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Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 24279

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Prof. Dr. Domenico Cicchella

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Guest Editor

Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Interests: hydrogeochemistry; water quality; environmental geochemistry; data analysis and treatment; geostatistics; geochemical mapping; groundwater and soil pollution; heavy metals; Brownfield remediation; health risk assessment

Dr. Xin Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Earth Sciences and Resources, Chang’an University, Xi'an, China
Interests: applied/exploration geochemistry; geochemical mapping; geo-data analysis; machine learning; geostatistics; element geochemistry

Dr. Alexey Alekseenko

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Guest Editor

Department of Geoecology, Saint Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Interests: mine soil management; landscape restoration; soil pollution; trace metals; geochemical impact assessment; environmental geochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Potentially toxic elements (PTE) are ubiquitous chemicals present in all environmental media for both natural and anthropogenic causes. Population growth, rapid urbanization, the excessive consumption of resources, the various productive activities, and the exponential increase in waste products have led in recent decades to PTE remobilization, introduction, dispersion, and accumulation in the environment. Therefore, PTE pollution is now widespread across the world and poses serious risks to human health.

The main purpose of this Special Issue is to provide the international scientific community with detailed knowledge of the distribution of PTE in water, air, soil, river sediments, and crops at regional and global scale. This Special Issue does not aim to cover the entire spectrum of this wide scientific area but rather present some interesting examples of research on this subject that is currently being carried out in several countries around the world.

Potential covered topics, using the most modern materials and methods, will include, among others:

New geochemical methods for PTE data analysis, interpretation, and exploration;
Pollution prevention for sustainable utilization of natural resources;
GIS-based geochemical data analysis and interpretation for PTE exploration;
Fractal/multifractal and geostatistical modeling of geochemical patterns;
Health issues related to PTE distribution in different environmental media;
Risk assessment for human health;
Modeling of heavy metal accumulation in ecosystems and identification of its control factors using machine learning;
Water treatment, soil cleanup, and gas purification as a comprehensive environmental management approach
Emerging and eco-friendly approaches for management and remediation of PTE contaminated sites.

Prof. Dr. Domenico Cicchella
Dr. Xin Lin
Dr. Alexey Alekseenko
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

contamination in environmental media
geochemical mapping
health risk assessment
remediation
machine learning
compositional data analysis
geostatistical modeling
land rehabilitation
microalgae for pollution removal

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1788 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Content and Bioavailability of Hg in a Soil–Tea Plant System in Anxi Area, Southeast China

by Ling He and Xiuhong Peng

Water 2023, 15(1), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15010179 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1567

Abstract

Many studies on the bioavailability of Hg in soil–plant systems have been conducted. However, studies on the soil–tea plant system are still limited. In this study, we collected soil and tea leaf samples from 69 tea gardens in the Anxi area in China. We investigated the Hg contents in tea leaves and soil, and the bioavailability of Hg from soil to tea leaves. The results showed the following: (1) The Hg content in soil was equivalent to the background value in Fujian province and was 2.6–2.9 times higher of the national background value in China. For different geological backgrounds, the Hg contents differed. In addition, we found a negative correlation between the total Hg content and pH value (r = −0.196) and a positive correlation between total Hg and soil organic carbon (SOC) content (r = 0.116) in surface soil. (2) Compared with young leaves, Hg content in older leaves was higher. The transfer factor (TF) of Hg from soil to tea leaves ranged from 0.25% to 24.76%. (3) The correlation between Hg content in tea leaves and total Hg content in soil was not statistically significant. However, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between the Hg content in tea leaves and the extracted amount of Hg both in surface and subsurface soil. The SOC and pH value were also statistically significantly positively correlated with the Hg content in tea leaves. Our findings show that the Hg content in tea leaves does not only depend on the total Hg content in soil: it is also affected by other factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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22 pages, 3057 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Manganese Pollution in Mining-Influenced Rivers and Lakes: Current State and Forecast under Climate Change in the Russian Arctic

by Vera A. Matveeva, Alexey V. Alekseenko, Daniel Karthe and Alexander V. Puzanov

Water 2022, 14(7), 1091; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14071091 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 10731

Abstract

Mining regions in different parts of the world have been associated with the significant pollution of water, sediments, and soils by manganese and other chemical elements. This study assessed the degree of geochemical transformation caused by open-pit extraction and processing of mineral resources in the Kovdorsky District of Murmansk Oblast, 20 km from the Russia–Finland border. A second objective was to predict further changes co-driven by industrial pressure and high climatic instability in the polar region. The field study involved sampling water and sediments from virgin background streams and from the tailings storage facility, settling ponds, rivers, and lakes affected by ore mining and disintegration. Laboratory analyses included the study of elemental composition, redox potential, alkalinity and acidity, organic matter content, and other geochemical characteristics for a better understanding of pollutant migration patterns. We revealed elevated levels of potentially toxic elements in surface waters and bottom sediments which pose a risk to the human health via the household and drinking water supply. Pollution with manganese (Mn) was found to be the major environmental issue. Its natural presence in the river water was overridden a hundredfold by anthropogenic enrichment. This is problematic as Mn is easily bioaccumulated, which can lead to unwanted ecotoxicological effects, and—in the case of prolonged exposure to high doses of Mn and its compounds—to detrimental human health impacts. We believe that the changing climate may raise the water flow and thus expand the area of the hydrochemical anomaly. On the other hand, the activation of self-purification and dilution processes could lead to decreasing environmental Mn concentrations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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15 pages, 3539 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Ecological Assessment, Spatial Analysis, and Potential Sources of Heavy Metals (HMs) in Soils with High Background Values in the Lead-Zinc Mine, Hezhang County, Southwestern China

by Fugui Zhang, Chengwen Wang, Xiaomeng Cheng, Honghong Ma and Ling He

Water 2022, 14(5), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14050783 - 2 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2509

Abstract

The heavy metals (HMs) usually have high natural background levels in lead-zinc mines. Strengthening the ecological risk assessment and accurate identification sources of HMs is an important component of land resource utilization and food security. A total of 795 soil samples (with a depth of 0~20 cm) were collected in Hezhang County, an area of typical high background levels of HMs with more than 18 large lead-zinc deposits. In this study, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), and the potentiometric method (POT) were used to test the total concentration of HMs and pH values. The geographic information system was used to model the concentration distribution of HMs, and the ecological risk was assessed according to the source analysis results. The results suggest that: (1) the mean concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 24.55, 2.25, 176.4, 89.6, 0.19, 64.2, 102, and 257 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively, which exceeded the average background value of soils in Guizhou Province by 1.23, 3.41, 1.84, 2.80, 1.73, 1.64, 2.90, and 2.58 times, respectively, and the average concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn exceed the screening values specified in soil contamination risk in agricultural land; (2) the results of enrichment factor (EF) showed that 29.73% of Cd are moderately polluted, and other HMs were slightly polluted in a small area or near the baseline value (EF ≈ 1); and (3) PMF analysis showed that there are five main sources, pyrite, lead-zinc ore, basalt, carbonate rock, and agricultural production, with the risk contribution ratios of 5.25%, 27.37%, 28.94%, 17.91%, and 20.53%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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19 pages, 8218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heavy Metals and As in Ground Water, Surface Water, and Sediments of Dexing Giant Cu-Polymetallic Ore Cluster, East China

by Hanjiang Pan, Guohua Zhou, Rong Yang, Zhizhong Cheng and Binbin Sun

Water 2022, 14(3), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14030352 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2962

Abstract

Heavy metals and As (HMs) pollution in mining areas are a widespread environmental concern. In this study, ground water, surface water, and sediment samples around the Dexing area, one of the largest Cu-polymetallic ore clusters in China, were collected to examine the concentrations and distributions of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn. Pollution indices, geo-accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index were used to estimate the pollution characteristics and ecological risk of HMs. The results show that the major pollutants in the surface water were Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb, while the dominant ecological risk of HMs in the sediments originated from Cu, As, Hg, and Cd. Moreover, HMs in the surface water and sediments exhibited substantial spatial heterogeneity in the study area, indicating a severely disturbed environment due to mining activities. The proportions of HM pollutions were higher in the Dexing River and its tributaries than in the Le’an River and its tributaries. The surface water pollution was predominant at the tributaries closest to the mine area, while the sediment contamination has been expanded several kilometers downstream of the major rivers. Overall, the ecological risk of HMs was higher in the sediments than in the surface water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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11 pages, 1885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of a Smectite Adsorption-Based Electrostatic System to Decontaminate F⁻ Rich Thermal Waters

by Fabio Fanari, Matteo Bruno Lodi, Worash Getaneh, Alessandro Fanti, Francesco Desogus and Paolo Valera

Water 2022, 14(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020167 - 8 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1808

Abstract

Several studies have shown the presence of fluoride levels much higher than the 1.5 mg/L threshold concentration recommended by WHO in the spring waters and wells of the Ethiopian Rift Valley. Available defluoridation techniques can be costly, present complicated technical aspects, and show limited effectiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to devise innovative, sustainable, and effective solutions. This study proposes an alternative method of intervention to the known techniques for removing fluoride from water, particularly suitable for smaller rural communities. In particular, in this work, the possibility to use electromagnetic fields as a physical method for removing the excess fluoride was investigated. The study was carried out by developing a multiphysics model used for studying and envisaging the design of a device. In this framework, the combination of this approach with the use of highly reactive smectite clay was numerically studied. The results obtained, although preliminary, indicate that the proposed system could significantly impoverish the waters of the Rift Valley from fluoride, with the consequence of obtaining a resource suitable for human consumption, in particular for rural communities. However, further theoretical investigations and experimental phases will be necessary to achieve the desired results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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17 pages, 8457 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Cultivated Land Based on Soil Geochemical Zoning: Yishui County, North China Case Study

by Linsong Yu, Fugui Zhang, Kai Zang, Ling He, Fang Wan, Hongbo Liu, Xiuwen Zhang and Zeming Shi

Water 2021, 13(23), 3322; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233322 - 23 Nov 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

Various human production activities have caused tremendous damage to the soil ecological environment of cultivated land. Regional ecological risk assessments and the safe use of cultivated land have received widespread attention. The ecological risk assessment of heavy metals based on soil geochemical zoning has not been reported in the past. Using 14,389 topsoil samples, considering comprehensive geological background information, Yishui County in northern China was divided into three soil geochemical areas and 14 soil geochemical sub-regions by means of principal component factor superposition. The results of environmental quality and risk assessments of eight heavy metals based on soil geochemical zoning show that the single pollution index was greater than 1.0 and the Nemerow pollution index was greater than 0.7 for Ni in a sub-region, indicating that Ni pollution had reached the early warning limit, which demonstrates that Ni has a certain enrichment trend. Meanwhile, the geoaccumulation index of Ni and Cr was greater than zero in some sub-regions, indicating a slight pollution level. In addition, the potential ecological risk factor of the measured heavy metals was greater than 40 in 9 sub-regions, indicating a moderate ecological hazard, and the risk index was greater than 150 in a sub-region, revealing moderate ecological intensity, in which Hg and Cd were leading contributors to potential ecological hazards with a contribution rate between 58% and 76%. This method is suitable for the evaluation of soil environmental quality and safety for medium and large scales, and can provide a scientific basis for further zoning and grading prevention and control of soil pollution in cultivated land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potentially Toxic Elements in Water, Air, Soil, Stream Sediments, and Crops)

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