Trends in heavy metal levels in the dissolved and particulate phase in the Dutch rhine-meuse (MAAS) delta*

Levels of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn, in both the dissolved and particulate phase, were determined in two sampling campaigns in August 1978 and August 1984 in the Dutch Rhine-Meuse (Maas) Delta. Besides the heavy metal concentrations, other important parameters were determined, such as the concentrations of seston, chlorophyll and nutrients. The concentrations of dissolved Cd and of Cd, Pb and Cu in particulate matter were much higher in 1978 than in 1984, especially for Cd. This may be due to the strict regulations implemented in Germany to reduce the pollution of natural waters by heavy metals. The correlation between the high Cd content and the chlorophyll content is explained by the binding of Cd to living and dead organisms. The distribution of the metals between the dissolved and the particulate phase, indicated by the distribution quotient Kd , increases from low values of Kd for Cu and Zn, to higher values for Cd and Cr, and the highest values for Pb. The differences are explained by various binding forms of each of these metals in natural waters

Spatial distribution of soil heavy metal pollution estimated by different interpolation methods: Accuracy and uncertainty analysis

Mapping the spatial distribution of contaminants in soils is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Interpolation methods are extensively applied in the mapping processes to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled sites. The performances of interpolation methods (inverse distance weighting, local polynomial, ordinary kriging and radial basis functions) were assessed and compared using the root mean square error for cross validation. The results indicated that all interpolation methods provided a high prediction accuracy of the mean concentration of soil heavy metals. However, the classic method based on percentages of polluted samples, gave a pollution area 23.54-41.92% larger than that estimated by interpolation methods. The difference in contaminated area estimation among the four methods reached 6.14%. According to the interpolation results, the spatial uncertainty of polluted areas was mainly located in three types of region: (a) the local maxima concentration region surrounded by low concentration (clean) sites, (b) the local minima concentration region surrounded with highly polluted samples; and (c) the boundaries of the contaminated areas. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chitosan(Chitin)/Cellulose Composite Biosorbents Prepared Using Ionic Liquid for Heavy Metal Ions Adsorption

Chitosan(chitin)/cellulose composites as biodegradable biosorbents were prepared under an environment-friendly preparation processes using ionic liquids. Infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectra indicated the stronger intermolecular hydrogen bond between chitosan and cellulose, and the hydroxyl and amine groups were believed to be the metal ion binding sites. Among the prepared biosorbents, freeze-dried composite had higher adsorption capacity and better stability. The capacity of adsorption was found to be Cu(II) (0.417 mmol/g) > Zn(II) (0.303 mmol/g) > Cr(VI) (0.251 mmol/g) > Ni(II) (0.225 mmol/g) > Ph(II) (0.127 mmol/g) at the same initial concentration 5 mmol L-1. In contrast to some other chitosan-type biosorbents, preparation and component of the biosorbent were obviously more environment friendly. Moreover, adsorption capacity of chitosan in the blending biosorbent could be fully shown.