High Concentrations Of Lead Research Articles

The Analysis of Red Lead Endsheets in Rare Books from the Fung Ping Shan Library at the University of Hong Kong

Stored under optimal conditions, paper can last for hundreds of years; however, paper is also susceptible to numerous agents of deterioration as it is primarily made of cellulose fibre derived from plant cell walls. Paper is especially vulnerable under conditions with high temperature and humidity, which together can encourage mould growth and foster insect pests. Pest infestation is a common type of deterioration responsible for significant damage to paper and books. Endsheets prepared with red lead and sewn into traditional Chinese bookbindings are a historical method used to minimise insect damage to books in southern China. Samples of red-coloured papers from the Fung Ping Shan Library at the University of Hong Kong were assessed. Two types of so called wan nian hong papers (萬年紅紙), (1) damaged and (2) undamaged by insects, were analysed with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence detector. The chemical analyses reveal high concentrations of red lead (lead tetroxide, Pb3O4) in the undamaged papers, and only very few traces of lead in the damaged papers. The orange papers with insect feeding tunnels seem to have been only coloured in orange, and not treated with red lead as a biocide. These results are discussed and compared with modern treatment methods in the integrated pest management of books, archive, and library materials in (a) Europe and (b) Asia.

Exposure to multiple metals and diabetes mellitus risk in dong ethnicity in China: from the China multi-ethnic cohort study.

Metals play an important role in the development of diabetes mellitus (DM). The association of metals with diabetes among the Dong ethnicity in China remains poorly understood. The current study aimed to evaluate the association of single metal exposure and multi-metal co-exposure with DM risk. Urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, strontium, vanadium, and zinc were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) among 4479 Dong ethnic participants aged 30-79years from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study. Based on tertiles, the metal exposure can be divided into three groups: low, middle, and high exposure. Multivariate logistic regression models and principal component analysis were performed to determine exposure to single-metal and multi-metal co-exposure in relation to DM. A decrease in risk of DM was associated with iron (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61-1.00 and 0.68, 0.53-0.88 for the middle and high vs. low) and strontium (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.69-1.12 and 0.67, 0.51-0.86 for the middle and high vs. low), respectively. A principal component 3 (PC3) characterized by iron and strontium showed an inverse association with DM. A principal component 4 (PC4) characterized by manganese and lead positively associated with DM. Exposure to high concentrations of urinary iron and strontium may reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus. This study revealed an increase in the risk of diabetes mellitus by co-exposure to high concentrations of urinary manganese and lead.

Tolerance and Heavy Metal Accumulation Characteristics of Sasa argenteostriata (Regel) E.G. Camus under Zinc Single Stress and Combined Lead–Zinc Stress

Sasa argenteostriata (Regel) E.G. Camus is a gramineous plant with the potential for phytoremediation. In this study, we aimed to determine its tolerance to zinc stress and combined lead–zinc stress and the effect of zinc on its absorption and accumulation characteristics of lead. The results showed that S. argenteostriata had good tolerance to zinc stress, and S. argenteostriata was not significantly damaged when the zinc stress concentration was 600 mg/L. Under both zinc stress and combined lead–zinc stress, the root was the main organ that accumulated heavy metals in S. argenteostriata. The presence of zinc promoted the absorption of lead by the root of S. argenteostriata, and the lead content in the root under PZ1, PZ2, PZ3 and PZ4 treatments was 2.15, 4.31, 4.47 and 6.01 times that of PZ0 on the 20 days. In the combined lead–zinc stress treatments, the toxicity of heavy metals to S. argenteostriata was mainly caused by lead. Under high concentrations of combined lead–zinc stress (PZ4), the proportion of zinc in the leaf of S. argenteostriata on the 20 days increased, which was used as a tolerance strategy to alleviate the toxicity of lead.

High Concentrations of Uranium, Barium, and Lead in Cancer Patients and Healthy Controls in the Malwa Region of Punjab, India

Abstract Background: Anthropogenic risk factors contribute worldwide to an unfavorable environmental situation, which in the population can lead to cancer and other environmental-related diseases. Heavy metals accumulate in tissues and affect human health. Objectives: This review evaluates data for the possible role of uranium (U), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) in the cancer development in people living in the Malwa Region of Punjab, India. Methods: A literature search was performed using the databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Publications in English were included. Preference was given to studies of high methodological quality (systematic reviews and surveys of studies of various designs). The results of cross-sectional studies were taken into account. Discussion: A study has shown that cancer patients in the Malwa region of Punjab, India have unexpectedly high concentrations of U, Ba, and Pb in hair. We hypothesize that higher hair concentrations of U and other bone-seeking elements in hair of cancer patients may be due to the release of these elements from the skeleton, partly because of the patients age (following the menopause in women) and partly due to disease factors such as bed rest, bone metastases, and enhanced glucocorticoid secretion. Conclusions: Further research is needed to distinguish the effect of age on bone-seeking elements from real disease associations, regardless of the relationship with the pathology is a causal one or not.

Ricinus communis: An Efficient Biological Tool for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Soil

Heavy metal contamination often occurs when there is an abnormal discharge of metal in the environment. This is caused mainly by human activities such as agriculture, mining and industrialization. When this heavy metal gets into the environment, it adversely affects plants, humans and aquatic biodiversity. Conventional treatment methods have been applied extensively, hence these methods are inefficient and expensive to carry out. This study was conducted to assess whether castor plants could be able to absorb heavy metal actively from the soil. Metal ions determined are lead and copper at different concentrations of 1.5, 2 and 2.5 g/dm3. The soil located at Gombe State University Botanical Garden was used for the cultivation of the plant. Acid digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy were used for metal determination. The results of the study showed that Copper and Lead were absorbed the highest in the leaves than in stem and root by the absorption efficiency of 100, 91 and 87% respectively. The plant leaves and roots accumulate high Lead content of 2.661, 2.43, in the root, 1.26, 1.52, and 0.031, 0.3 in the stem for both lead and copper respectively. Results of translocation factor revealed the highest absorption of metal from Root to stem of 1.83, 1.98, and the least was 0.36, 0.34, for copper and lead respectively.

Physicochemical Analysis of Potable Water in Baham Community, Western Region of Cameroon

Safe and easily accessible water is important for community health. This paper presents the physicochemical analysis of water in Baham community, western region of Cameroon by collecting water samples from boreholes, well and stream. Physiochemical analysis using gravimetric and titrimetric methods were carried out on the collected samples and they were analysed based on their temperature, pH, colour, odour, total dissolved solid (TDS) and total suspended solid (TSS), sulphate, lead and chloride concentration as well as acidity and alkalinity. The results showed low pH values between 5.39 and 6.11 for all samples, an average temperature of 20°C, agreeable colour and odour for all samples but for the stream, which had colour, odour, very low TDS between 10-20 mg/l, TSS between 10 and 50 mg/l, acceptable for all but the stream and well samples which had a concentration of 30mg/l and 50mg/l respectively, very low chloride concentration level of 8-23 mg/l compared to WHO’s recommended 250 mg/l, very high sulphate contents of 246.9-493.8 mg/l and lead concentrations of 0.27-0.30 mg/l which is about 5 times the recommended 0.05 mg/l WHO permissible limit. The results showed high acidity (60-110 mg/l) and alkalinity (50-150 mg/l) values which fall within acceptable limits. From the results above, it was concluded that the quality of water in Baham is not fit for consumption according to WHO standards. It is acidic, lacks essential minerals, not properly disinfected and has disturbingly high lead concentrations.

Study of the composition of glasses produced at the Zhabinsky factory in the first third of the 18<sup>th</sup> century

The results of studying the composition of glasses from the site of the Zhabinsky factory, one of the first Russian glass factories founded in the north-west of Russia, are presented. More than 200 samples of historical glass fragments of dishes, as well as the remains of glass on the walls of melting pots were studied using X-ray fluorescence analysis. The data obtained made it possible to classify glasses depending on the recipe and the raw materials used in their production. The reliability of the determination of the compositions was confirmed on randomly selected samples by the ICP AES method. The presence of cobalt impurities was qualitatively determined from the characteristic bands in the absorption spectra of the visible region. The main group of finds is represented by potash-calcium glass obtained using plant ash (ash glass) or purified potash (potash glass). A separate group includes potash-lime glasses obtained through addition of lime to the batch. The nature of the coloration of the studied glasses with iron (+2), iron (+3), cobalt (+2), and also due to the charge transfer iron (+3) — sulfur (–2) is discussed. Potassium-lead glasses with a high lead content found at the site of the plant serve as an example of the first Russian colorless lead crystal. The results represent the first systematic study of the composition of glass produced in Russia in the time of Peter the Great. A comparative analysis of the compositions of glasses from the Zhabinsky and Lavinsky factories has been carried out.

Accumulation and response to stress in climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) on exposure to high concentrations of lead and cadmium in water

In this study, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were used as chemical stressors. Healthy A. testudineus were exposed to Pb (20, 30, and 40 mg/L) and Cd (3, 5, and 10 mg/L) for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days to assess the response of A. testudineus elicited by these metals. The tendency of Pb and Cd accumulation in the tissues of A. testudineus was as follows: gill >> liver > muscle for Pb and liver >> gill > muscle for Cd. Endocrine stress response was characterized by varying the levels of cortisol and glucose plasma. Exposure to both Pb and Cd caused significantly increase levels of plasma cortisol (p < 0.05), while blood glucose levels slightly increased at the beginning and then decreased sharply. Based on the erratic changes in levels of plasma cortisol and blood glucose, it can be concluded that exposure to high concentrations of Pb and Cd does not cause death; however, it adversely affects the interrenal and pancreatic activities of A. testudineus. Biochemical changes can be used as biomarkers for stress assessment and management in fish.

Influence of “Metisevit Plus” feed additive on morphological and biochemical parameters of bull blood under conditions of lead-cadmium loading

In the conditions of modern man-caused pollution of the environment, environmental problems, as well as improving the quality of livestock products and their food safety, are important and relevant issues today. The study aimed to investigate the effect of the “Metisevit Plus” feed additive on bull blood's morphological and biochemical parameters under lead-cadmium loading conditions. The research was conducted based on the agricultural private enterprise “Ukraine” of Dubrovytsia district of Rivne region on 12 bulls of six months of age, Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed, which was formed into two groups of 6 animals each. The bulls of the control group were on a standard diet. The bulls of the experimental group were fed the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” at a dose of 0.5 g/kg of feed. This farm has a high content of lead and cadmium in feed. According to the results of experimental studies, it was found that the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” is effective under lead-cadmium load in bulls. Administration of this feed additive to experimental animals helps restore their suppressed hematopoietic function; the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in their blood increased by 25.3 and 19.4 %, and the number of leukocytes decreased by 12.4 %, respectively. Metisevit Plus feed additive also enhanced the functional state and protein-synthesizing function of the liver of bulls under artificial conditions. When feeding the feed additive “Metisevit Plus”, a decrease in the activity of both alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the serum of bulls of the experimental group was found. On day 40 of the experiment, it was found that the activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase in the serum of bulls of the experimental group fluctuated within physiological values. When a “Metisevit-Plus” feed additive is added to the diet, there is a tendency to increase the total protein level in bulls of the experimental group. In the study of the albumin level in the blood of bulls of the experimental group, its probable increase was found starting from the 10th day of the experiment. On the 30th and 40th day of the experiment, the albumin level in the blood of bulls in the experimental group was the highest, whereas compared to the control group, it increased by 15.4 and 17.0 %, respectively. Our studies confirm the feasibility of using the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” to prevent lead-cadmium toxicosis.

High‐Entropy Cs(Pb1/3Mn1/3Ni1/3)Br3 Perovskite Nanocrystals Prepared by High Energy Ball Milling and their Luminescence Properties

AbstractAll‐inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have been widely used in many fields due to their excellent photoelectric properties. However, the instability of their structure and the high lead content need to be solved. Herein, the concept of “High‐entropy” is introduced into NCs to prepare High‐entropy perovskite Cs(Pb1/3Mn1/3Ni1/3)Br3 NCs by high‐energy ball milling method. The effects of milling time and doping ratio of B‐site elements on the structure and performance of perovskite NCs are studied. It is found that Mn2+ and Ni2+ successfully enter the lattice of Pb2+ to form “High‐entropy” perovskite NCs. In addition, compared with Cs(Pb0.72Mn0.14Ni0.14)Br3 NCs, Cs(Pb1/3Mn1/3Ni1/3)Br3 NCs have greater luminous intensity and stability, which because of the enhancement of band gap and valence bonds. Furthermore, photoluminescence intensity at 515 nm increase obviously when Cs(Pb1/3Mn1/3Ni1/3)Br3 NCs are heated at 120 °C. This is due to the lattice distortion effect brought about by ion doping. This study is expected to provide an effective way for synthesis and stability of all‐inorganic perovskite NCs doped with more kinds of different ions. Moreover, it also lays the foundation for the introduction of “High‐entropy” into perovskite functional ceramics.

Biochar, Ochre, and Manure Maturation in an Acidic Technosol Helps Stabilize As and Pb in Soil and Allows Its Vegetation by Salix triandra

Past mining extraction activities still have a negative impact in the present time, the resulting metal(loid) contaminated soils affecting both the environment and human health. Assisted phytostabilization technology, combining soil conditioner application to immobilize metal(loid)s and plant growth to reduce erosion and leaching risks, is a useful strategy in the restoration of metal(loid) contaminated lands. However, contaminants will respond differently to a particular amendment, having their own specific characteristics. Therefore, in multi-contaminated soils, soil conditioner combination has been suggested as a good strategy for metal(loid) immobilization. In the present study, in a mesocosm experiment, organic (biochar and manure) and inorganic (ochre) amendments were evaluated in single and combined applications for their effect on metal(loid) stabilization and Salix triandra growth improvement, in an arsenic and lead highly contaminated soil. Specifically, the effects of these amendments on soil properties, metal(loid) behavior, and plant growth were evaluated after they aged in the soil for 6 months. Results showed that all amendments, except biochar alone, could reduce soil acidity, with the best outcomes obtained with the three amendments combined. The combination of the three soil conditioners has also led to reducing soil lead availability. However, only ochre, alone or combined with the other soil fertilizers, was capable of immobilizing arsenic. Moreover, amendment application enhanced plant growth, without affecting arsenic accumulation. On the contrary, plants grown on all the amended soils, except plants grown on soil added with manure alone, showed higher lead concentration in leaves, which poses a risk of return of lead into the soil when leaves will shed in autumn. Considering that the best plant growth improvement, together with the lowest increase in lead aerial accumulation, was observed in manure-treated soil, the addition of manure seems to have potential in the restoration of arsenic and lead contaminated soil.

High impact tungsten-doped borosilicate glass composite for gamma and neutron transparent radiation shielding

The preparation of transparent glass composites with enhanced shielding parameters is aimed at by all researchers in the radiation shielding field. In the current study, a novel tungsten-doped borosilicate glass composite with 1–5 mol % was prepared by means of melt quenching method at 1100 °C. Using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), the amorphous nature and the influence of W+3 ions were examined, respectively. Gamma shielding parameters, such as the coefficients of mass attenuation, the Exposure Build-up Factors (EBF) up to 40 mfp penetration depth, the effective atomic number (Zeff), and the equivalent atomic number (Zeq) at the energy range 0.015–15 MeV were investigated. Additionally, the fast neutron removal cross-sections had been determined. The obtained results indicated that with low tungsten concentrations: 1–5 mol %, the prepared glass composite has gamma attenuation capability equivalent to those previously obtained with higher concentrations of lead or bismuth and barium doping and lower EBF. These results nominated the prepared glass composite for use in gamma and neutron shielding applications, especially those requiring transparent shielding, like radiation therapy monitoring rooms.

Role of Ape1 in Impaired DNA Repair Capacity in Battery Recycling Plant Workers Exposed to Lead.

Exposure to lead in environmental and occupational settings continues to be a serious public health problem. At environmentally relevant doses, two mechanisms may underlie lead exposition-induced genotoxicity, disruption of the redox balance and an interference with DNA repair systems. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of lead exposition to induce impaired function of Ape1 and its impact on DNA repair capacity of workers chronically exposed to lead in a battery recycling plant. Our study included 53 participants, 37 lead exposed workers and 16 non-lead exposed workers. Lead intoxication was characterized by high blood lead concentration, high lipid peroxidation and low activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD). Relevantly, we found a loss of DNA repair capacity related with down-regulation of a set of specific DNA repair genes, showing specifically, for the first time, the role of Ape1 down regulation at transcriptional and protein levels in workers exposed to lead. Additionally, using a functional assay we found an impaired function of Ape1 that correlates with high blood lead concentration and lipid peroxidation. Taken together, these data suggest that occupational exposure to lead could decrease DNA repair capacity, inhibiting the function of Ape1, as well other repair genes through the regulation of the ZF-transcription factor, promoting the genomic instability.

Responses of the copepod Eurytemora affinis to trace metal exposure: A candidate for sentinel to marine sediment resuspension effects

Our study reports the ability of Eurytemora affinis to indicate certain responses in 96 h when exposed to resuspended sediment from a polluted site (PS, Seine estuary, France), less polluted site (LPS, Canche estuary, France) and dissolved trace metals. Mortality from dissolved trace metal was highest (57.5 %) followed by PS (38.59 %) > LPS (24.04 %). The exposure to PS sediment resulted in significantly lower no. of early larval stage (nauplii < 2), sex-ratio (39.24 % of males) and higher ovigerous female (>10). Eurytemora affinis bioaccumulated high concentrations of copper (27.3 mg/kg), nickel (12.8 mg/kg), lead (21.8 mg/kg) and arsenic (13.7 mg/kg) from PS exposure with significantly lower bioaccumulation of metals from LPS. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) was highest from dissolved toxicity (>2000) followed by PS that showed significantly higher BCF for Nickel and Copper, compared to LPS. The responses of E. affinis to different matrices exemplify its role as a sentinel.

Effect of food processing method on heavy metals

The problem of high content of heavy metals in food has spread broadly over the world. The presented study suggests the minimization of heavy metal content in processed food due to different applied techniques such as the frying, boiling, steaming and sous-vide. Three main food products were chosen for investigation – Daucus carota subsp. Sativus (carrot), Solanum tuberosum (potato) and Allium cepa (onion). The concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Mn, Cd, Cu) was determined in samples investigated by atomic-absorption spectrometer. The health risk index (HRI) was calculated based on obtained data. In all investigated samples, high concentration of lead was identified among the heavy metals. The highest concentration of zinc, lead and manganese was determined in boiled Daucus carota subsp. Sativus, cadmium – in sous - vide Daucus carota subsp. Sativus, copper – in steamed Daucus carota subsp. Sativus. HRI values of cadmium for Solanum tuberosum samples were ranged from 6.8 to 7.1 and for lead are ranged between 3.4 and 4.9.

Land use, season, and parasitism predict metal concentrations in Australian flying fox fur

Urban-living wildlife can be exposed to metal contaminants dispersed into the environment through industrial, residential, and agricultural applications. Metal exposure carries lethal and sublethal consequences for animals; in particular, heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, lead, mercury) can damage organs and act as carcinogens. Many bat species reside and forage in human-modified habitats and could be exposed to contaminants in air, water, and food. We quantified metal concentrations in fur samples from three flying fox species (Pteropus fruit bats) captured at eight sites in eastern Australia. For subsets of bats, we assessed ectoparasite burden, haemoparasite infection, and viral infection, and performed white blood cell differential counts. We examined relationships among metal concentrations, environmental predictors (season, land use surrounding capture site), and individual predictors (species, sex, age, body condition, parasitism, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio). As expected, bats captured at sites with greater human impact had higher metal loads. At one site with seasonal sampling, bats had higher metal concentrations in winter than in summer, possibly owing to changes in food availability and foraging. Relationships between ectoparasites and metal concentrations were mixed, suggesting multiple causal mechanisms. There was no association between overall metal load and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio, but mercury concentrations were positively correlated with this ratio, which is associated with stress in other vertebrate taxa. Comparison of our findings to those of previous flying fox studies revealed potentially harmful levels of several metals; in particular, endangered spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) exhibited high concentrations of cadmium and lead. Because some bats harbor pathogens transmissible to humans and animals, future research should explore interactions between metal exposure, immunity, and infection to assess consequences for bat and human health.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in surface sediments off the Dongying coast, Bohai Sea

In this study, 214 surface sediment samples were collected from the offshore area of the Dongying coast and were analysed for heavy metals; particularly, their concentrations and pollution status were evaluated. The copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) distributions were similar, their concentrations were the highest in the northeast areas and the Xiaoqing River estuary, where dominated by fine-grained sediments. Higher concentrations of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) were generally found in the offshore area of the study location, and the highest Cd concentration was observed in the Xiaoqing River estuary. The sediments were not polluted by Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr; they were not polluted or moderately polluted by Cd and As. Results of the principal component analysis indicated that Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr were derived from natural sources and Cd and As were derived from anthropogenic sources.

Technosol rehabilitation strategies drive soil physico-chemical properties and fauna diversity on a former coking plant area

Anthropic activities such as mining, resource extraction or transformation profoundly modify ecosystems and may lead to Technosol formation. Post-industrial areas are examples of potentially degraded lands, due to soil contamination with metals or organic pollutants, as well as soil structure damage. Soil biodiversity being closely involved in many soil functions such as organic matter decomposition, formation and stabilization of soil structure, the recovery of degraded soil functions partly depends on soil fauna colonization. However, the relationship between Technosol abiotic parameters and soil fauna colonization is still to be disentangled. In an attempt to fill this gap, we studied a former coking plant area in north-eastern France, composed of Technosols resulting from coking plant embankments or thermally-treated industrial soils and compared them with two local soils considered as references. We hypothesized that the taxonomic and trophic diversity of Technosol-dwelling invertebrates would be more diverse and abundant in the soils with the higher soil physico-chemical quality (i.e higher fertility and lower pollutions levels). To test this hypothesis, we studied four Technosols that were settled following two different rehabilitation strategies within the same post-industrial area and we compared them with two local soils of reference using nested ANOVAs as well as multivariate analyses of soil abiotic parameters and soil fauna community indices, both within the soil and on its surface.The results on physico-chemical analyses showed that the substrates used for Technosol rehabilitation were impoverished in clay content when compared with local soils of reference (4.1 to 7.8-fold) and enriched in sandy materials. The use of coking plant by-products for Technosol implementation have led to poor chemical quality, with low nutrient content but high organic carbon content (41 to 51%) resulting from the use of coal and correlated with the higher lead concentration in the area. The use of thermally-treated industrial soil has led to more fertile Technosols with significantly lower lead content. Meso and macrofauna densities did not vary significantly between the Technosols and the local reference soils. Both Technosol-dwelling fauna trophic and taxonomic community compositions were impacted by the rehabilitation strategy. Few to no earthworms were found in Technosols (mean up to 16 ind.m−2) compared to the local soils of reference (mean of 118.4 and 201.6 ind.m−2). Conversely, Technosols resulting from coking plant embankments and thermally-treated industrial soils were dominated by epigeic soil fauna with an intense activity of soil surface macro-saprophages and micro-arthropods, as well as Formicidae. Our results suggest that the use of technogenic elements in the rehabilitation of post-industrial area led to the development of specific soil invertebrate communities, different from the reference. The gap between the high level of activity of epigeic organisms that we found on Technosols and the low trophic diversity of the litter and soil-dwelling communities suggest that the soil fauna community on a former coking plant is driven rather by soil physico-chemical properties than by colonization constraints.

Metal concentrations in wetland plant tissues influences transfer to terrestrial food webs.

Wetland plants tolerate potentially hazardous metals through a variety of strategies, including exclusion or accumulation. Whether plants sequester metals and where they store them in their tissues is important for understanding the potential role of plants as remediators or vectors of metals to terrestrial food webs. Here we evaluate metal sequestration in Great Salt Lake wetlands for one invasive (Phragmites australis; phragmites) and three native plant species, i.e. threesquare bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus), hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus), alkali bulrush (Bolboschoenus maritimus), and their terrestrial invertebrates. We observed higher concentrations of arsenic and copper than other metals in plant tissues, although high lead concentrations were observed in phragmites. All plants acted as excluders of arsenic and selenium, retaining the bulk of the metal mass in belowground tissues. In contrast, lead, copper, and cadmium were transferred to above ground tissues of hardstem bulrush and phragmites. The aboveground translocation facilitated the movement of these metals into invertebrates, with the highest concentrations in most cases found in predators. Though our results highlight the potential for metal remediation via wetland plant growth and removal, care should be taken to ensure that remediation efforts do not lead to bioaccumulation.

Mining-Related Metal Pollution and Ecological Risk Factors in South-Eastern Georgia

Gold and copper production is important to the Georgian economy, but at the same time, mineral resources are mined in one of the important agricultural areas of the country. This study evaluated water and soil quality in the region. Soil from 18 villages was analyzed. Some of these villages have not been investigated before and previous information about soil quality was unknown. Ecological risk factors and potential ecological risk were determined for the study area. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to analyze heavy metals concentration in soil and water samples taken from the study area. Integrated water and soil data allowed us to see how these important natural resources influence each other. After the comparison of the four-year period of the study, we observed an increase of heavy metals increase in the soil in 2017 compared to 2014. Higher lead concentration was discovered within a two kilometer radius of the mining area whereas the highest cadmium concentration was observed in the village Ratevani, 15 km away from the nearest mine, where there was an extremely high ecological risk of Cd concentration. Further investigations are recommended to be done in Ratevani village as the people living in this village are at risk of Cd poisoning.