Zhiyou Fu

Allocation and source attribution of lead and cadmium in maize (Zea mays L.) impacted by smelting emissions.

Plants grown in contaminated areas may accumulate trace metals to a toxic level via their roots and/or leaves. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and sources of Pb and Cd in maize plants (Zea mays L.) grown in a typical zinc smelting impacted area of southwestern China. Results showed that the smelting activities caused significantly elevated concentrations of Pb and Cd in the surrounding soils and maize plants. Pb isotope data revealed that the foliar uptake of atmospheric Pb was the dominant pathway for Pb to the leaf and grain tissues of maize, while Pb in the stalk and root tissues was mainly derived from root uptake. The ratio of Pb to Cd concentrations in the plants indicated that Cd had a different behavior from Pb, with most Cd in the maize plants coming from the soil via root uptake.

Antimony, arsenic and mercury in the aquatic environment and fish in a large antimony mining area in Hunan, China

Antimony (Sb) has received increasing attention recently due to its toxicity and potential human carcinogenicity. In the present work, drinking water, fish and algae samples were collected from the Xikuangshan (XKS) Sb mine area in Hunan, China. Results show that serious Sb and moderate arsenic (As) contamination is present in the aquatic environment. The average Sb concentrations in water and fish were 53.6 + or - 46.7 microg L(-1) and 218 + or - 113 microg kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. The Sb concentration in drinking water exceeded both Chinese and WHO drinking water guidelines by 13 and 3 times, respectively. Antimony and As concentrations in water varied with seasons. Fish gills exhibited the highest Sb concentrations but the extent of accumulation varied with habitat. Antimony enrichment in fish was significantly lower than that of As and Hg.

Comparison of arsenic and antimony biogeochemical behavior in water, soil and tailings from Xikuangshan, China

Although similar geochemical behaviors of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in the environment has been assumed and widely reported, growing evidence suggests the two elements cannot, under some conditions, be assumed to behave similarly. In this four-year study (samples collected in each year), comparative investigation of the biogeochemistry of As and Sb in water/fish, soil/vegetable, tailings/plant samples were carried out at the worlds largest active Sb mine area (Xikuangshan, China). Depending on duration the tailings had been stacked, significant differences in spatial distributions between As and Sb were found, and these were associated with change in pH over time. Bio-accumulation factors (BAFs) of As were approximately 10-fold greater than those of Sb in fish/water, plant/tailing, and vegetable/soil systems. Sb had higher BAF in non-fatty tissues such as gills of fishes and shells of crabs. BAFs of Sb in vegetable/soil exhibited insignificantly, but different from As, positive correlation with pH in soil.

Copper and zinc, but not other priority toxic metals, pose risks to native aquatic species in a large urban lake in Eastern China ☆

Over the past 20 years, global production of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) rank in the top three compared to other metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As and Hg. However, due to the potential for exposure and toxicity to humans, more attention of environmental pollution was paid to other metals such as Cd and Hg. Aquatic organisms are sensitive to Cu and Zn. Even though internal concentrations of these required elements are homeostatically controlled, toxic effects can occur at the fish gill surface. In this work, concentrations in surface waters and toxic effects of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, As, Hg were determined and risk of various metals in Tai Lake, China were evaluated using both risk quotients and joint probability distributions. Two transition metals, Cu and Zn posed the greatest risks to aquatic organisms while measured concentrations of other metals were less than thresholds for adverse effects. Approximately 99.9% and 50.7% of the aquatic organisms were predicted to be affected by Cu and Zn in surface water of Tai Lake respectively. Our results highlight ecological risks of Cu and Zn in water of a typical, large, urban lake in Eastern China, which was ignored in the past.

Refocusing on Nonpriority Toxic Metals in the Aquatic Environment in China

in China Zhiyou Fu,† Wenjing Guo,† Zhi Dang,‡ Qing Hu, Fengchang Wu,*,† Chenglian Feng,† Xiaoli Zhao,† Wei Meng,† Baoshan Xing, and John P. Giesy †State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China ‡School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada

Removal of antimonate (Sb(V)) and antimonite (Sb(III)) from aqueous solutions by coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation (CFS): Dependence on influencing factors and insights into removal mechanisms

This study investigates the effects of different influence factors on the removal of inorganic Sb species using coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation (CFS) and establishes the mechanism of the process. Thus, the influence of pH, initial Sb concentrations, coagulant dosages and competitive matters on Sb(V) and Sb(III) removal via CFS with polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS) was investigated systemically. Competition experiments and characterization methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were performed to determine the mechanisms of the process. The main conclusions included: (i) Optimum Sb removal was observed at a pH range of 4-6 and dosages of 4 × 10-4 mol/L and 8 × 10-5 mol/L for Sb(V) and Sb(III), respectively. Additionally, both Sb(V) and Sb(III) removal could be inhibited by the presence of phosphate and humic acid (HA). (ii) A higher priority was observed for the removal of Sb(III) over Sb(V). (iii) After excluding precipitation/inclusion/occlusion, coprecipitation involving chemical bonding played a significant role in both Sb(V) and Sb(III) removal, and electrostatic force served another significant role in Sb(V) removal. The Sb(V) and Sb(III) contamination in real contaminated waters was successfully removed using PFS via CFS process. The results of this study provide insights into the removal mechanisms of inorganic Sb species via CFS.