Effect of Compositionally Different Substrates on Elemental Properties of Bay Bolete Mushrooms: Case Study of 34 Essential and Non-essential Elements from Six Areas Affected Differently by Industrial Pollution.

We studied concentrations of 34 essential and non-essential elements in samples of edible Bay Bolete (Imleria badia) mushrooms added by samples of the growing substrate and bioavailable fraction. The samples were collected from six forested sites affected differently by industrial pollution and underlain by compositionally contrasting bedrock: granite, amphibolite, and peridotite. In all cases, mushrooms behaved as a bioconcentrating system for elements such as Ag, K, P, Rb, S, and Se (BCF > 1) being a bioexcluding system for the rest of the elements analyzed (BCF < 1).

Accumulation and within-mushroom distribution of elements in red cracking bolete (Xerocomellus chrysenteron) collected over the extended period from compositionally contrasting substrates.

We conducted a study of elemental compositions of Xerocomellus chrysenteron samples accompanied by samples of related substrate soils. All samples were collected during the harvesting seasons 2021 and 2022 from three forested sites almost unpolluted by recent human activities and underlain by contrasting bedrock (granite, amphibolite, and serpentinite). Elements such as Ag, Cd, K, P, Rb, S, Se, and Zn were the main elements enriched in the mushroom's fruiting bodies relative to the substrate.

Spatial and temporal trends in δZn and Pb/Pb isotope ratios along a rural transect downwind from the Upper Silesian industrial area: Role of legacy vs. present-day pollution.

Transect sampling is an under-exploited tool in isotope studies of atmospheric pollution. Few studies have combined Zn and Pb isotope ratios to investigate whether atmospheric pollution at a receptor site is dominated by a different anthropogenic source of each of these toxic elements. It has been also unclear whether pollution abatement strategies in Central Europe have already resulted in regionally well-mixed background isotope signature of atmospheric Zn and Pb.

First data on isotope and trace element compositions of a Xerocomus subtomentosus mushroom sample from western Czech Republic.

A study of a sample of Xerocomus subtomentosus revealed that the fruiting body behaved as an accumulating biosystem with respect to Rb (BF = 36), K and Ag (BF = 5.0 for both), and, to a lesser extent, Mg, Cu, Zn, and Se (BF = 1.7-3.

Catchment Runoff in Industrial Areas Exports Legacy Pollutant Zinc from the Topsoil Rather than Geogenic Zn.

In highly industrialized, densely populated parts of Central Europe, mobilization of legacy Zn pollution from forest ecosystems may negatively affect the quality of water resources. To test this hypothesis, we determined the Zn/Zn isotope ratios of 15 Zn reservoirs and fluxes in an acidified, spruce die-back affected mountain-slope catchment in northern Czech Republic. The δZn values of precipitation, organic horizon, and runoff were statistically indistinguishable.

Controls on δ26Mg variability in three Central European headwater catchments characterized by contrasting bedrock chemistry and contrasting inputs of atmospheric pollutants.

Magnesium isotope ratios (26Mg/24Mg) can provide insights into the origin of Mg pools and fluxes in catchments where Mg sources have distinct isotope compositions, and the direction and magnitude of Mg isotope fractionations are known. Variability in Mg isotope compositions was investigated in three small, spruce-forested catchments in the Czech Republic (Central Europe) situated along an industrial pollution gradient. The following combinations of catchment characteristics were selected for the study: low-Mg bedrock + low Mg deposition (site LYS, underlain by leucogranite); high-Mg bedrock + low Mg deposition (site PLB, underlain by serpentinite), and low-Mg bedrock + high Mg deposition (site UDL, underlain by orthogneiss).

The variations of aluminium species in mountainous forest soils and its implications to soil acidification.

Aluminium (Al) speciation is a characteristic that can be used as a tool for describing the soil acidification process. The question that was answered is how tree species (beech vs spruce) and type of soil horizon affect Al speciation. Our hypotesis is that spruce and beech forest vegetation are able to modify the chemical characteristics of organic horizon, hence the content of Al species.

The pH-dependent long-term stability of an amorphous manganese oxide in smelter-polluted soils: implication for chemical stabilization of metals and metalloids.

An amorphous manganese oxide (AMO) and a Pb smelter-polluted agricultural soil amended with the AMO and incubated for 2 and 6 months were subjected to a pH-static leaching procedure (pH 3-8) to verify the chemical stabilization effect on metals and metalloids. The AMO stability in pure water was pH-dependent with the highest Mn release at pH 3 (47% dissolved) and the lowest at pH 8 (0.14% dissolved).

Release of mobile forms of hazardous elements from glassworks fly ash into soils.

The release of hazardous elements from the wastes of high-temperature processes represents a risk to the environment. We focused on the alteration of fly ash (FA) from glassworks collected from an electrostatic filter. FA contains elevated concentrations of Zn and Ba, among other elements.

Dust from Zambian smelters: mineralogy and contaminant bioaccessibility.

Metal smelting is often responsible for local contamination of environmental compartments. Dust materials escaping from the smelting facilities not only settle in the soil, but can also have direct effects on populations living close to these operations (by ingestion or inhalation). In this particular study, we investigate dusts from Cu-Co metal smelters in the Zambian Copperbelt, using a combination of mineralogical techniques (XRD, SEM/EDS, and TEM/EDS), in order to understand the solid speciation of the contaminants, as well as their bioaccessibility using in vitro tests in simulated gastric and lung fluids to assess the exposure risk for humans.

Surprisingly contrasting metal distribution and fractionation patterns in copper smelter-affected tropical soils in forested and grassland areas (Mufulira, Zambian Copperbelt).

Six soil profiles located near Mufulira (Zambian Copperbelt) were studied to evaluate and compare the extent of environmental pollution of Cu-ore mining and smelting in both forested and grassland areas. The highest metal concentrations were detected in the uppermost soil layers with the following maxima: Co 45.8 mg kg(-1), Cu 8,980 mg kg(-1), Pb 41.

Temporal dissolution of potentially toxic elements from silver smelting slag by synthetic environmental solutions.

Waste slag which is created during precious metal smelting contains high levels of potentially toxic elements (PTE) which can be mobilised from unconfined deposits into the local environment. This paper examines the extractability of selected PTE (Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn) from slag samples by synthetic solutions designed to replicate those in the environment. Extracting agents were used to replicate potential leaching scenarios which are analogous to natural chemical weathering.

Profile distribution and temporal changes of sulphate and nitrate contents and related soil properties under beech and spruce forests.

The behaviour of principal inorganic anions in forest soils, originating mainly from acid deposition, strongly influences the forest ecosystem response on acidification. The aim of this study was to describe seasonal and temporal changes of sulphate and nitrate contents and related soil properties under beech and spruce forests in a region heavily impacted by acidification. The Jizera Mountains area (Czech Republic) was chosen as such a representative mountainous soil ecosystem.

Experimental in situ transformation of Pb smelter fly ash in acidic soils.

Soils in the vicinity of nonferrous metal smelters are often highly polluted by inorganic contaminants released from particulate emissions. We used a technique with double polyamide experimental bags (1-μm mesh) to study the in situ transformation of fly ash (FA) from a secondary Pb smelter in acidic soil profiles. Between 62 and 66% of the FA dissolved after one year's exposure in the soils, leading to complete dissolution of primary caracolite (Na(3)Pb(2)(SO(4))(3)Cl) and KPb(2)Cl(5), with formation of secondary anglesite (PbSO(4)), minor PbSO(3), and trace carbonates.

Natural attenuation of arsenic in soils near a highly contaminated historical mine waste dump.

Arsenic-contaminated soils near historical As-rich mine waste in Jáchymov (Czech Rep.), resulting from the smelting and seepage of the mine waste pore water, were studied to examine As partitioning between solid phases and pore waters. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses showed that As is exclusively associated with unidentified amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides, poorly crystalline goethite and hematite as adsorbed and coprecipitated species (with up to 3.

Dissolution kinetics of Pd and Pt from automobile catalysts by naturally occurring complexing agents.

Powder samples prepared from gasoline (Pt, Pd, Rh, new GN/old GO) and diesel (Pt, new DN/old DO) catalysts and recycled catalyst NIST 2556 were tested using kinetic leaching experiments following 1, 12, 24, 48, 168, 360, 720 and 1440-h interactions with solutions of 20mM citric acid (CA), 20 mM Na(2)P(4)O(7) (NaPyr), 1 g L(-1) NaCl (NaCl), a fulvic acid solution (FA-DOC 50 mg L(-1)) and 20 mM CA at pH 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The mobilisation of platinum group elements (PGEs) was fastest in solutions of CA and NaPyr. In the other interactions (NaCl, FA), the release of PGEs was probably followed by immobilisation processes, and the interactions were not found to correspond to the simple release of PGEs into solution.

Effect of sample preparation on contaminant leaching from copper smelting slag.

Currently standardised leaching tests require grain size reduction, which for large fragments of slags could overestimate the leaching results. To assess the effect of the fine-grained fraction generated by sample crushing, a set of leaching experiments was performed on copper smelting slag from the Zambian Copperbelt: (i) EN 12457-2 batch tests (standardised grain size <4 mm; modified procedure with grain size of 4-0.5 mm simulating exposure of larger fragments on the dumps) and (ii) CEN/TS 14997 pH-static tests (standardised grain size <1 mm simulating the possible wind dispersion scenario near the slag crushing facilities or disposal of fine-grained granulated slag; additional grain sizes <5 mm, 5-0.

Effect of illite and birnessite on thallium retention and bioavailability in contaminated soils.

The influence of illite and birnessite (δ-MnO(2)) amendments on the retention and bioavailability of Tl in contaminated soils was investigated. The efficiency of both phases was evaluated using Tl uptake by white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), sequential extraction and sorption experiments.

Association of trace elements with colloidal fractions in leachates from closed and active municipal solid waste landfills.

Leachates from two Czech municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills (closed site and active site) were size-fractionated using the cascade frontal filtration/ultrafiltration procedure with filter cut-offs of 3 μm, 0.8 μm, 0.45 μm, 0.

Thallium uptake by white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) grown on moderately contaminated soils--agro-environmental implications.

The work focused on Tl uptake by white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) grown on moderately contaminated soils with different characteristics. The data presented here clearly demonstrate the ability of white mustard to (hyper)accumulate Tl.

Alteration of arsenopyrite in soils under different vegetation covers.

The weathering of arsenopyrite (FeAsS) has been monitored in soils using an in situ experimental approach. Arsenopyrite in nylon experimental bags was placed in individual horizons in soils in spruce (litter, horizons A, B, and C), beech (litter, horizons A, B, and C) and unforested (horizons A, B, and C) areas and left in contact with the soil for a period of 1 year. The individual areas on the ridge of the Krusné hory Mts.

Antimony and arsenic leaching from secondary lead smelter air-pollution-control residues.

Environments in the vicinity of the lead (Pb) smelters are contaminated by emissions containing high concentrations of antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As). Air-pollution-control (APC) residues from bag-type filters from a secondary Pb smelter were subjected to leaching experiments to elucidate the controlling mechanisms of Sb and As release. Kinetic batch leaching tests at a liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio of 10 L kg(- 1) within the time frame of 720 hours and batch leaching at various L/S ratios (ranging from 1 to 1000 L kg(-1)) were performed.

Cadmium, lead and zinc leaching from smelter fly ash in simple organic acids--simulators of rhizospheric soil solutions.

Emissions from base-metal smelters are responsible for high contamination of the surrounding soils. Fly ash from a secondary Pb smelter was submitted to a batch leaching procedure (0.5-168 h) in 500 microM solutions of acetic, citric, or oxalic acids to simulate the release of toxic metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) in rhizosphere-like environments.