Soil characterization is a vital activity to develop appropriate and effective restoration protocols for mine wastelands while insights into the total content of heavy metals in the soil is an important step in estima...Soil characterization is a vital activity to develop appropriate and effective restoration protocols for mine wastelands while insights into the total content of heavy metals in the soil is an important step in estimating the hazards that the metals may pose to the vital roles of soil in the ecosystem.This study addressed the following research questions:(1)To what extent do the physico-chemical characteristics vary between mine waste sediments and the nearby forest soil?(2)Are the concentrations of heavy metals high enough to be considered as toxic?and(3)Are heavy metals present in mine waste sediments potential sources of pollution?We hypothesized that the physicochemical characteristics of mine waste sediments are less favorably for plant establishment and growth while the concentrations of heavy metals are very high,thus restricting the success of revegetation of mine waste lands.Mine waste sediments were sampled following a diagonal transect across tailings dams,overburden dump sites and the local forest soil from the top layer(0-20 cm)using a closed auger.Samples were analyzed for arsenic,barium,lead,cadmium,cobalt,copper,chromium,nickel,vanadium,and zinc as well as for soil physico-chemical properties.The mine waste sediments were dominated by silt whilst the forest soil by sand particles,with significantly high bulk density in the former.Both the forest soil and overburden sediments were acidic than the alkaline tailings dam sediment.Total organic carbon and nitrogen contents were significantly low in mine wasteland substrates but the concentration of Ca and Mg were significantly higher in tailings dam substrate than the forest soil.The concentrations of available P,K and Na were similar across sites.The mean concentrations of heavy metals were significantly(p<0.01)higher in mine waste sediments than the forest soil;except for cadmium(p=0.213).The order of contamination by heavy metals on the tailings was Cu>Co>Ba>Ni>As>Zn>Pb>Cr>V>Cd,and that on the overburdens was Cu>Co>Ba>Ni>Zn>Cr>Pb>V>As>Cd.The pollution load index(PLI)was nearly twice higher for the tailings dam(8.97)than the overburden(5.84).The findings show that the copper mine wastes(the tailings dams and overburden waste rock sites)are highly contaminated by heavy metals;which,in turn,might pose serious hazards to human health and agricultural productivity.In addition,poor macro-nutrient availability,substrate compaction and soil acidity(particularly on overburden sites)coupled with toxic level of heavy metals would be the main challenges for successful phytostabilization of copper mine wastelands.展开更多
Abstarct In recognition of the rising threats of groundlevel ozone(O_(3))pollution to forests,agricultural crops,and other types of vegetation,accurate and realistic risk assessment is urgently needed.The accumulated ...Abstarct In recognition of the rising threats of groundlevel ozone(O_(3))pollution to forests,agricultural crops,and other types of vegetation,accurate and realistic risk assessment is urgently needed.The accumulated O_(3)exposure over a concentration threshold of 40 nmol mol-1(AOT40)is the most commonly used metric to investigate O3 exposure and its effects on vegetation and to conduct vegetation risk assessment.It is also used by international regulatory authorities for deriving critical levels and setting standards to protect vegetation against surface O_(3).However,fixed periods of the growing season are used universally,yet growing seasons vary with latitudes and elevations,and the periods of plant lifespan also differ among annual species.Here,we propose the concept of the Annual O_(3)Spectrum Profile(AO_(3)SP)and apply it to calculate the profile of AOT40 throughout the year(AAOT40SP,Annual AOT40 Spectrum Profile)using the International Organization for Standardization(ISO)weeks as a shorter window ISO-based accumulated exposure.Using moving time periods of three(for crops)or six(for forests)months,the i so AOT40 behavior throughout the year can be examined as a diagnostic tool for O_(3)risks in the short-or long-term during the lifecycle of local vegetation.From this analysis,AOT40(i so AOT40)that is most representative for the local conditions and specific situations can be identified,depending on the exact growing season and lifecycle of the target vegetation.We applied this novel approach to data from five background monitoring stations located at different elevations in Cyprus.Our results show that the AAOT40SP approach can be used for improved and more realistic assessment of O3 risks to vegetation.The AO_(3)SP approach can also be applied using metrics other than AOT40(exposure-or flux-based),adding a new dimension to the way O_(3)risk to vegetation is assessed.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the Swedish Science Council(Vetenskapsra det,C0626501 and D0650301).
文摘Soil characterization is a vital activity to develop appropriate and effective restoration protocols for mine wastelands while insights into the total content of heavy metals in the soil is an important step in estimating the hazards that the metals may pose to the vital roles of soil in the ecosystem.This study addressed the following research questions:(1)To what extent do the physico-chemical characteristics vary between mine waste sediments and the nearby forest soil?(2)Are the concentrations of heavy metals high enough to be considered as toxic?and(3)Are heavy metals present in mine waste sediments potential sources of pollution?We hypothesized that the physicochemical characteristics of mine waste sediments are less favorably for plant establishment and growth while the concentrations of heavy metals are very high,thus restricting the success of revegetation of mine waste lands.Mine waste sediments were sampled following a diagonal transect across tailings dams,overburden dump sites and the local forest soil from the top layer(0-20 cm)using a closed auger.Samples were analyzed for arsenic,barium,lead,cadmium,cobalt,copper,chromium,nickel,vanadium,and zinc as well as for soil physico-chemical properties.The mine waste sediments were dominated by silt whilst the forest soil by sand particles,with significantly high bulk density in the former.Both the forest soil and overburden sediments were acidic than the alkaline tailings dam sediment.Total organic carbon and nitrogen contents were significantly low in mine wasteland substrates but the concentration of Ca and Mg were significantly higher in tailings dam substrate than the forest soil.The concentrations of available P,K and Na were similar across sites.The mean concentrations of heavy metals were significantly(p<0.01)higher in mine waste sediments than the forest soil;except for cadmium(p=0.213).The order of contamination by heavy metals on the tailings was Cu>Co>Ba>Ni>As>Zn>Pb>Cr>V>Cd,and that on the overburdens was Cu>Co>Ba>Ni>Zn>Cr>Pb>V>As>Cd.The pollution load index(PLI)was nearly twice higher for the tailings dam(8.97)than the overburden(5.84).The findings show that the copper mine wastes(the tailings dams and overburden waste rock sites)are highly contaminated by heavy metals;which,in turn,might pose serious hazards to human health and agricultural productivity.In addition,poor macro-nutrient availability,substrate compaction and soil acidity(particularly on overburden sites)coupled with toxic level of heavy metals would be the main challenges for successful phytostabilization of copper mine wastelands.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(No.4210070867)The Startup Foundation forIntroducing Talent(No.003080)of Nanjing University of Information Science&Technology(NUIST),Nanjing,China+2 种基金the Jiangsu Distinguished Professor Program of the People s Government of Jiangsu Province,Chinathe Foreign 1000 Young Talents Program Fund(No.31950410547)of the NationalMinistry of Science and Technology,Chinathe project URBFLUX(PID2021-125941OB-I00,MINECO-FEDER)。
文摘Abstarct In recognition of the rising threats of groundlevel ozone(O_(3))pollution to forests,agricultural crops,and other types of vegetation,accurate and realistic risk assessment is urgently needed.The accumulated O_(3)exposure over a concentration threshold of 40 nmol mol-1(AOT40)is the most commonly used metric to investigate O3 exposure and its effects on vegetation and to conduct vegetation risk assessment.It is also used by international regulatory authorities for deriving critical levels and setting standards to protect vegetation against surface O_(3).However,fixed periods of the growing season are used universally,yet growing seasons vary with latitudes and elevations,and the periods of plant lifespan also differ among annual species.Here,we propose the concept of the Annual O_(3)Spectrum Profile(AO_(3)SP)and apply it to calculate the profile of AOT40 throughout the year(AAOT40SP,Annual AOT40 Spectrum Profile)using the International Organization for Standardization(ISO)weeks as a shorter window ISO-based accumulated exposure.Using moving time periods of three(for crops)or six(for forests)months,the i so AOT40 behavior throughout the year can be examined as a diagnostic tool for O_(3)risks in the short-or long-term during the lifecycle of local vegetation.From this analysis,AOT40(i so AOT40)that is most representative for the local conditions and specific situations can be identified,depending on the exact growing season and lifecycle of the target vegetation.We applied this novel approach to data from five background monitoring stations located at different elevations in Cyprus.Our results show that the AAOT40SP approach can be used for improved and more realistic assessment of O3 risks to vegetation.The AO_(3)SP approach can also be applied using metrics other than AOT40(exposure-or flux-based),adding a new dimension to the way O_(3)risk to vegetation is assessed.
