Phytoremediation potential of twelve wild plant species for toxic elements in a contaminated soil.

Green remediation of soils highly contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) can be achieved using suitable plants. Such phytoremediation procedure often takes into consideration PTE concentrations in plants only, but not produced biomass. Phytoremediation potential of certain species of wild plants for PTEs in contaminated floodplain soils has not been assessed yet.

Accumulation and transformation of inorganic and organic arsenic in rice and role of thiol-complexation to restrict their translocation to shoot.

Environmental contamination of arsenic (As) and its accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is of serious human health concern. In planta speciation of As is an important tool to understand As metabolism in plants.

Investigation on stability and preservation of antimonite in iron rich water samples.

The stability of antimonite in iron rich water samples is rather poor. The aim of the study was to find a simple procedure by using preservation agents to keep the speciation information from sampling till analysis. Species analysis of antimony traces (lower μg L(-1) range) was done by HPLC-ICP-MS.

Impact of arsenic on uptake and bio-accumulation of antimony by arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata.

Individual uptake of As and Sb species in Pteris vittata have been investigated, but little information is available how uptake is affected if both metalloids are simultaneously present in different amounts. We investigated the uptake of antimony and its speciation in Pteris vittata cultivated in quartz substrate with, versus without, co-contamination with arsenic and a contaminated soil for 7 weeks. Applying HPLC-ICP-MS technique Sb(V), Sb(III), As(III), and As(V) could be identified as main species in aqueous extracts of roots and fronds with up to 230 mg kg(-1) of total Sb in the roots.

Fractionation of Sb and As in soil and sludge samples using different continuous-flow extraction techniques.

The fractionation of Sb and As in soil and sludge samples had been comparably studied using two continuous-flow systems: a microcolumn (MC) and a rotating coiled column (RCC). The leachants were applied in correspondence with a five-step sequential extraction scheme addressing water-soluble, non-specifically sorbed, specifically sorbed, and bound to amorphous and crystalline Fe/Al oxide fractions of Sb and As. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy was applied to determine antimony, arsenic, and major elements in the effluent and in the residual fractions after their digestion.

Behaviour of metalloids and metals from highly polluted soil samples when mobilized by water--evaluation of static versus dynamic leaching.

The mobilization behaviour of metalloids and metals when leached by water from highly polluted soil/sediment samples was studied using static and dynamic approaches employing batch methodology and rotating coiled columns (RCC), respectively. Increasing the solution-to-solid ratios during batch leaching resulted in different enhanced mobilization rates, which are element-specific and matrix-specific. When dynamic leaching is employed with continuous replacement of the eluent, a higher portion is mobilized than when using batch elution with an identical solid-to-water ratio.

Continuous-flow fractionation of selenium in contaminated sediment and soil samples using rotating coiled column and microcolumn extraction.

Dynamic fractionation is considered to be an attractive alternative to conventional batch sequential extraction procedures for partitioning of trace metals and metalloids in environmental solid samples. This paper reports the first results on the continuous-flow dynamic fractionation of selenium using two different extraction systems, a microcolumn (MC) packed with the solid sample and a rotating coiled column (RCC) in which the particulate matter is retained under the action of centrifugal forces. The eluents (leachants) were applied in correspondence with a four-step sequential extraction scheme for selenium addressing "soluble", "adsorbed", "organically bound", and "elemental" Se fractions extractable by distilled water, phosphate buffer, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, and sodium sulphite solutions, respectively.

Remobilization of pentavalent antimony and vanadium from a granular iron hydroxide material--a comparative study of different leaching systems.

The remobilization of antimony and vanadium from previously loaded commercial granular ferric-hydroxide GEH material (intended for water treatment) was examined by using a sequential extraction procedure and three different leaching systems to evaluate their physicochemical mobility and potential availability under different simulated environmental conditions. A classical batch extraction, an extraction cell (EC) and rotating-coiled columns (RCC) were used as extraction systems. For each system it could be shown that the content of ion-exchangeable antimony and vanadium in previously loaded material is negligible (<1.

Study of leachability and fractional alteration of arsenic and co-existing elements in stabilized contaminated sludge using a flow-through extraction system.

This study investigates the stabilization of As in the contaminated sludge after treatment with MnO(2) or Ca(OH)(2), and the influence of the stabilizing materials on the leachability of the co-existing elements Pb and Zn. By exploiting a continuous-flow assembly facilitating a modified Wenzel's sequential extraction scheme (designed for the fractionation of arsenic), it is possible to ascertain the leachability, mobility and fractional alteration of these elements under stimulated natural (flow-through) leaching conditions. The fractionation data show that more than 80% of As, Pb and Zn in the untreated sludge are bound in the amorphous Fe oxides fraction and residual fraction.

Sorption of aqueous antimony and arsenic species onto akaganeite.

Two akaganeite materials were tested for the removal of antimonate, trimethyl antimonate, arsenate, arsenite, and dimethyl arsenate from water: a commercial product (GEH) and a synthesized akaganeite. The two materials show similar q(max) values, but differ in their K(L) values. This could be a result of their different crystal sizes indicated by sharper XRD reflections of the synthesized akaganeite compared with GEH.

Retention of phenylarsenicals in soils derived from volcanic materials.

Sorption of phenylarsenicals including 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylarsonic acid (roxarsone), an animal feed additive widely used for growth stimulation, on soils was investigated in batch systems. Phenylarsonic acid, o-arsanilic acid and roxarsone were retained differently by unpolluted, non-sterilized soils. Sorption isotherms were analyzed by the Henry, Tóth and Langmuir-Freundlich equations.

A new approach for calibration of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using thin layers of spiked agarose gels as references.

Calibration of analytical methods using laser ablation for sample introduction is often problematic. The availability of matrix-adapted standard materials is a crucial factor in the analysis of biological samples in particular. In this work a method for preparation of thin-film references for LA-ICP-MS is presented which is inexpensive, relatively simple and generally practicable.

Dynamic flow-through sequential extraction for assessment of fractional transformation and inter-element associations of arsenic in stabilized soil and sludge.

A dynamic flow-through extraction system was applied for the first time to ascertain the fractional transformation and inter-element associations of arsenic in stabilized environmental solids, as exemplified by the partitioning of soil and sludge stabilized with three additives, namely MnO(2), Ca(OH)(2) and FeSO(4). The extraction system used not only gave fractionation data, but also the extraction profiles (extractograms) which were used for investigation of the breaking down of phases, kinetic releasing of As and elemental association between As and inorganic additives. Five geochemical fractions of As were elucidated by accommodation in the flow manifold of a modified Wenzel's sequential extraction scheme, well established for fractionation of arsenic.

Concentrations and speciation of arsenic in groundwater polluted by warfare agents.

Groundwater polluted with phenylarsenicals from former warfare agent deposits and their metabolites was investigated with respect to the behavior of relevant arsenic species. Depth profiles at the estimated source and at about 1km downgradient from the source zone were sampled. The source zone is characterized by high total arsenic concentrations up to 16mgL(-1) and is dominated by organic arsenic compounds.

Retention of arsenic species on zwitterionic stationary phase in hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

Zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ZIC-HILIC) was used to study the retention of selected organoarsenicals. The retention behavior of nine organic arsenic species on ZIC-HILIC was investigated to elucidate which is the driving force for their separation, hydrophilic partitioning or adsorption driven by hydrogen bonds with surface H-donor/acceptor groups of the stationary phase. For this, the retention factor of the compounds k was correlated with log P(O/W) and with the calculated strength of hydrogen bonding of the analytes.

Dynamics of mercury fluxes and their controlling factors in large Hg-polluted floodplain areas.

Environmental pollution by mercury (Hg) is a considerable environmental problem world-wide. Due to the occurrence of Hg volatilization from their soils, floodplains can function as an important source of volatile Hg. Soil temperature and soil water content related to flood dynamics are considered as important factors affecting seasonal dynamics of total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes.

Dynamic fractionation of trace metals in soil and sediment samples using rotating coiled column extraction and sequential injection microcolumn extraction: a comparative study.

Dynamic fractionation has been recognized as an appealing alternative to conventional equilibrium-based sequential extraction procedures (SEPs) for partitioning of trace elements (TE) in environmental solid samples. This paper reports the first attempt for harmonization of flow-through dynamic fractionation using two novel methods, the so-called sequential injection microcolumn (SIMC) extraction and rotating coiled column (RCC) extraction. In SIMC extraction, a column packed with the solid sample is clustered in a sequential injection system, while in RCC, the particulate matter is retained under the action of centrifugal forces.

Simultaneous determination of inorganic and organic antimony species by using anion exchange phases for HPLC-ICP-MS and their application to plant extracts of Pteris vittata.

Antimony is a common contaminant at abandoned sites for non-ferrous ore mining and processing. Because of the possible risk of antimony by transfer to plants growing on contaminated sites, it is of importance to analyze antimony and its species in such biota. A method based on high performance liquid chromatographic separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-ICP-MS) was developed to determine inorganic antimony species such as Sb(III) and Sb(V) as well as possible antimony-organic metabolisation products of the antimony transferred into plant material within one chromatographic run.

Preservation of arsenic species in water samples using phosphoric acid--limitations and long-term stability.

The preservation of arsenic species in water samples is an indispensable method to avoid their changes during storage, if it is not possible to analyse them immediately. The aim of this investigation was to demonstrate the limitations of the suggested method by using phosphoric acid as a preservation agent. The samples remain stable for 3 months, even if they show evidence of high concentrations of iron or manganese.

Investigation of iron oxide nanoparticles by capillary zone electrophoresis.

The electrophoretic behavior of gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles was studied in aqueous solutions of Na(2)SO(4)-NaOH (pH 10.8) and of Na(2)SO(4)-Na(3)cit (pH 7.1) as running electrolytes.

Determination of gadolinium in river water by SPE preconcentration and ICP-MS.

An analytical scheme was developed for the determination of Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (Gd-DTPA), Gd and the other rare earth elements (REE) in river water by inductively coupled plasma (quadrupole) mass spectrometry (ICP-Q-MS). The preconcentration step was essential, since the limits of detection of this multielemental analytical technique are higher than the trace concentrations of the interesting elements in river water. Solid phase extraction (SPE) with different commercially available complexing agents (Chelex 100, Toyopearl and ethylhexylphosphates) was employed for the preconcentration of REE.

Size separation of silica nanospheres by means of capillary zone electrophoresis.

The electrophoretic mobility of silica nanospheres was shown to be a function of separation conditions such as pH and phosphate concentration of a carrier electrolyte. The separation selectivity can be controlled by the separation conditions and optimised depending on the sample composition. The effects of pH and phosphate concentration of buffer solutions on the nanosphere electrophoretic mobility are explained using the Overbeek-Booth electrokinetic theory taking into account both electrophoretic retardation and the relaxation effect.

Efficiency of Pt and Ir modifiers for the simultaneous determination of As, Se and In in a sodium sulphate matrix by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

The effect of pre-reduced Pt and Ir modifiers towards simultaneous determination of As, Se and In in a sodium sulphate matrix was investigated. In spite of application of very isothermal THGA atomizer, negative influence of the matrix is pronounced. The efficiency of iridium modifier is somewhat higher than that of platinum modifier.

Investigation on stability and preservation of arsenic species in iron rich water samples.

Important for the accurate and reproducible determination of inorganic redox forms of arsenic in iron-rich waters is their conservation prior to analysis. Species and trace element analysis methods are commonly laboratory based. Stabilisation of samples is necessary for subsequent laboratory analysis in order to preserve the information about the system from which the samples were taken.