Apatite Research Articles

Lead and zinc chemical fraction alterations in multi-metal contaminated soil with pomelo peel biochar and biochar/apatite incubation

The issue of heavy metal soil contamination is widespread, and the negative effects of heavy metals on the ecosystem depend on their chemical speciation in contaminated soil. Pomelo peel-derived biochar produced at 300 °C (PPB300) and 500 °C (PPB500) and its combination with apatite ore (AP) was applied to immobilize lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in agricultural multi-metal polluted soil. Soil amendments including biochar (PPB300 and PPB500) at concentrations of 3%, 5%, and 10%, as well as a mixture of biochar and apatite (AP) at 3:3% and 5:5% weight ratios, were introduced into the soil matrix. The chemical forms of Pb and Zn in incubated soil samples and control soil (CS) were studied utilizing the Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure. The chemical partitioning of heavy metals was carried out using Tessier’s extraction protocol, yielding fractions representing exchangeable (F1), carbonate (F2), Fe/Mn oxide (F3), organic matter (F4), and residual (F5) forms. Quantification of Pb and Zn concentrations was accomplished via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Observations revealed notable elevations in pH, organic carbon (OC), and electrical conductivity (EC) levels within the treated soil relative to the control soil (p < 0.05). After incubating PPB300, PPB500, and AP for 30 days, there was a reduction in the exchangeable fraction of Pb and Zn by approximately 64% and 58% respectively. This reduction was achieved by transforming heavy metals from mobile fractions to immobile fractions using five primary mechanisms: chemical and physical adsorption, electrostatic attraction, the formation of complexes via interactions with active groups, cation exchange processes, and precipitation events mediated by phosphate, carbonate ions, or hydroxyl ions within an alkaline environment. Therefore, pomelo peel-derived biochar and the blend of biochar/apatite show promise as materials for mitigating heavy metal pollution in soil.

Characterization and Performance Evaluation of Modified Apatite Ore as a New Acid-Soluble Weighting Agent for Drilling Fluids

Summary Drilling in oil and gas reservoir formations requires the solid weighting agent used in drilling fluids to have good acid solubility to facilitate plugging removal in subsequent operations. Limestone is the most commonly used acid-soluble weighting agent, but its low density and significant thickening effect lead to a low weighting limit. To achieve control of drilling fluid density, rheology, sag stability, and acid solubility, the feasibility of using apatite (AP) ore as an acid-soluble weighting agent for drilling fluids has been discussed after it was modified by the nitrogen-containing organic polybasic phosphonic acid sodium salt. The basic characteristics of AP and modified AP (MAP) were analyzed. After that, the rheological, filtration, and sag stability properties of MAP-weighted water-based drilling fluids with densities of 1.2 g/cm3 and 1.6 g/cm3 were evaluated, and acid solubility, filter-cake permeability, core permeability damage, and plugging removal tests by acid solutions were performed to evaluate the formation protection effect. The results show that the density of AP is 2.98 g/cm3, and the main component is hydroxyapatite. Its negative electricity and hydrophilicity were enhanced after surface modification, so its dispersion stability in water was enhanced, thereby improving the rheology, filtration, and sag stability properties of the MAP-weighted drilling fluid. The solubility of MAP in 10% HCl solution reached 90.13%, and the core contamination experiments show that after being soaked in HCl solution, the return permeability of contaminated cores reached higher than 90%, indicating that the MAP invading the core can be efficiently dissolved and removed in the acidic working fluids used in the subsequent completion and stimulation operations, thus effectively protecting the reservoir formation. The properties of MAP are superior to those of limestone, and it can be used as a new acid-soluble weighting agent for drilling fluids, considering both drilling fluid performance regulation and reservoir formation protection.

Effects of Biochar and Apatite on Chemical Forms of Lead and Zinc in Multi-Metal-Contaminated Soil after Incubation: A Comparison of Peanut Shell and Corn Cob Biochar

Heavy metal pollution in soils caused by mining activities is a severe issue worldwide. It is necessary to find a suitable approach to mitigate heavy metal-contaminated soil. Yet little is known about how soil amendments affect the chemical forms of heavy metals. Biochar produced from peanut shells (PSB300) and corn cob (CCB300) at 300 °C, and apatite (AP) were applied at various ratios to investigate their ability to adsorb lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in contaminated soil. The Pb and Zn’s chemical fractions were analyzed utilizing Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure and quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The one-month amendment incubation of biochar and AP could significantly diminish Pb and Zn’s exchangeable fractions, and CCB300 showed a slightly better effect on declining the exchangeable fractions of Pb and Zn than PSB300, which might be attributed to the higher values of OC and EC of CCB300 than those of PSB300. Moreover, the amendments could also transform the exchangeable fractions of Pb and Zn into stable fractions, resulting in immobility in natural conditions. Thus, PSB300 and CCB300 and the mixture of biochar/apatite could be hopeful amendments for immobilizing heavy metals in heavy metal multi-metal-contaminated field soil.

Temperature effects on elastic constants and related properties of apatites

The application of apatites, a class of naturally occurring calcium phosphate minerals with the most common forms being hydroxyapatite (HAP), fluorapatite (FAP) and chlorapatite (ClAP), range from primary production of phosphorus, to bone and dental implants, to potential usage in carbon sequestration and nuclear waste immobilization including those that involve exposure to high temperatures. Due to their hexagonal structure, apatites have five independent elastic constants: nevertheless, experimental studies commonly report isotropic properties, and limited computational results available in the literature exhibit a large scatter. Moreover, investigation of temperature dependence of apatite elastic properties which would be essential for designing future applications is yet to be addressed in the current state of the art. In this work, we evaluate the single crystal elastic constants of the three apatite structures using stress–strain relationships: first from density functional theory (DFT) using ultrasoft pseudopotential with PBEsol exchange–correlation functional under generalized gradient approximation (GGA) on a single unit cell , and then with molecular dynamics (MD) with a 5×5×5 unit cell using a core–shell based potential model at temperatures varying from 10K to 1500K. In this temperature range, apatites exhibit the highest stiffness along the ‘c’ axis, and their elastic constants noticeably decrease with increasing temperature. At very high temperatures, C33 becomes greater than C11 for both FAP and ClAP. It is noteworthy that our DFT study exhibits better conformity with experimental findings when compared to other DFT studies reported in literature. Additionally, MD studies have demonstrated favorable consistency in predicting elastic constants, potentially as a result of fitting potential parameters to experimental data. We also calculate various effective isotropic elastic properties from our single crystal MD results and study their temperature dependence as a substitute for first principles modeling of large polycrystalline systems. All the apatites have very comparable bulk, shear, and elastic moduli, but FAP has slightly higher values, and interestingly, HAP’s Poisson’s ratio shows no variation with temperature. This study sets the baseline with which any future studies on high-temperature applications of apatites (such as carbonate or radionuclide rich apatites) can be compared.

Geochemistry of color-zoned apatite from the Chadormalu iron oxide-apatite deposit, Central Iran: Insights into REE mobility during hydrothermal alteration

Apatite in the ‘Kiruna-type’ iron deposits is known as potential resource of rare earth elements (REEs). The present study describes large color-zoned apatite crystals in the Chadormalu magnetite-apatite deposit, Central Iran, to obtain insights into the behavior of REEs and trace elements during apatite mineralization and subsequent hydrothermal alteration. The zoned apatite consists of a beige-colored core and surrounding reddish and white polycrystalline domains. The beige-colored core is optically single crystals, but shows a replacement texture of the early-stage apatite (Ap-I) by the later-stage apatite (Ap-II) with abundant monazite inclusions. Ap-I is characterized by higher REEs, Y, Na, Si, S and Cl contents than Ap II. Both Ap II and reddish/white polycrystalline domains show similar compositions with very low contents of REEs and trace elements. These textural and chemical relations suggest that initial apatite mineralization (Ap-I) was followed by an intensive hydrothermal event, which has resulted in dissolution of Ap-I and precipitation of Ap-II and surrounding polycrystalline domains. REEs in Ap-I were leached into the fluid and precipitated as monazite inclusions in Ap-II and interstitial monazite in the reddish domain of polycrystalline apatite. Parts of REEs leached in the fluid are also incorporated into cores of the polycrystalline apatite. It is concluded that, although the later hydrothermal event remobilized REEs, it did not significantly affect the total REE budget of the investigated apatite-magnetite ore deposit.

Insight into the Speciation of Heavy Metals in the Contaminated Soil Incubated with Corn Cob-Derived Biochar and Apatite

Soil heavy metal contamination is a severe issue. The detrimental impact of contaminated heavy metals on the ecosystem depends on the chemical form of heavy metals. Biochar produced at 400 °C (CB400) and 600 °C (CB600) from corn cob was applied to remediate Pb and Zn in contaminated soil. After a one month amendment with biochar (CB400 and CB600) and apatite (AP) with the ratio of 3%, 5%, 10%, and 3:3% and 5:5% of the weight of biochar and apatite, the untreated and treated soil were extracted using Tessier's sequence extraction procedure. The five chemical fractions of the Tessier procedure were the exchangeable fraction (F1), carbonate fraction (F2), Fe/Mn oxide fraction (F3), organic matter (F4), and residual fraction (F5). The concentration of heavy metals in the five chemical fractions was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The results showed that the total concentration of Pb and Zn in the soil was 3023.70 ± 98.60 mg kg-1 and 2034.33 ± 35.41 mg kg-1, respectively. These figures were 15.12 and 6.78 times higher than the limit standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA 2010), indicating the high level of contamination of Pb and Zn in the studied soil. The treated soil's pH, OC, and EC increased significantly compared to the untreated soil (p > 0.05). The chemical fraction of Pb and Zn was in the descending sequence of F2 (67%) > F5 (13%) > F1 (10%) > F3 (9%) > F4 (1%) and F2~F3 (28%) > F5 (27%) > F1 (16%) > F4 (0.4%), respectively. The amendment of BC400, BC600, and apatite significantly reduced the exchangeable fraction of Pb and Zn and increased the other stable fractions including F3, F4, and F5, especially at the rate of 10% of biochar and a combination of 5:5% of biochar and apatite. The effects of CB400 and CB600 on the reduction in the exchangeable fraction of Pb and Zn were almost the same (p > 0.05). The results showed that CB400, CB600, and the mixture of these biochars with apatite applied at 5% or 10% (w/w) could immobilize lead and zinc in soil and reduce the threat to the surrounding environment. Therefore, biochar derived from corn cob and apatite could be promising materials for immobilizing heavy metals in multiple-contaminated soil.

Calcareous Materials Effectively Reduce the Accumulation of Cd in Potatoes in Acidic Cadmium-Contaminated Farmland Soils in Mining Areas.

The in situ chemical immobilization method reduces the activity of heavy metals in soil by adding chemical amendments. It is widely used in farmland soil with moderate and mild heavy metal pollution due to its high efficiency and economy. However, the effects of different materials depend heavily on environmental factors such as soil texture, properties, and pollution levels. Under the influence of lead–zinc ore smelting and soil acidification, Cd is enriched and highly activated in the soils of northwestern Guizhou, China. Potato is an important economic crop in this region, and its absorption of Cd depends on the availability of Cd in the soil and the distribution of Cd within the plant. In this study, pot experiments were used to compare the effects of lime (LM), apatite (AP), calcite (CA), sepiolite (SP), bentonite (BN), and biochar (BC) on Cd accumulation in potatoes. The results showed that the application of LM (0.4%), AP (1.4%), and CA (0.4%) had a positive effect on soil pH and cations, and that they effectively reduced the availability of Cd in the soil. In contrast, the application of SP, BN, and BC had no significant effect on the soil properties and Cd availability. LM, AP, and CA treatment strongly reduced Cd accumulation in the potato tubers by controlling the total ‘flux’ of Cd into the potato plants. In contrast, the application of SP and BN promoted the migration of Cd from the root to the shoot, while the effect of BC varied by potato genotype. Overall, calcareous materials (LM, CA, and AP) were more applicable in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soils in the study area.

Structural, Morphological and Anti-bacterial Analysis of Nanohydroxyapatite Derived from Biogenic (SHELL) and Chemical Source: Formation of Apatite

Structural, Morphological and Anti-bacterial Analysis of Nanohydroxyapatite Derived from Biogenic (SHELL) and Chemical Source: Formation of Apatite

Stabilization of lead in polluted sediment based on an eco-friendly amendment strategy: Microenvironment response mechanism

Stabilization is the most important remediation mechanisms for sediment polluted heavy metals. However, little research has been done on the identification of microenvironmental response and internal correlation, as well as synergistic mechanisms during heavy metal remediation. This study aims to investigate the inner response mechanisms of microenvironment after the lead (Pb) are gradually stabilized in sediment. An eco-friendly amendment strategy which firstly used 100% biodegradable sophorolipids (SOP) to modify chlorapatite (ClAP) for the fabrication of SOP@nClAP was applied in this study. The stabilization efficiency of Pb was significantly improved by SOP@nClAP compared with ClAP. Most importantly, the high-throughput sequencing showed that the dominant species in the sediment changed with the stabilization of Pb. The decrease of Proteobacteria and increase of Firmicutes, especially the Sedimentibacter within the phylum Firmicute directly suggested that large amounts of Pb were stabilized. This research is not only devoted to stabilize Pb in sediment by eco-friendly amendment strategy, but also keep a watchful eye on microenvironment response mechanisms during the Pb stabilization in sediment. Therefore, this study lays a foundation for the future application of more heavy metal amendment strategies in the sediment environment and improves the possibility of large-scale site amendment.

Clinical and Metabolic Correlates of Pure Stone Subtypes.

Background: There are multiple stone types, with each forming under different urinary conditions. We compared clinical and metabolic findings in pure stone formers (SFs) to understand whether there are consistent factors that differentiate these groups in terms of underlying etiology and potential for empiric treatment. Materials and Methods: Pure SFs based on infrared spectroscopic analysis of stones obtained at our institution between January 2002 and July 2018 with a corresponding 24-hour urinalysis were retrospectively evaluated. Results: One hundred twenty-one apatite (AP), 54 brushite (BRU), 50 calcium oxalate (CaOx) dihydrate, 104 CaOx monohydrate, and 82 uric acid (UA) patients were analyzed. AP, BRU, and CaOx dihydrate patients were younger than CaOx monohydrate and UA patients. The UA patients had the highest male predominance (76.8%), whereas AP patients were predominantly female (80.2%). UA was most associated with diabetes mellitus (45.3%), and CaOx monohydrate with cardiovascular disease (27.2%) and malabsorptive gastrointestinal conditions (19.2%). BRU patients had the highest prevalence of primary hyperparathyroidism (17%). AP, BRU, and CaOx dihydrate patients demonstrated high rates of hypercalciuria (66.1%, 79.6%, 82%). AP and BRU patients had the highest urinary pH. AP patients exhibited the highest rate of hypocitraturia, whereas CaOx dihydrate patients exhibited the lowest (55.4%, 30%). CaOx monohydrate patients had the highest rate of hyperoxaluria (51.9%). UA patients had the lowest urinary pH. There were no observable differences in the rates of hyperuricosuria or hypernatriuria. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that pure stone composition correlates with certain urinary and clinical characteristics. These data can help guide empiric clinical decision making.

Constraints of the geochemical characteristics of apatite on uranium mineralization in a uraninite-rich quartz vein in the Haita area of the Kangdian region, China

Uraninite is commonly smaller than 1 mm and widespread in felsic or alkaline igneous rocks as accessory minerals. However, abundant coarse-grained euhedral uraninites, up to 1 cm in size, are intergrown with sphene, apatite, zircon, and some other accessory minerals in a quartz vein from the Haita area of the Kangdian region, China. Although previous studies have examined uraninite in detail, the genesis of the uraninite-rich quartz vein remains controversial. In this study, we investigate the relationships among euhedral single-particle apatite (ApA), aggregated apatite (ApB), and uraninite in a uraninite-rich quartz vein. TESCAN integrated mineral analysis, electron probe microanalysis, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to investigate the nature of the ore-forming fluids of U mineralization. The two types of apatites have similar major element compositions and rare earth element patterns, whereas trace elements, such as Mn, U, and Cu, exhibit different characteristics, indicating a two-stage evolution of the ore-forming fluids. In addition, both types of apatite are fluorapatite, indicating high F concentrations in the ore-forming fluid, which favors U mobility. Changes in the concentrations of multivalent elements (such as Mn, Eu, and Ce) in the two types of apatite indicate that a slow increase in the oxygen fugacity promotes megacrystalline uraninite formation. A significant increase in the U concentrations from ∼46.56 ppm in the ApA to ∼7,169.12 ppm in the ApB likely represent an enrichment of U in the fluid. This study provides a new geochemical basis for understanding the mechanism of megacrystalline uraninite formation.

Enhanced Cr(VI) removal from water using a green synthesized nanocrystalline chlorapatite: Physicochemical interpretations and fixed-bed column mathematical model study

Apatite-based minerals have attracted much attention in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated environment. However, exploring apatite with efficient adsorption performance for inorganic oxyanions such as Cr(VI) remains a challenge. Herein, a novel nanocrystalline chlorapatite (ClAP) was promptly prepared by a green method using eggshell wastes as calcium source with the purpose to enhance Cr(VI) adsorption capability. The generated ClAP was characterized by XRD, SEM-EPMA, TEM, FTIR, and BET analyses. Batch and column experiments were subsequently carried out to explore the influencing factors, adsorption capacity and removal mechanism. Results showed that ClAP exhibited excellent stability and adsorption performance for Cr(VI) (63.47 mg g−1), which was much greater than that of hydroxyapatite and most reported materials. The adsorption process was fitted well by the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model. In fixed bed column experiments, a novel time-fractional derivative model exhibited much better suitability in interpreting the observed breakthrough curves of Cr(VI) than traditional models. Furthermore, the reusability of ClAP in column was evaluated. Results showed that the adsorption capacity maintained well after consecutively reused for five cycles. Studies of the effect of pH, as well as FTIR and XPS investigations indicated that Cr(VI) adsorption was mainly ascribed to electrostatic interactions and surface complexation, while the reduction of Cr(VI) to the low-toxicity Cr(III) also existed in the adsorption process. The ClAP adsorbent was also successfully used for Cr(VI) remediation from real wastewater. Hence, nanocrystalline ClAP can be a promising material for enhancing the elimination of oxyanion contaminants such as Cr(VI) from water.

Blue Apatite in Jasper from Brazil

Blue Apatite in Jasper from Brazil

Carbon investment into mobilization of mineral and organic phosphorus by arbuscular mycorrhiza

To overcome phosphorus (P) deficiency, about 80% of plant species establish symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which in return constitute a major sink of photosynthates. Information on whether plant carbon (C) allocation towards AMF increases with declining availability of the P source is limited. We offered orthophosphate (OP), apatite (AP), or phytic acid (PA) as the only P source available to arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) (Solanum lycopersicum x Rhizophagus irregularis) in a mesocosm experiment, where the fungi had exclusive access to each P source. After exposure, we determined P contents in the plant, related these to the overall C budget of the system, including the organic C (OC) contents, the respired CO2, the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) 16:1ω5c (extraradical mycelium), and the neutral fatty acid (NLFA) 16:1ω5c (energy storage) at the fungal compartment. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) plants incorporated P derived from the three P sources through the mycorrhizal pathway, but did this with differing C-P trading costs. The mobilization of PA and AP by the AM plant entailed larger mycelium infrastructure and significantly larger respiratory losses of CO2, in comparison with the utilization of the readily soluble OP. Our study thus suggests that AM plants invest larger C amounts into their fungal partners at lower P availability. This larger C flux to the AM fungi might also lead to larger soil organic C contents, in the course of forming larger AM biomass under P-limiting conditions.

Il calcolo urinario. Proposta di un nuovo metodo di determinazione: dati preliminari

Introduzione: La visualizzazione soggettiva delle reazioni utilizzate per l’identificazione e la quantificazione delle sostanze presenti nel calcolo urinario presentano notevoli problemi.&#x0D; Metodi: Viene descritta una nuova procedura per la determinazione del calcolo urinario. La rilevazione dei carbonati e le concentrazioni di calcio, fosforo, magnesio, ammonio, acido urico (dosaggi quantitativi su analizzatore COBAS 6000 ditta Roche) ed ossalato e cistina (determinazioni adattate su Viva E ditta Siemens) si inseriscono in un foglio Excel per ottenere i possibili principali calcoli urinari (calcio ossalato, acido urico, urato di ammonio, cistina, struvite, brushite, apatite, carbonato apatite) e più in generale “calcio fosfato”. Le determinazioni di chimica clinica sono simili a quelle utilizzate effettuate per lo studio metabolico sulle urine delle 24h in cui il dosaggio fotometrico della cistina all’acido fosfotungstico, non essendo commercializzato, è stato costruito ed adattato su analizzatore Viva E. Particolarmente utile risulta l’uso del rapido metodo quantitativo al ferro-solfosalicilico, non commercializzato e costruito nel nostro laboratorio, per la determinazione dell’ossalato nel calcolo.&#x0D; Risultati: Il software proposto converte le concentrazioni degli analiti in mmoli/dL e, partendo dalla struvite, definisce successivamente l’eventuale presenza di calcio ossalato, urato di ammonio ed i diversi calcio fosfato, determinati a seconda del rapporto Ca/P. La conversione finale in concentrazione delle diverse componenti presenti nel calcolo, assieme ad un eventuale residuo inorganico, da la presentazione dei dati in percentuale.&#x0D; Conclusioni: I dati ottenuti, specie se riferiti a concrezioni formate da più componenti, evidenziano buoni risultati se confrontati con la tecnica di riferimento FTIR suggerendo una metodica di laboratorio pratica, rapida ed affidabile.&#x0D; &#x0D; A new laboratory procedure is described for the determination of urinary calculus. The detection of carbonates (production of carbon dioxide with the use of concentrated sulfuric acid) and the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, ammonium, uric acid (quantitative dosages carried out on COBAS 6000 analyzer of the Roche company) and oxalate and cystine (determinations adapted by us on the Siemens Viva E instrument) they are inserted in an Excel sheet created by us in order to obtain the main possible urinary calculations (calcium oxalate, uric acid, ammonium urate, cystine, struvite, brushite, apatite, carbonate apatite and more generally "calcium phosphate." The clinical chemistry determinations are similar to those used for the metabolic study carried out on the urine of 24 hours in which the photometric dosage of cystine with phosphotungstic acid, not being marketed, was built by us and adapted on Viva E analyzer. The use of the rapid quantitative method, with non-commercial sulfosalicylic acid, is particularly useful zato and then built in our laboratory, for the determination of oxalate in the calculation.&#x0D; The software proposed by us converts all the concentrations of the above mentioned analytes to mmoles / dL and, starting from struvite (molecular ratios: 1P - 1Mg - 1NH4), the possible presence of calcium oxalate is subsequently defined (molecular ratios: 1Ca - 1Ox ), that of ammonium urate and the different calcium phosphate (brushite, apatite / carbonate apatite and "calcium phosphate"), the latter determined according to the Ca / P ratio (brushite: &lt;1.155; 1.155≥ "calcium phosphate" &lt;1 , 45; apatite ≥1.45). The final conversion into concentration of the various components present in the calculation, together with any inorganic residue, determines the presentation of the data as a percentage.&#x0D; The data obtained, especially if referring to concretions formed by several components, show good results when compared with the FTIR reference technique.&#x0D;

How does the microenvironment change during the stabilization of cadmium in exogenous remediation sediment?

The pollution degree of heavy metals is closely related to the sediment microenvironment. This study aims to give a comprehensive account of the changes of microenvironment in sediment during the stabilization of cadmium (Cd) by the sodium lignosulphonate (SLS) modified chlorapatites (SLS@nClAP). Chemical speciation change demonstrated that SLS@nClAP possessed better stabilizing capacity (65.84 %–76.66 %) for Cd than unmodified chlorapatites (ClAP) (45.88 %). It might be since that the surface of SLS@nClAP presented a more dispersive thin sheet structure with sulfonate groups compared with the aggregate block structure of ClAP. High-throughput sequencing results displayed that succession of microbial community occurred after remediation in sediment. Most importantly, the dominant genus changed from massilia to phosphate-solubilizing bacterium-pseudomonas which might be due to the remediation of chlorapatites and the stabilization of Cd. Moreover, enzyme activity changes showed that the activity of catalase and urease were highly influenced by the stability and bioavailability of Cd during the incubation. This study not only provided a novel remediation technology for Cd-polluted sediment but also confirmed that the change of microenvironment was closely related to the stability and bioavailability of Cd in sediment.

Eco-friendly remediation for lead-contaminated riverine sediment by sodium lignin sulfonate stabilized nano-chlorapatite

Achieving high immobilization performance to reduce the toxicity and bioavailability of heavy metals is critical for the remediation of heavy metals contaminated sediment. Herein, a novel chlorapatites (SNClAP) with high stability and dispersibility is successfully synthesized using sodium lignin sulfonate (SLS) as dispersant. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization demonstrated that SNClAP possessed an internal layered structure, and exhibited better dispersibility, which was conducive to the immobilization of lead (Pb) in sediment. Besides, SNClAP showed excellent remediation performance towards Pb contaminated sediment, with the highest Pb immobilization efficiency of 80.29%, which was much higher than that of pristine chlorapatite (ClAP) (45.62%). The results of available phosphorus (AP) showed that the better dispersion of chlorapatites could make soluble phosphorus (P) released by chlorapatites more fully combine with Pb to form the extremely stable Pb10(PO4)6Cl2 through precipitation, thus reducing the retention of P in sediment to greatly lower the risk of eutrophication. Therefore, SLS, a by-product of pulping and papermaking industry, was used to synthesize SNClAP, which could not only improve the remediation efficiency of Pb-contaminated sediments, but also greatly promote the recycling of waste, thereby achieving harmony between materials and ecological environment.

Хибинский апатит. Начало истории

Хибинский апатит. Начало истории

Evaluation of fly ash, apatite and rice straw derived-biochar in varying combinations for in situ remediation of soils contaminated with multiple heavy metals

ABSTRACT In -situ sorbent amendment is a relatively low-cost, low-impact approach for remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals (HMs), and thus is considered a way to be favored in developing countries. In this study, materials of non-hazardous, alkaline agronomic and industrial by-products were used as sorbents to explore their capacity of in situ immobilization of multiple HMs in mining-impacted arable soil. These sorbents included fly ash (FA), biochar (BC) and apatite (AP) and they were implemented with varying ratios of combinations. Results of soil microcosm tests showed that after incubation for 90 days, concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in their exchangeable forms determined by a sequential extraction method significantly decreased in amended soils, as opposed to the unamended control. Of the five sets of amendments, the composite of FA, BC, and AP resulted in the maximum reduction (up to 80%) in the mobility of Pb, Zn, and Cd in soils. The mechanisms underlying the immobilization of HMs in amended soils might involve processes of surface precipitation, ion exchange and complexation, in which the physicochemical properties of sorbent materials played an important role. The immobilization efficacy of sorbent amendments on HMs in soil was further supported by pot experiments in which significant inhibition of HM accumulation in the belowground and aboveground tissues of maize was observed after 50-day cultivation in amended soils as compared with control soil. Together, these results suggest that the application of cost-saving and environmentally friendly materials derived from wastes as sorbents to remediate soils contaminated with multiple HMs is promising for developing countries like Vietnam.

Equilibrium Cd isotopic fractionation between Cd(OH)&lt;sub&gt;2(s)&lt;/sub&gt;, apatite, adsorbed Cd&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, and Cd&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sub&gt;(aq)&lt;/sub&gt;: Potential application of δ&lt;sup&gt;114&lt;/sup&gt;Cd in evaluating the effectiveness of Cd-contamination remediation

Equilibrium Cd isotopic fractionation between Cd(OH)&lt;sub&gt;2(s)&lt;/sub&gt;, apatite, adsorbed Cd&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, and Cd&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sub&gt;(aq)&lt;/sub&gt;: Potential application of δ&lt;sup&gt;114&lt;/sup&gt;Cd in evaluating the effectiveness of Cd-contamination remediation