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The aim of the study was to evaluate the metal(loid)s phytoextraction potential of trees: Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L. and the shrub Salix viminalis L. Plants of different ages were selected from a post-industrial area with an unusually high content of calcium (Ca) and trace elements in the soil. The content of 39 metal(loid)s in trees and shrub organs and physicochemical soil parameters were determined. A comparison of these species with control plants was also an object of the study. The polluted soil was characterized by worse physicochemical conditions and a much higher content of almost all the analyzed elements in comparison with the control. The older the plants, the greater their total biomass, with the control plant biomass being significantly greater in each case for all treated plants. According to the total content of all determined elements jointly, the most enriched was the oldest, a 7-year-old specimen of S. viminalis. The obtained results suggest that the high Ca concentration and the alkaline reaction (8.83) of polluted soil limit the uptake of most elements by tested plants. It can be concluded that despite the reduction of biomass, this limitation allows plants to better adapt and survive under challenging conditions. Excessive concentration of elements, even nutrients such as Ca, may act as an inhibitory factor for the uptake of other elements. Moreover, phytoextraction ability may significantly vary in different woody plant species and ages, which is an essential practical aspect in dendroremediation application. That is probably the first study to date of trees and shrubs differing in age and growing on post-industrial soil contaminated with calcium (Ca) and selected toxic metals/metalloids. The obtained results show that an alkaline reaction (less than 9) of soil and an unusually high Ca concentration may help the studied tree species to adapt/survive in unfavorable habitat conditions (high concentration of toxic elements). The efficiency of phytoextraction of toxic elements was so high that, especially for forest animals (roe-deer) that consume, e.g., willow shoots, it could pose a serious threat to health and life, both for them and potentially for humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral administration of nickel is thought to be responsible for type-IV-mediated mechanism of immune response. Alternative type-I IgE-dependent mechanism is occasionally postulated, given relatively fast onset of symptoms, reports on spontaneous sensitisation and recurring mentions in scientific literature. In this paper, we make an insight into this hypothesis by performing immunisation using nickel(2+) chelates conjugated to carrier proteins, namely nickel coordinated by bifunctional ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or bifunctional nitrilotriacetic acid, using bovine serum albumin as a carrier (Ni-(ITCB)EDTA-BSA; Ni-(ITCB)NTA-BSA), and nickel coordinated by bifunctional diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid using bovine serum albumin or keyhole limpet haemocyanin as a carrier (Ni-p-SCN-Bn-DTPA-BSA; Ni-p-SCN-Bn-DTPA-KLH). Antibody raised in mouse as a reaction to Ni-p-SCN-Bn-DTPA-KLH was identified as the most capable of binding Ni(2+)-DTPA with 0.17 nmol nickel recovered per 0.2 nmol pAb, compared to 0.06 nmol Ni purified using reference antibody. Immunoassay methodology was applied upon several modifications to increase antibody contact surface and physical availability of antigen for more efficient binding. Magnetic beads dispersed in free solution were used as a medium for immobilisation and eluted nickel was subject to Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) instrumental quantitative analysis for more precise output reading. The antibody was tested for selectivity against other divalent metals coordinated with DTPA, i.e. Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Co and Mn. While Co and Mn were not detected, four other metals, Fe, Pb, Zn and Cu, were eluted in corresponding amounts greater than nickel at 4.15, 1.58, 3.11 and 3.54 nmol. Pb and Ni were the only two antigens whose binding surpassed the level showed by control antibody. We conclude that nickel-based immunogen may show little suitability for in vivo immunisation assays, which reinforces further question about physiological occurrence of potential nickel-responsive IgE antibodies as mediators in type-I hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the results of XRF analysis of archeological samples in two different states of preservation: intact vessel surfaces and transformed into powder. To investigate the effect of sample processing for XRF analysis, a handheld spectrometer was used. In total, 41 pottery samples were measured. The samples were extracted from Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age ceramic vessels of two different technological traditions: local (hand-made pottery) and exogenous (wheel-thrown pottery) from the archeological site of Setefilla (western Andalusia, Spain). Multiple statistical tests were used to examine the effect of sample processing on the semi-quantitative outcome of XRF analysis of pottery. The results obtained from intact samples are considerably different from the results obtained from pulverized samples. The analyses revealed that levels of Co, Sb, Sn, Al, Si, Ca, Fe, S, K, Sr and Nb were higher in the group of intact samples. This study underlines the need to evaluate sample preparation when designing archeometric research programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the phytoextraction of inorganic (As(III), As(V)) and organic arsenic (Asorg) forms in six tree species: Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pendula, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Ulmus laevis. Plants were grown in a pot experiment using As-polluted mining sludge for 90 days. Arsenic (Astotal) was accumulated mainly in the roots of all six tree species, which were generally thinner, shorter and/or black after the experiment. The highest concentration of As(III) and As(V) was determined in the roots of A. pseudoplatanus and A. platanoides (174 and 420 mg kg−1, respectively). High concentrations of As(III) were also recorded in the shoots of B. pendula (11.9 mg kg−1) and As(V) in the aerial parts of U. laevis and A. pseudoplatanus (77.4 and 70.1 mg kg−1). With some exceptions, the dominant form in the tree organs was Asorg, present in mining sludge in low concentration. This form has a decisive influence on As phytoextraction by young tree seedlings even though its BCF value was the only one lower than 1. The obtained results highlight the important role of speciation studies in assessing the response of plants growing in heavily polluted mining sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the As phytoextraction potential of four tree species: Acer pseudoplatanus L., Betula pendula Roth., Quercus robur L., and Ulmus laevis Pall. in light of their prospective use in the phytoremediation of arsenate [As(V)] contaminated soils. The content of nutritional elements: B, Ca, K, Mg, Na, Si, P, and S was also analyzed. The trees were grown for 1 month in hydroponic cultures (Knop medium) supplemented with As(V), (1 mM). The results showed that the highest As accumulation efficiency was characterized by B. pendula (BCF = 0.87) and Q. robur (BCF = 0.5). Betula pendula accumulated about 80% of As in its roots (TF = 0.22) whereas Q. robur accumulated more than 60% of As in its shoots (TF = 1.60). The other tree species accumulated significantly lower amounts of As, more than 60% of which collected in their shoots. As(V) phytoextraction led to a significantly lower level of P and S in the roots of all tested tree species. Betula pendula seems promising for phytostabilisation and Q. robur for phytoextraction of As(V) from contaminated soils. The obtained results confirm the accumulation and translocation of As(V), as well as the acquisition of nutritional elements by the selected tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) are known for their effective phytoextraction capabilities. The results obtained in this study point to the significant role of substrate composition and chemical characteristics in the phytoextraction potential of this species. A multi-elemental (53 elements) analysis of pines from unpolluted (soil) and polluted (post-flotation tailings) sites was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The analyzed flotation tailings were characterized by alkaline pH (7.19 ± 0.06) and significantly higher conductivity (277.7 ± 2.9 µS cm−1) than the soil (pH = 5.11 ± 0.09; 81.3 ± 4.9 µS cm−1). The two substrates also differed with respect to the contribution of the clay fraction (0% in the unpolluted and 8% in the polluted substrate). The specimens of P. sylvestris growing on flotation tailings had significantly smaller height (381 ± 58 cm) and total aboveground biomass (4.78 ± 0.66 kg) than the trees growing in soil (699 ± 80 cm and 10.24 ± 2.10 kg). The biomass of the trunk, twigs and branches, and needles of the trees from polluted sites was between 40.0% and 48.7% of the biomass of the same organs of the control trees. Generally, the organs (trunk, twigs and branches, needles) of the P. sylvestris specimens from polluted sites had significantly higher concentrations of Au, Al, Ba, Cd, Co, La, Lu, Ni, Pd, Sc, Zn, and lower concentrations of B, Bi, Ca, Ce, Er, In, K, Mg, Na, Nd, P, Pr, Re, Se, Sr, Te than in the control plants, these metals being accumulated effectively in the whole of the aboveground biomass (BCF>1). Although the concentration of the majority of elements was significantly higher in the flotation tailings, significantly higher concentrations of these elements were observed in the tree organs from unpolluted sites, which points to the important role of substrate characteristics in the phytoextraction efficiency of P. sylvestris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the content of 62 elements in the fruiting bodies ofLentinula edodes(Shiitake mushroom) cultivated commercially in Poland on various substrates from 2007–2015. The general mean content (mg kg−1dry weight (DW)) of the studied elements ranked in the following order: K (26,335) > P (11,015) > Mg (2,284) > Ca (607) > Na (131) > Zn (112) > Fe (69) > Mn (33) > B (32) > Rb (17) > Cu (14.5) > Al (11.2) > Te (2.9) > As (1.80) > Cd (1.76) > Ag (1.73) > Nd (1.70) > Sr (1.46) > Se (1.41) > U (1.11) > Pt (0.90) > Ce (0.80) > Ba (0.61) > Co (0.59) > Tl (0.58) > Er (0.50) > Pb (0.42) > Li (0.40) > Pr (0.39) > Ir (0.37) > In (0.35) > Mo (0.31) > Cr (0.29) > Ni (0.28) > Sb (0.26) > Re (0.24) > Ti (0.19) > Bi (0.18) > Th (0.12) > La (0.10) = Pd (0.10) > Os (0.09) = Zr (0.09) > Rh (0.08) > Ho (0.07) > Ru (0.06) > Sm (0.04) = Eu (0.04) = Tm (0.04) > Gd (0.03) > Sc (0.02) = Y (0.02) > Lu (0.01) = Yb (0.01) = V (0.01). The contents of Au, Be, Dy, Ga, Ge, Hf, and Tb were below the limits of detection (0.02, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.02 mg kg−1respectively). The concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Er, Fe, In, Lu, Mn, Nd, Sr, Ti, Tm, and Zr were comparable over the period the mushrooms were cultivated. The study revealed thatLentinula edodescontained As and Cd at levels potentially adverse to human health. This highlights the need to monitor these elements in food products obtained from this mushroom species and ensure that only low levels of these elements are present in cultivation substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the elemental composition, phenolic content and composition and antioxidant properties ofImleria badia(Fr.) Vizzini (former namesBoletus badius(Fr.) Fr., andXerocomus badius(Fr.) E.-J. Gilbert) fruiting bodies collected from sites with different levels of pollution.Imleria badiawas relatively tolerant to soil contamination with toxic elements and was able to grow in As, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations exceeding 15, 2.9, 0.4 and 77 mg kg−1, respectively. The concentration of elements in soil was reflected in the element content inI. badia. The fruiting bodies from polluted sites exhibited significantly higher content of all the analyzed elements. Among 21 individual phenolic compounds only protocatechiuc and caffeic acids, and quercetin were determined in fruiting bodies ofI. badia. The differences between the concentration of the quantified phenolic compounds and the total flavonoid content in fruiting bodies ofI. badiafrom unpolluted and polluted sites were not significant. However, the greatest total phenolic content was found in fruiting bodies from the polluted areas. The antioxidative capacity of mushrooms collected from heavily polluted sites was lower than those growing in unpolluted areas. The concentrations of some metals in soil and fruiting soil were positively correlated with phenolic content and IC50. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to estimate the ability of ten tree and bush species to tolerate and accumulate Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As species [As(III), As(V), and total organic arsenic] in industrial sewage sludge extremely contaminated with arsenic (almost 27.5 g kg−1) in a pot experiment. The premise being that it will then be possible to select the most promising tree/bush species, able to grow in the vicinity of dams where sewage sludge/flotation tailings are used as landfill. Six of the ten tested tree species were able to grow on the sludge. The highest content of total As was observed inBetula pendularoots (30.0 ± 1.3 mg kg−1DW), where the dominant As species was the toxic As(V). The highest biomass of Quercus Q1 robur (77.3 § 2.6 g) and Acer platanoides (76.0 § 4.9 g) was observed. A proper planting of selected tree species that are able to thrive on sewage sludge/flotation tailings could be an interesting and promising way to protect dams. By utilizing differences in their root systems and water needs, we will be able to reduce the risk of fatal environmental disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content of arsenic (As) in mushrooms can vary depending on the concentration level of this metalloid in the soil/substrate. The present study evaluated the content of arsenic in Boletus badius fruiting bodies collected from polluted and non-polluted sites in relation to the content of this element in overgrown substrate. It was found that mushrooms from the arsenic-polluted sites contained mean concentrations from 49 to 450 mg As kg-1 dry matter (d.m.), with the greatest content found for specimens growing in close proximity of sludge deposits (490§20 mg As kg-1d.m.). The mean content of total arsenic in mushrooms from clean sites ranged from 0.03 to 0.37 mg kg-1 It was found that B. badius could tolerate arsenic in soil substrate at concentrations of up to 2500 mg kg-1, at least. In different years of investigation, shifts in particular arsenic forms, as well as a general increase in the accumulation of organic arsenic content, were observed. The results of this study clearly indicate that B. badius should not be collected for culinary purposes from any sites that may be affected by pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to limited data-describing abilities of mushrooms to accumulate platinum group elements (PGEs) and rare-earth elements (REEs), the aim of this study was to determine, by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry followed by microwave-assisted sample digestion by nitric acid, the content of these elements in 20 mushroom species (10 above ground and 10 growing on wood), mostly edible, collected near a busy trunk road. The highest content of PGEs in above-ground mushroom species was observed inLepista gilvaandSuillus bovinusfruit bodies (0.38 ± 0.05 and 0.37 ± 0.03 mg kg−1DW, respectively), while in mushrooms growing on wood, the highest content was observed inPleurotus ostreatus(0.35 ± 0.04 mg kg−1DW). The mean content of PGEs for both these groups was 0.23 ± 0.08 and 0.26 ± 0.07 mg kg−1DW, respectively. The highest content of REEs inSuillus luteusandTricholoma equestrawas 5.03 ± 0.50 and 2.18 ± 0.56 mg kg−1DW, respectively, but within mushrooms growing on wood inGanoderma applanatumfruiting bodies it was 4.19 ± 0.78 mg kg−1DW. Mean contents of REEs were 1.39 ± 1.21 and 1.61 ± 0.97 mg kg−1DW in above-ground species and species growing on wood, respectively. Generally, the group of mushroom species growing on wood was capable of slightly higher accumulation of both REEs and PGEs. No limits have been established for both the groups until now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of supplementation with inorganic forms of selenium (Na2SeO4and Na2SeO3) in concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.5 mM of three medicinal mushroom species:Agrocybe aegerita,Hericium erinaceusandGanoderma lucidum. Tested mushroom species grew in Se additions of 0–0.6 mM (A. aegeritaandH. erinaceus), while growth ofG. lucidumbodies was observed for 0–0.8 mM. For the latter mushroom species, the total Se content was the highest. Content of Seorgwas diverse; for control bodies it was the highest forG. lucidum(only organic forms were present), lower forA. aegerita(84% organic forms) and the lowest forH. erinaceus(56% organic forms). Accumulation of Se(IV) was generally significantly higher than Se(VI) for all tested mushroom species. There was no significant decrease ofA. aegeritaorG. lucidumbiomass with the exception ofG. lucidumbodies growing under 0.8 mM of Se species addition (15.51 ± 6.53 g). Biomass ofH. erinaceusbodies was the highest under 0.2 (197.04 ± 8.73 g), control (191.80 ± 6.06 g) and 0.1 mM (185.04 ± 8.73 g) of both inorganic salts. The addition to the medium of Se salts brought about macroscopic changes in the fruiting bodies of the examined mushrooms. Concentrations exceeding 0.4 mM caused diminution of carpophores or even their total absence. In addition, colour changes of fruiting bodies were also recorded. At Se concentrations of 0.4 and 0.6 mM,A. aegeritafruiting bodies were distinctly lighter and those ofH. erinaceuschanged colour from purely white to white-pink. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A method of extraction has been proposed for the determination of inorganic species of As(III) and As(V) in the exchangeable fraction of sediments left by the 2004 tsunami. The method combines the fractionation of solid samples with speciation analysis by high performance liquid chromatography with hydride generation and atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AAS). The proposed extraction liquid is a phosphate buffer of Na2HPO4 and KH2PO4, with different concentrations of phosphate ranging from 5 to 50 mmol L-1. This method has been tested for different masses of samples as well as for different times of extraction, pH, temperature, and the presence or absence of mixing. The optimum conditions of extraction have been obtained by the use of buffer (50 mmol L-1 under pH from 5.8 to 6.2) at 80°C. The new technique was applied for the analysis of tsunami deposits left on land and sampled shortly after the tsunami (2005) and after the first (2006) and second rainy seasons (2007). The obtained results show that the exchangeable fraction of tsunami deposits was enriched in arsenic in comparison to reference soil samples. The major changes after the rainy seasons were not in the total concentration of inorganic As species, but in the ratio of As(III) to As(V). More toxic As(III) was removed from the deposits or oxidised, and after two years was hardly detectable in the tsunami deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm was applied to evaluate the geochemical and environmental impact of 26th December 2004 tsunami, based on interelemental and intersite relations of sediment chemistry. The study was carried out based on data sets, including contents of salts (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cl and SO4) leached with deionized water, heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in acid leachable fraction, metalloids (As, Sb and Se) in exchangeable fraction, as well as both total Hg and mercury in the form of various species (organomercury, water-soluble, acid-soluble, bound to humic matter and bound to sulfides) in sediment samples. SOM-supported exploration were performed for two separate data sets. The first run was applied for analytical results concerning sediments taken less than 50 days after tsunami event while the second one concerned results obtained for samples collected in the same location one year later, after rainy season. In the case of the “2005-run”, based on mutual linkage, complete set of variables could be conditionally divided into general groups showing of their patterns related to their major source as “salt” and “wastewater.” Classification results revealed natural clusters of sediment samples in relation to their location and to the magnitude of the impact of tsunami wave. Numerous clusters reflect general chemical composition of tsunami sediments while clusters containing isolated sampling locations reflect “site-specific” conditions, partially related to anthropogenic impact. The cleaning effect of the rainy season in Thailand was observed, based on “2006-run” exploaration results. The chemical composition of tsunami sediments was unified for 93% of samples. General patterns related to major source of analytes were analogous compared to the “2005-run.” These studies demonstrate that SOM has the potential to successfully assist the assessment of the environmental impacts of a tsunami disaster and the role of a tsunami sediments as potential carriers of pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]