High Amounts Of Zn Research Articles

Alleviating Soil Acidity: Optimization of Lime and Zinc Use in Maize (Zea mays L.) Grown on Alfisols

ABSTRACTSoil acidity, one of the causes of soil degradation, adversely affects phytoavailability of soil nutrients and crop growth in 50% of arable land of the world. There is a persistent need for alleviating the effect of soil acidity for adequate nutrient availability and proper crop growth. Addition of ameliorants like farmyard manure (FYM) and lime to acid soils affects the crop growth and nutrient availability, especially zinc (Zn) availability, by moderating soil acidity. However, the information regarding optimum quantities of lime and zinc requirement for alleviating soil acidity, proper crop growth, and Zn nutrition in acid soil is limited. Therefore, the present greenhouse pot experiments were carried out at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India, in kharif season of 2015 using two acid soils (representing Alfisol order) to optimize lime and Zn application and to understand the impact of FYM and lime application on soil properties, phytoavailable Zn, biomass yield of maize, and Zn uptake, for better growth and Zn nutrition of maize. Maize was raised for 60 days with two levels of FYM (0 and 4,500 mg kg−1), five levels of lime requirement (LR) (0, 1/10th, 1/3rd, 2/3rd, and 1.0), and three Zn levels (0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg kg−1). Results revealed that FYM and lime addition significantly influenced soil properties, biomass yield, and postharvest soil extractable Zn. Lime addition at 1/3rd LR was found optimum as biomass yield enhanced up to this level of liming. FYM addition augmented biomass yield. A higher amount of lime (2/3rd and 1.0 LR) led to a reduction in crop Zn concentration and its uptake. The phytoavailable Zn extracted by different extractants in soils declined with increasing lime rates. Zn addition enhanced biomass yield and crop Zn concentration. The lowest and the highest amount of Zn were extracted from the soil at all levels of lime addition by diethylenetriaminepentaaceticacid (DTPA) and 0.1 M HCl, respectively. The extractable Zn was correlated significantly with biomass yield, crop Zn concentration, and its uptake. Ammonium bicarbonate DTPA (ABDTPA) proved promising extractant for estimation of Zn availability in these acid soils. This knowledge will be of use for alleviation of acid soils by the addition of the required quantity of lime and effective Zn management in acid soils for proper Zn nutrition and crop growth.

Trace Metals in the Leaves of Selected Plants Used to Treat Hepatitis in Dembia, Ethiopia

ABSTRACTThe concentrations of (Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu and Cd) were determined in the leaves of Adhatoda schimperiana, Phytolacca dodecandra, and Calpurnia aurea. Zinc, Fe and Mn were found in the range of (in mg kg−1): 179 to 342, 163 to 255 and 14 to 198, respectively. Copper was not detected in C. aurea, Nickel was found only in A. schimperiana 21 mg kg−1) and Cd only in P. dodecandra (5 mg kg−1). Leaves of P. dodecandra contained about two times of Zn and four times of Mn than that of the other plant species. The higher amount of Zn in P. dodecandra, can be ascribed to its beneficial effect in the treatment of hepatitis.

Comparative study of essential elements in parts of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> plant as promedicine

This study presents the mineral composition of the parts of Moringa oleifera in Zaria. Samples of the parts were wet digested and analyzed for various minerals using Varian Instrument AA240FS for the atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The contents of Zn, Fe, Ca, Cu and Mg in the parts (roots, stem barks, pods, seed cases/shell, seeds and leaves) of Moringa oleifera were found to be 0.096, 0.872, 12.317, 0.008 and 2.076 mg/g in the roots respectively; 0.022, 0.412, 0.29.397, 0.005, and 3.729 mg/g in the stem barks respectively; 0.021, 0.017, 8.048, 0.003 and 1.827 mg/g in the pods respectively; 0.019, 0.056, 6.467, 0.002, and 1.551 mg/g in the seed cases/shells respectively; 0.017, 0.029, 4.217, 0.001 and 1.616 mg/g in the seeds respectively and in the leaves 0.017, 0.205, 19.974, 0.005 and 2.494 mg/g respectively. The contents of different minerals in the parts of M. oleifera varied from parts to parts. This variation in the contents of various minerals within the parts might be attributed to the variable uptake of minerals by the plant material and variable agro-climatic conditions of the subject region. The results of the present analysis revealed that parts of M. oleifera contained a considerably high amount of Zn, Fe, Ca, Cu and Mg that can be used as a viable supplement of medicinal and dietary minerals which makes it a promising pro-medicine. Keywords: Minerals, oleifera , dietary-supplements

Survey on Heavy Metals Contamination and Health Risk Assessment in Commercially Valuable Asian Swamp Eel, Monopterus albus from Kelantan, Malaysia

This work investigates the metals concentration in the tissues of Asian swamp eel, Monopterus albus. Five selected tissues, including liver, gill, bone, skin, and muscle were examined for the concentration of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni. The concentrations of Cd and Pb were found high in the muscle tissues of the eels. Additionally, high amounts of Zn and Cu metals were observed in the liver, whereas the Cd, Pb, and Ni metals were highly detected in gill. The accumulation of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni in both skin and bone of the eel seems to vary between seasons. Low levels of Zn, Cu, and Ni were identified in the muscle tissues of the eels. This study revealed that the concentration of Cd and Pb in the muscle tissues of Asian swamp eels exceeded the permissible limits by the US EPA, suggesting the consumption of the muscle may be hazardous and can severely affect one’s health.

Catalytic performance of Ni supported on ZnO‐Al2O3 composites with different Zn content in methane dry reforming

AbstractBACKGROUNDBecause of increasing environmental contaminations, hydrogen has attracted much attention as an effective and clean energy source. In addition, hydrogen and syngas are raw materials used in the production of valuable compounds. Methane dry reforming is one common method for syngas production. In this work, Ni catalysts supported on different ZnO–Al2O3 composite oxides were prepared. The effects of variation in Zn/Al ratio (Zn/Al = 0, 0.33, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3) on physico‐chemical properties and their activity and stability in methane dry reforming were investigated.RESULTSThe results indicated that Zn addition led to decreasing surface area, weakening the interaction between active phase and support, improving Ni reduction and therefore enhancing initial activity.CONCLUSIONWhen Zn content was low or just enough to produce ZnAl2O4 phase, only metallic Ni particles were detected after reaction which led to carbon filaments formation and deactivation of catalysts. Increasing Zn content formed NiZn alloy that played essential roles in activity and stability. High amounts of Zn (Zn/Al = 3) did not favor promoting effects due to the increasing active phase sizes and decreasing contact area. Ni/ZnO–Al2O3 with Zn/Al = 2 exhibited the highest activity and stability in methane dry reforming. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry

Evaluation of concentration of heavy metals in animal rearing system

Animal manure is one of the diffusion routes of heavy metals and metalloids into the environment, where the soil can accumulate them. Heavy metals and metalloids can then be released into groundwater sources, be absorbed by crops, and enter the food chain with negative effects for human and animal health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals and mineral nutrients from modern animal rearing systems in order to develop effective strategies to increase the sustainability. Samples of feed (n = 24: n = 16 from swine, n = 8 from cattle), faeces (n = 120: n = 80 from swine, n = 40 from cattle) and water (n = 8), were collected from eight typical intensive swine and cattle farms located in northern Italy. All samples were analysed for the humidity and the principal components. The samples were also dried, mineralised, and analysed by ICP-MS to detect the following elements: Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, and Pb. The swine diets represented the highest amounts of Zn and Cu, with an average concentration for the finishing and weaning phases of Zn: 1737.9 ± 301.3; 821.7 ± 301.3; Cu: 133.8 ± 11.6; 160.1 ± 11.6 mg/kg as fed, respectively. The faecal content reflected the heavy metal composition from feed. The average content of cattle diets of Zn and Cu did not result higher than the maximum permitted levels. We observed that the swine manure represented the sources of Zn and Cu output into the environment. The Zn and Cu content should be monitored strictly in line with agroecology principles.HighlightsEvaluation of the role of zinc and copper in animal production.Increase the sustainability of farms.Consider the feed as major route of HMs in livestock.

Optimizing the Synthesis of Zinc‐rich Gallium Zinc Oxynitrides by Combining Co‐Precipitation and Moisture‐Assisted Nitridation

ZnO‐co‐doped GaN is a promising catalyst for photocatalytic overall water splitting in the visible light range. The conventional high‐temperature synthesis has the drawback that only low amounts of Zn2+ ions can be incorporated into the GaN:ZnO matrix due to a substantial loss of volatile Zn metal during the nitridation of the binary oxides in flowing NH3. By applying moisture‐assisted nitridation of a co‐precipitated GaZn precursor under milder conditions it was possible to significantly reduce the Zn loss during nitridation. Using a GaZn precursor with a high Zn content, GaN:ZnO nanoparticles containing high amounts of Zn were obtained. The bandgap was found to decrease nearly linearly with increasing Zn content. Concomitantly, the defect density and structural disorder increased with increasing Zn content.

Phytoextraction of Ni from a toxic industrial sludge amended with biochar

Agromining is a technology based on the phytoextraction of metals by hyperaccumulator plants, combining agronomic and hydrometallurgical processes, to produce metal-based compounds. So far, it has been primarily developed to recover Ni from ultramafic soils, but secondary materials, namely industrial wastes containing Ni, may offer new opportunities for agromining. However, because of the toxicity of such materials, plants cannot be grown without formulating suitable substrates. The aim here was to assess the feasibility of growing Ni-hyperaccumulating plants on a Technosol containing a toxic industrial sludge and to test the influence of a biochar amendment on plant growth and Ni uptake. A constructed soil was prepared by mixing a decontaminated soil with an industrial sludge containing high concentrations of Fe, Ni, P and Zn, and amending it with biochar at different rates (0 to 5 wt%, dry matter). An ultramafic, Ni-rich soil was used as a reference material. Pot experiments were conducted with the hyperaccumulator Alyssum murale and the non-accumulating plant Lolium multiflorum used as a reference plant. After twelve weeks of growth, plant shoots and roots and soil samples were collected and analysed. Soil pore water was also collected over the experiment and analysed.Results showed that the growth of both plants was higher on the constructed soil than on the ultramafic soil, and increased with biochar amendments. The highest amounts of phytoextracted Ni were reached by A. murale on the ultramafic soil in the presence of biochar, whereas they remained low on the constructed soil. Contrary to the ultramafic soil, the constructed soil contained high amounts of Zn which was shown to impair Ni uptake as a result of the strong competition between Ni and Zn. Further investigations should therefore focus on practical solutions for decreasing this competition in order to maximize Ni uptake. In conclusion, agromining was proven feasible on soils constructed from industrial waste containing metals, providing that such soils are carefully designed to meet hyperaccumulator requirements.

Potentially toxic elements in saltmarsh sediments and common reed (Phragmites australis) of Burullus coastal lagoon at North Nile Delta, Egypt: A survey and risk assessment

Burullus lagoon is the second largest lake in Egypt. However, there has never been a comprehensive survey which studied nineteen potentially toxic elements in sediments and plants and evaluated the associated potential risk. Thus, we aimed to study the total and potentially available content of As, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sn, Tl, V, and Zn in the sediments and common reed (Phragmites australis) at thirty two sites along the entire lagoon and connected drains. Contamination Factor (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), and Enrichment Factor (EF) were calculated to assess the grade of contamination. Element accumulation factor (AF) and bio-concentration ratio (BCR) were also calculated. Aluminum showed the highest median (mg kg−1) total content (41,200), followed by Fe (30,300), Mn (704.7), V (82.0), Zn (75.5), Cr (51.2), Cu (47.8), Ni (44.3), As (31.9), Tl (24.6), Co (21.4), Se (20.3), Sb (17.6), Sn (15.6), Mo (11.3), and Hg (16.6 μg kg−1). Values of the EF, CF, and Igeo showed that the sediments were heavily contaminated with As, Sb, Se, Tl, Mo, Sn, Co, Ni, and Cu. The drained sediment had significantly higher values of total and potentially available element content than the lagoon sediments. Sediments of the middle and western area showed significantly higher contents of total and available elements than the eastern section. The BCR and AF values indicate that the studied plant is efficient in taking up high amounts of Zn, Fe, As, Sn, Tl, Ni, Mo, Mn; then Co, Cu, and V. The results exhibit a dramatic contamination at certain sites of the lagoon, and the studied PTEs have a predominant role in contamination-related ecological risk. Further investigations concerning redox-induced mobilization of PTEs in sediments, the risk of fish contamination and the potential health hazards are highly recommended.

Evaluation of genotypic variation for growth of rice seedlings under optimized hydroponics medium

Although rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a semi-aquatic plant, its growth in solution culture is often problematic. In commonly used rice hydroponics media, plants exhibited mild nitrogen deficiency, leaf tip burn, salt deposition, along with zinc and iron deficiency. Therefore, we aimed to optimize the nutrient media for growing rice plants taking into consideration the nutrient concentration, pH and ratio of NH4 + to NO3 – nitrogen (N) and named it as ‘Pusa Rice Hydroponics’ (PusaRicH). PusaRicH contains higher amounts of macronutrients, significantly lower B, Mn and Cl and higher amounts of Zn than two commonly used hydroponics media, ‘Yoshida’ and ‘Kumura B’. The optimal ratio of NH4 + to NO3 – – N in PusaRicH medium was 0.5 mM NH4 + and 7.0 mM NO3 – with pH 5.0. The PusaRicH medium was validated by growing 100 diverse rice genotypes and it significantly outperformed the widely cited ‘Yoshida’ and ‘Kimura B’. Cluster analysis carried out on the squared Euclidean distance matrix of biomass and leaf area values of genotypes revealed four major clusters in all hydroponics medium. However, only PusaRicH medium resulted in ten genotypes as good performers in comparison to other two widely cited media. Therefore, the optimized PusaRicH medium can be used successfully to grow rice seedlings in hydroponic system which will aid in screening large number of genotypes in breeding and other physiological experiments.

English

Soybean germplasms were assessed for bioavailable zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), vitamin A and crude protein using standard methods. Thirty soybean germplasms were investigated. Results were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and showed statistically significant differences in their Zn, Fe and vitamin A concentrations, as well as in crude protein content (P < 0.05). The Zn content ranged from 5.74 ± 0.04 to 18.15 ± 0.05 mg/100 g. TGX 1987-62F had the highest amount of Zn (18.15 ± 0.05 mg/100 g), while TGX 1485-1D had the least Zn concentration (5.74 ± 0.04 mg/100 g). The concentration of the Fe ranged from 6.65 ± 0.05 to 11.58 ± 0.05 mg/100 g with TGX 1987-62F showing the highest (11.58 ± 0.05 mg/100 g) and TGX 1987-10F the least (6.65 ± 0.04 mg/100 g) Fe concentrations. Investigation of the vitamin A content showed that TGX 1951-4F had the highest (8.83 ± 0.03 mg/L), while TGX 1989-53F had the least (2.48 ± 0.01 mg/L) vitamin A levels. Crude protein content ranged from 35.40 ± 0.09 to 57.92 ± 0.02%. TGX 1989-11F (57.92 ± 0.02%) showed the highest crude protein content, while TGX 1990-55F showed the least crude protein content (35.40 ± 0.09%). The germplasm TGX 1987-62F consistently showed high levels of crude protein, Zn and Fe concentrations, but moderate levels of vitamin A, whereas TGX 1989-11F and TGX 1951-4F had the highest levels of crude protein and vitamin A, respectively. No direct correlation with earlier observed genetic and morphological variabilities were observed in terms of bioavailable Fe and Zn, vitamin A and crude protein levels in these soybean germplasms. These genotypes can be widely used in the food industry for the commercial production of high quality protein diet for both human and animal consumption, and can be recommended as good sources of the micronutrients Fe, Zn and vitamin A.   Key words: Soybean, diversity, micronutrients, crude protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A. &nbsp

Heavy metal contamination status in seven fish species from reservoirs of Polonnaruwa district, Sri Lanka

Heavy metal contamination in aquatic ecosystems has become an emerging environmental issue. The stable physico-chemical properties of heavy metals could result in bioconcentration and bioaccumulation in different organs of freshwater fishes. The present study records the accumulation of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) in the head, muscle and skin regions of seven fish species namely, Labeo rohita , Oreochromis mossambicus, Oreochromis niloticus, Etroplus suratensis , Heteropneustes fossilis , Oligolepsis acutipennis and Puntius dorsalis collected from Minnerya, Parakrama Samudraya and Kaudulla reservoirs in Polonnaruwa district, Sri Lanka. The results showed that both Pb and Cd accumulated in high concentrations in the head region compared to the skin and muscles of the fish samples. The highest amounts of Pb (22.44±5.48 mg/Kg) and Cd (4.98±0.86mg/Kg) were recorded from the head parts of the H. fossilis in Minneriya and O. niloticus in Kaudulla respectively, whereas the highest amount of Cr (30.87±4.51mg/Kg) was detected in head part of the O. acutipennis in Minneriya. The Cu concentration was the highest (2.92±0.001 mg/Kg) in head regions of H. fossilis from Minneriya. Zn was the most abundant heavy metal detected in the head, muscle and skin regions of fish in all three reservoirs. The highest amount of Zn (118.93±10.55mg/Kg) was detected in the head part of O . acutipennis from Minneriya. The Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn concentrations detected in the head part of popular edible freshwater species, O. mossambicus, O. niloticus and E. suratensis were higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of Pb (0.025 mg/Kg), Cd (0.007 mg/Kg), Cr (0.1 mg/Kg), Cu (3.5 mg/Kg) and Zn (7 mg/Kg) specified by the FAO/WHO. Therefore, long-term consumption of these fish species especially the head parts may lead to accumulation of these heavy metals in tissues and lead to chronic diseases which may risk the health of consumers especially in the north-central province of Sri Lanka.

Insights from dietary supplementation with zinc and strontium on the skeleton of zebrafish,Danio rerio(Hamilton, 1822) larvae: From morphological analysis to osteogenic markers

In order to obtain additional insights into the zinc (Zn) and strontium (Sr) effects on bone formation, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) was used as a recognized model for vertebrate skeletogenesis. The treatments began 5 days post-fertilization, using triplicates for each test condition, with 100 larvae per replicate for the strontium trials and 80 larvae per replicate for the zinc trials. Tanks were maintained at 28 ºC with a temperature and photoperiod control (recirculation system ZebTECH, Tecniplast). Diets for the zebrafish larvae undergoing vertebrae formation and mineralization (from 5 to 30 dpf) were supplemented with increasing concentrations of either zinc sulfate or strontium citrate, as sources of Zn or Sr, respectively, and their effects on the fish skeleton were evaluated at both histomorphological and molecular levels. Whereas high amounts of Zn (240 and 480 mg/kg) increased larvae mortality, intermediate amounts (60 to 120 mg/kg) gave similar results as the control diet regarding deformities, suggesting that these amounts are not detrimental to development of the larvae skeleton. In addition, osteogenic markers runx2, sp7 and oc were increased by Zn supplementation, indicating that appropriate amounts of Zn seem to support bone formation in zebrafish larvae. In Sr experiments, two Sr concentrations and two bio-encapsulation materials were evaluated: chitosan and ĸ-carrageenan. Interestingly, Sr bio-encapsulation with chitosan decreased the number of deformed larvae and the number of deformities per larvae at 2500 mg/kg, while ĸ-carrageenan encapsulation failed to produce any positive effects. Furthermore, the chitosan experimental groups presented an increased expression of the osteoblast differentiation markers, sp7 and oc, suggesting that Sr promotes osteoblast differentiation and bone formation in zebrafish larvae.

Linoleic Acid:Dihomo-γ-Linolenic Acid Ratio Predicts the Efficacy of Zn-Biofortified Wheat in Chicken (Gallus gallus).

The amount of Zn absorbed from Zn-biofortified wheat material has been determined using an in vivo model of Zn absorption. The erythrocyte linoleic:dihomo -γ-linolenic acid (LA:DGLA) ratio was used as a biomarker of Zn status. Two groups of chickens (n = 15) were fed different diets: a high-Zn (46.5 μg Zn g-1) and a low-Zn wheat-based diet (32.8 μg Zn g-1). Dietary Zn intakes, body weight, serum Zn, and the erythrocyte fatty acid profile were measured, and tissues were taken for gene expression analysis. Serum Zn concentrations were greater in the high Zn group (p < 0.05). Duodenal mRNA expression of various Zn transporters demonstrated expression upregulation in the birds fed a low Zn diet (n = 15, p < 0.05). The LA:DGLA ratio was higher in the birds fed the low Zn diet (p < 0.05). The higher amount of Zn in the biofortified wheat resulted in a greater Zn uptake.

Impact of Some Amendments on Some Soil Properties and Plant Growth in Desert Area of Iran

Water availability and soil physicochemical properties are the most important factors for the establishment and growth of plant seedlings in arid and desert areas. Improving water use efficiency and soil properties are two major factors for sustainable development in these regions. Therefore, this research aimed to study the effectiveness of biological hydrogel (b), PLANTBAC vegetation layer (PB), sand (sa) and barley straw (st) with inter-row system on some soil properties, including N, Cl, Zn, Fe, clay, silt and sand percentages, ρb and water use efficiency under the cultivation of Nitraria schoberi. This experiment was tested in a split plot design with 3 replications and 10 observations in 2015 during 2 years at Semnan province’s Natural Resources Research Station. Data analysis was carried out in SAS software version 9.1.3. According to the results, the highest amount of Cl was obtained at non-micro catchment by straw and sand treatments, as well as at micro catchment by PB treatments. The highest amount of Zn was obtained at non-micro catchment by straw treatment (1.106). The results of mulch effect on Fe showed that four mulch treatments did not have significant difference with the control. Also, the highest amount of total N content was observed at micro catchment by hydrogel treatment. There was not any significant difference among environment and clay, silt and sand treatments and about plant establishment and, all four mulch treatments had significantly higher moisture content and establishment than the control. The results of mulch effect on water use efficiency showed that there was a significant difference between all four mulch treatments (P < 0.01) and the control. The highest water use efficiency occurred in sand treatment (0.243), and the lowest was under straw mulches (0.154). Thus, considering the effects of different types of mulch on soil properties and considering the price of each, the availability and area conditions, they can be used to establish plants in desert areas, and therefore, restore these areas.

Extraction of Spear Grass (Imperata Cylindrica) As Pro-Oxidant In Polymer Blends

Packaging material such as plastic bags is one of the main factors that contribute to the environmental pollution due to slow degradation. The usage of metal oxide as pro-oxidant has been proven to accelerate the degradation of these materials, but the excessive usage of this pro-oxidant will be harmful to the human body. Therefore, in this research, spear grass is investigated to be used as natural based pro-oxidant that can increase the degradation rate of the polymers. In terms of that, spear grass is extracted by using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) to obtain the metal element such as zinc (Zn) and ferum (Fe). PHWE is using water as a solvent which is highly favourable due to non-toxicity and non-flammable characteristics that make it easy to handle. Box-Behnken design is used to optimize the temperature, extraction time, and sample-to-solvent ratio to get the maximum amount of Zn and Fe concentration from the extracted spear grass. As a conclusion, the leaf of spear grass contributed the highest amount of Zn and Fe concentration. The highest amount of Zn and Fe concentration is achieved at 150 °C, 20 minutes, and 3 g of sample to 45 ml of water.

Tuning the Ligament Size and the Content of the Foreign Atom of the Nanoporous Copper for the Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction

During the electrochemical reduction reaction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) on metallic copper surfaces several C1 and C2 products can be formed. The reaction mechanisms and kinetics, yet, are unclear to date. Different reaction mechanisms for CO2RR are postulated.1-3 For instance, the adsorption of negatively charged intermediates at the catalytically active surface might play a very important role in the formation of C2 products.3 Further critical issues for the CO2RR are addressed: (i) high overpotentials of up to 1 V, (ii) broad product distribution, (iii) fast degradation by catalyst poisoning and (iv) competition reaction at high cathodic potentials, referred to as hydrogen evolution reaction. Thus, tailoring the structure, morphology and chemical composition of Cu-based materials by adding other metals is one of the promising strategies to control the catalytic activity and product distribution during the CO2RR.4-5 In our study, we investigated the catalytic properties of a novel nanoporous copper film (np-Cu) for the CO2RR. The np-Cu films were prepared by de-alloying process of the less noble metal (Zn) from a Zn-Cu alloy. This technique allows us to tailor the ligament and pore size as well as the content of the Zn in the np-Cu. For the characterization of the np-Cu we used SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD and XPS. The catalytic performance of different np-Cu materials for the CO2RR was evaluated by linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry. To correlate the measured current during the CO2RR polarization curves, the formed products were quantified by using gas chromatography and ion chromatography. Our results show how the ligament structure and the Zn content of the np-Cu have an effect on the activity and selectivity during the CO2RR. Depending on the experimental conditions, the dealloying in alkaline media largely forms copper oxide with very low content of Zn. In contrast, after dealloying in acidic media the ligament size and pore distribution of np-Cu are more uniform and contains a higher amount of Zn. The polarization curves for both np-Cu materials showed higher activity for the CO2RR compared to that for a flat Cu surface. We showed that a high content of Zn at the surface promotes the formation of hydrogen, while the copper oxide leads to higher selectivity to C2 products. Based on our results, we provide a deeper insight into the mechanism and kinetics for the CO2RR on np-Cu materials. 1. K. P. Kuhl, E. R. Cave, D. N. Abram, and T. F. Jaramillo, Energy Environ. Sci., 7050-7059, 5 (2012) 2. A. A. Peterson, F. Abild-Pedersen, F. Studt, J. Rossmeisl, and J. K. Nørskov, Energy Environ. Sci., 1311-1315, 3 (2010) 3. R. Kortlever, J. Shen, K. J. P. Schouten, F. Calle-Vallejo, and M. F. M. Koper, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 4073-4082, 6 (2015) 4. R. Reske, M. Duca, M. Oezaslan, K. J. P. Schouten, M. T. M. Koper, and P. Strasser, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2410-2413, 4 (2013) 5. A. Dutta, M. Rahaman, N. C. Luedi, M. Mohos, and P. Broekmann, ACS Catal., 2804-2814, 6 (2016)

Effects of long-term fertilizer applications on peanut yield and quality and plant and soil heavy metal accumulation

The status of essential and potentially toxic trace elements in soils and crops can be affected by long-term fertilization practices. This study aimed to investigate changes in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yield and kernel quality, and changes in copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in soil and peanut kernels after 16 years of continuous cropping with different fertilization treatments. Five fertilization treatments were applied at a red soil site in Southeast China: chemical fertilizer (F) containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, F + trace elements (FT), pig manure (M), M + effective microorganisms (MB), and MB + trace elements (MBT). Properties of soil and pig manure, heavy metal contents in soil and peanut kernels, and the compositions of amino and fatty acids in kernels were determined. Application of pig manure significantly increased peanut biomass, kernel yield, and crude protein and total amino acid contents in kernels, but led to higher amounts of Cu, Zn, and Cd in soil and higher amounts of Zn and Cd in peanut kernels compared with that of chemical fertilizer. There should be greater concern about potential kernel Cd and Zn contaminations resulting from long-term application of pig manure contaminated with potentially toxic metals as an organic fertilizer.

A Hydrometallurgical Approach to Recover Zinc and Manganese from Spent Zn-C Batteries

This study addresses the recovery of recovery of zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) from spent dry cell (Zn-C battery) batteries using a hydrometallurgical approach. Every year, a significant number of Zn-C dry cell batteries are consumed and disposed worldwide. Zn-C dry cell batteries constitute more than 60% of Zn and Mn together. Higher amount of Zn and Mn present in Zn-C dry cells shows an industrial interest in recycling and recovering Zn and Mn. In this study the recovery of Zn and Mn from spent dry cells was investigated through an energy efficient hydrometallurgical route. Zn-C batteries were manually dismantled to collect the battery paste. Neutral leaching was carried out to remove potassium and non-metal contents. The battery powder was leached in sulfuric acid medium with glucose as reducing agent. The experiments were conducted according to ‘24 full factorial design’. The purpose of the design was to identify the most effective and optimum condition for Zn and Mn recovery from spent Zn-C batteries. Using the optimum operating condition, up to 86.54 % of Mn and 82.19% of Zn were recovered from the original battery powder.

Investigation of selected metals in soil samples exposed to agricultural and automobile activities in Macedonia, Greece using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

This study presents the results of selected metals in soils samples determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry from five sampling sites in the rural area of the town of Damiano, in Macedonia, Greece, and four sampling sites along the 60 mile distance from Damiano to the airport of the city of Thessaloniki in Macedonia, Greece. It also compares the impact of automobile traffic to the impact of agricultural activities, and investigates how the use of pesticides and fertilizers could impact the concentrations of particular metals in soils found in agricultural areas. Animal manure was found to contain high amounts of Zn and Cu which could have impacted these concentrations at site G6, which is believed to have been the site of Alexander the Great's stables. The Cu and Zn dry mass concentrations at site G6 were 62 and 103mg/kg (ppm) respectively, which were relatively higher than in other agricultural areas.