Modulation of hexavalent chromium toxicity on Οriganum vulgare in an acidic soil amended with peat, lime, and zeolite.

Dynamics of chromate (Cr(VI)) in contaminated soils may be modulated by decreasing its phytoavailability via the addition of organic matter-rich amendments, which might accelerate Cr(VI) reduction to inert chromite (Cr(III)) or high-cation exchange capacity amendments. We studied Cr(VI) phytoavailability of oregano in a Cr(VI)-spiked acidic soil non-treated (S) and treated with peat (SP), lime (SL), and zeolite (SZ). The addition of Cr(VI) increased the concentrations of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in soils and plants, especially in the lime-amended soil. The plant biomass decreased in the lime-amended soil compared to the un-spiked soil (control) due to decreased plant phosphorus concentrations and high Cr(VI) concentrations in root at that treatment. Oregano in the peat-amended soil exhibited significantly less toxic effects, due to the role of organic matter in reducing toxic Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and boosted plant vigour in this treatment. In the lime-amended soil, the parameters of soil Cr(VI), soil Cr(III), and root Cr(III) increased significantly compared to the non-amended soil, indicating that Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) was accelerated at high pH. Added zeolite failed to decreased Cr(VI) level to soil and plant. Oregano achieved a total uptake of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) of 0.275 mg in plant kg-1 soil in a pot in the non-amended soil. We conclude that peat as soil amendment might be considered as a suitable option for decreasing Cr(VI) toxicity in soil and plant, and that oregano as tolerant plant species has a certain potential to be used as a Cr accumulator.

Uptake of Zn2+ ions by a fully iron-exchanged clinoptilolite. Case study of heavily contaminated drinking water samples.

Clinoptilolite, a natural zeolite, was used for the synthesis of a high surface area clinoptilolite (Clin)-iron (Fe) oxide system, in order to be used for the removal of Zn(2+) ions from drinking water samples. The new system was obtained by adding natural Clin in an iron nitrate solution under strongly basic conditions. The Clin-Fe system has specific surface area equal to 151 m(2)/g and is fully iron exchanged (Fe/Al=1.23). Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to determine the effectiveness of the Clin and the Clin-Fe system in removal of Zn from drinking water. Adsorption experiments were conducted by mixing 1.00 g of each of the substrates with certain volume of water samples contaminated with ten different Zn concentrations (from 7.65x10(-5) to 3.82x10(-2)M or from 5.00 to 2500 ppm Zn). For our experimental conditions, the maximum adsorbed Zn amount by Clin was 71.3mg/g, whereas by the Clin-Fe system 94.8 mg/g. The main factors that contribute to different adsorbed Zn amounts by the two solids are due to new surface species and negative charge of the Clin-Fe system. In addition, the release of counterbalanced ions (i.e. Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+) and K(+)) was examined, as well as the dissolution of framework Si and Al. It was found that for most of the samples the Clin-Fe system releases lower concentrations of Ca, Mg and Na and higher concentrations of K than Clin, while the dissolution of Si/Al was limited. Changes in the composition of water samples, as well as in their pH and conductivities values were reported and explained.