art. no. 61

Heavy metal contaminations of urban soils in Ostrava, Czech Republic: assessment of metal pollution and using principal component analysis

This study investigates the status of heavy metals contaminations in urban soils of Ostrava in the Czech Republic. The main aim of this study was determination of concentration of Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, V and Hg, assessment of contamination levels of metals in urban soils and verification of potential source of metals contamination. Soil samples were collected from soil layer of 20 cm and metals were determined by atomic spectroscopy methods (F AAS, GF AAS, AMA 254). It was concluded that metals concentrations in studied soils increased in the following order: Hg < Cd < Cu < Pb < V < Zn < Mn, with mean values of Hg (0.17 mg/kg), Cd (0.20 mg/kg), Pb (66.93 mg/kg), Zn (209.51 mg/kg), Cu (38.49 mg/kg), V (105.18 mg/kg) and Mn (1349.85 mg/kg). The results obtained from assessment of metals pollution by means of index of geoaccumulation (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), pollution index (PI) and integrated pollution index (IPI) confirmed that urban soils were contaminated in the range from moderately through strongly polluted up to highly contaminated soils. Multivariate statistics approach (Principal Component Analysis) was adopted for the data treatment for identification of contamination sources. This study verified that soil contamination was the result of the industrial processing that occurred in the studied area. All of these data confirmed that Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, V and Hg come from anthropogenic activities, especially from industrial processes.Web of Science9269668

Toxicity of diclofenac: Cadmium binary mixtures to algae Desmodesmus subspicatus using normalization method

Algal test using chlorococcal algae Desmodesmus subspicatus was used to determine single acute toxicity of either diclofenac or cadmium and to assess acute toxicity of their binary mixtures. The test confirmed significant acute toxicity of both diclofenac and cadmium; diclofenac with acute toxicity E(r)C50 60.44 +/- 0.20 mg/L and cadmium with acute toxicity E(r)C50 2.14 +/- 0.02 mg/L. This study of acute toxicity of binary cadmium-diclofenac mixtures confirmed their negative effects on aquatic producers and it also proved influence of the above substances on acute toxicity of their mixtures. Normalization method was applied to predict acute toxicity of binary mixtures composed of chemicals with significantly different acute toxicities. Normalization method used molar ratio (R) of chemicals in binary mixtures as their composition descriptor.Web of Science101221320

The Utilization of New Materials Based on Clay Minerals for the Sorption of Hazardous Gaseous Pollutants

Nové materiály na bázi jílových minerálů připravené pomocí interkalace Al polykationtů do jejich struktury (interkaláty montmorillonitů na bázi SWy-2) byly použity pro sorpci plynných polutantů (toluen, xylen, n-hexan). Výsledky byly porovnány se sorpcí těchto plynů s dalšími sorbenty (aktivní uhlí, Bentonit, Sabenil). Současně se také hodnotil vliv přípravy interkalátů (hodnota pH) na jejich sorpční schopnosti, na specifi cké povrchy a na velikost a distribuci pórů ve struktuře interkalátů. K posouzení množství mikropórů byla použita metoda Horvath-Kawazoe a pomocí metody Dollimore-Heal byla stanovena přítomnost mezopórů.New materials based on clay minerals, prepared by means of intercalation of Al polycations into the structure of them (intercalates of montmorillonite on the basis of SWy-2), were used for the sorption of gaseous pollutants (toluene, xylene, n-hexane). Results were compared with the sorption of these gases with other sorbents (active coal, Bentonit, Sabenil). Simultaneously, the infl uence of preparation of intercalates (pH value) on their sorption ability, on the specifi c surface and the size and distribution of pores in the structure of intercalates was also evaluated. For the assessment of number of micropores the Horvath-Kawazoe method was employed, and by means of the Dollimore-Heal method the presence of mesopores was determined

Modifi ed Clay Minerals as Sorbents of Organic Gaseous Pollutants

Nové materiály na bázi jílových minerálů (montmorillonit, vermikulit) připravené pomocí modifi kace jejich struktury (interkalace, pilarování) byly použity pro sorpci plynných polutantů (toluen, xylen, n-hexan). Výsledky byly porovnány se sorpcí těchto plynů s běžně používaným sorbentem (aktivní uhlí). Současně se také hodnotil vliv použitých modifi kací a jejich kombinací na sorpční schopnosti a strukturu připravených jílových minerálů a jejich interkalátů. K posouzení struktury byla použita metoda BJH, kterou byla zjištěna velikost a distribuce mezo- a makropórů. Metodou Horvath Kawazoe byla pak stanovena velikost a distribuce mikropórů.New materials on the basis of clay minerals (montmorillonite, vermiculite) prepared by means of the modifi cation of their structure (intercalation, pillarisation) were used for the sorption of gaseous pollutants (toluene, xylene, n-hexane). The results were compared with the sorption of these gates on commonly used sorbent (activated carbon). The infl uence of used modifi cations and their combination on the sorption ability, and on the structure of clay minerals and their intercalates, has been assessed as well. The BJH method was used for the assessment of the structure (determining of the size and distribution of meso- and macropores). The size and distribution of micropores was determined by the Horvath Kawazoe method

Sorbents Based on Clay-Humic Substance and their Utilization for the Sorption of Dichromates

V článku jsou uvedeny výsledky sorpcí iontů CrVI z vodného prostředí, které byly sorbovány ve formě dichromanových iontů na jílové materiály. Jako sorbent byly použity montmorillonitické (SWy-2, Bentonit 75) a illitické (vermikulit Letovice) jílové materiály. Pro zvýšení sorpčních schopností byly zvolené sorbenty upraveny pomocí AlIII iontů a huminovými látkami. Sorpce CrVI iontů byly zkoušeny na jílových sorbentech sycených AlIII ionty a na interkalátech typu huminová látka-jíl, popřípadě huminová látka-AlIII-jíl při dvou hodnotách pH (neupravovaná hodnota pH a pH 1). Interkaláty s i bez přítomnosti AlIII iontů byly připraveny dvěma postupy sorpce huminových látek. Byla stanovena množství sorbovaných huminových látek na jednotlivé jíly pro oba postupy přípravy interkalátů a také jejich formy (fulvové či huminové kyseliny). Nasorbovaná množství CrVI iontů byla určena do rovnovážné koncentrace 1,4 mmol CrVI/l (72,8 mg CrVI/l). Adsorpční izotermy byly následně proloženy podle modelů Langmuirovy a Freundlichovy izotermy včetně porovnání jejich statistických parametrů.The article presents the results of the CrVI ions sorption out of aqueous environment. These ions were sorbed in the form of dichromate ions onto clay materials. The clay materials based on montmorillonite (SWy-2, Bentonit 75) and illite (Letovice vermiculite) were used as the sorbents. In order to increase the sorption ability, the sorbents were treated by means of AlIII ions and of humic substances. The sorption of CrVI ions was tested on clay sorbents saturated with AlIII ions and intercalates of the type humic substance-clay, possibly humic substance- AlIII clay at two pH values (untreated values pH and pH 1, respectively). Intercalates with and without AlIII ions were prepared by two procedures of humic substances sorption. For both procedures of intercalate preparation, the amounts of humic substances sorbed onto individual clays were determined, as well as their forms (fulvic or humic acids). Sorbed amounts of CrVI ions were determined to the balanced concentration of 1,4 mmol CrVI/l (72,8 mg CrVI/l). Subsequently, the adsorption isotherms were interlaid according to the models of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, including the comparison of their statistical parameters