Invisible Face of Boron Pollution in Fluvial Ecosystem: The Level in the Tissues of Sentinel and Nectonic Organisms

Abstract

Turkey is the largest producer of borate products in the world. Among four largest boron mines in Turkey two of them are located in basins of Orhaneli and Emet Streams. In this study, boron levels in abiotic (watersediment) and some biotic elements (sentinel organisms; Asellus aquaticus, Gammarus pulex, Chironomus tentans, Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and nektonic organism; Squalius cii) of Orhaneli and Emet Streams were investigated and their ranks among the food chain were demonstrated. Since Orhaneli and Emet Streams confluence to form Mustafakemalpaşa Brook which feeds Uluabat Lake which is one of the most important Ramsar fields of the world, Boron levels in those two streams have importance in terms of both continuances of aquatic systems. Present study results have shown that boron levels in water of both streams are much higher (vary between 8.64 and 16.73 mg L -1 ) than not only Turkish Standard but also limits determined by WHO, US EPA, and NAS. Boron levels determined in sediments of two streams vary between 18.05 and 36.7 mg kg -1 . The highest boron level in the biotic elements was determined in liver of Squalius cii (34.64 mg kg -1 ), it is followed by Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (2.84 mg kg -1 ), Chironomus tentans (2.11 mg kg -1 ), and Gammarus pulex (1.98 mg kg -1 ).

Recycling of Nd–Fe–B Sintered Magnets Sludge via the Reduction–Diffusion Route To Produce Sintered Magnets with Strong Energy Density

“…In addition, this wet process fails to recycle the boron which accounts for ∼6 at. % in Nd–Fe–B sintered magnets, undermining the ecosystem of underground water and soil. − Another newly developed method − uses a pyrometallurgical process which has the advantage of a higher recovery ratio of the rare earths and a lower environmental pollution compared with the wet process. However, these technologies have even higher operational costs compared with that of the wet process, and the practicality of these technologies are not yet sufficiently developed.…”

Chemical modification of cellulose for boron sorption from water solutions

“…The chlorinating agent (hydrochloric acid) was prepared by a known reaction when the mixture heating to 70°C: 2NaCl(solid) + H 2 SO 4 (conc.) = 2HCl(gas) + Na 2 SO- 4…”

“…The toxic dose is 4 g and the lethal dose (LD) is equal to about 6 g/kg of body weight. The results of the work presented in 4 showed high levels of boron concentration in the lake water under investigation (vary from 8.64 to 16.73 mg/L).The highest level of boron in the lake was found in the liver of Squalius cii (34.64 mg/kg), followed by boron content in the body of Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (2.84 mg/kg), Chironomus tentans (2.11 mg/kg) and Gammarus pulex 1.98 mg/kg) 4 .…”