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Managing municipal solid waste (MSW) presents many challenges, including the production of methane when MSW biodegrades in landfills. The search for methods to predict methane generation easily and...

The solid particle erosion (SPE) is a serious issue, and a growing challenge for industrial components exposed to the atmosphere under solid particles flow along with liquid or gas as a carrier medium. This results in a degradation of the components and a huge expense due to damages, downtime, and component replacement costs. Solid particle erosion depends on multiple factors, such as erodent properties, material properties of components, workplace conditions. Therefore, research is underway to fix the issues by developing materials that are resistant to erosion and new techniques to protect the material surface from countering the rate of erosion. This article provides a thorough overview of reference literature documented with a systematic approach accompanied by content and descriptive analysis to recognize the extension of research in the field of SPE behaviour of hardfaced/heat-treated materials. The article focused on the SPE response of various substrate materials and hardfaced/heat-treated surfaces’ characteristics. The literature audit indicates that the research in under this area is in progress from 1995. The elemental composition of overlaying material and the hardfacing/heat-treatment technique with different processing parameters are promising factors influencing the rate of SPE.

Study of the elemental composition of the soil-grape-wine chain and correlation relationships between the chain links is presented. The objects of the study were grapes of the Muscat, Cabernet and Merlot varieties, wine samples produced from them and soils of the viticultural areas. Concentrations of Li, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Cd, Pb, Ba, Na, Ti and Sr in soils, grapes and wines were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Relationships between the elemental composition of the objects under study were assessed by statistical modelling using the STATISTICA software. The character of metal distribution in the soil-grape chain was studied for three forms of the element extraction from soils. We determined their gross content, the content of acid-soluble and mobile forms. The degree of absorption of mobile forms of metals by grapes was estimated using «biological absorption coefficient»., Values of the biological absorption coefficient (BAC) of different metals depend on the grape variety. High BAC values are observed for Rb, Ti, Mg, Zn, Cu, Na, Fe, Al, and Sr in Merlot grapes; K, Pbm and Ni in Muscat; and for V and Mn in Cabernet. The lowest BAC values were observed for Co, Ba, and Ca in all grape varieties under study. Each grape variety formed its own individual elemental image due to the different nature of absorption of the studied metals. The transfer of metals from grape to wine for all considered varieties was accompanied by a decrease in the concentrations of Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Ba, Ti, and Sr and by an increase in the content of V, Fe, Co, Pb, and Na. Discriminant analysis revealed the metals with the highest identification properties, considering their form present in the soil. The results obtained can be used when setting markers determining the varietal and regional origin of wines.

Consistent information on the current elemental composition of vegetation at global scale and the variables that determine it is lacking. To fill this gap, we gathered a total of 30 912 georeferenced records on woody plants foliar concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) from published databases, and produced global maps of foliar N, P and K concentrations for woody plants using neural networks at a resolution of 1 km(2). We used data for climate, atmospheric deposition, soil and morphoclimatic groups to train the neural networks. Foliar N, P and K do not follow clear global latitudinal patterns but are consistent with the hypothesis of soil substrate age. We additionally built generalized linear mixed models to investigate the evolutionary history effect together with the effects of environmental effects. In this comparison, evolutionary history effects explained most of the variability in all cases (mostly > 60%). These results emphasize the determinant role of evolutionary history in foliar elemental composition, which should be incorporated in upcoming dynamic global vegetation models.

Between June and September 2018, particulate matter (PM) samples were taken in the Sartenejas Valley, southeast of Greater Caracas, Venezuela. The aim was to evaluate the morphology and the elemental chemical composition of particulate matter and establish possible emission sources during the rainy season. Functional groups were identified by FTIR spectroscopic analysis, and morphology and elemental composition were obtained by SEM–EDX analysis. The sampling period coincided with a Sahara dust storm. The SEM–EDX and FTIR analyses found evidence of mineral elements related to soil and crustal origins. The presence of C-rich or C-containing aerosols is related to biological sources or mineral carbon. SEM–EDX analysis of PM revealed the following particle groups: geogenic, metallic, C-rich, and secondary aerosols. Quantitative source appointments through principal component analysis (PCA) corroborated PM sources, including soil dust, sea salts, and reacted aerosols. According to the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first report to indicate that an episode of African dust could influence the particles collected in an intertropical continental sector in Venezuela, South America.

Results of experimental studies of joint pyrolysis processes of a fairly typical and widely used in Russia and Poland 3B grade lignite and wood (sawdust of pine wood) are provided. The results were...

The seasonal changes in the elemental composition of surface aerosol in Moscow are considered in four data series: for summer and autumn 2019 and winter and spring 2020. The surface aerosol is significantly enriched with sulfur, heavy metals, and metalloids (Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, Pb, Bi, etc.). The mass concentrations, mass percentages, and enrichment factors for different elements in aerosol particles are determined and compared for different seasons. The spatial distribution of elements in surface aerosol is not uniform through the city, which may be associated with the specificity of local sources, underlying surface, and wind regime in different regions of Moscow. The highest concentrations of a number of terrigenous and anthropogenic elements are revealed in the Central Administrative District of Moscow. The causes for seasonal variability in the elemental composition of surface aerosol in the Moscow megalopolis and possible sources of elements are discussed.

This work analyzes the energy performance implications of the physicochemical properties and the mineralogical elemental composition of agro-industrial wastes in the form of pellets (ISR pellets) and pine bark chips (PBCh). ISR pellets were made from a mixture of industrial wastewater treatment plant (IWTP) primary sludge, coal boiler ashes (CBA), and wood waste chips (WW), which are wastes rich in inorganic material and with a usable energy potential. All these residues were obtained from the production processes of paper company (Smurfit Kappa Colombia). ISR pellets and PBCh were tested as individual and mixed fuels in the thermochemical gasification and combustion processes. Several synergistic effects were found through the co-processing of these fuels, resulting in improvements in the performance indices normally used for the energy assessment of waste, as well as substantial environmental impact and operational behavior improvements. These effects were predicted through fusibility correlations from the elemental composition of the inorganic content, particularly the low melting point salts precursor species and fusibility temperature, as developed for coal ashes. The results of experimental co-processing validated these predictions.

Статья посвящена исследованиям кирпичного строительного материала из Увекского городища (г. Саратов) по данным полевых и камеральных исследований 1994–2020 гг. Целью исследований являлось дефиниция физико-химических характеристик кирпича из строений Увекского городища для историко-архитектурного, технико-экономического обоснования строительных технологий Золотой Орды, проведения реконструкционных и реставрационных работ, компьютерного моделирования в системах виртуальной и дополненной реальности. В работе приводятся данные по разнообразию форм и размеров кирпича, отпечаткам на его поверхности. Рассматриваются результаты исследований поопределению элементного состава керамического материала методами Оже и вторичной-ионной масс-спектроскопии (ВИМС) с целью идентификации мест добычи сырья. 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The objective of this study is to collect more data on the bio-monitoring of trace element pollution and the distribution of emission sources at the local scale. Accordingly, the concentrations of several trace elements (TEs) were measured in epiphytic lichens and tree bark samples collected from an area of study near Algiers-Algeria, using the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique. The results show the existence of more than 20 TEs and the study of the enrichment factors (FEs) indicates pollution of anthropogenic origin: brickyard with emissions of Na, As, Se, Sc, Co, Cr, Tb, Ta, Fe, pollution of vehicles with emission of Se, Sb and Zn and re-suspension of the soil with emission of Zn and Br.

On the recent fine-textured coasts located to the northwest (Russia) and southeast (Iran) of the Caspian Sea at altitudes of 25–26 m below sea level, the difference in elemental composition between two coasts as well as the vertical differentiation of elemental composition (18 chemical elements, 48 samples) in soil pits were studied. The soils of both key sites are close in particle size distribution (the average contents of sand, silt and clay were 10%–30%, 60%–74% and 13%–16%, respectively) and pH (7.4–8.8). Soils on the Iranian coast affected by shallow, highly saline groundwater (the water table is 1.5–2.5 m, solute concentration ~100 g/l) have a uniform vertical distribution of most elements except for As, P and Pb. In soils on the Russian coast with deeper and less saline ground water (2.5 m, ~50 g/l), the total content of the majority of elements (Al, As, Ca, Co, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, Ti, V and Zn) except for Cr, Cu, Mg and Si changes significantly (P value 7. The use of the most stringent international thresholds has shown that the contents of potentially toxic elements on both coasts of Russia and Iran exceed those limits by a factor of 1.5–3.

Many studies report organic carbon stabilization by clay minerals, but the effects of land use and soil type on the properties of humic acids (HAs) are missing. The aim of the paper is to determine the effects of land use and soil types on the characteristics of HAs, which have a considerable influence on organic matter quality. It was hypothesised that the effect of the land use on HAs properties depends on the particular size distribution. The research was performed in three ecosystems: agricultural, forest, and meadow, located in Slovakia. From each of them, the samples of 4 soil types were taken: Chernozem, Luvisol, Planosol, and Cambisol. The soil samples were assayed for the content of total organic carbon (TOC) and the particle size distribution. HAs were extracted with the Schnitzer method and analysed for the elemental composition, spectrometric parameters in the UV-VIS range, and hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, and the infrared spectra were produced. The research results have shown that the properties of HAs can be modified by the land use and the scope and that the direction of changes depends on the soil type. The HAs of Chernozem and Luvisol in the agri-ecosystem were identified with a higher “degree of maturity”, as reflected by atomic ratios (H/C, O/C, O/H), absorbance coefficients, and the FT-IR spectra, as compared with the HAs of the meadow and forest ecosystem. However, as for the HAs of Cambisol, a higher “degree of maturity” was demonstrated for the meadow ecosystem, as compared with the HAs of the agri- and forest ecosystem. The present research has clearly identified that the content of clay is the factor determining the HAs properties. Soils with a higher content of the clay fraction contain HAs with a higher “degree of maturity”.

The results of an intensive complex experiment carried out from March 25 to May 3, 2020, to study the composition and time variability of urban aerosol in the atmosphere in the center of Moscow include data on daily mean concentrations of both РМ10 and РМ2.5 particles and 65 chemical elements. The concentrations of all components did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) for residential areas. The exception was increased РМ10 concentrations recorded on March 27–29, when air masses from neighboring regions with biomass fires arrived in the city. The coefficients of correlation between values of the concentrations and enrichment factors of the elements confirmed the anthropogenic/local origin of some heavy metals (Cd, Sb, Pb, Se, Th) and the terrigenous/global origin of elements such as Mn, Mg, Zn, Co, Fe, Al, and Cr. The elements S, P, K, Na, Ca, Ni, Cu, Mo, Sn, W, Bi, and U, for which no significant correlation between their concentrations and enrichment factors has been found, apparently, have a mixed origin from both natural and anthropogenic sources competing with each other from day to day. The first studies of the weekly cycle of the relative elemental composition of surface aerosol in Moscow have shown the leading role of meteorological conditions (in particular, air pressure and humidity) in variations of aerosol pollution levels.

Gelatinous and soft-bodied zooplankton (GZ) have long been considered to have low energetic value (‘trophic dead end hypothesis’) and be insufficient to sustain higher trophic levels. However, the nutritional composition and energy content of GZ are often poorly known for entire groups, ignoring species-, size-, and stage-specific differences. In this study, organic matter and elemental composition (carbon and nitrogen) were measured for >1000 specimens from 34 GZ species collected from neritic and oceanic waters of the Northeast Pacific between 2014 and 2020. Species included 3 gastropods, 16 hydrozoans, 2 nude ctenophores, 6 scyphozoans, 3 tentaculate ctenophores, and 4 thaliaceans. Organic content and elemental composition were used to estimate energy content using published conversion factors and differed between and within taxonomic classes. Size-dependent variability was shown for several species. Differences in organic content and elemental composition by development stage were observed in a salp and scyphomedusa species, highlighting the need to consider life cycle stages separately. The relative energy values of GZ were generally low and highly variable, although some taxa were comparable to crustaceans. The findings of the present study emphasise the need for a more detailed consideration of GZ in marine food web models and time series analyses, to take into account their inter- and intraspecific variability.

Information from workers on the profitability of cassava on Iwo and Egbeda soil series in Oyo state, Nigeria have shown the Iwo soil series to be more profitable given the same scale of cassava cultivation. Therefore the need arises to improve on the soil properties of Egbeda soil series which will possibly improve the production efficiency for this category of farmers. In this work, an experimental procedure using gamma attenuation technique to determine the mass attenuation coefficient at different gamma ray energies of 59.5, 661.7, 1173.2 and 1332.5 keV, and at depths of 0 – 15, 15 – 30, 30 – 45, 45 – 60, 60 – 75 and 75 – 90 cm into the Egbeda soil series profile have been studied. Likewise X-ray fluorescence, XRF, method was used to obtain the elemental composition and concentrations at these depths while the XCOM software was applied to obtain the photon mass attenuation coefficients at the different gamma ray energies for the depths. Mass attenuation coefficients, obtained experimentally and that computed theoretically using XCOM varied exponentially with photon energy. The correlation coefficient between the experimentally-obtained and XCOM-obtained μs for the energies considered ranged from 0.89 – 0.96. The variation of with soil depth show that the top soil (0 – 15cm depths) is least attenuating with gamma ray penetrability varying down the profile. Information on the mass attenuation coefficients, elemental composition, and concentrations at varying depths into the soil profile will go a long way in contributing to efforts at improving the soil condition of the Egbeda soil series.

The article is dedicated to the issues of sustainable development of territories with cumulative environmental damage on the basis of improving environmental analysis techniques of forest ecosystems health in Baikal region. The authors discuss the processes related to degradation of dark coniferous forests due to the emissions of pulp and paper industry. The factors affecting the development and producing capacity of forest stand are pointed out, namely highly acidic soil and heavy metals pollution. The data obtained by X-ray fluorescence analysis of needles are presented. They prove the presence of 20 chemical elements in the forest forming species of Pinaceae: Abies sibirica, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata. The elemental composition of needles after the enterprise was closed is not over the exposure limit for conditionally toxic elements. The territory where the research was carried out is suitable for agriculture, tourism and recreational activities. The obtained data were used to implement new techniques of inspecting forest vegetation health.

Рассмотрены приборы для измерения элементного состава уходящих газов котельных установок в их историческом развитии, методики теплотехнических расчетов сжигания топлива.

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) plays a critical role in sustained haze pollution in megacities. Traditional observation of atmospheric aerosols usually analyzes the ambient organic aerosol (OA) but neglects the SOA formation potential (SOAFP) of precursors remaining in ambient air. Knowledge on SOAFP is still limited, especially in megacities suffering from frequent haze. In this study, the SOAFP of ambient air in urban Beijing was characterized at different pollution levels based on a two-year field observation using an oxidation flow reactor (OFR) system. Both OA and SOAFP increased as a function of ambient pollution level, in which increasing concentrations of precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and decreasing atmospheric oxidation capacity were found to be the two main influencing factors. To address the role of the atmospheric oxidation capacity in SOAFP, a relative OA enhancement ratio (EROA = 1 + SOAFP/OA) and the elemental composition of the OA were investigated in this study. The results indicated that the atmospheric oxidation capacity was weakened and resulted in higher SOAFP on more polluted days. The relationship found between SOAFP and the atmospheric oxidation capacity could be helpful in understanding changes in SOA pollution with improving air quality in the megacities of developing countries.

The research is concerned with all the fossil coal metamorphism series based on their rank classification. Currently, based on the genetic characters of metamorphic coal conversions, no proved regulatory definition of the coal layer hazardous characteristics is available. For mining forecasts, the regulatory framework uses a limited number of the classificatory parameters with properties, which have not been determined for the whole multiplicity of coals metamorphic transformation. Special features of each coal rank shall be specified using their proxy parameters. It proves that they specify different aspects of the metamorphic coal conversions, as well as other classificatory parameters. For proved forecasting the coal layer hazardous characteristics, it is necessary to use some combinations of the classificatory parameters. It is testified that any alterations of coal properties due to their inner structure conversions may be characterized by maximum and minimum values of different parameters for the same coal rank. The limit for possible alteration of the K rank coals volatile mass yield has been established in lower than normal level. It is noted that coals with the same consumer performance may in some cases be characterized by different values of the classificatory parameters, and in other cases—the coals with different values of the classificatory parameters may have the same processing behavior. It is proposed, when establishing any hazardous properties of the coal layers in addition to the industrial classificatory parameters, one should use alterations of the organic part elemental composition, mineral impurities and moisture in the whole range of metamorphism series.

Coffee is the second popular drink and second traded item in the world. Unfortunately, the process of coffee beverage preparation generates a huge solid waste, which is about 650 kg/ton or 2 kg wet spent coffee grounds (SCG) per 1 kg of soluble coffee. The high carbon content, high heating value, low ash, and negligible sulfur content of SCG makes it an alternative fuel source through thermochemical conversion. Therefore, this study investigated the thermochemical conversion of SCG with or without the presence of CO2 and/or steam gasification medium in the semi-fluidized bed reactor. Elemental composition, calorific value, proximate analysis, and thermal decomposition characteristics were analysed. Surface morphology of SCG was also carried by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The chemical characterization has shown about 50% C and more than 7% H2 content, nearly 23% HHV, and about 70% VOC, and 20% fixed carbon. The gasification process in the presence of CO2 and steam atmosphere also showed about 95% carbon conversion and nearly 72% cold gas efficiency.

Spring wheat is produced in Kazakhstan and Western Siberia on a large area exceeding 16 mln ha. The crop grows during the short season from May till September in the extensive production system. Th...

The monthly and spatial variations of atmospheric dustfall (DF) and their elemental components were determined. The DF sampling was performed using the ASTM method D-1739 from April 2017 to March 2018 in four urban and suburb sampling sites around Tabriz, Iran. The ICP-OES was utilized for the determination of the elemental components of DF. The results showed that the level of DF varied from 1.3 to 27.6 (8.0 ± 3.4) g/m2.month during the sampling period, and the level of DF was higher in warm seasons than cold seasons. Also, it was revealed that the mean DF has a direct and significant relationship with temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity. The elements of Fe (11,997–17,093 mg/Kg and 71–81%) and Al (2903–6852 mg/Kg and 14–25%), which are the main elements of the Earth crust, were the dominant metals of DF among the analyzed elements. The lowest average value of the enrichment factor (EF) was for Al and was 10 in all the sites, indicating that anthropogenic emission sources spread a considerable amount of trace elements in DF compared to the Lake Urmia bed or soil. The EF values for various elements (except than Cu and Hg) in cold seasons considerably increased compared to warm seasons. In all the study sites, Fe (540–1307 mg/m2.yr) had the highest deposition rates among the metals. This study revealed that the Earth crust is the main source of DF in the region.

In the present work, Particulate Matter (PM) elemental composition and mass size distribution were examined in rural and urban sites at El-Minia governorate, Upper Egypt. Aerosol particles are collected with cascade impactor (Low pressure Berner Type). Seven elements are investigated with atomic absorption spectroscopy technique (Fe, Ca, K, Ba, Cu, Mn and Pb). Five Measurements are performed in each site rural (El-sharyna village) and urban (Maghagha city). During the sampling, meteorological parameters such as temperature and relative humidity were registered by a thermo hygrometer Hi 8564. Abi-modal log normal size distribution corresponding to accumulation and coarse modes are established for elementals and PM. In the present study, the mean aerosols mass concentration (265 ± 16 μg/m3 in urban and 300 ± 17 μg/m3 in rural). These values excess the WHO primary (80 μg/m3) and secondary (60 μg/m3) standards during the four seasons. Also, they excess the annual average of the Egyptian Ambient Air Quality Standard (90 μg/m3). The mass concentrations for elements changed from 0.6 ng/m3 (for Ba) to 109 ng/m3 (for Fe) in the rural site. While in the urban site is ranged from 0.05 ng/m3 (for Ba) to 97 ng/m3 (for Fe). The mean elements mass concentrations are founded Fe (97–109), Ca (0.29–1.6), K (2.6–40.3), Cu (0.39–1.7), Mn (2.97–6.41), Pb (0.39–0.71), and Ba (0.11–0.4) ng/m3 for the urban and rural sites respectively.

Fly ash is an industrial by-product which is deposited in high quantities worldwide, but the use as raw material for geopolymer production would be a feasible option to eliminate not only the possible environmental damages, but the extensive land usage for the deposits. In the article, various extraction methods are summarised that could be applicable to evaluate the leaching behaviour of fly ash, based on the intended final use.

Street Dust (SD) acts as a sink and source of atmospheric particles containing Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) and can pose a possible pathway of PTEs to human bodies. Comprehensive SD study, where 249 samples were collected from rural, urban and industrialized areas aimed to increase the understanding between sedimentation of atmospheric dust derived from anthropogenic activities and elemental composition of SD. Elemental composition for 53 elements (ICP-MS, aqua regia digestion) was determined on fraction

В условиях повышенной конкуренции и обеспечения должной защиты потребителя от различных фальсификаций предложен эффективный метод контроля качества винодельческой продукции на основе элементного состава с использованием масс-спектрометрии с индуктивно-связанной плазмой. Предложены наиболее значимые элементы, характеризующие качество столовых вин и их соотношения и позволяющие разработать новые критериальные оценки качества и подлинности виноматериалов и вин. In the conditions of increased competition and ensuring proper protection of the consumer from various falsifications, an effective method of quality control of wine products based on the elemental composition using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is proposed. The most significant elements that characterize the quality of table wines and their ratios are proposed, which are fundamental in the course of research, and allow us to develop new criteria for assessing the quality and authenticity of wine materials.

Three species of red algae belonging to the class Rhodophyceae viz. Amphiroa fragilissima, Centroceras clavulatum and Gracilaria canaliculata were collected from seven localities in the southeast coast of India. The collected red algae were analysed for elemental composition (Al, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Fb, Zn) using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP - AES) from May 2018 to April 2019 at three months interval. The seasonal variation in the elemental composition of the three red algae species showed that most of the minerals were found to accumulate during the summer season followed by pre-monsoon season. This could perhaps be due to the ambient concentration of these minerals were high during these seasons; thereby facilitating their uptake by seaweeds. The accumulation factor of certain irons by the algae were also discussed in this paper.

Aim. We study the elemental composition of samples from the gas cleaning system of an autothermic plant for the disposal of medical waste and determine their hazard class. Methodology. Fly ash samples from the elements of the gas cleaning system (air sparging system, “wet scrubber”, impeller of smoke exhaust) of an autothermal unit disposing medical waste were analyzed by an X-ray fluorescence method. The content of 30 elements, including toxic ones (Pb, Cd, As) was measured in samples. Based on the results of chemical analysis of samples from the elements of the gas cleaning system, the hazard class of the waste was calculated. Results. The analysis showed that ash from the elements of the air sparging system contains such elements as Cl, Fe, Ca, K, Ti, Zn, Cr, Mn, Pb, Ni, Sn, and Sb. The maximum metal content (Fe, Ti, Zn, Mn, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Mo) is absorbed by the scrubber cleaning system. The ash sampled from the elements of the impeller contains a high content of halogens (Cl, Br, I) and As. The presence of Cr, Zn, Ni, Pb, and Cu in the ash sampled from the elements of the impeller indicates incomplete cleaning of exhaust gases from heavy metals. The waste from the gas cleaning system of the autothermal plant for the disposal of medical waste corresponds to hazard class II (highly hazardous). Research implications. The presence of Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu, and Pb in the composition of ash taken from the elements of the impeller indicates incomplete cleaning of exhaust gases from heavy metals, a high content of halogens (Cl, Br, and I) and As indicates the possibility of environmental pollution and the risk for human health. The waste from the gas cleaning system of an autothermal plant for the disposal of medical waste corresponds to hazard class II (highly hazardous) and must be transferred to a specialized organization for neutralization or disposal in a manner that is safe for the environment and human health.

The results of the study of ecological and geochemical features and assessment of the water quality of water sources located on the territory of the Semipalatinsk test site are presented. The studied waters are diverse in chemical composition: 14 % of the samples had hydrocarbonate, 69 % – sulfate, and 17 % – chloride types of waters. On the basis of the revealed features of the elemental composition of the underground waters of the Semipalatinsk test site, decreasing series of excess of the average concentrations of elements in water in relation to the composition of waters of the zones of hypergenesis and continental salinization were constructed: U14> Mo8> Sr8> V3(hypergenesis zone), U5> Mo3> Sr3> V2(zone of continental salinization). For the groundwater of the Semipalatinsk test site, specific elements were identified, such as U, Mo, Sr and V. The water quality was assessed for the studied chemical components based on comparison with the standards of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Health Organization (SaNPiN No. 209, WHO 2011).

Актуальность. Исследования обусловлены необходимостью поиска чувствительных индикаторов техногенеза, элементный состав которых может позволить получить объективную информацию об эколого-геохимической обстановке изучаемой территории. Ртуть отличается высокими токсикологическими свойствами по отношению к живому организму. Использование биообъектов, находящихся в начале пищевой цепочки, является наиболее информативным и объективным, а также может послужить важной информацией для дальнейшего прогнозирования экологической обстановки территории. Цель: определить индикаторные способности элементного состава водных растений семейства рясковые (Lemnaceae) к эколого-геохимической обстановке различных урбанизированных территорий России на примере изучения концентраций ртути в ней. Объекты: водное растение семейства рясковые (Lemnaceae), отличающееся повсеместной встречаемостью, высокой скоростью прироста биомассы и толерантностью к климатическим условиям окружающей среды. Методика. Исследование проведено по единой методике в 65 населенных пунктах 46 регионов Российской Федерации. Определение валового содержания ртути в ряске проводилось методом атомно-абсорбционной спектрометрии. Результаты. Рассмотрена роль одного из индикаторов техногенеза - водные растения семейства рясковые. Получены количественные оценки распределения ртути в макрофите на исследуемой территории, определено среднее содержание ртути в ряске по России (среднее медианное - 14,7 нг/г, среднее арифметическое - 18 нг/г). Обнаружены аномальные концентрации ртути в водном растении на территории Ставропольского края, Республик Северная Осетия-Алания и Башкоркостан, а также Кировской и Кемеровской областей. Эколого-геохимическая обстановка данных территорий может быть обусловлена влиянием техногенных факторов, наиболее весомыми из которых является хлорно-щелочное производство. Отдельно изучена региональная специфика на примере Томского района Томской области, на территории которого подробно изучена зона влияния Северного промышленного узла. Relevance. The studies are determined by the need to find the sensitive technogenesis indicators, which elemental composition can show the ecological and geochemical situation of the territory. Mercury have negative toxicological influence on living organism. Biological objects at the beginning of food chain could be informative and objective indicators of environmental situation and can have important information for further predictions. The aim of the research is to determine the indicator abilities of Lemnaceae family aquatic plants to the ecological and geochemical situation of various urbanized territories in Russia by studying concentration of mercury. Objects: an aquatic plant of the duckweed family (Lemnaceae), characterized by widespread occurrence, high biomass growth rate and tolerance to climatic environmental conditions. Methodology. The study was carried out according to a single methodology in 65 settlements from 46 regions of the Russian Federation. The determination of gross mercury in duckweed was carried out by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results. The role of aquatic plant of the duckweed family as a geo-indicator of technogenesis is considered. The distribution of mercury in macrophyte from the study area was discovered, the average mercury content in duckweed for Russia (average median - 14,7 ng/g, arithmetic average - 18 ng/g) was calculated. The abnormally high concentrations of mercury were determined in an aquatic plant from the Stavlopol Krai, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and Bashkorkostan, Kirov and Kemerovo Regions. The ecological and geochemical situation in these territories may be influenced by technogenic factors, such as chlorine-hydroxide production. The regional specificity of the Tomsk region were studied individually. The influence of the Northern industrial zone was particularly studied there.

Nowadays, particulate matter and total volatile organic compounds in the air are the primary environmental concern of the world due to their health impact. Therefore, the present work was focused o...

The knowledge of the geographical origin of food is related to the consumer’s safety and usually aggregates market value to the product. One way to identify the geographical origin of foodstuff is through the determination of geochemical markers. The aim of this work is to determine the elemental composition of the mate tealeaves (Ilex paraguariensis) and identify possible elements which could be considered as geochemical markers. To that end, packaged tealeaves from nine different South American regions were analyzed by Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission. Moreover, tealeaves of a particular brand manufactured and packed in Brazil and commercialized in Brazil and Uruguay were analyzed as well. Results showed that Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr and Ba are present in the mate tealeaves. Considering the average concentrations of the elements from each region, there are significant differences among the regions for all elements but S. Multivariate statistical analysis indicates that the variability of the elements could be used to characterize the provenance of Ilex paraguariensis. Some elements such as Mg, Cu, Sr, Mn and Ni are correlated, which could be used to identify the geographical origin of this product.

Particulate matter (PM) collected hourly by an automated sampling unit of the Atmospheric Environmental Regional Observation System (AEROS) was characterized by external micro-particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis and imaging. Micro-PIXE analysis revealed the overall elemental composition and differences in the elemental composition ratios of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 collected as individual spots on Teflon tape filters from the unit, and the blank Teflon tape showed a clean background. Moreover, micro-PIXE imaging visualized regions with different elemental compositions in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10. Accumulation of PM2.5 particles was found frequently on tape filters which accounted approximately for 70% of particular elemental composition including heavy metals like iron, compared to that from whole area. The results suggest that PIXE effectively reveals elemental composition of hourly-collected PM by AEROS system for futuristic application for source apportionment of those over Japan.

Nowadays, most of the food available for human consumption goes through some sort of processing before reaching the table of consumers. Usually, modern societies consume packed food preserved in cardboard boxes and cans. In the context of food science and technology, analytical techniques capable of characterizing the elemental composition of foodstuff and their respective containers are a powerful tool to monitor modifications over time. In particular, ion beam analytical techniques like Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) have already been employed in the investigation of canned food, providing valuable information about the interaction of food and its container. In this work, the PIXE technique was employed in order to study the elemental composition of canned table cream focusing on variations occurred over several years of production as well as on the possible diffusion of Fe from the cans to the table cream as a function of the storage time of the product. The qualitative analysis showed the presence of 10 characteristic elements in the table cream, with prevalence of potassium and calcium. Bromine and rubidium were found in some samples as well. For long storage times, it was observed a rising trend for the concentration of iron in the product. Moreover, the analysis indicated a sudden rise in the levels of sodium and chlorine, which could indicate an adulteration of the product.

Peatland covers a total area of 2500 hectares in Sri Lanka, and a more significant portion of it spreads in the western coast of the country through Muthurajawela wetland, which is the largest wetland in Sri Lanka extending from Colombo to Negombo. Colombo Katunayake Expressway (CKE) is a recently completed project in this region, and a lot of peatlands were encountered in the construction. To date, there are no studies focusing on characterization of peats in Muthurajawela region. Therefore, this study focused on investigating the geotechnical properties of peats in Muthurajawela region. Peat samples were obtained from six different locations in this area, and the samples were subjected to investigate the index properties including moisture content, density, specific gravity, fiber content, ash content, organic content and acidity, and consolidation characteristics. Further, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image analysis and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis were conducted to analyze the structure and to identify the elemental composition of peat samples. According to the basic investigations; Muthurajawela peats were classified as “Fibric and Hemic” peats with high acidity. The results further analysed to develop correlations for the easy prediction of some properties and, the developed correlations were compared with those reported in the literature. The obtained consolidation properties were indicated that the large portion of settlement occurs during the primary consolidation stage within a short time. On the whole, findings of this research will enable engineers to better understand Muthurajawela peat for the design and construction in this region.

Knowing the properties of coal, which is still the most widely used among primary energy sources, is critical for determining the application area and the technology to be applied. The ultimate ana...

This paper discusses the relation between the heavy metal and radionuclide activity concentration in beach sand samples collected from East Coast of Tamilnadu. The elemental composition in beach sa...

This study focuses on the sorption efficiency of porewater–sediment of eight selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) most monitored in the environment as recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. Five river sediment samples were collected along the Umgeni River of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa that contained different soil contents. The Walkley–Black method was employed for the determination of soil organic matter in the sediments, while sediment mineralogy and morphology, as well as elemental composition, were evaluated using powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-disperse X-ray, respectively. The sorption studies between porewater and sediment systems were carried out using batch adsorption experiments. The results showed that sediment samples containing high clay and silt content (13.90%, 30.43% and 18.58%, 19.93%) (site AWW and IDI) have the highest sorption percentage between 65.86–89.81% and 61.39–70.43%, respectively, for all the PCBs, while sites IDO and BL with high sand content (86.29% and 85.20%) sorbed the least amount of PCBs (32.32–53.06% and 43.23–59.77%, respectively). Among the sediment physicochemical parameters, soil organic matter was observed to correlate positively and play an important role in the sorption of PCBs. Also, a decrease in the ratio of Si:(Al + Fe) was noticed to have a positive impact on the sorption of PCBs. This is the first study done on this river to critically evaluate the porewater–sediment distribution and transportation of PCBs. Sorption efficiency of sediments of known physicochemical properties similar to this study area can be predicted by the sorption results of the present study.

International audience; Colloids (1‐1000 nm) are important phosphorus (P) carriers in agricultural soils. However, most studies are based on colloids from soil waters extracted in the laboratory, thus limiting the understanding of the natural transfer of colloidal P along the soil‐to‐stream continuum. Here, we conducted a field study on the colloidal P in both natural soil waters and their adjacent stream waters in an agricultural catchment (Kervidy‐Naizin, western France). Soil waters (10‐15 cm, Albeluvisol) of two riparian wetlands and the adjacent stream waters were sampled monthly during wet seasons of the 2015–2016 hydrological year (7 dates in total). Ultrafiltration at three pore sizes (5 kDa, 30 kDa and 0.45 μm) was combined with ICP‐MS to investigate variability in colloidal P concentration and its concomitant elemental composition. Results showed that colloidal P represented on average 45% and 30% of the total P (< 0.45 μm) in the soil waters and stream waters, respectively. We found that colloidal P was preferentially associated with i) organic carbon in the fine nanoparticle fraction (5‐30 kDa) and ii) Fe‐oxyhydroxides and organic carbon in the coarse colloidal fraction (30 kDa ‐ 0.45 μm). The results confirmed that colloidal P is an important component of total P in both soil waters and stream waters under field conditions, suggesting that riparian wetlands are hotspot zones for the production of colloidal P at the catchment scale which have the potential to be transported to adjacent streams. We emphasize that these findings were based on limited sampling times and further longer‐term monitoring and application of tracer or isotope methods would be necessary to better assess colloidal P variations and its transfer from soils to streams.

Marble bodies occur in Ubo River Area as lenses of rocks. Seven (07) marble samples were obtained, analyzed and subjected to X-Ray Flourescence (XRF) analysis to determine both the major and trace elemental composition of the samples. The analysis revealed high CaO values (52.23-58.10 wt. %) and moderate values for SiO2 (7.50-10.43wt. %), fairly low values for Al2O3 (2.30 – 4.21 wt. %), Fe2O3 (2.62 – 5.15 wt. %), MgO (0.42 – 0.7 wt. %), MnO (0.01 – 0.06 wt. %), K2O (0.32 – 1.55 wt. %) and Na2O (0.01 – 0.03 wt. %), respectively. Variation plots involving Na2O/Al2O3 vs K2O/Al2O3 reveal sedimentary progenitors for the rocks. The fairly high SiO2 and low K2O content is an indication of the environment of deposition and may have been in a shallow marine environment with fair input of classic sediments into the system. The relatively high CaO content, moderate SiO2content and fairly low Al2O3 and Fe2O3 values indicates a fair degree of purity of the parent rock, hence its suitability as a raw material in the industrial sector. Keywords: Clastic, Deposition, Environment, Progenitor, Marble, Chemical

Rapid growth in industrialization and urbanization in Karachi draws attention toward increasing rate of air pollution and its health effects. So, the main objective of the present study was to determine the root cause of daily morbidity associated with airborne particulate matter (PM) exposure in Karachi. Other goal was to highlight those areas which are severely at the risk of particulate matter hazards. For this, high volume air sampler was used to collect PM from both indoor and outdoor air at commercial, residential and educational environments of Karachi. Effect of meteorological parameters on PM was also investigated. Heavy metals (Cd, Pb and Cu) concentrations in PM were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, while other elemental composition, morphology and size of PM were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results revealed that PM particles consisted of O, Si, Ca, Cl, S, Na, C, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Mg, Al, Zn, K and Ba. The morphologies of PM were spheroidal, irregular, fractal, narrow elongated, crystalline tabular and fiber like. The indoor and outdoor air at commercial sites (e.g., open markets) was not found suitable from health perspective. Especially, the area of Manghopir road has almost four times higher Pb concentration (1.879 µg/m3) than the WHO standard (0.5 µg/m3). The size range of particles in both outdoor (0.119–1.63 µm) and indoor (0.13–1.02 µm) settings existed in the category of PM2.5. Therefore, these fine particles with hazardous chemical composition and morphology are liable for daily morbidity of exposed population.

Different post-depositional conditions and after-recovery treatments may provoke pronounced physicochemical alterations that can make archaeological ceramics’ classification and comparison difficult even when its provenance is known. The present study describes the differences in the chemical composition verified on sherds of Roman ceramics produced in Crikvenica (NE Adriatic, Croatia). Inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were applied to characterise the chemical composition and post-depositional alterations in ceramics recovered onshore and underwater. Chemometrical treatment of ICP-MS results of elemental composition and FT-IR absorption bands was performed using univariate and multivariate statistical tools. Principal component analysis (PCA) led to clear distinction of several clusters of examined samples, i.e. samples from the mainland, samples from the sea bottom, and desalinated samples. All sherds that have undergone desalination represent a distinct sub-group by means of changes in the ratio of accumulated chemical elements. It was established that accumulation of Ca, Mg and Na and formation of salts such as FeS, Mg6Al2CO3(OH)16·4(H2O), and CaCO3 reflect post-depositional environments and post-recovery treatments in terms of desalination and specific marine underwater conditions (oxic and anoxic). Our results outlined a pattern of post-depositional alterations that could be applied in upcoming classification studies. Roman ceramics produced in Crikvenica and excavated from the workshop possess attributes of a reference group, revealing that Ho, Ce, La, Lu, Tb, Gd, Eu and Sm are the elements least susceptible to post-depositional alterations.

This study was aimed to analyze trace elements in the particulate matter-10 and evaluate their health risks during the cooking of the most widely consumed Ethiopian traditional dish sauces (Wots) u...

The World Health Organization opined that suspended particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5, PM10) are affecting more people worldwide than any other pollutant. This study aimed to determine the status of particulate matter, elemental composition of granite and weather parameters via sampling and analysis of samples from different locations at quarry site in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The highest concentrations of Pb (2.00±0.05 mg/kg), Zn (6.85±0.06 mg/kg), Mn (94.21±0.13 mg/kg), Fe (3,461.65±3.61 mg/kg), Ca (5.41±0.01 %) and K (0.24±0.02 %) in different sizes of granites were recorded in dust particles. The order of abundance of the elemental composition in granites is: Fe > Mn > Zn > Ca > Mg > Pb > Co > As > Na > K. The highest temperature (45.88±0.53 °C) and relative humidity (49.05±0.21 %) was recorded close to the conveyor belt and walk way to pit, respectively. The concentration of PM2.5 (69.00±1.41 µg/m3) and PM10 (2,829.50±12.02 µg/m3) were highest at the chippings deposition cum collection point. The concentration of PM2.5 is higher than the permissible limit set by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO). The concentration of PM10 is substantially above the permissible limit set by WHO. This suggest that quarry workers, and the wider community are subjected to prevailing environmental health threat. This emphasizes the need for rigorous implementation of existing environmental legislations established to protect the environment and public health.

Manure elemental composition determination is essential to develop farm nutrient budgets and assess environmental risk. Portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometers could facilitate hazardous waste-free, rapid, and cost-effective elemental concentration determinations. However, sample moisture is a problem for elemental concentration determination by X-ray methods. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of sample moisture content, predict moisture content, and correct for moisture effect on elemental concentration determinations in livestock manure. Oven-dried manure samples (n = 40) were ground and adjusted to five moisture ranges of (w/w moisture) 10%, 10-20%, 20-30%, 40-50%, and 60-70%. Samples were scanned by PXRF for 180 s using a vacuum (1,333 Pa) and without a filter. The presence of moisture negatively affected elemental determination in manure samples. Calibrations (n = 200) were prepared using random forest regression with detector channel counts as independent variables. A three-step validation was performed using all the data, random cross-validation and external validation. The back end of the spectrum (14-15 keV) had strong predictive power (r

Globally, road dust is a major source of inhalable particulate matter in any urban environment. This research seeks to assess the elemental composition of road dust at Vellore city, India, and to evaluate its health risks. For this, dust samples are collected from 18 locations in the study region. The collected samples are digested and analysed for about 25 elements using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, of which 19 elements have concentration greater than the detection limit of the instrument (Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Zn, In, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Rb). The highest mean concentration is noted for Fe (22,638.23 mg/kg) followed by Ca (13,439.47 mg/kg), Al (8445.89 mg/kg) and Mg (3381.20 mg/kg). Enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) are calculated for 10 trace elements: Cu, Co, Cr, Ga, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr and Zn. Elements Ga and Zn show the highest EF and CF. Source identification recognized that crustal material and traffic as the major sources of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Further, the health risk assessment is performed for nine PTEs and identifies that Fe, Pb, Cr and Co are elements with the highest health index. Health index of these elements suggests a possible health risk. Ingestion is the major pathway, and children are found to be at a higher risk compared to adults.