Article
Engineering, Environmental
Katharina Lange, Maria Viklander, Godecke-Tobias Blecken
Summary: Metals in stormwater can be toxic to organisms, with the study finding that an ecological treatment system can reduce the concentrations of certain metals, although the removal efficiency for some dissolved metals is lower. Copper, lead, and zinc in highway runoff exist in particulate form, but the speciation of copper and zinc in the effluent of the ecological treatment system has shifted.
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Dan, Chun-xing Chen, Meng-yao Zou, Yang-yang Deng, Xiao-meng Zhang, Jian-jun Du, Yang Yang
Summary: The study evaluated the removal efficiency, kinetic, and behavior of different antibiotics from STP effluent in a hybrid constructed wetland (HCW) and a layered biological filter (LBF) at different hydraulic loading rates (HLRs). Quinolones showed the highest removal efficiency in HCW, followed by macrolides, tetracyclines, quinolones in LBF, macrolides in LBF, and sulfonamides in both systems. HCW exhibited better removal of most antibiotics, while LBF had stronger total loading toleration and higher removal loading ability to antibiotics, with different mechanisms of removal observed in each system.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Giancarla Alberti, Camilla Zanoni, Vittorio Losi, Sara Rovertoni, Lisa Rita Magnaghi, Osian Fonquernie, Stephane Brandes, Agnese Amati, Jean-Claude Chambron, Nicolas Maudoux, Raffaela Biesuz, Michel Meyer
Summary: This study presents a new solid-phase sorbent, DFO@Purolite, obtained by functionalizing a commercial epoxy methacrylate resin with desferrioxamine B (DFO), for the sorption of iron(III) and zirconium(IV). The sorption properties were investigated in detail, including kinetics, isotherms, and pH dependence. The stoichiometry and complexation constants were determined using the Gibbs-Donnan model, revealing good agreement with previous studies in homogeneous solutions and providing insights into a controversial speciation model.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingying Tang, Tong Li, Yujin Xu, Hongqiang Ren, Hui Huang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of electrical stimulation on conventional denitrification biofilters (DNBFs) treating industrial secondary effluent containing chlorophenols (CPs). The results showed that electrical stimulation significantly improved the removal rates of nitrogen and CPs, but had limited effect on reducing biotoxicity. Electrical stimulation promoted the growth of certain bacteria and further enhanced wastewater treatment performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Xie, C. Yu, B. Peng, H. Xiao, W. Zhang, Z. Zhou, M. E. Astrom
Summary: This study reassesses the environmental impacts of the Dexing copper mine in China, focusing on metal pollution and the effectiveness of remediation activities. The results show that the river system is heavily influenced by acid mine drainage and contains elevated levels of metals. Remediation practices have led to a decrease in metal concentrations, but have also increased sulfate release.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Debojit S. Tanmoy, Juan C. Bezares-Cruz, Gregory H. LeFevre
Summary: This study assessed the applicability of recycled materials as a polishing step to improve the effluent quality of anammox reactors. The results demonstrated that recycled concrete aggregate and rice husks effectively removed nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphate from anammox wastewater. The two-stage column showed the best removal efficiency and consistent removal rates.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Priscila Ribeiro dos Santos, Luan de Souza Leite, Luiz Antonio Daniel
Summary: This study investigated the performance of BAC filtration as a post-treatment of anaerobic effluent and found that under low filtration rates, it achieved the best organic carbon removal efficiency. The results indicated the capability of BAC systems to efficiently remove organic carbon and turbidity from effluents with high organic content, showing its potential value in wastewater treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Kresimir Ljubetic, Wenying Liu
Summary: The global gold industry is seeking alternative technologies to cyanidation for treating low grade refractory gold ores due to the inefficiency of cyanide and increased public scrutiny. Chloride has been identified as a potential replacement for cyanide, but little research has been done on gold leaching in ferric chloride media at moderate temperatures. This study investigates the thermodynamics and kinetics of gold dissolution in ferric chloride media, and explores the effects of key process variables on the rate and extent of gold dissolution.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wenjie Hu, Fang Hu, Haotong Guo, Tongpan Wu, Qi Jia, Eming Hu, Hongqiang Wang, Zhiwu Lei, Qingliang Wang
Summary: A new rapid oxidative removal technology of Fe2+ and Mn2+ by a new-type biofilter system was developed and tested to address the excessive concentration of Fe2+ and Mn2+ in acidic mining wastewater. The biofilter system efficiently treated five times its volume of wastewater per hour. The average Fe2+ and Mn2+ removal rates reached 99.7% and 90.8%, respectively. The removal mechanism involved the oxidation of Fe and Mn ions, with iron oxidation products easily washed out and manganese oxidation products accumulating within the filter layer.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Keith F. O'Connor, Souhail R. Al-Abed, Patricio X. Pinto, Phillip M. Potter
Summary: Watershed systems affected by mining waste can have long-lasting negative impacts on the surrounding environment. This study investigated trace metal concentrations in water and sediment to assess the health of a watershed undergoing remediation efforts, with a focus on zinc as the primary contaminant. Results showed that surface cover, specifically pasture lands, had a significant correlation with zinc concentrations. After decades of remediation, most sites showed a reduction in metal concentrations, but some sites still had potential health risks.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bastian Blume, Michael Witting, Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Bernhard Michalke
Summary: The progression of Parkinson's disease is linked to iron redox status homeostasis and ROS formation, with lipids being the primary targets of ROS. A novel extraction method using EGTA as a stabilizing agent and synthetic quartz beads has been demonstrated to be faster, easier, and more reliable for determining iron redox status in vivo. Combining metal extraction with lipid extraction protocols using MTBE allows for the simultaneous determination of lipid profiles and metal species, effectively addressing the challenges of lipid precipitation and total metal content determination in frozen samples.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Michael Opare Asare, Jerry Owusu Afriyie
Summary: This study provides an overview of soil contamination by metals due to ancient mining and metallurgy activities, highlighting the adverse effects on ecosystems and lives. It emphasizes the need to understand the persistence, distribution, and bioavailability of metals for selecting proper remediation techniques for contaminated soils. Additionally, it raises the question of the long-term fate of metal contaminations in soils and the bioaccumulation of metals in recent fields even after centuries without mining and metallurgy activities.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Kresimir Ljubetic, Kashif Mairaj Deen, Wenying Liu
Summary: The research found that chloride may be an effective alternative to cyanide for gold extraction, but gold extraction plateaued under heap leaching conditions. Electrochemical studies showed that gold dissolution was restricted when chloride activity was low, with membrane formation hindering the dissolution process on the gold surface.
MINERALS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fenfen Zhang, Dan Wu, Fei Xia, Xiaodi Zhang, Xiubao Li, Hui Huang, Huan Feng, Jing Zhang
Summary: This study presents an annual iron record on black coral organic skeleton from the northern South China Sea, revealing environmental changes over the past century. The Fe in black coral was found to be mainly combined with 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) as tris-DOPA-Fe complex, showing a spatial coordination structure of complexation. The elevated Fe concentration in the Fe profile corresponded well to the exploitation history of the adjacent onshore Tiandu Iron Mine from 1939 to 1960 and war activities in the 1970s.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yongqing Niu, Hui Zhang, Sen Yang, Bingyan Liu, Ziyao Hao, Luji Yu, Zhaoxu Peng
Summary: This study established a nitrogen removal biofilter coupled with electrode plates to treat a mixture of raw sewage and secondary effluent. The nitrogen removal characteristics and microbial community of the system were investigated. The results showed that the electrochemical biofilter had a higher NH4+-N removal rate compared to the traditional biofilter. The carbon source had a greater impact on denitrification performance. The successful construction of the electrochemical system was confirmed by the enrichment of electrochemically active bacteria.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Guillaume Nielsen, Lucie Coudert, Amelie Janin, Jean Francois Blais, Guy Mercier
MINE WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Khalifa Lounate, Lucie Coudert, Thomas Genty, Guy Mercier, Jean Francois Blais
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sophie Costis, Lucie Coudert, Kristin K. Mueller, Emmanuelle Cecchi, Carmen Mihaela Neculita, Jean-Francois Blais
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
El Houssaine Moutiy, Lan-Huong Tran, Kristin K. Mueller, Lucie Coudert, Jean-Francois Blais
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lan-Huong Tran, Kulchaya Tanong, Ahlame Dalila Jabir, Guy Mercier, Jean-Francois Blais
Article
Environmental Sciences
Driss Barraoui, Jean-Francois Blais, Michel Labrecque
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a chemical leaching process for cleaning biosolids and removing metals without reducing their agronomic potential. The results showed that while cleaned biosolids decreased metal concentrations in soil, the impact on plants, leachate, and soil metal concentrations was not significant.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Javier F. Reynes, Guy Mercier, Jean-Francois Blais, Louis-Cesar Pasquier
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of indirect mineral carbonation process using silicic, Fe-rich mining waste with direct flue gas CO2 via iron complexation using 2,2'-bipyridine. The results showed that under suitable conditions, 38% of Fe cations can be leached, complexed, and reacted under mild conditions, achieving a CO2 uptake of 57.3%.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nicolas Reynier, Roselyne Gagne-Turcotte, Lucie Coudert, Sophie Costis, Rory Cameron, Jean-Francois Blais
Summary: This study found that tailings from inactive uranium mine sites can serve as a potential secondary source of rare earth elements, with successful solubilization of key elements like REEs, U, and Th through bioleaching experiments. Different ion exchange resins could be used for effective recovery of these elements, showing promising results for co-extraction from the bioleaching solution.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Sophie Costis, Lucie Coudert, Kristin K. Mueller, Carmen Mihaela Neculita, Jean-Francois Blais
Summary: The study found that under freeze-thaw cycles, the mobility of certain elements in rare earth tailings decreased, reducing the potential environmental contamination risk.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sophie Costis, Lucie Coudert, Kristin Mueller, Carmen Mihaela Neculita, Jean-Francois Blais
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of salinity on flotation tailings behavior at Eldor deposit in Quebec. Tests showed that divalent cations were more mobile in the presence of CaCl2, while U and Sc were most mobile in the presence of salts regardless of the solution used. The presence of salts tended to increase the mobility of divalent cations in the residues and enhance their contamination potential.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mariana Valdez Castillo, Satinder Kaur Brar, Sonia Arriaga, Jean-Francois Blais, Antonio Avalos Ramirez
Summary: This study aimed to increase the production of 2-phenylethanol by fermenting whey with immobilized yeasts. The results showed that the immobilization of yeasts on inert support significantly increased the production of 2-phenylethanol, with the highest yield achieved using filter Kaldnes plastic rings.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Sitraka Herizo Andrianandraina, Houshang Darvishi-Alamdari, Jean-Francois Blais
Summary: The reuse of bioleachate reduces water consumption and nutrient requirements, and has a positive effect on gold recovery and the solubilization rates of other metals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Valdez Castillo, Satinder Kaur Brar, Sonia Arriaga, Jean-Francois Blais, Michele Heitz, Antonio Avalos Ramirez
Summary: This study aimed to valorize agri-food residues by developing a suitable bioprocess for the production of 2-phenylethanol (2PE) from cheese whey. The results showed that the addition of brewer's spent yeast (BSY) as a nitrogen source promoted the growth of yeasts and the production of 2PE. Scale-up to a 2 L bioreactor resulted in twofold better productivity compared to the literature. The bioprocess contributed to the circular economy of the dairy industry by preventing environmental contamination.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Driss Barraoui, Jean-Francois Blais, Michel Labrecque
Summary: The chemical leaching process was effective in cleaning municipal biosolids spiked with heavy metals, resulting in improved corn growth when used as soil amendments. Cleanup and washing increased the total biomass of roots and stalks, but also reduced the biosorption of metals like Cd, Cu, and Zn, while leaching of metals into outlet water remained at moderately low levels.
EMERGING CONTAMINANTS
(2021)