Hai-li Zhang, Peng Zhao, Wen-yan Gao, Bao-hua Xiao, Xue-feng Yang, Lei Song, Xiang Feng, Lin Guo, Yong-ping Lu, Hai-feng Li, Jing Sun
{"title":"Contaminant transport modelling of heavy metal pollutants in soil and groundwater: An example at a non-ferrous smelter site","authors":"Hai-li Zhang, Peng Zhao, Wen-yan Gao, Bao-hua Xiao, Xue-feng Yang, Lei Song, Xiang Feng, Lin Guo, Yong-ping Lu, Hai-feng Li, Jing Sun","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5639-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5639-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The topsoil of smelter sites is subjected to severe contamination by heavy metals (HMs). Existing numerical simulations typically treat soil and groundwater separately owing to data limitations and computational constraints, which does not reflect the actual situation. Herein, a three-dimensional coupled soil-groundwater reactive solute transport numerical model was developed using the Galerkin finite element method with the smelter as the research object. This model treats soil and groundwater as a whole system, providing a quantitative characterization of HMs migration patterns in soil and groundwater. The model used the reaction coefficient (<i>λ</i>) and retention coefficient (<i>R</i>) to describe the release and adsorption capacities of HMs. Results from the model were consistent with actual pollution distributions in the field, indicating the efficacy of the soil-groundwater remediation technology for severe soil and localized groundwater pollution. The constructed three-dimensional coupled soil-groundwater reactive solute transport model can describe and predict the distribution and transport diffusion behavior of HMs at the study site with good efficacy. The model was also used to simulate and predict the effects of remediation technologies during the treatment of smelting site contamination, providing guidance for optimizing the treatment plan.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Soil microbial community in lead smelting area and the role of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria","authors":"Chuan Wu, Hong-ren Chen, Yong-ping Lu, Yan-ting Qi, Hai-feng Li, Xing-hua Luo, Yue-ru Chen, Wei Lou, Wei-chun Yang, Wai-chin Li","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5601-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5601-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The long-term operation of the lead smelter has brought serious heavy metal pollution to the surrounding soil. The microbial community structure and composition of heavy metal contaminated soil is important for the risk assessment and pollution remediation. In this study, a lead smelter operating for more than 60 years was used to investigate the effects of heavy metal pollution on soil microbial community structure and composition in vertical profile. The results showed that the heavy metal content decreases gradually with increasing vertical depth of the soil. The diversity of soil microbial community with moderate pollution was higher than that with low pollution. Regardless of the pollution level, the diversity of soil microbial community was higher in the surface layer than in the bottom layer. The dominant relative abundance genera include <i>Perlucidibaca, Limnobacter, Delftia, Hydrogenophaga, Thiobacillus, Sulfurifustis</i> and <i>Sphingopyxis</i>, showing a higher abundance of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). XRD results showed the presence of PbSO<sub>4</sub> in soil, may be due to the enrichment of SOB for the oxidation of sulfur. This sulfur cycle characteristic may be potential for the stabilization and remediation of lead (Pb) into PbSO<sub>4</sub>.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Heavy metal(loid)s transformation in dust at a lead smelting site","authors":"Wen-yan Gao, Kai-kai Wu, Ting Chen, Wai-chin Li, Hong-ren Chen, Yue-ru Chen, Hao Wu, Feng Zhu, Hai-dong Li, Chuan Wu, Sheng-guo Xue","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5600-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5600-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Emitted dust is the major contributor of heavy metal(loid)s in soils located near lead (Pb) smelters, but the mechanisms for transfer of the heavy metal(loid)s in dust are uncertain. The study systematically investigated the geochemical behaviors and liberation mechanisms of heavy metal(loid)s in this process. The results show that Pb, Zn, Cd, and As in two types of dust samples exceeded the allowable standards, and about 80% of Pb and Zn were present in mobile and bioavailable fractions. More than 70% of arsenic in bottom-blowing furnace dust existed in an acid-soluble fraction, while 60% of cadmium in reducing and fuming dust existed in the acid-soluble fraction. Pb isotope results showed that 97.12% of the Pb in the topsoil came from dust emitted during the smelting process. XRD and MLA results illustrated that PbSO<sub>4</sub>, ZnSO<sub>4</sub>, and CdSO<sub>4</sub> were the major minerals in the dust, while the mineral phases of the topsoil were mainly quartz, calcite, dolomite, and muscovite. Based on a combination of mineralogical investigations and geochemical modelling, our findings suggest that liberation of the Pb, Zn, and Cd was primarily dependent on sulfate minerals under acidic conditions, whereas the liberation of As was related to adsorption by iron hydroxide.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Surfactant-modified SiO2/FeS nanocomposites for remediation of cadmium pollution","authors":"Hong-yu Liu, Hua-gang Lyu, Wen Zhang, Jun Jiang, Xiao-hong Li, Sheng-guo Xue","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5605-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5605-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To improve the remediation and antioxygenic properties of ferrous sulfide (FeS) nanomaterials toward heavy metals is the focus of current research. This study employed a combination of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) for the modification of FeS nanomaterials supported by porous silicon (SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS) to serves as an efficient amendment for cadmium pollution. The optimized slurry with the mass ratio of CMC/SDBS to be 1:3 showed enhanced dispersion and antioxidant effects on SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS (the mass ratio of surfactant to FeS was 1:1). This formulation exhibited the smallest particle size (<i>D</i><sub>50</sub> = 0.66 µm) and the highest absolute Zeta potential values exceeding 30 mV. Also, the obtained products demonstrated effective remediation of cadmium-contaminated solutions, with Cd(II) primarily forming stable CdS and CdSO<sub>4</sub> products through ion exchange and chemical precipitation. The adsorption capacity of SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS-CMC/SDBS 1:3 for cadmium in air and nitrogen was remained during 30 d, reaching about 158 mg/g. Notably, under low concentration Cd contamination, the adsorption capacity of SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS-CMC/SDBS 1:3 exceeded that of SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS-CMC and SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS-SDBS without acidification risk. In summary, this research highlights the improved remediation and antioxygenic properties achieved through CMC and SDBS co-modification of SiO<sub>2</sub>/FeS, providing a new amendment for Cd remediation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cooperative effect of citric acid and pyrite on the slow-release of silicon from coal gangue and the stabilization of arsenic: Implications for soil remediation","authors":"Xin Lyu, Sheng-yuan Feng, Hong-zhi Zhan, Jian-lan Lei, Zi-gang Shu, Pei-wen Zhou, Xi-lin Chai","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5633-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5633-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The application of coal gangue as a soil amendment shows promise in increasing silicon availability, potentially serving as a silicon fertilizer in agriculture. However, the rapid release of silicon from coal gangue compared to the slow absorption by plants hinders its effective use. This study explored the formation of iron-containing secondary minerals on coal gangue surfaces using pyrite and citric acid to stabilize arsenic in contaminated soils and slow down silicon leaching. After co-ball milling, the silicon leaching rates for coal gangue and the composite C@PC-10 were 0.44% and 0.22% at 60 min, and 1.11% and 1.38% at 120 min, respectively. Stabilization tests showed that C@PC-10 achieved removal efficiencies of 71.3% for water-extractable arsenic and 55.9% for NaHCO<sub>3</sub>-extractable arsenic over 30 d. Acid-soluble arsenic decreased from 32.8% to 24.1%, while residual arsenic increased from 26.5% to 36.9%. Acid rain simulations demonstrated that C@PC-10 limited leachate arsenic concentration to 28.9 mg/L over 120 d, compared to untreated soil with 59.8 mg/L. Analytical techniques like XRD, XPS, and FT-IR confirmed that pyrite oxidation during ball milling led to the formation of jarosite and FeOOH, enhancing arsenic adsorption capacity. Overall, the C@PC-10 composite shows promise as a remediation material for controlled silicate release and arsenic mitigation in soil environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adsorption performance and mechanistic study of Pb, Cd and As by CaAl-LDH in wastewater","authors":"Jin-feng Hou, Qian Sun, Xiu-zhen Hao","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5627-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5627-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Heavy metal composite pollution is becoming increasingly serious. In this study, CaAl-layered double hydroxide (CaAl-LDH) was prepared using the facile co-precipitating method, and was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Lead(II), Cd(II), and As(V) were selected as the representative heavy metals to evaluate the adsorption capability of the synthesized CaAl-LDH by the batch experiments. The maximal adsorption capability of CaAl-LDH for Pb(II), Cd(II), and As(V) was 786.6, 437.2 and 72.9 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption mechanism of Pb, Cd and As may be surface precipitation, isomorphic substitution and ion exchange within the interlayer spaces of LDH, respectively. In conclusion, this experiment provides a LDH material with fast and efficient adsorption performance for both anionic and cationic metals, indicating its potential for practical application in the remediation of heavy metal composite pollution.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A hypoxic pyrolysis process to turn petrochemical sludge into magnetic biochar for cadmium-polluted soil remediation","authors":"Yu-jun Wu, Li-ping Liu, Feng Li, Yi-xin Tang, Fei Ge, Jiang Tian, Ming Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5632-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5632-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Biochar has been considered as a promising material for soil remediation, particularly for its ability to reduce the bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) in soil through sorption. However, long-term remediation may cause Cd to be released from a fixed state, making the recovery of biochar as an adsorbent for Cd removal an area of increasing interest. The study aims to synthesize biochar with magnetic properties using petroleum sludge containing iron in one-step, and investigate their adsorption efficiency and passivation mechanism for Cd in liquid-solid phase, as well as ecological risks. The results indicate that the petrochemical sludge waste can be directly resourced into magnetic biochar (PSMBCs) using hypoxic pyrolysis, and that it exhibits good recycling performance in water/soil. Specifically, the obtained biochar showed strong sorption capacity for Cd (18.4 to 29.8 mg/g) due to surface mineralization and cation-π coordination, which played a critical role. After applying 1.5% of PSMBCs for 30 d in paddy soil, the bioavailable content of Cd was decreased by 85.0%. Importantly, the biochar leachates did not have any toxic effects on wheat root elongation. Therefore, this study presents a promising strategy for the benign disposal of petrochemical sludge and their utilization for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chromium stabilization by polysulfide supported nZVI@biochar in contaminated soil: Cr bioavailability and stabilization mechanism","authors":"Jin-song Chen, Xin Wang, Xin-yao Yan, Xiao-ke Wang, Hui Ma, Sheng-yan Pu","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5599-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5599-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Chromium (Cr) contamination in soil is one of the most severe environmental issues, which poses significant health hazards to humans. In this study, the stabilization mechanism of Cr-contaminated soil by polysulfide-supported nZVI@biochar (PS-nZVI@BC) and the resultant bioavailability of Cr was studied. The addition of PS-nZVI@BC is capable of decreasing 92.0% of leachable Cr(VI) in the soil after 30 days of treatment. According to sequential extraction analysis, the exchangeable Cr in soil decreased drastically from 20.8% to 4.0% after PS-nZVI@BC addition, which was mostly converted to Fe-Mn oxided and organic matter-bound forms. The stabilization mechanisms include electrostatic adsorption, redox reaction, surface complexation, and precipitation. The soil fertility of Cr-contaminated soil was effectively improved by PS-nZVI@BC, and the toxicity of Cr in soil to maize seedlings was reduced. These results demonstrated the great potential of utilizing PS-nZVI@BC for the remediation of Cr-contaminated soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing cadmium biosorption capacity in E. coli through heterologous expression of metal-chelating proteins: Insights into bioremediation potential and mechanisms","authors":"Chen Wu, Yu-jun Wu, Sheng-wei Yi, Feng Li","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5625-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5625-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cadmium (Cd) is a biologically non-essential and toxic heavy metal that enters the environment through natural emissions or anthropogenic activities, posing threats to human health. The efficient expression of metal-chelating proteins (MCP) in microorganisms can enhance microbial remediation of Cd. In this study, a heterologous expression system (GEM01) of MCP encoded by the <i>mcp</i> gene in <i>E. coli</i> was constructed, and the adsorption effect and potential mechanism on Cd were explored. The results indicated that Cd<sup>2+</sup> significantly enhanced the abundance of <i>mcp</i> gene in GEM01, thus increasing the Cd<sup>2+</sup> biosorption capacity (8.09 mg/g, 2.32 times higher than the control). The retention of Cd<sup>2+</sup> during the autolysis of GEM01 was 87.87%. Fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that there was a strong interaction between Cd<sup>2+</sup> and MCP. FT-IR demonstrated that some functional groups (e.g., carboxyl group and methyl group) in MCP were involved in the interaction between MCP and Cd<sup>2+</sup>. Molecular docking further demonstrated that polar and hydrophilic residues (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, and histidine) on the surface of MCP bound to Cd<sup>2+</sup> via electrostatic attraction. These findings offer new insights into Cd<sup>2+</sup> bioremediation by MCP and genetic resources for microbial remediation of heavy metal pollution.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chui-yun Tang, Juan Zhong, Ying Lyu, Jun Yao, Mu-jiang Li, Xing-yu Liu
{"title":"Phosphorus additives driving the bacterial community succession during Bacillus spp. remediation of the uranium tailings","authors":"Chui-yun Tang, Juan Zhong, Ying Lyu, Jun Yao, Mu-jiang Li, Xing-yu Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11771-024-5628-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-024-5628-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Uranium tailings discharged into uranium tailings ponds could generate environmental pollution issues. Microbial-induced phosphate mineralization could reduce the release of uranium, in turn effectively managing pollution. However, it is unclear that how the phosphorus additives affect the microbial structure of uranium tailings under biomineralization. Herein, we evaluate the microbial community succession during <i>Bacillus</i> spp. remediation of uranium tailings, when adding hydroxyapatite (HS) and <i>β</i>-glycerol phosphate pentahydrate (GP). The results show that phosphorus additives effectively changed pH and uranium leaching concentration, significantly increased bacterial richness, and promoted microbial community succession, whilst promoting actinobacteria to Firmicutes and Proteobacteria populations. The two additives influenced the bacterial community succession patterns differently, with GP eliciting the greater enhancement. Additionally, GP enhanced the growth of core species and recognized the phylum firmicutes as a crucial taxon. The abundance of <i>Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Desulfotomaculum</i>, and <i>Clostridium_sensu_stricto</i>_12 was higher in GP treatments, indicating the substantial roles played by these genera in the microbial community. The results provide evidence of the involvement of the two phosphorus additives in bioremediation and bacterial community perturbations and thus provide new insights into the biomineralization technologies for uranium tailings.</p>","PeriodicalId":15231,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Central South University","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141510034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}