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Kong X, Liu Y, Duan Z, Lv J. Bayesian multivariate receptor model and convolutional neural network to identify quantitative sources and spatial distributions of potentially toxic elements in soils: A case study in Qingzhou City, China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135184. [PMID: 39024766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Determining sources and spatial distributions of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a crucial issue of soil pollution survey. However, uncertainty estimation for source contributions remains lack, and accurate spatial prediction is still challenging. Robust Bayesian multivariate receptor model (RBMRM) was applied to the soil dataset of Qingzhou City (8 PTEs in 429 samples), to calculate source contributions with uncertainties. Multi-task convolutional neural network (MTCNN) was proposed to predict spatial distributions of soil PTEs. RBMRM afforded three sources, consistent with US-EPA positive matrix factorization. Natural source dominated As, Cr, Cu, and Ni contents (78.5 %∼86.1 %), and contributed 37.1 %, 61.0 %, and 65.9 % of Cd, Pb, and Zn, exhibiting low uncertainties with uncertainty index (UI) < 26.7 %. Industrial, traffic, and agricultural sources had significant influences on Cd, Pb, and Zn (30.2 %∼61.9 %), with UI < 39.3 %. Hg originated dominantly from atmosphere deposition (99.1 %), with relatively high uncertainties (UI=87.7 %). MTCNN acquired satisfactory accuracies, with R2 of 0.357-0.896 and nRMSE of 0.092-0.366. Spatial distributions of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were influenced by parent materials. Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn showed significant hotspot in urban area. This work conducted a new approach exploration, and practical implications for soil pollution regulation were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyi Kong
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan 250014, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Business School, University of Ji'nan, Ji'nan 250022, China
| | - Zongqi Duan
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianshu Lv
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan 250014, China.
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2
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Wielinski J, Huang X, Lowry GV. Characterizing the Stoichiometry of Individual Metal Sulfide and Phosphate Colloids in Soils, Sediments, and Industrial Processes by Inductively Coupled Plasma Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:12113-12122. [PMID: 38917351 PMCID: PMC11238586 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10186] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Size and purity of metal phosphate and metal sulfide colloids can control the solubility, persistence, and bioavailability of metals in environmental systems. Despite their importance, methods for detecting and characterizing the diversity in the elemental composition of these colloids in complex matrices are missing. Here, we develop a single-particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (sp-icpTOF-MS) approach to characterize the elemental compositions of individual metal phosphate and sulfide colloids extracted from complex matrices. The stoichiometry was accurately determined for particles of known composition with an equivalent spherical diameter of ≥∼200 nm. Assisted by machine learning (ML), the new method could distinguish particles of the copper sulfides covellite (CuS), chalcocite (Cu2S), and chalcopyrite particles (CuFeS2) with 75% (for Cu2S) to 99% (for CuFeS2) accuracy. Application of the sp-icpTOF-MS method to particles recovered from natural samples revealed that iron sulfide (FeS) particles in lake sediment contained ∼4% copper and zinc impurities, whereas pure pyrite (FeS2) was identified in hydraulic fracturing wastewater and confirmed by selected area electron diffraction. Colloidal mercury in an offshore marine sediment was present as pure mercury sulfide (HgS), whereas geogenic HgS recovered from an industrial process contained ∼0.08 wt % silver per Hg, enabling source apportionment of these colloids using ML. X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirmed that Hg was predominantly present as metacinnabar (β-HgS) in the industrial process sample. The determination of impurities in individual colloids, such as zinc and copper in FeS, and silver in HgS may enable improved assessment of their origin, reactivity, and bioavailability potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Wielinski
- Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Xiaopeng Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Gregory V. Lowry
- Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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3
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Rodrigues PDA, de Oliveira AT, Ramos-Filho AM, de Pinho JV, Neves GL, Conte-Junior CA. Human health risks assessment of the fluctuations in mercury levels in seafood from different key regions of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33267-0. [PMID: 38607486 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33267-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) contamination on the Brazilian southeast coast has been highlighted, especially in relation to species of commercial importance. This study aimed to quantify the Hg concentration in species of mussels, fish, and crabs obtained from fishing colonies on the beaches of the west and south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, investigate the possible effect of seasonality, sex, and location sampling, and finally, the risk to consumer health in four different age groups. The difference between cooked and raw commercially available mussel samples was also verified. The main results highlight that the fish presented higher levels of Hg and that the mussel samples sold cooked presented lower levels of Hg when compared to the raw ones. For Micropogonias furnieri, Sardinella brasiliensis, and Callinectes spp., the season variable influenced Hg concentrations, while only for Merluccius merluccius was a difference between the sexes identified, with males having the highest values. Although Hg concentrations in animals were below the permitted limit, consumption of all species exceeded the monthly intake limit for this metal. For the hazard quotient (HQ) calculation, most species presented HQ > 1, especially when ingested by the child population. These results are fundamental for designing consumption strategies for these animals, in order to prioritize the acquisition of some species over others, depending on the location and/or season, for each age group, with the aim of maintaining seafood consumption with minimal risk to the population's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma de Almeida Rodrigues
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil.
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil.
| | - Adriano Teixeira de Oliveira
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
- Animal Morphophysiology Laboratory, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Amazonas (IFAM), Manaus Centro Campus (CMC), Manaus, AM, 69020-120, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Mendes Ramos-Filho
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
| | - Julia Vianna de Pinho
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Sanitary Surveillance (PPGVS), National Institute of Health Quality Control (INCQS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Lata Neves
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
| | - Carlos Adam Conte-Junior
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Sanitary Surveillance (PPGVS), National Institute of Health Quality Control (INCQS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Veterinary Hygiene (PPGHV), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Vital Brazil Filho, Niterói, RJ, 24220-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Food Science (PPGCAL), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Chemistry (PGQu), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941 909, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry (PPGBq), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941 909, Brazil
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4
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Koenigsmark F, Rivera NA, Pierce EM, Hsu-Kim H. Dissolution Potential of Elemental Mercury in the Presence of Bisulfide and Implications for Mobilization. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12388-12397. [PMID: 37561589 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Liquid elemental mercury (Hg0L) pollution can remain in soils for decades and, over time, will undergo corrosion, a process in which the droplet surface oxidizes soil constituents to form more reactive phases, such as mercury oxide (HgO). While these reactive coatings may enhance Hg migration in the subsurface, little is known about the transformation potential of corroded Hg0L in the presence of reduced inorganic sulfur species to form sparingly soluble HgS particles, a process that enables the long-term sequestration of mercury in soils and generally reduces its mobility and bioavailability. In this study, we investigated the dissolution of corroded Hg0L in the presence of sulfide by quantifying rates of aqueous Hg release from corroded Hg0L droplets under different sulfide concentrations (expressed as the S:Hg molar ratio). For droplets corroded in ambient air, no differences in soluble Hg release were observed among all sulfide exposure levels (S:Hg mole ratios ranging from 10-4 to 10). However, for droplets oxidized in the presence of a more reactive oxidant (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2), we observed a 10- to 25-fold increase in dissolved Hg when the oxidized droplets were exposed to low sulfide concentrations (S:Hg ratios from 10-4 to 10-1) relative to droplets exposed to high sulfide concentrations. These results suggest two critical factors that dictate the release of soluble Hg from Hg0L in the presence of sulfide: the extent of surface corrosion of the Hg0L droplet and sufficient sulfide concentration for the formation of HgS solids. The mobilization of Hg0L in porous media, therefore, largely depends on aging conditions in the subsurface and chemical reactivity at the Hg0L droplet interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye Koenigsmark
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University ,118A Hudson Hall, Box 90287,Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Nelson A Rivera
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University ,118A Hudson Hall, Box 90287,Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Eric M Pierce
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University ,118A Hudson Hall, Box 90287,Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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5
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Rodrigues PDA, de Pinho JV, Ramos-Filho AM, Neves GL, Conte-Junior CA. Mercury contamination in seafood from an aquatic environment impacted by anthropic activity: seasonality and human health risk. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:85390-85404. [PMID: 37382820 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28435-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum activity and the dumping of domestic and industrial sewage are important sources of mercury (Hg) contamination in the aquatic environment. Thus, this article aimed to biomonitor the Hg concentration in fish, mussels, and swimming crabs of commercial importance in southeastern Brazil. The quantifications were carried out over a year to verify the influence of seasonality. Finally, a risk assessment was applied to identify whether the concentrations found could lead to long-term damage to the population. Our results indicate that the contaminations were higher in spring, summer, and winter than in autumn, mainly among fish and swimming crabs. The results of quantification in the animal and estimated monthly intake, despite being below the limit established nationally and internationally, were indicative of risk for these two animals after calculating the Hazard quotient. The highest risk values were attributed to the infant population. Based on the data generated by this work, the consumption of mussels is encouraged throughout the year, to the detriment of the other types of seafood studied, especially during summer, spring, and winter. Our work reinforces the importance of risk assessment for a more reliable understanding of the impact of contaminants in seafood on the population's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma de Almeida Rodrigues
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil.
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil.
| | - Júlia Vianna de Pinho
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- National Institute of Health Quality Control, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Sanitary Surveillance (PPGVS), National Institute of Health Quality Control (INCQS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Mendes Ramos-Filho
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Lata Neves
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
| | - Carlos Adam Conte-Junior
- Analytical and Molecular Laboratorial Center (CLAn), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Center for Food Analysis (NAL), Technological Development Support Laboratory (LADETEC), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-598, Brazil
- Laboratory of Advanced Analysis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (LAABBM), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- National Institute of Health Quality Control, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Sanitary Surveillance (PPGVS), National Institute of Health Quality Control (INCQS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Veterinary Hygiene (PPGHV), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Vital Brazil Filho, Niterói, RJ, 24220-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Food Science (PPGCAL), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Chemistry (PGQu), Institute of Chemistry (IQ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil
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6
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Paton L, Crafts P, Clases D, Lindsay T, Zimmer A, Siboni H, de Vega RG, Feldmann J. The impact of corrosion on the adsorption of gaseous Hg0 onto the surface of steels: Implications for decommissioning in the oil and gas industry. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131975. [PMID: 37399722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
The rate of decommissioning of global oil and gas production facilities will accelerate over coming decades, as mature developments reach the end of use, and consumers transition towards renewable energy. Decommissioning strategies should include thorough environmental risk assessments which consider contaminants which are known to be present in oil and gas systems. Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that occurs naturally in oil and gas reservoirs. However, knowledge of Hg contamination in transmission pipelines and process equipment is limited. We investigated the potential for accumulation of Hg0 within production facilities, particularly those transporting gases, by considering the deposition of Hg onto steel surfaces from the gas phase. Following incubation experiments in a Hg saturated atmosphere; fresh API 5L-X65 and L80-13Cr steels were found to adsorb 1.4 × 10-5 ± 0.04 × 10-5 and 1.1 × 10-5 ± 0.04 × 10-5 g m-2, respectively, while corroded samples of the same steels adsorbed 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.83 ± 0.02 g m-2; an increase in adsorbed mercury by four orders of magnitude. The association between surface corrosion and Hg was demonstrated by laser ablation ICPMS. The levels of Hg measured on the corroded steel surfaces indicates a potential environmental risk; therefore, mercury speciation (including the presence of ß-HgS, not considered in this study), concentrations and cleaning methods should be considered when developing oil and gas decommissioning strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lhiam Paton
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Crafts
- Genesis Energies, Aspect 32, Pavilion 3, Prospect Road, Arnhall Business Park, Westhill, Aberdeen AB32 6FE, UK
| | - David Clases
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Thomas Lindsay
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Zimmer
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Henrik Siboni
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; Single-Molecule Chemistry, Institute for Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Raquel Gonzalez de Vega
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Jörg Feldmann
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
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Koenigsmark F, Chiu M, Rivera N, Johs A, Eskelsen J, Leonard D, Robertson BK, Szynkiewicz A, Derolph C, Zhao L, Gu B, Hsu-Kim H, Pierce EM. Crystal lattice defects in nanocrystalline metacinnabar in contaminated streambank soils suggest a role for biogenic sulfides in the formation of mercury sulfide phases. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:445-460. [PMID: 36692344 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00549a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
At mercury (Hg)-contaminated sites, streambank erosion can act as a main mobilizer of Hg into nearby waterbodies. Once deposited into the waters, mercury from these soils can be transformed to MeHg by microorganisms. It is therefore important to understand the solid-phase speciation of Hg in streambanks as differences in Hg speciation will have implications for Hg transport and bioavailability. In this study, we characterized Hg solid phases in Hg-contaminated soils (100-1100 mg per kg Hg) collected from the incised bank of the East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, TN (USA). The analysis of the soil samples by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated numerous microenvironments where Hg and sulfur (S) are co-located. According to bulk soil analyses by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), the near-neighbor Hg molecular coordination in the soils closely resembled freshly precipitated Hg sulfide (metacinnabar, HgS); however, EXAFS fits indicated the Hg in the HgS structure was undercoordinated with respect to crystalline metacinnabar. This undercoordination of Hg-S observed by spectroscopy is consistent with transmission electron microspy images showing the presence of nanocrystallites with structural defects (twinning, stacking faults, dislocations) in individual HgS-bearing particles. Although the soils were collected from exposed parts of the stream bank (i.e., open to the atmosphere), the presence of reduced forms of S and sulfate-reducing microbes suggests that biogenic sulfides promote the formation of HgS nanoparticles in these soils. Altogether, these data demonstrate the predominance of nanoparticulate HgS with crystal lattice defects in the bank soils of an industrially impacted stream. Efforts to predict the mobilization and bioavailability of Hg associated with nano-HgS forms should consider the impact of nanocrystalline lattice defects on particle surface reactivity, including Hg dissolution rates and bioavailability on Hg fate and transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye Koenigsmark
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Michelle Chiu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Nelson Rivera
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Alexander Johs
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Jeremy Eskelsen
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Donovan Leonard
- Manufacturing Demonstration Facility Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Boakai K Robertson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA
| | - Anna Szynkiewicz
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Christopher Derolph
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Linduo Zhao
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Baohua Gu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Eric M Pierce
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
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8
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Kho F, Koppel DJ, von Hellfeld R, Hastings A, Gissi F, Cresswell T, Higgins S. Current understanding of the ecological risk of mercury from subsea oil and gas infrastructure to marine ecosystems. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129348. [PMID: 35797785 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many oil and gas fields are nearing production cessation and will require decommissioning, with the preferred method being complete infrastructure removal in most jurisdictions. However, decommissioning in situ, leaving some disused components in place, is an option that may be agreed to by the regulators and reservoir titleholders in some circumstances. To understand this option's viability, the environmental impacts and risks of any residual contaminants assessed. Mercury, a contaminant of concern, is naturally present in hydrocarbon reservoirs, may contaminate offshore processing and transmission infrastructure, and can biomagnify in marine ecosystems. Mercury's impact is dependent on its speciation, concentration, and the exposure duration. However, research characterising and quantifying the amount of mercury in offshore infrastructure and the efficacy of decontamination is limited. This review describes the formation of mercury-contaminated products within oil and gas infrastructure, expected exposure pathways after environmental release, possible impacts, and key research gaps regarding the ecological risk of in situ decommissioned contaminated infrastructure. Suggestions are made to overcome these gaps, improving the in situ mercury quantification in infrastructure, understanding environmental controls on, and forecasting of, mercury methylation and bioaccumulation, and the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors within decommissioned infrastructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenny Kho
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Curtin Corrosion Centre, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Darren J Koppel
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Rebecca von Hellfeld
- National Decommissioning Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
| | - Astley Hastings
- National Decommissioning Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Francesca Gissi
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Tom Cresswell
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart Higgins
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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9
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Cai W, Wang Y, Feng Y, Liu P, Dong S, Meng B, Gong H, Dang F. Extraction and Quantification of Nanoparticulate Mercury in Natural Soils. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:1763-1770. [PMID: 35005907 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticulate mercury (Hg-NPs) are ubiquitous in nature. However, the lack of data on their concentration in soils impedes reliable risk assessments. This is due to the analytical difficulties resulting from low ambient Hg concentrations and background interferences of heterogeneous soil components. Here, coupled to single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (spICP-MS), a standardized protocol was developed for extraction and quantification of Hg-NPs in natural soils with a wide range of properties. High particle number-, particle mass-, and total mass-based recoveries were obtained for spiked HgS-NPs (74-120%). Indigenous Hg-NPs across soils were within 107-1011 NPs g-1, corresponding to 3-40% of total Hg on a mass basis. Metacinnabar was the primary Hg species in extracted samples from the Wanshan mercury mining site, as characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In agreement with the spICP-MS analysis, electron microscopy revealed comparable size distribution for nanoparticles larger than 27 nm. These indigenous Hg-NPs contributed to 5-65% of the measured methylmercury in soils. This work paves the way for experimental determinations of indigenous Hg-NPs in natural soils, which is critical to understand the biogeochemical cycling of mercury and thereby the methylation processes governing the public exposure to methylmercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Cai
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yujun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Feng
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Peng Liu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shuofei Dong
- Agilent Technologies Co., Ltd (China), Beijing 100102, China
| | - Bo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Hua Gong
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Fei Dang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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10
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Xu J, Bland GD, Gu Y, Ziaei H, Xiao X, Deonarine A, Reible D, Bireta P, Hoelen TP, Lowry GV. Impacts of Sediment Particle Grain Size and Mercury Speciation on Mercury Bioavailability Potential. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:12393-12402. [PMID: 34505768 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Particle-specific properties, including size and chemical speciation, affect the reactivity of mercury (Hg) in natural systems (e.g., dissolution or methylation). Here, terrestrial, river, and marine sediments were size-fractionated and characterized to correlate particle-specific properties of Hg-bearing solids with their bioavailability potential and measured biomethylation. Marine sediments contained ∼20-50% of the total Hg in the <0.5 μm size fraction, compared to only 0.5 and 3.0% in this size fraction for terrestrial and river sediments, respectively. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis indicated that metacinnabar (β-HgS) was the main mercury species in a marine sediment, whereas organic Hg-thiol (Hg(SR)2) was the main mercury species in a terrestrial sediment. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the marine sediment suggests that half of the Hg in the <0.5 μm size fraction existed as individual nanoparticles, which were β-HgS based on XAS analyses. Glutathione-extractable mercury was higher for samples containing Hg(SR)2 species than β-HgS species and correlated well with the amount of Hg biomethylation. This particle-scale understanding of how Hg speciation and particle size affect mercury bioavailability potential helps explain the heterogeneity in Hg methylation in natural sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Xu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Garret D Bland
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Yuan Gu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Hasti Ziaei
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Xiaoyue Xiao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Amrika Deonarine
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Danny Reible
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Paul Bireta
- Chevron Technical Center (a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Division), San Ramon, California 94583, United States
| | - Thomas P Hoelen
- Chevron Technical Center (a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Division), San Ramon, California 94583, United States
| | - Gregory V Lowry
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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11
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Zhang Y, Bland GD, Yan J, Avellan A, Xu J, Wang Z, Hoelen TP, Lopez-Linares F, Hatakeyama ES, Matyjaszewski K, Tilton RD, Lowry GV. Amphiphilic Thiol Polymer Nanogel Removes Environmentally Relevant Mercury Species from Both Produced Water and Hydrocarbons. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:1231-1241. [PMID: 33404237 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Technologies for removal of mercury from produced water and hydrocarbon phases are desired by oil and gas production facilities, oil refineries, and petrochemical plants. Herein, we synthesize and demonstrate the efficacy of an amphiphilic, thiol-abundant (11.8 wt % S, as thiol) polymer nanogel that can remove environmentally relevant mercury species from both produced water and the liquid hydrocarbon. The nanogel disperses in both aqueous and hydrocarbon phases. It has a high sorption affinity for dissolved Hg(II) complexes and Hg-dissolved organic matter complexes found in produced water and elemental (Hg0) and soluble Hg-alkyl thiol species found in hydrocarbons. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis indicates that the sorbed mercury is transformed to a surface-bound Hg(SR)2 species in both water and hydrocarbon regardless of its initial speciation. The nanogel had high affinity to native mercury species present in real produced water (>99.5% removal) and in natural gas condensate (>85% removal) samples, removing majority of the mercury species using only a 50 mg L-1 applied dose. This thiolated amphiphilic polymeric nanogel has significant potential to remove environmentally relevant mercury species from both water and hydrocarbon at low applied doses, outperforming reported sorbents like sulfur-impregnated activated carbons because of the mass of accessible thiol groups in the nanogel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Garret D Bland
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jiajun Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Astrid Avellan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jiang Xu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zongyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Thomas P Hoelen
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, San Ramon, California 94583, United States
| | | | - Evan S Hatakeyama
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, San Ramon, California 94583, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Robert D Tilton
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Gregory V Lowry
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Environmental Implications of Nano Technology (CEINT), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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12
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Manjarres-Suarez A, Olivero-Verbel J. Hematological parameters and hair mercury levels in adolescents from the Colombian Caribbean. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:14216-14227. [PMID: 32043249 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07738-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the heavy metals of concern for fish-eating populations. This pollutant can be released from many sources and generates diverse toxic effects in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate hematological parameters and their relationship with total Hg (T-Hg) levels in the hair of adolescents from Tierrabomba, an island close to an industrialized area, and also from San Onofre, a reference site. Blood and hair samples were collected from 194 individuals, aged 11-18 years old, as well as sociodemographic and dietary information. The hematological profile showed marked differences between the two sites. Mean values for almost all variables of the red blood cell line, as well as lymphocyte percentage (LYM%) and monocyte percentage (MID%), were greater in Tierrabomba. In contrast, red cell distribution width (RDW), white blood cells (WBC), granulocyte percentage (GRA%), and plateletcrit (PTC) were higher at the reference site. Total Hg mean in Tierrabomba was 1.10 ± 0.07 μg/g, while at San Onofre, it was 1.87 ± 0.11 μg/g. In both places, more than 49% of participants had Hg concentrations over the limit threshold (1 μg/g). Overall mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and T-Hg showed a negative correlation (r = - 0.162, p = 0.024). However, positive associations were observed between T-Hg and MID% for Tierrabomba (r = 0.193, p = 0.041), and between T-Hg and mixed cells (MID) for the reference site (r = 0.223, p = 0.044). A significant relationship was found for fish consumption frequency and T-Hg levels (r = 0.360, p < 0.001). These results indicate blood parameters may be affected by Hg even at low-level exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Manjarres-Suarez
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
| | - Jesus Olivero-Verbel
- Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia.
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13
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Hernández S, Islam MS, Thompson S, Kearschner M, Hatakeyama E, Malekzadeh N, Hoelen T, Bhattacharyya D. Thiol-Functionalized Membranes for Mercury Capture from Water. Ind Eng Chem Res 2020; 59:5287-5295. [PMID: 33208988 DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.9b03761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pore functionalized membranes with appropriate ion exchange/chelate groups allow toxic metal sorption under convective flow conditions. This study explores the sorption capacity of ionic mercury in a polyvinylidene fluoride-poly(acrylic acid) (PVDFs-PAA) functionalized membrane immobilized with cysteamine (MEA). Two methods of MEA immobilization to the PVDF-PAA membrane have been assessed: (i) ion exchange (IE) and (ii) carbodiimide cross-linker chemistry using 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethyl carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS), known as EDC/NHS coupling. The ion exchange method demonstrates that cysteamine (MEA) can be immobilized effectively on PVDF-PAA membranes without covalent attachment. The effectiveness of the MEA immobilized membranes to remove ionic mercury from the water was evaluated by passing a dissolved mercury(II) nitrate solution through the membranes. The sorption capacity of mercury for MEA immobilized membrane prepared by the IE method is 1015 mg/g PAA. On the other hand, the sorption capacity of mercury for MEA immobilized membrane prepared by EDC/NHS chemistry is 2446 mg/g PAA, indicating that membrane functionalization by EDC/NHS coupling enhanced mercury sorption 2.4 times compared to the IE method. The efficiencies of Hg removal are 94.1 ± 1.1 and 99.1 ± 0.1% for the MEA immobilized membranes prepared by IE and EDC/NHS coupling methods, respectively. These results show potential applications of MEA immobilized PVDF-PAA membranes for industrial wastewater treatment specifically from energy and mining industries to remove mercury and other toxic metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Hernández
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0046, United States
| | - Md Saiful Islam
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0046, United States
| | - Samuel Thompson
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0046, United States
| | - Madison Kearschner
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0046, United States
| | - Evan Hatakeyama
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, California 94801, United States
| | - Nga Malekzadeh
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, California 94801, United States
| | - Thomas Hoelen
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, California 94801, United States
| | - Dibakar Bhattacharyya
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0046, United States
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14
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Chalkidis A, Jampaiah D, Hartley PG, Sabri YM, Bhargava SK. Mercury in natural gas streams: A review of materials and processes for abatement and remediation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 382:121036. [PMID: 31473516 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The role of natural gas in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and advancing renewable energy resource integration is undoubtedly critical. With the progress of hydrocarbons exploration and production, the target zones become deeper and the possibility of mercury contamination increases. This impacts on the industry from health and safety risks, due to corrosion and contamination of equipment, to catalyst poisoning and toxicity through emissions to the environment. Especially mercury embrittlement, being a significant problem in LNG plants using aluminum cryogenic heat exchangers, has led to catastrophic plant incidents worldwide. The aim of this review is to critically discuss the conventional and alternative materials as well as the processes employed for mercury removal during gas processing. Moreover, comments on studies examining the geological occurrence of mercury species are included, the latest developments regarding the detection, sampling and measurement are presented and updated information with respect to mercury speciation and solubility is displayed. Clean up and passivation techniques as well as disposal methods for mercury-containing waste are also explained. Most importantly, the environmental as well as the health and safety implications are addressed, and areas that require further research are pinpointed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Chalkidis
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia; CSIRO Energy, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia
| | - Deshetti Jampaiah
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Patrick G Hartley
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia; CSIRO Energy, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia
| | - Ylias M Sabri
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia.
| | - Suresh K Bhargava
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia.
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15
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Rivera NA, Bippus PM, Hsu-Kim H. Relative Reactivity and Bioavailability of Mercury Sorbed to or Coprecipitated with Aged Iron Sulfides. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:7391-7399. [PMID: 31173690 PMCID: PMC8412064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b00768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The potential for inorganic mercury (Hg) to be converted to methylmercury depends, in part, on the chemical form of Hg and its bioavailability to anaerobic microorganisms that can methylate Hg. In anaerobic settings, Hg can be associated with sulfide phases, including ferrous iron sulfide (FeS), which can sorb or be coprecipitated with Hg. The objective of this study was to determine if the aging state of FeS alters the Hg coordination environment as well as the reactivity and bioavailability of sorbed and coprecipitated Hg species. FeS particles were synthesized with and without Hg2+ and aged in anaerobic conditions for multiple time frames spanning from 1 h to 1 month. For FeS particles synthesized without Hg, Hg2+ was subsequently sorbed to the FeS for 1 day. Analysis of Hg speciation of these materials by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy revealed a predominance of four-coordinate Hg-S species in the sorbed Hg-FeS solids and a mixture of two- and four-coordinate Hg-S in the coprecipitated Hg-FeS. The leaching potential of the Hg was assessed by exposing the particles to a solution of dissolved glutathione (a thiolate-based Hg chelator). As expected, the sorbed Hg-FeS released more soluble Hg compared to the coprecipitated Hg-FeS. However, when these particles were exposed to Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 (a known Hg methylator), more Hg was methylated from the coprecipitated Hg-FeS than the sorbed Hg-FeS, consistent with expectations from the Hg-S coordination state and inconsistent with the selective leaching results. Overall, these results suggest that the bioavailability of particulate Hg cannot be easily discerned by its leaching potential into bulk solution. Rather, bioavailability entails more subtle interactions at particle-cell interfaces and perhaps correlates with the local Hg-S coordination state in the particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson A. Rivera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 90287, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Paige M. Bippus
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 90287, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 90287, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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16
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Chalkidis A, Jampaiah D, Amin MH, Hartley PG, Sabri YM, Bhargava SK. CeO 2-Decorated ?-MnO 2 Nanotubes: A Highly Efficient and Regenerable Sorbent for Elemental Mercury Removal from Natural Gas. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:8246-8256. [PMID: 31132272 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
CeO2 nanoparticle-decorated ?-MnO2 nanotubes (NTs) were prepared and tested for elemental mercury (Hg0) vapor removal in simulated natural gas mixtures at ambient conditions. The composition which had the largest surface area and a relative Ce/Mn atomic weight ratio of around 35% exhibited a maximum Hg0 uptake capacity exceeding 20 mg?g?1 (2 wt %), as determined from measurements of mercury breakthrough which corresponded to 99.5% Hg0 removal efficiency over 96 h of exposure. This represents a significant improvement in the activity of pure metal oxides. Most importantly, the composite nanosorbent was repeatedly regenerated at 350 ?C and retained the 0.5% Hg0 breakthrough threshold. It was projected to be able to sustain 20 regeneration cycles, with the presence of acid gases, CO2, and H2S, not affecting its performance. This result is particularly important, considering that pure CeO2 manifests rather poor activity for Hg0 removal at ambient conditions, and hence, a synergistic effect in the composite nanomaterial was observed. This possibly results from the addition of facile oxygen vacancy formation at ?-MnO2 NTs and the increased amount of surface-adsorbed oxygen species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Chalkidis
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
- CSIRO Energy , Private Bag 10, Clayton South , Victoria 3169 , Australia
| | - Deshetti Jampaiah
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
| | - Mohamad Hassan Amin
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
| | - Patrick G Hartley
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
- CSIRO Energy , Private Bag 10, Clayton South , Victoria 3169 , Australia
| | - Ylias M Sabri
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
| | - Suresh K Bhargava
- Centre for Advanced Materials & Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science , RMIT University , GPO Box 2476, Melbourne , Victoria 3001 , Australia
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17
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Gai K, Avellan A, Hoelen TP, Lopez-Linares F, Hatakeyama ES, Lowry GV. Impact of mercury speciation on its removal from water by activated carbon and organoclay. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 157:600-609. [PMID: 31003075 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) speciation can affect its removal efficiency by adsorbents. This study assessed the removal of dissolved inorganic Hg(II) species (Hg(II)*), β-HgS nanoparticles (HgS NP), and Hg complexed with dissolved organic matter (Hg-DOM) by three sorbents: activated carbon (AC), sulfur-impregnated activated carbon (SAC), and organoclay (OC). The effect of ionic composition, solution ionic strength, and natural organic matter (NOM) concentration on the removal of each Hg species was also evaluated. The three adsorbents were all effective in removing Hg(II)*, Hg-DOM, and HgS NPs. Increasing ionic strength decreased the removal of Hg(II)* species due to the formation of ionic Hg species with lower affinity for the sorbents. Added NOM decreased the removal of Hg(II)* and HgS NPs by all sorbents with the OC sorbent being most susceptible to NOM fouling. On a surface area-normalized basis, the OC removed all types of Hg species better than the AC and SAC samples. Moreover, adsorbed Hg-DOM transformed to a β-HgS phase on the OC, but not for AC and SAC. These studies indicate that both Hg speciation and the water quality parameters need to be considered when designing sorbent-based emission controls to meet Hg removal targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Gai
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
| | - Astrid Avellan
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
| | - Thomas P Hoelen
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, CA, 94802, United States
| | | | - Evan S Hatakeyama
- Chevron Energy Technology Company, Richmond, CA, 94802, United States
| | - Gregory V Lowry
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States.
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18
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Ruhland D, Nwoko K, Perez M, Feldmann J, Krupp EM. AF4-UV-MALS-ICP-MS/MS, spICP-MS, and STEM-EDX for the Characterization of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles in Gas Condensates from Petroleum Hydrocarbon Samples. Anal Chem 2018; 91:1164-1170. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b05010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruhland
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, U.K
| | - Kenneth Nwoko
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, U.K
| | - Magali Perez
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, U.K
| | - Jörg Feldmann
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, U.K
| | - Eva M. Krupp
- Trace Element Speciation Laboratory (TESLA), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, U.K
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