Appropriate sampling strategy and analytical methodology to address contamination by industry. Part 2: Geochemistry and speciation analysis

Abstract

Abstract:The degree of contamination in soils, sediments and dusts can be assessed based on knowledge of a variety of factors, such as industrialization, type of contaminants, deposition conditions, contamination-control techniques, along with the characteristics of the recipient environmental compartments, which include pathways for contamination transport, depth of infiltration, and degree of groundwater contamination. The impact of contaminants also depends on the quantity, mobility and speciation of contaminants/wastes as well as on the sensitivity of the recipient compartments. With sufficient knowledge of these factors, a number of conclusions can be drawn concerning the status of contamination in industrialized areas. This literature review aims to scrutinize some of the methods used to analyse the occurrence, speciation, mobility, bioavailability and likely the toxic effects of contaminants in the environment. IntroductionThe intensive industrial production and transformation of ores and metals, and particularly, the transportation and storage of contaminants/wastes in the environment in the last hundred years have produced large quantities of waste. Erosion and weathering of contaminated soils and wastes results in the release of heavy metals and metalloids into nearby rivers and sediments [1]. To * E-mail: aurela_shtiza@yahoo.com; Tel: +3292417738; Fax: +3292424445 investigate the pollution levels and the mobility of the heavy metals and metalloids classical and/or innovative techniques can be used [2]. To measure contamination levels and assess heavy metal mobility is a challenging task because many factors affect the occurrence and the mobility of heavy metals, such as pH, solubility, cation exchange capacity, presence of clays, acid/base neutralizing capacity of soils/sediments, and so on. The selection of an appropriate conceptual sampling model requires that the entire surface under investigation is characterized accurately and any 'hot spots' are properly represented in the sampling inventory [3].The development of a conceptual model and the selection of appropriate sampling media for characterization of con-53 Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/12/18 5:19 PM Appropriate sampling strategy and analytical methodology to address contamination by industry.Part 2: Geochemistry and speciation analysis taminants were addressed in the first part of this article [4]. Once the sampling types are selected and collected, the measurement protocols are applied. An analytical protocol is a specific procedure to make observations, determine the characteristics, and conclusions for each sample or for a group of samples [5]. Analytical chemistry has become the science that does not just provide the results, but the best strategy to measure chemical properties of various sampling media. Selection of appropriate sampling types, sample collection, sample pre-treatment and chemistry analysis are the main subsequent steps that will infer the contamination in a specific site [6]. The aim of this literature review is to ...

Fertiliser Properties of Wastewater Sludge and Sludge Ash - A Case Study from the Finnish Forest Industry

“…non-crystalline) matter. This together with the fact that the detection limit of XRD spectrometry is normally between 1 % -2 % [23] and only the crystalline forms of cellulose fibres are able to be identified by XRD were reasons why the presence of cellulose was not observed in our sludge, although it is a common material in pulp and paper mill sludges [24].…”

“…Measuring the total concentrations of elements in a solid sample provide little indication of the environmental and ecological effects of a waste material if it is utilised in a soil environment. Although the total concentration of elements in sludge and related materials can give important information if it is compared to the national statutory permissible threshold values, the mobility, bioavailability and geochemical processes of elements in the different environmental conditions depend strongly on their geochemical fractions [48] and binding capacity [23]. Therefore, the potential mobility and bioavailability of elements in the solid waste materials are typically also investigated, a step now required by Finnish environmental authorities [49].…”

Ion’s Association in Soil Solution among the Drivers of Biogeosystem Dynamics

“…The equilibrium concentration of ionic pair was replaced in equations 1-6 with its value according to relevant dissociation constant from equations (7)(8)(9). The system of equations of material balance of ions was transformed as follows.…”

“…The equilibrium concentrations of ion pairs were determined according equations for dissociation constants (7)(8)(9).…”

Validation of subsampling procedures and granulometry distribution uncertainty assessment in environmental soil analysis

“…Recently, attention has been paid to the sampling process achieving the development of methods and guides for the control of this stage, as it is becoming increasingly recognised that uncertainty deriving from sampling cannot be considered negligible and in some cases it can even dominate the global uncertainty budget. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] At the same time, instead, technical issues related to subsampling 26 seem to fall into a gap between the concerns about the field samples and about the performance of an analytical method for individual subsamples. This is partly because subsampling is generally viewed as a transitional event that often appears trivial compared to the field activity and laboratory analysis steps.…”