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Neves O, Moreno F, Pinheiro D, Pinto MC, Inácio M. Soil low-density geochemical mapping of technology-critical elements (TCEs) and its environmental implications: The case of lithium in Portugal. Sci Total Environ 2024; 934:173207. [PMID: 38750747 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Increased use of technology-critical elements (TCEs) like lithium (Li), and their socio-environmental impacts, make it an issue of national and global importance. In Portugal, new Li exploration/exploitation projects are a very likely scenario. Thus, it is essential to establish geochemical backgrounds/thresholds for Li in soil, which can have several applications. Here, Li contents were determined and mapped from a previous low-density geochemical survey that covered the entire continental area of Portugal, following UNESCO's IGCP 259 project recommendations. The sampling sites were chosen in undisturbed/uncultivated land to ensure a reliable representation of "natural" soils. A total of 152 samples (0-20 cm; <2 mm) were taken for this study. Soil Li analysis was carried out by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) after aqua regia (AR) extraction (geoavailable Li), while a subset of 55 samples underwent further digestion with a strong acid mixture to measure total Li (FAAS). This was done to ascertain the relationship between the two Li fractions and its environmental significance. Soil Li spatial distribution was produced with GIS software. Median values of 14 mg/kg for geoavailable Li and 60 mg/kg for total Li were estimated from these datasets. The first value is comparable to the median Li (11 mg/kg) from an AR-extraction for agricultural/grazing soils in Europe (GEMAS project). Based on spatial analysis, Cambisols overlying granitoids in northern/central Portugal contain the highest AR-extractable Li (40 mg/kg). Such areas are recognized for hard-rock Li mineralizations, mainly associated with aplite-pegmatites. Principal Component Analysis identified an important Li-Al relationship, linked to Cambisols and Leptosols overlying granitoids/metamorphic rocks. The geoavailable/total Li ratios revealed that >60 % of the samples have a relatively high proportion (>45 %) of Li that can be mobilized/dispersed in the surface environment. These findings are intended to support the management of potential concerns regarding Li mining in mainland Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orquídia Neves
- CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Filipa Moreno
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | | | | | - Manuela Inácio
- GeoBiotec, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Ebeling A, Wippermann D, Zimmermann T, Klein O, Kirchgeorg T, Weinberg I, Hasenbein S, Plaß A, Pröfrock D. Investigation of potential metal emissions from galvanic anodes in offshore wind farms into North Sea sediments. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 194:115396. [PMID: 37582306 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate potential metal emissions from offshore wind farms (OWFs), 215 surface sediment samples from different German North Sea OWFs taken between 2016 and 2022 were analyzed for their mass fractions of metals and their isotopic composition of Sr. For the first time, this study provides large-scale elemental data from OWFs of the previously proposed galvanic anode tracers Cd, Pb, Zn, Ga and In. Results show that mass fractions of the legacy pollutants Cd, Pb and Zn were mostly within the known variability of North Sea sediments. At the current stage the analyzed Ga and In mass fractions as well as Ga/In ratios do not point towards an accumulation in sediments caused by galvanic anodes used in OWFs. However, further investigations are advisable to evaluate long-term effects over the expected lifetime of OWFs, especially with regard to the current intensification of offshore wind energy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ebeling
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany; Universität Hamburg, Department of Chemistry, Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Wippermann
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany; Universität Hamburg, Department of Chemistry, Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tristan Zimmermann
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Ole Klein
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Torben Kirchgeorg
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ingo Weinberg
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Hasenbein
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Plaß
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Pröfrock
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
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Qvarforth A, Lundgren M, Rodushkin I, Engström E, Paulukat C, Hough RL, Moreno-Jiménez E, Beesley L, Trakal L, Augustsson A. Future food contaminants: An assessment of the plant uptake of Technology-critical elements versus traditional metal contaminants. Environ Int 2022; 169:107504. [PMID: 36122458 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Technology-critical elements (TCEs) include most rare earth elements (REEs), the platinum group elements (PGEs), and Ga, Ge, In, Nb, Ta, Te, and Tl. Despite increasing recognition of their prolific release into the environment, their soil to plant transfer remains largely unknown. This paper provides an approximation of the potential for plant uptake by calculating bioconcentration factors (BCFs), defined as the concentration in edible vegetable tissues relative to that in cultivation soil. Here data were obtained from an indoor cultivation experiment growing lettuce, chard, and carrot on 22 different European urban soils. Values of BCFs were determined from concentrations of TCEs in vegetable samples after digestion with concentrated HNO3, and from concentrations in soil determined after 1) Aqua Regia digestion and, 2) diluted (0.1 M) HNO3 leaching. For comparison, BCFs were also determined for 5 traditional metal contaminants (TMCs; As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn). The main conclusions of the study were that: 1)BCF values for the REEs were consistently low in the studied vegetables;2)the BCFs for Ga and Nb were low as well;3) the BCFs for Tl were high relative to the other measured TCEs and the traditional metal contaminants; and 4) mean BCF values for the investigated TCEs were generally highest in chard and lowest in carrot. These findings provide initial evidence that there are likely to be real and present soil-plant transfer of TCEs, especially in the case of Tl. Improvements in analytical methods and detection limits will allow this to be further investigated in a wider variety of edible plants so that a risk profile may be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Qvarforth
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
| | - M Lundgren
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - I Rodushkin
- Division of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden; ALS Laboratory Group, ALS Scandinavia AB, Luleå, Sweden
| | - E Engström
- Division of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden; ALS Laboratory Group, ALS Scandinavia AB, Luleå, Sweden
| | - C Paulukat
- ALS Laboratory Group, ALS Scandinavia AB, Luleå, Sweden
| | - R L Hough
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK
| | - E Moreno-Jiménez
- Univ Autonoma Madrid, Fac Sci, Dept Agr & Food Chem, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany; Department of Environmental Geosciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - L Beesley
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK; Department of Environmental Geosciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - L Trakal
- Department of Environmental Geosciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - A Augustsson
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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Takyi SA, Basu N, Arko-Mensah J, Dwomoh D, Houessionon KG, Fobil JN. Biomonitoring of metals in blood and urine of electronic waste (E-waste) recyclers at Agbogbloshie, Ghana. Chemosphere 2021; 280:130677. [PMID: 33964762 PMCID: PMC8287752 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that e-waste recyclers may be exposed to potentially high levels of metals though associations between such exposures and specific work activities is not well established. In addition, studies have focused on metals traditionally biomonitored and there is no data on the exposure of recyclers to elements increasingly being used in new technologies. In the current study, levels of metals were measured in blood and urine of e-waste recyclers at Agbogbloshie (Ghana) and a control group. Blood and urine samples (from 100 e-waste recyclers and 51 controls) were analyzed for 17 elements (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Ce, Cr, Eu, La, Mn, Nd, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tb, Tl, Y) using the ICP-MS. Most e-waste recyclers reported performing at least 4 different tasks in decreasing order as e-waste dismantling (54%), trading/selling of e-waste (45%), burning wires only (40%), and collecting wires after burning (34%). Mean levels of blood Pb, Sr, Tl, and urinary Pb, Eu, La, Tb, and Tl were significantly higher in recyclers versus controls. In general, the collectors and sorters tended to have higher elemental levels than other work groups. Blood Pb levels (mean 92.4 μg/L) exceeded the U.S. CDC reference level in 84% of the e-waste recyclers. Likewise, blood Cd, Mn, and urinary As levels in recyclers and controls were higher than in reference populations elsewhere. E-waste recyclers are exposed to metals traditionally studied (e.g., Pb, Cd, As) and several other technology-critical and rare earth elements which previously have not been characterized through human biomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia A Takyi
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana.
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - John Arko-Mensah
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
| | - Duah Dwomoh
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
| | - Karel G Houessionon
- Regional Institute of Public Health, Comlan Alfred Quenum, University of Abomey-Calavi, Ouidah, Benin
| | - Julius N Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
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Filella M. TCEs and environmental research: is the TCEs concept scientifically fruitful? Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:20565-20570. [PMID: 32279253 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08621-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
TCEs stands for technology-critical elements, a group of chemical elements for which imbalances between supply and demand exist or are deemed probable. This article challenges the scientific usefulness of such a classification when dealing with environmental and toxicological issues. Criticality is an economic conceptualization that is not well suited to guiding environmental chemistry research efforts. The classification is even counterproductive because it does not foster collaborative research with the countries directly touched by the environmental problems which are directly linked to the production of the elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Filella
- Department F.-A. Forel, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Ringering K, Kouhail Y, Yecheskel Y, Dror I, Berkowitz B. Mobility and retention of indium and gallium in saturated porous media. J Hazard Mater 2019; 363:394-400. [PMID: 30321844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.09.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Transport of indium and gallium is reported in laboratory column experiments using quartz sand as a model porous medium representative of a groundwater system. With increased use of indium and gallium in recent years, mainly in the semiconductor industry, concerns arise regarding their environmental effects. The transport and retention behavior of these two metals were quantified via batch and column experiments, and numerical modeling. The effect of natural organic matter on indium and gallium mobility was studied by addition of humic acid (HA). Measured breakthrough curves from column experiments demonstrated different binding capacities between indium and gallium, stronger for indium, with the presence of HA affecting retention dynamics. For indium, the binding capacity on quartz decreases significantly in the presence of HA, leading to enhanced mobility. In contrast, gallium exhibits slightly higher retention and lower mobility in the presence of HA. In all cases, the binding capacity of gallium to quartz is much weaker than that of indium. These results are consistent with the assumption that indium and gallium form different types of complexes with organic ligands, with gallium complexes appearing more stable than indium complexes. Quantitative modeling confirmed that metal retention is controlled by complex stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Ringering
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yasmine Kouhail
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yinon Yecheskel
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ishai Dror
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Brian Berkowitz
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Filella M, Rodríguez-Murillo JC. Less-studied TCE: are their environmental concentrations increasing due to their use in new technologies? Chemosphere 2017; 182:605-616. [PMID: 28525874 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The possible environmental impact of the recent increase in use of a group of technology-critical elements (Nb, Ta, Ga, In, Ge and Te) is analysed by reviewing published concentration profiles in environmental archives (ice cores, ombrotrophic peat bogs, freshwater sediments and moss surveys) and evaluating temporal trends in surface waters. No increase has so far been recorded. The low potential direct emissions of these elements, resulting from their absolute low production levels, make it unlikely that the increasing use of these elements in modern technology has any noticeable effect on their environmental concentrations on a global scale. This holds particularly true for those of these elements that are probably emitted in relatively high amounts from other human activities (i.e., coal combustion and non-ferrous smelting), such as In, the most studied element of the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Filella
- Institute F.-A. Forel, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - J C Rodríguez-Murillo
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain
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Cobelo-García A, Filella M, Croot P, Frazzoli C, Du Laing G, Ospina-Alvarez N, Rauch S, Salaun P, Schäfer J, Zimmermann S. COST action TD1407: network on technology-critical elements (NOTICE)--from environmental processes to human health threats. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2015; 22:15188-94. [PMID: 26286804 PMCID: PMC4592495 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5221-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The current socio-economic, environmental and public health challenges that countries are facing clearly need common-defined strategies to inform and support our transition to a sustainable economy. Here, the technology-critical elements (which includes Ga, Ge, In, Te, Nb, Ta, Tl, the Platinum Group Elements and most of the rare-earth elements) are of great relevance in the development of emerging key technologies-including renewable energy, energy efficiency, electronics or the aerospace industry. In this context, the increasing use of technology-critical elements (TCEs) and associated environmental impacts (from mining to end-of-life waste products) is not restricted to a national level but covers most likely a global scale. Accordingly, the European COST Action TD1407: Network on Technology-Critical Elements (NOTICE)-from environmental processes to human health threats, has an overall objective for creating a network of scientists and practitioners interested in TCEs, from the evaluation of their environmental processes to understanding potential human health threats, with the aim of defining the current state of knowledge and gaps, proposing priority research lines/activities and acting as a platform for new collaborations and joint research projects. The Action is focused on three major scientific areas: (i) analytical chemistry, (ii) environmental biogeochemistry and (iii) human exposure and (eco)-toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cobelo-García
- Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (IIM-CSIC), 36208, Vigo, Spain.
| | - M Filella
- Institute F.-A. Forel, University of Geneva, Route de Suisse 10, CH-1290, Versoix, Switzerland.
| | - P Croot
- Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), Galway, Ireland.
| | - C Frazzoli
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, via Giano della Bella 34, 00162, Rome, Italy.
| | - G Du Laing
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - N Ospina-Alvarez
- Applied Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Warsaw, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - S Rauch
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - P Salaun
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, 4, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L693GP, UK.
| | - J Schäfer
- University of Bordeaux, UMR EPOC 5805, Allée Geoffroy St Hilaire, 33615, Pessac, France.
| | - S Zimmermann
- Aquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45117, Essen, Germany.
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