The adsorption characteristics of heavy metals: Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions on tourmaline were studied. Adsor- ption equilibrium was established. The adsorption isotherms of all the four metal ions followed well Langmuir equation. Tourmaline was found to remove heavy metal ions efficiently from aqueous solution with selectivity in the order of Pb(II)>Cu(II)>Cd(II)>Zn(II). The adsorption of metal ions by tourmaline increased with the initial concentration of metal ions increasing in the medium. Tourmaline could also increase pH value of metal solution. The maximum heavy metal ions adsorbed by tourmaline was found to be 78.86, 154.08, 67.25, and 66.67 mg/g for Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II), respectively. The temperature (25—55℃) had a small effect on the adsorption capacity of tourmaline. Competitive adsorption of Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions was also studied. The ad- sorption capacity of tourmaline for single metal decreased in the order of Pb>Cu>Zn >Cd and inhibition dominance observed in two metal systems was Pb>Cu, Pb>Zn, Pb>Cd, Cu>Zn, Cu>Cd, and Cd>Zn.
Heavy metal contamination in soils has been of wide concern in China in the last several decades. The heavy metal contamination was caused by sewage irrigation, mining and inappropriate utilization of various agrochemicals and pesticides and so on. The Shenyang Zhangshi irrigation area (SZIA) in China is a representative area of heavy metal contamination of soils resulting from sewage irrigation for about 30 years duration. This study investigated the spatial distribution and temporal variation of soil cadmium contamination in the SZIA. The soil samples were collected from the SZIA in 1990 and 2004; Cd of soils was analyzed and then the spatial distribution and temporal variation of Cd in soils was modelled using kriging methods. The kriging map showed that long-term sewage irrigation had caused serious Cd contamination in topsoil and subsoil. In 2004, the Cd mean concentrations were 1.698 and 0.741 mg/kg, and the maxima 10.150 and 7.567 mg/kg in topsoils (0—20 cm) and subsoils (20—40 cm) respectively. These values are markedly more than the Cd levels in the second grade soil standard in China. In 1990, the Cd means were 1.023 and 0.331 mg/kg, and the maxima 9.400 and 3.156 mg/kg, in topsoils and subsoils respectively. The soil area in 1990 with Cd more than 1.5 mg/kg was 2701 and 206.4 hm2 in topsoils and subsoils respectively; and in 2004, it was 7592 and 1583 hm2, respectively. Compared with that in 1990, the mean and maximum concentration of Cd, as well as the soil area with Cd more than 1.5 Mg/kg had all increased in 2004, both in topsoils and subsoils.
SUN Li-naZHANG Yao-huaSUN Tie-hengGONG Zong-qiangLIN XinLI Hai-bo
A pot experiment was conducted to examine the influence of phosphate levels on the phytoavailability and speciation distribution of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) in soil. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was selected as the tested plant. There were 5 phosphate fertilizer(Ca(H2PO4)2) levels including 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg P2O5/kg soil, marked by P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4, respec- tively. CdCl2·2.5H2O and Pb(NO3)2 were added to soil as the following levels: Cd + Pb = 25+0, 0+1000, and 25+1000 mg/kg, marked by T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The results showed that the P fertilizer promoted the dry weight of wheat in all treatments and alleviated the contamination induced by Cd and Pb. With increasing levels of the additional P fertilizer, Cd concentration in different parts (root, haulm, chaff and grain) of wheat decreased at the P1 level at first and then increased. The soluble plus exchangeable (SE) fraction of Cd in soil decreased at the P1 level and then increased from P2 to P4 levels. The moderate P fertilizer reduced the phytoavailability of Cd. The application of P could obviously restrain the uptake of Pb by wheat and there were significantly negative correlations between the levels of P and the uptake of Pb. Phosphorus supply resulted in a decrease in the SE fraction of Pb and there was a significantly negative correlation between the levels of P and the SE fraction of Pb in soil. All the levels of the P fertilizer in this experiment could reduce the phytoavailability of Pb. Thus, it is feasible to apply the P fertilizer (Ca(H2PO4)2) to Pb contaminated soils. However, the levels of P application should be restricted in case that redundant P may increase the phytoavailability of Cd.
