Environmental Geochemistry: Earth Surface Processes and Measurement Uncertainty

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263). This special issue belongs to the section "Geochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2018)

Special Issue Editors

Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panapistimiopolis, Zographou, 157 84 Athens, Greece
Interests: environmental geochemistry; aqueous geochemistry; environmental impact assessment; contaminated land; urban geochemistry; geochemical baseline; environmental uses of mineral resources; measurement uncertainty

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental geochemistry is concerned with the sources, distribution and interactions of chemical elements in the system rock–soil–water–air–life. In this Special Issue, we would like to focus on the study of geochemical behavior of potentially harmful elements in different environments and the quantification of measurement uncertainty. The surface environment, closest to man, has dominant importance. The mobility and speciation of chemical elements is central to many of the feedbacks that connect geochemical, biological, and geological processes at Earth’s surface. Redistribution of chemical elements in the surface environment results in lower concentrations and therefore demands sophisticated measurement methodologies for quantification. The estimation of the true values of analyte concentration often plays a significant role. For example in contaminated land investigations regulatory limits are the guidance for costly decisions concerning remediation of a contaminated site. It is important therefore that concentration estimates are determined with a specified level of confidence. A sound methodology for the quantification of the uncertainties on concentration measurements will therefore have financial implications.

Within this frame we welcome contributions that focus on the components of elemental mobility and speciation as well as methodologies for studying such phenomena in field, laboratory and modelling studies and across spatial scales. We are particularly interested in research addressing the assessment of reactivity, bioaccessibility and biological availability of contaminants as well as the remediation of contaminated land with reference to measurement uncertainty, a horizontal theme that applies in all research topics. The Special Issue aims to bring together cross-disciplinary scientists such as geochemists, soil and plant scientists, engineers and environmental chemists. If authors are interested in submitting a manuscript, pre-submission communication with the Guest Editor is recommended.

Dr. Ariadne Argyraki
Prof. Dr. Maurizio Barbieri
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • geochemistry,
  • environmental impact assessment,
  • conformity assessment,
  • soil remediation,
  • potentially harmful elements,
  • elemental mobility,
  • elemental speciation,
  • bioaccessibility,
  • bioavailability,
  • measurement uncertainty

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3010 KiB  
Article
Selected Metal Content and Binding Behaviour in Riverbed Sediments of the Kavala–Philippi Area (Northern Greece)
by Katerina Giouri, Vasilios Melfos, Lamprini Papadopoulou, Michael Vavelidis and Dimitrios Alifragkis
Geosciences 2018, 8(5), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8050187 - 19 May 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3386
Abstract
The broader Philippi area (NE Macedonia, Northern Greece), which was chosen for the present study, is characterized by the presence of various metals. An approach to the correlation of selected parameters (grain-size distribution, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3 [...] Read more.
The broader Philippi area (NE Macedonia, Northern Greece), which was chosen for the present study, is characterized by the presence of various metals. An approach to the correlation of selected parameters (grain-size distribution, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, MnO, SiO2 content, environmentally available concentrations of Cu and Zn) was carried out in samples collected downstream of Palea Kavala River and Kryoneri and Philippi streams. The abundance of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in relation to four binding fractions (exchangeable, bound to carbonates, Fe–Mn oxides, organic matter complexes) was also investigated. The enrichment of the studied metals was determined by evaluating the enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). Considering the results, Si was the most abundant major element oxide in sediments, followed by Al, Ca, Fe, and Mn. The sediments are dominated by sand and reveal minor Cu and Fe enrichment and moderate Mn and Zn enrichment. Statistical analyses revealed a significant correlation between Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, suggesting their common sources. They probably originate naturally, since the weathering of metal assemblages occurring in the broader Philippi area, comprising minerals such as chalcopyrite, pyrite, goethite, pyrolusite and sphalerite, may contribute to the concentrations of these elements in the sediments. Full article
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13 pages, 3011 KiB  
Article
Adsorption of Pb and Cu from Aqueous Solutions by Raw and Heat-Treated Attapulgite Clay
by Konstantina Pyrgaki, Panagiota Messini and Vassilis Zotiadis
Geosciences 2018, 8(5), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8050157 - 27 Apr 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5225
Abstract
The main objective of the present study is the investigation of the adsorption efficiency of raw and heat-treated attapulgite clay for removing Pb and Cu from aqueous solutions. The removal of each metal was studied separately with the use of one-substance solutions. The [...] Read more.
The main objective of the present study is the investigation of the adsorption efficiency of raw and heat-treated attapulgite clay for removing Pb and Cu from aqueous solutions. The removal of each metal was studied separately with the use of one-substance solutions. The effect of certain factors, including solution pH and ionic strength, contact time, adsorbent concentration, temperature of treatment of the adsorbent, and initial metal concentration, was studied. In alkaline conditions, pH > 8.0, precipitation of Pb(OH)2 and Cu(OH)2 takes place, whereas at pH range 4.0–8.0 removal of metals is probably due to adsorption processes. Metal removal increases by 20% for Pb and by 80% for Cu with the increase of attapulgite content from 2 g·L−1 to 15 g·L−1. The removal of metals decreases with increasing solution ionic strength due to competition of Na with Pb and Cu for the available sites. Significant changes in the adsorption capacity of the used attapulgite clay occur after calcination in temperatures >550 °C due to destruction of the crystal lattice of the material and nano-porosity change. Finally, Pb adsorption is described well by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity for Pb is 30 mg·g−1 and 4.41 mg·g−1 for Cu. The Freundlich model fitted better the experimental data of Cu. Full article
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11 pages, 1494 KiB  
Article
Total and Bioaccessible Soil Arsenic and Lead Levels and Plant Uptake in Three Urban Community Gardens in Puerto Rico
by John Misenheimer, Clay Nelson, Evelyn Huertas, Myriam Medina-Vera, Alex Prevatte and Karen Bradham
Geosciences 2018, 8(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8020043 - 26 Jan 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5598
Abstract
Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are two contaminants of concern associated with urban gardening. In Puerto Rico, data currently is limited on As and Pb levels in urban garden soils, soil metal (loid) bioaccessibility, and uptake of As and Pb in soil by [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are two contaminants of concern associated with urban gardening. In Puerto Rico, data currently is limited on As and Pb levels in urban garden soils, soil metal (loid) bioaccessibility, and uptake of As and Pb in soil by edible plants grown in the region. This study examined total and bioaccessible soil As and Pb concentrations and accumulation in 10 commonly grown garden plants collected from three urban community gardens in Puerto Rico. Bioavailability values were predicted using bioaccessibility data to compare site-specific bioavailability estimates to commonly used default exposure assumptions. Total and bioaccessible As levels in study soils ranged from 2 to 55 mg/kg and 1 to 18 mg/kg, respectively. Total and bioaccessible Pb levels ranged from 19 to 172 mg/kg and 17 to 97 mg/kg, respectively. Measured bioaccessibility values corresponded to 19% to 42% bioaccessible As and 61% to 100% bioaccessible Pb when expressed as a percent of total As and Pb respectively. Predicted relative percent bioavailability of soil As and Pb based on measured bioaccessibility values ranged from 18% to 36% and 51% to 85% for As and Pb respectively. Transfer factors (TFs) measuring uptake of As in plants from soil ranged from 0 to 0.073 in the edible flesh (fruit or vegetable) of plant tissues analyzed and 0.073 to 0.444 in edible leaves. Pb TFs ranged from 0.002 to 0.012 in flesh and 0.023 to 0.204 in leaves. Consistent with TF values, leaves accumulated higher concentrations of As and Pb than the flesh, with the highest tissue concentrations observed in the culantro leaf (3.2 mg/kg dw of As and 8.9 mg/kg dw of Pb). Leaves showed a general but not statistically-significant (α = 0.05) trend of increased As and Pb concentration with increased soil levels, while no trend was observed for flesh tissues. These findings provide critical data that can improve accuracy and reduce uncertainty when conducting site-specific risk determination of potential As and Pb exposure while gardening or consuming garden produce in the understudied region of Puerto Rico. Full article
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Review

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20 pages, 2464 KiB  
Review
Environment and Human Health: The Challenge of Uncertainty in Risk Assessment
by Alex G. Stewart and Andrew S. Hursthouse
Geosciences 2018, 8(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8010024 - 17 Jan 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7411
Abstract
High quality and accurate environmental investigations and analysis are essential to any assessment of contamination and to the decision-making process thereafter. Remediation decisions may be focused by health outcomes, whether already present or a predicted risk. The variability inherent in environmental media and [...] Read more.
High quality and accurate environmental investigations and analysis are essential to any assessment of contamination and to the decision-making process thereafter. Remediation decisions may be focused by health outcomes, whether already present or a predicted risk. The variability inherent in environmental media and analysis can be quantified statistically; uncertainty in models can be reduced by additional research; deep uncertainty exists when environmental or biomedical processes are not understood, or agreed upon, or remain uncharacterized. Deep uncertainty is common where health and environment interact. Determinants of health operate from the individual’s genes to the international level; often several levels act synergistically. We show this in detail for lead (Pb). Pathways, exposure, dose and response also vary, modifying certainty. Multi-disciplinary approaches, built on high-quality environmental investigations, enable the management of complex and uncertain situations. High quality, accurate environmental investigations into pollution issues remain the cornerstone of understanding attributable health outcomes and developing appropriate responses and remediation. However, they are not sufficient on their own, needing careful integration with the wider contexts and stakeholder agendas, without which any response to the environmental assessment may very well founder. Such approaches may benefit more people than any other strategy. Full article
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