Marina V. Burachevskaya

Fractional and group composition of the Mn, Cr, Ni, and Cd compounds in the soils of technogenic landscapes in the impact zone of the Novocherkassk Power Station

The compounds of Cr, Ni, Mn, and Cd in the soils around the Novocherkassk Power Station and the influence of the technogenic and natural factors on their composition were investigated. The data on the fractional and the group composition of these compounds proved to be informative for assessing the ecological state of the soils. The soil components specifying the accumulation and the properties of the heavy metal compounds in the polluted and unpolluted areas were identified.

Comparing two methods of sequential fractionation in the study of copper compounds in Haplic chernozem under model experimental conditions

PurposeIt is very important to obtain the information on the soils capacity to immobilize HMs and distribute them among soil components. The aim of this work was to study the fractional composition of Cu compounds in Haplic chernozem under model contamination conditions using different fractionation methods.Materials and methodsThe fractional composition of copper compounds in Haplic Chernozem artificially contaminated with copper acetate has been studied under model experimental conditions. General regularities and differences in the distribution of Cu forms in soils at the use of sequential fractionation by the Miller method modified by Berti and Jacobs (1996) and the Tessier method (Tessier et al. 1979) are revealed.Results and discussionThe differences are related to the metal affinity for specific carrier phases, as well as to the selectivity and extraction capacity of the reagents used in these methods. A significant increase in the most mobile exchangeable Cu fraction is observed in contaminated soils. Aluminosilicates and soil organic matter make the largest contribution to the adsorption and retention of Cu.ConclusionsThe Tessier method is more suitable for the separation of the total technogenic component from contaminated soils. The Miller method is more informative at the determination of loosely bound HM compounds because of the use of weaker extractants.

Time effect on the stabilization of technogenic copper compounds in solid phases of Haplic Chernozem

We studied the regularities of Cu stabilization in Haplic Chernozem contaminated with easily soluble (acetates, nitrates, sulfates, chlorides) and poorly soluble (acetates, nitrates, sulfates, chlorides) metal compounds in a five-year model experiment were studied. A low contents of Cu loosely bound compounds (LBC) (no >5% of total content) unchanging over time were revealed in the uncontaminated soil, which is indicative of the stability of soil processes. The Cu LBC content decreased over time in the soils contaminated with easily soluble compounds and increased in the soils contaminated with poorly soluble compounds. In both cases, the contents of Cu LBCs after 5 years of incubation remained higher than in the original uncontaminated soil. The effect of the attendant anions on the Cu LBC content was more apparent under the Cu application of 2000 mg kg-1 than at 300 mg kg-1. An inverse process characterized by an increase in the concentration of Cu LBCs over time was observed in the soil contaminated with Cu orthophosphate and oxide. Soil contaminated with different Cu compounds results in soil acidification. According to the effect on the decrease in soil pH, the attendant anions form the following series: SO42- ≈ Cl- > NO3- > Ac- > PO42- > O2-, which correlates with the Cu LBC content. Thus, the stabilization of Cu compounds in the soil is affected by the attendant anions and the interaction time of the metal with the soil solid phases.

Method of determining loosely bound compounds of heavy metals in the soil

Graphical abstract

Chemical partitioning of Zn in soil: application of two sequential extraction procedures

The data on the accumulation and distribution of heavy metal (HM) compounds in soils is necessary to assess and predict the ecological situation. The Zn fractional distribution in artificially contaminated soil by the most popular methods of sequential extraction (the well known Miller and Tessier methods) was studied. The sample studied was soil (Haplic Chernozem) artificially contaminated by Zn acetate (2000 mg kg−1), a priority pollutant in southern Russia. In order to estimate the role of different soil components in the Zn partitioning, the carbonates, Fe–Mn sesquioxides, and organic matter, were removed from the soil samples, prior to application of each sequential extraction scheme. Results showed a metal absence in the fraction bound to the removed soil component. The Miller method allows better tracing of the HM fractions loosely bound to the soil because of the use of weaker extractants with high complexing capacity, which hampers the reprecipitation of metals from the extract. The Tessier method is more suitable for the separation of the total anthropogenic component from contaminated soils. This is related to the higher extraction capacity of reagents. The differences in the fractional distribution of metal according to each method are most manifested in the contaminated soil.

Stabilization dynamics of easily and poorly soluble Zn compounds in the soil

Stabilization mechanisms of easily and poorly soluble Zn compounds in Haplic Chernozem are considered in a long-term incubation experiment, including the dissolution and hydrolysis of the Zn added compounds (acetate, nitrate, sulphate, chloride, phosphate, and oxide) at a rate of 300 and 2000 mg kg–1 and the following post-sorption metal transformation. The indicators of stabilization were changes in the content of Zn weakly bound compounds (WBCs) and soil pH. Stabilization of Zn acetate, nitrate, sulphate, chloride progressed during incubation for 5 years which resulted in a decrease of Zn WBCs and an increase in soil pH. In the soil contaminated with Zn phosphate and oxide, the content of Zn WBCs increased and the soil pH decreased with time.

Copper Adsorption by Chernozem Soils and Parent Rocks in Southern Russia

Laboratory data in Cu2+ adsorption by chernozems and parent rocks in Rostov region show that adsorption isotherms can be approximated by the Langmuir equation, whose parameters (Kl and C∞) were calculated for all of the samples. The values of C∞ show a strong negative correlation with the values of cationexchange capacity (CEC) (r =–0.88 at Р = 0.95), and Kl is correlated with the content of physical clay (particles <0.01 mm) (r = 0.78) and with clay (particles <0.001 mm) content in ordinary chernozem and southern chernozems of various particle size distribution (r = 0.80). Even stronger correlations were detected between these parameters in southern chernozems (r = 0.89 for the physical clay (PC) and r = 0.91 for the silt). However, none of the samples displays a significant correlation of C∞ and Kl with the contents of physical clay and silt. This led us to conclude that the composition of the samples, for example, their organic matter, can affect Cu2+ adsorption by the soils and parent rocks. Acidification mechanisms of the equilibrium solutions during the Cu2+ adsorption by soils are discussed, as also are the reasons for the absence of balance between Cu2+ adsorbed by soils and exchangeable cations transferred into solution. Analysis of the fine structures of the XANES and EXAFS spectra suggests that Cu2+ can form coordinated chelate complex compounds with humic acids (HA) of soils and can substitute Al3+ at octahedral sites when interacting with clay minerals in soils.

The effect of technogenic emissions on the heavy metals accumulation by herbaceous plants

The effect of technogenic emissions on the input of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Ni into plants from the Poaceae and Asteraceae families has been studied. Soil and plant contamination by anthropogenic emissions from industrial enterprises leads the decreasing of crop quality; therefore, the monitoring investigation of plants and soils acquires special importance. The herbaceous plants may be used as bioindicators for main environmental changes. It was found that the high level of anthropogenic load related to atmospheric emissions from the power plant favors the heavy metal (HM) accumulation in herbaceous plants. Contamination with Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni was revealed in plants growing near the power plant. Heavy metals arrive to plants from the soil in the form of mobile compounds. Plant family is one of the main factors affecting the HM distribution in the above- and underground parts of plants. Plants from the Poaceae family accumulate less chemical elements in their aboveground parts than the Asteraceae plants. Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Artemisia austriaca are HM accumulators. For assessing the stability of plants under contamination with HMs, metal accumulation by plants from soil (the bioconcentration factor) and metal phytoavailability from plants above- and underground parts (the acropetal coefficient) were calculated. According to the bioconcentration factor and translocation factor values, Poaceae species are most resistant to technogenic contamination with HMs. The translocation factor highest values were found for Tanacetum vulgare; the lowest bioconcentration factor values were typical for Poa pratensis.

Effect of Aerotechnogenic Emissions on the Content of Heavy Metals in Herbaceous Plants of the Lower Don Region

The effect of soil properties and distance from the source of technogenic emission on the input of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Ni into daisy family plants (Asteraceae) has been studied. It has been found that the high level of anthropogenic load related to the atmospheric emissions from the Novocherkassk power plant (NPP) favors the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in herbaceous plants. Contamination with Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni is revealed in plants growing near the NPP. The main factors affecting the distribution of HMs in the above- and underground organs of plants include individual physiological features of plant species controlling the barrier functions of different plant organs. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Artemisia austriaca Pall. ex. Wild. Jack., and Tanacetum vulgare L. are accumulators of HMs. The resistance of herbaceous plants to pollution has been determined from the acropetal coefficient and actual biogeochemical mobility of HMs. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. is most resistant to contamination with Mn; Achillea nobilis L. is most resistant to Pb, Ni, and Cd; Cichorium intybus L. is most resistant to Zn and Cu.