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An L, Li Q, Wu P, Lu W, Li X, Zhang C, Zhang R. Potential impacts of coal mining activities on nitrate sources and transport in a karst river basin in southwest China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:15412-15423. [PMID: 38296925 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32167-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Typical sources of nitrate pollution in the fragile ecological environment of karst areas, such as agricultural production activities and domestic sewage, have long attracted serious concern. However, coal development can play an equally significant role in releasing the nitrogen fixed in coal into surface watersheds in the form of nitrate, nitrite, or ammonia, consequently threatening the water quality of surface water systems in mining areas. In this study, a typical karst surface watershed system affected by coal mining activities was selected for an in-depth investigation with the aim of realistically assessing the potential contribution of coal mining to nitrogen pollution. The results reveal increasingly concerning nitrate pollution from August 2020 to November 2021 in the Huatan River watershed under the influence of anthropogenic activities, especially mining development and agricultural production. Given that the nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of nitrate do not support the presence of denitrification, the variation in the NO3-/Cl- ratio and the relatively stable Cl- concentration may be a reflection of nitrification. Although the leaching of atmospheric precipitation on the strata in the basin promoted the release of nitrogen associated with coal mining, the higher rate of nitrogen cycling in the oligotrophic mine water environment limited the contribution of coal mining to nitrogen pollution in the surface watershed. Specifically, the contribution of coal mining activities to nitrogen pollution in surface karst river is mainly NH4+-N, which contributes 10% or less to the nitrate input to the waters of the Huatan River. The findings thus highlight the necessity of further uncovering the geochemical cycling process of nitrogen during the transport of mine water in the coal mining environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li An
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Qingguang Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
| | - Pan Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Weiqi Lu
- School of Public Management, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Xuexian Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Chipeng Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Ruixue Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
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Nie W, Hua Y, Zhou W, Liu Q, Cai X, Cheng L. Design and application of a dust suppression technology of the forcing air curtain in fully mechanized rock tunnelling faces. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:34943-34954. [PMID: 35041173 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To effectively reduce high dust concentrations and keep clean air in fully mechanized rock tunnelling faces in coal mine, this study carried out a research of dust suppression technology of the forcing air curtain. First, the mechanism of dust diffusion controlled by the forcing air curtain was introduced in this study. Then, numerical simulations of the formation of the forcing air curtain as well as the influence for dust diffusion under the different distance between forcing air duct outlet and heading end were carried out. Moreover, a dust suppression technology of the forcing air curtain was designed and tested in a fully mechanized rock tunnelling face of southern return air tunnel which was located in the Tangkou coal mine of China. It shows that the numerical simulation results were in good agreement with the in situ tests. The average removal rate of total and respirable dust could reach up to 95.1% and 96.1%, respectively, at manned working areas in the tunnel. Research results show that the dust suppression technology of the forcing air curtain is an effective method of dust control in fully mechanized rock tunnelling faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Nie
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Yun Hua
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Weiwei Zhou
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China.
| | - Xiaojiao Cai
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, Shandong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-Found By Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
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The Effects of Surface Lignite Mines Closure on the Particulates Concentrations in the Vicinity of Large-Scale Extraction Activities. MINERALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/min12030347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The European green deal and energy transition policies and the competition primarily shaped by the high price of carbon dioxide emission allowances and the consistently reduced cost of renewable energy technologies directly affect the coal and lignite extraction industry. Lignite production in Western Macedonia Lignite Centre reduced from 43.2 million tons in 2010 to 10.3 million tons in 2020. This development affects the ambient air quality of the large lignite mine area, as evidenced by the records of 10 monitoring stations incorporating the laser light scattering method. All stations measure reduced particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations compared to the period before 2010, while the number of annual exceedances of the limit value for the daily average PM10 concentrations has been decreased. Moreover, differences in air quality measurements of monitoring stations related to their distance from mining activities now tend to be minimized. Based on these facts, it can be predicted that, after the closure of lignite extraction and the electricity generation activities, the concentration of particulates in the atmosphere will reach the typical levels for rural areas of Southern Europe, no matter what the mines’ land reforestation and repurposing program will include.
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Enrichment Mechanisms of Gallium and Indium in No. 9 Coals in Anjialing Mine, Ningwu Coalfield, North China, with a Preliminary Discussion on Their Potential Health Risks. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
To provide a comprehensive insight into the enrichment mechanism of gallium and indium in No. 9 coals, eighteen samples were collected from Anjialing mine, Ningwu Coalfield, Shanxi Province for coal petrological, mineralogical and geochemical analyses. The results suggested that Ga and In enrichment mainly hosted in the top horizons, with average concentration coefficients of 8.99 and 2.73 respectively, compared with the rest of horizons (2.46 for Ga and 1.69 for In). Source apportionment indicated that Ga and In were mainly derived from bauxite of Benxi Formation in Yinshan Oldland, while In could originate from felsic magmatic rocks in Yinshan Oldland as well. In addition, weak oxidation condition, medium to intensive weathering, transgression and input of terrestrial higher plants had positive effects on Ga and In enrichment. With the rapid expansion of emerging electronics manufacturing, Ga and In, of which potential risks on human health were neglected previously, were recently considered as hazardous elements. Therefore, this paper also discussed the potential pathways that these elements threatened human health. We suggested that potential risks on environment and human health caused by Ga and In enrichment in coals and coal-related products should be taken into account besides their economic value.
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Charvalas G, Solomou AD, Giannoulis KD, Skoufogianni E, Bartzialis D, Emmanouil C, Danalatos NG. Determination of heavy metals in the territory of contaminated areas of Greece and their restoration through hyperaccumulators. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:3858-3863. [PMID: 33405129 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11920-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Phytoremediation is an effective technique for the processing of contaminated soil and for sequestering environmental contaminants such as heavy metals. This kind of pollution is ubiquitous in mines and similar excavation sites. This mini-review aims to provide an overview of the alternative forms of restoring contaminated soils (phytoremediation) highlighting the areas of Kozani (Agios Dimitrios) and Chalkidiki (Stratoni) in Greece characterized by exorbitant metallurgical activities. Firstly, a literature search in databases such as ScienceDirect, SciFinder, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus was conducted, using the following keywords to identify relevant articles: "utilization", "plants", "phytoremediation", "sustainability", "environment", and "restoration". Two case studies have subsequently been chosen in Northern Greece, one characterized by metal mining (Pb, Zn, Ag) and hot summer Mediterranean climate and another one involving lignite mining and concomitant Cr, Zn, Cu, and Ni pollution under subtropical climate. Based on the literature search some possible, non-invasive plant species were proposed, focusing on the most efficient hyperaccumulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Charvalas
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
| | - Alexandra D Solomou
- Institute of Mediterranean and Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization "DEMETER", N. Chlorou 1, Ilisia, 11528, Athens, Greece.
| | - Kyriakos D Giannoulis
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Elpiniki Skoufogianni
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Bartzialis
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Christina Emmanouil
- Department of Rural and Surveying Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nicholaos G Danalatos
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
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Katsoyiannis IA, Voutsa D. Sustainable environmental chemistry and technology with focus on the Mediterranean area. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:12189-12190. [PMID: 29512016 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-1585-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dimitra Voutsa
- Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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