Causes and impacts of a mine water spill from an acidic pit lake (Iberian Pyrite Belt).

In May 2017, a spill from La Zarza pit lake (SW Spain) resulted in the release of approximately 270,000 m3 of extremely acidic waters to the Odiel River. Around 780 × 103 kg of Fe, 170 × 103 kg of Al, 2.15 × 103 kg of As and high amounts of other trace metals and metalloids were spilled. The purpose of this study is to explain the causes, consequences and impacts of the mine spill on the receiving water bodies. To this end, an extensive sampling along the mine site, river and estuary as well as a hydrological model of the pit lake was performed. Around 53 km of the Odiel River's main course, which was already contaminated by acid mine drainage (AMD), were affected. The mine spill resulted in an incremental impact on the Odiel River water quality. Thus, dissolved concentrations of some elements increased in the river up to 450 times; e.g. 435 mg/L of Fe and 0.41 mg/L of As. Due to low pH values (around 2.5), most metals (e.g., Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd) were transported in the dissolved phase to the estuary, exhibiting a conservative behavior and decreasing their concentration only due to dilution. However, dissolved concentrations of Fe, Cr, Pb, Se, Sb, Ti, V and especially As decreased significantly along the river due to Fe precipitation and sorption/coprecipitation processes. At the upper zone of the estuary, a noticeable increment of metal concentrations (up to 77 times) was also recorded. The water balance illustrates the existence of groundwater inputs (at least 16% of total) to the pit lake, due probably to local infiltration of rainwater at the mining zone. The probable existence of an ancient adit connected to the pit lake indicates that potential releases could occur again if adequate prevention measures are not adopted.

High heterogeneity in soil composition and quality in different mangrove forests of Venezuela.

Mangrove forests play an important role in biogeochemical cycles of metals, nutrients, and C in coastal ecosystems. However, these functions could be strongly affected by the mangrove soil degradation. In this study, we performed an intensive sampling characterizing mangrove soils under different types of environment (lagoon/gulf) and vegetation (Rhizophora/Avicennia/dead mangrove) in the Venezuelan coast. To better understand the spatial heterogeneity of the composition and characteristics of the soils, a wide range of the soil attributes were analyzed. In general, the soils were anoxic (Eh < 200 mV), with a neutral pH and low concentration in toxic metals; nevertheless, they varied widely in the soil and its quality-defining parameters (e.g., clay contents, total organic carbon, Fe, Al, toxic trace metals). It is noteworthy that the mangroves presented a low FePyrite content due to a limitation in the Fe oxyhydroxide contents, especially in soils with higher organic C content (TOC > 15%). Finally, the dead mangrove showed significantly lower amounts of TOC and fibers (in comparison to the well-preserved mangrove forest), which indicates that the C pools in mangrove soils are highly sensitive also to natural impact, such as ENSO.

1.15 PW-850 J compressed beam demonstration using the PETAL facility.

The Petawatt Aquitaine Laser (PETAL) facility was designed and constructed by the French Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) as an additional PW beamline to the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) facility. PETAL energy is limited to 1 kJ at the beginning due to the damage threshold of the final optics. In this paper, we present the commissioning of the PW PETAL beamline. The first kJ shots in the amplifier section with a large spectrum front end, the alignment of the synthetic aperture compression stage and the initial demonstration of the 1.15 PW @ 850 J operations in the compression stage are detailed. Issues encountered relating to damage to optics are also addressed.

High fragility of the soil organic C pools in mangrove forests.

Mangrove forests play an important role in biogeochemical cycle of C, storing large amounts of organic carbon. However, these functions can be controlled by the high spatial heterogeneity of these intertidal environments. In this study were performed an intensive sampling characterizing mangrove soils under different type of vegetation (Rhizophora/Avicennia/dead mangrove) in the Venezuelan coast. The soils were anoxic, with a pH~7; however other soil parameters varied widely (e.g., clay, organic carbon). Dead mangrove area showed a significant lower amounts of total organic carbon (TOC) (6.8±2.2%), in comparison to the well-preserved mangrove of Avicennia or Rhizophora (TOC=17-20%). Our results indicate that 56% of the TOC was lost within a period of 10years and we estimate that 11,219kgm-2 of CO2 was emitted as a result of the mangrove death. These results represent an average emission rate of 11.2±19.17tCO2ha-1y-1.

Metal and acidity fluxes controlled by precipitation/dissolution cycles of sulfate salts in an anthropogenic mine aquifer.

Underground mine drainages are extremely difficult to study due to the lack of information about the flow path and source proximity in relation to the outflow adit. Geochemical processes controlling metals and acidity fluxes in a complex anthropogenic mine aquifer in SW Spain during the dry and rainy season were investigated by geochemical and statistical tools. High concentrations of acidity, sulfate, metals and metalloids (e.g. Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Ni, Co) were observed due to intense sulfide oxidation processes. The high residence time inside the anthropogenic aquifer, around 40days, caused the release of significant quantities of metals linked to host rocks (e.g. Al, Ca, Ge, Li, Mg, REE). The most outstanding characteristic of the acid mine drainage (AMD) outflows is the existence of higher Fe/SO4 molar ratios than those theoretical of pyrite (0.50) during most of the monitored period, due to a fire which occurred in 1949 and remained active for decades. Permanent and temporal retention mechanisms of acidity and metals were observed in the galleries. Once released from sulfide oxidation, Pb and As are sorbed on Fe oxyhydroxysulfate or precipitated as low solubility minerals (i.e. anglesite) inside the galleries. The precipitation of evaporitic sulfate salts during the dry season and the subsequent re-dissolution after rainfall control the fluxes of acidity and main metals (i.e. Fe, Mg, Al) from this anthropogenic aquifer. Some elements, such as Cd, Cu, Ni, REE and Zn, are retained in highly soluble sulfate salts while other elements, such as Ge, Pb and Sc, have a lower response to washout processes due to its incorporation in less soluble sulfate salts. In this way, metal concentration during the washout processes would be controlled by the proportion and solubility of each type of evaporitic sulfate salt stored during the dry season. The recovery of metals of economic interest contained in the AMD could help to self-finance the remediation of these waters in derelict mines worldwide.

The effect of carbon nanofillers on the performance of electromechanical polyaniline-based composite actuators.

Different types of crystalline carbon nanomaterials were used to reinforce polyaniline for use in electromechanical bilayer bending actuators. The objective is to analyze how the different graphitic structures of the nanocarbons affect and improve the in situ polymerized polyaniline composites and their subsequent actuator behavior. The nanocarbons investigated were multiwalled carbon nanotubes, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes, helical-ribbon carbon nanofibers and graphene oxide, each one presenting different shape and structural characteristics. Films of nanocarbon-PAni composite were tested in a liquid electrolyte cell system. Experimental design was used to select the type of nanocarbon filler and composite loadings, and yielded a good balance of electromechanical properties. Raman spectroscopy suggests good interaction between PAni and the nanocarbon fillers. Electron microscopy showed that graphene oxide dispersed the best, followed by multiwall carbon nanotubes, while nitrogen-doped nanotube composites showed dispersion problems and thus poor performance. Multiwall carbon nanotube composite actuators showed the best performance based on the combination of bending angle, bending velocity and maximum working cycles, while graphene oxide attained similarly good performance due to its best dispersion. This parallel testing of a broad set of nanocarbon fillers on PAni-composite actuators is unprecedented to the best of our knowledge and shows that the type and properties of the carbon nanomaterial are critical to the performance of electromechanical devices with other conditions remaining equal.

Water acidification trends in a reservoir of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain).

Scarcity of waters is the main limiting factor of economic development in most arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. The construction of reservoirs may be an optimal solution to assure water availability if the drainage area shows low disturbances. This is the quandary of mining areas where economic development relies on water accessibility. Water acidification trends were investigated in the Sancho Reservoir (SW Spain) in the last 20 years. The acidity (pH3-5) and high dissolved metal concentrations (e.g., 4.4 mg/L of Al, 2.1mg/L of Mn, 1.9 mg/L of Zn) observed in the Sancho, together with the large volume stored (between 37 and 55 Mm(3)), makes this reservoir an extreme case of surface water pollution worldwide. A progressive acidification has been observed since 2003, as evidenced by decreasing pH values and increasing dissolved metal concentrations, especially noticeable after 2007. The increase in the net acidity in the reservoir originates from the higher input of metals and acidity due to the rebound effect after the mining closure in 2001. This trend was not detected in the river feeding the reservoir due to its great hydrological and hydrochemical variability, typical of the Mediterranean climate. Chemical analysis and absolute dating of sediments identified a progressive enrichment in S and metals (i.e., Fe, Zn Cu, Ni, Co and Cd) in the upper 20 cm, which reinforce the year 2002/03 as the onset of the acidification of the reservoir. The decrease of pH values from 4-5 to 3-4 occurred later than the increase in sulfate and metals due to pH-buffering by Al. The acid mine drainage (AMD) pressure has caused an increment of dissolved Fe and other metals, as well as a change in the pH buffering role, exerted now by Fe. These processes were simulated by PHREEQC, which confirms that the acidification trend will continue, causing pH values to reach 2.5 if AMD pressure persists.

Phosphorus geochemistry in a Brazilian semiarid mangrove soil affected by shrimp farm effluents.

Wastewater discharge from shrimp farming is one of the main causes of eutrophication in mangrove ecosystems. We investigated the phosphorus (P) geochemistry in mangrove soils affected by shrimp farming effluents by carrying out a seasonal study of two mangrove forests (a control site (CS); a site affected by shrimp farm effluents (SF)). We determined the soil pH, redox potential (Eh), total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus (TP), and dissolved P. We also carried out sequential extraction of the P-solid phases. In SF, the effluents affected the soil physicochemical conditions, resulting in lower Eh and higher pH, as well as lower TOC and higher TP than in CS. Organic P forms were dominant in both sites and seasons, although to a lesser extent in SF. The lower TOC in SF was related to the increased microbial activity and organic matter decomposition caused by fertilization. The higher amounts of P oxides in SF suggest that the effluents alter the dominance of iron and sulfate reduction in mangrove soils, generating more reactive Fe that is available for bonding to phosphates. Strong TP losses were recorded in both sites during the dry season, in association with increased amounts of exchangeable and dissolved P. The higher bioavailability of P during the dry season may be attributed to increased mineralization of organic matter and dissolution of Ca-P in response to more oxidizing and acidic conditions. The P loss has significant environmental implications regarding eutrophication and marine productivity.

Bacterial and archaeal communities in the acid pit lake sediments of a chalcopyrite mine.

Bacterial and archaeal community structures and diversity of three different sedimentary environments (BH1A, BH2A and BH3A) in the acid pit lake of a chalcopyrite mine at Touro (Spain) were determined by 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE and sequencing of clone libraries. DGGE of bacterial and archaeal amplicons showed that the sediments harbor different communities. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences were assigned to Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi and uncultured bacteria, after clustering into 42 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). OTU 2 represented approximately 37, 42 and 37 % of all sequences from sediments BH1A, BH2A and BH3A, respectively, and was phylogenetically related to uncultured Chloroflexi. Remaining OTUs were phylogenetically related to heterotrophic bacteria, including representatives of Ferrithrix and Acidobacterium genera. Archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences were clustered into 54 OTUs. Most of the sequences from the BH1A sediment were assigned to Euryarchaeota, whereas those from BH2A sediment were assigned to Crenarchaeota. The majority of the sequences from BH3A sediment were assigned to unclassified Archaea, and showed similarities to uncultured and unclassified environmental clones. No sequences related to Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum, commonly associated with acid mine drainage, were detected in this study.

Application of System Dynamics technique to simulate the fate of persistent organic pollutants in soils.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are within the most dangerous pollutants released into the environment by human activities. Due to their resistance to degradation (chemical, biological or photolytic), it is critical to assess the fate and environmental hazards of the exchange of POPs between different environmental media. System Dynamics enables to represent complex systems and analyze their dynamic behavior. It provides a highly visual representation of the structure of the system and the existing relationships between the several parameters and variables, facilitating the understanding of the behavior of the system. In the present study the fate of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) in a contaminated soil was modeled using the Vensim® simulation software. Results show a gradual decrease in the lindane content in the soil during a simulation period of 10 years. The most important route affecting the concentrations of the contaminant was the biochemical degradation, followed by infiltration and hydrodynamic dispersion. The model appeared to be highly sensitive to the half-life of the pollutant, which value depends on environmental conditions and directly affects the biochemical degradation.

Use of Poultry Manure Combined with Soil Solarization as a Control Method for Meloidogyne incognita in Carnation.

The effectiveness of a combination of soil solarization and poultry manure (raw or pelletized) amendments for the control of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) was tested in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) crops grown in in-ground beds under plastic-covered greenhouse conditions in southern Spain. Our trials demonstrated that soil solarization alone did not provide sufficient control of root-knot nematode, because the carnation growing season in this region only partly coincides with the most effective period for solarization, resulting in an insufficient duration of treatment during a key period for effectiveness. Chemical fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene + chloropicrin prior to planting was effective in reducing nematode population densities in soil. Its effects spanned 9 months after planting, resulting in acceptable crop yields. In comparison, the combination of soil solarization and raw or pelletized poultry manure was slightly less effective than chemical fumigation for control of this pathogen but crop yields after 9 months were similar. However, the higher root gall indices observed after 9 months, in comparison with chemically fumigated plots, indicated the need for a reapplication of the organic manure treatment at the start of each successive growing season.

Effect of recombinant growth hormone on leptin, adiponectin, resistin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and ghrelin levels in growth hormone-deficient children.

BACKGROUND: Treatment with GH promotes linear growth and decreases body fat in patients with isolated GH deficiency (GHD). However, few studies have analyzed how GH replacement modifies ghrelin levels and the adipokine profile and the relationship of these modifications with the metabolic changes. AIMS: To analyze the eventual differences between serum levels of leptin, leptin soluble receptor (sOBR), resistin, adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), total (TG) and acylated ghrelin (AG) and lipid and glycemic profiles in children with GHD, as well as to determine the effect of GH replacement on these parameters during the first year of therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty pre-pubertal (Tanner stage I) GHD children and 30 matched controls were enrolled. Children with GHD were studied before and after 6 and 12 months of GH treatment. Weight, height, BMI, fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profile and serum levels of adipokines and ghrelin were studied at every visit. Adi - pokines, insulin and ghrelin levels were determined by using commercial radio- and enzymoimmunoassays. RESULTS: At baseline children with GHD had significantly higher sOBR (p<0.01) and adiponectin (p<0.01) levels than controls. Treatment with GH resulted in a decline in leptin (p<0.05) and TG (p<0.001) levels, an increase of homeostasis model assessment index and restored IGF-I levels (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that GH replacement has a negative effect on leptin levels and may also produce a slight unfavorable effect on carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, the changes observed in the adipokine profile appear to be independent of body mass index.

Analysis of composition, distribution and origin of hexachlorocyclohexane residues in agricultural soils from NW Spain.

Concentrations of the isomers of the organochlorine pesticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were determined in 252 surface soil samples collected within a sampling network covering agricultural areas in Galicia (NW Spain). The concentration of total HCH (sum of α+ß+γ+δ) ranged between 4 and 2305ngg(-)¹ (dry weight), with the α-HCH and γ-HCH isomers predominating (<1-1404ngg(-)¹ and <1-569ngg(-)¹, respectively). The distribution of the pesticide residues was very heterogeneous, with the largest concentrations present in one of the studied areas (the province of A Coruña). The distribution of HCH was not found to be related to any soil property (organic matter, pH, clays, and metals). Multivariate statistical analysis of the data revealed that three populations of samples with a defined composition of HCH, can be related to the source of HCH: technical HCH (α/γ>3), lindane (99% γ-HCH), or both. The existence of a third population consisting almost exclusively of α-HCH suggests that background contamination of anthropogenic origin dates from several decades ago. The detailed analysis of these populations enabled the possible temporal scale of the application of these pesticides to be deduced.

Reductive dechlorination of α-, ß-, γ-, and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane isomers with hydroxocobalamin, in soil slurry systems.

The present study was carried out to test the viability of a method of reductive dehalogenation of α-, ß-, γ-, and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in soil slurry systems. The soil slurries were maintained under anaerobic conditions, with titanium(III) citrate as a reducing agent and hydroxocobalamin (vitamin B(12a)) as a catalyzing agent. Experiments were carried out with two soil samples with markedly different characteristics (particularly regarding organic matter content), at a small scale and larger reactor scale. HCH concentration was monitored throughout the 24 h duration of the tests. In the low organic matter soil HCH isomers degraded rapidly, in both the small scale and reactor systems, and undetectable levels (<0.5%) were reached within 5 h. However, complete degradation of HCH isomers was not achieved in soil with high organic matter content, and there were differences between the results obtained in the small scale and reactor systems. In the small scale system, the levels of degradation reached 93, 88, 94, and 91%, for α-, ß-, γ-, and δ-HCH, respectively, and the nondegraded HCH was sorbed in the soil. In the reactor system, the reaction stopped after two hours (no more than 65% of any of the isomers was degraded).

Simulated geochemical weathering of a mineral ash-rich biochar in a modified Soxhlet reactor.

Although there are many studies on the characterization of C in biochar and its C sequestration potential, there is little knowledge on the mineral fraction in biochar and its weathering. The latter, however, can have powerful implications on nutrient availability. In the present study, a modified Soxhlet reactor was used to simulate the long-term geochemical weathering of an ash-rich biochar produced from sewage sludge of a non-industrial area in New Zealand. The weathering process took place during a period of 300 h, with and without the addition of humic acid (1.00 g added to 20.00 g of biochar), and the treatments were referred to as treatment BC-HA and BC-B, respectively. Both the leaching kinetics and the transformations within the solid phase were studied. The results revealed that substantial amounts of K (8.5-10.2%) and S (20.2-28.3%) were recovered in the weathering solutions. Noticeable Ca (17.9-20.7%) and P (15.4%) in the solid were released but only a few were recovered in the weathering solutions because of the precipitation. The presence of humic acids increased this dissolution and thus the availability of K, S, Ca, Mg and P, but induced N immobilization. Nitrogen availability was already very low (<1.0% of the total N) due to the probable recalcitrant heterocyclic N structure. The pH of the biochar samples dropped from 8.4 to 7.5; this was mainly attributed to loss of base cations through leaching and probable carbonation of the system. The XPS spectra evidenced the oxidation of C in biochar during the weathering process with the formation of carbonyl and carboxylic functional groups. The results obtained in this study showed some promise for the positive use of modified Soxhlet extractor in simulating the geochemical weathering in ash-rich biochars and providing a better understanding on the kinetics of nutrient release. This will be key information in assessing the added value of biochars as soil amendments.

Phytotoxicity of hexachlorocyclohexane: Effect on germination and early growth of different plant species.

The aim of the present study was to select candidate plant species for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). For this purpose, an experiment was carried out under controlled conditions of germination and growth, with nine plant species of economic and/or agricultural interest, in a soil contaminated with a heterogeneous mixture (at eight different levels of contamination) of the main HCH isomers (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH). The results revealed differences in the plant responses to the control soil and the soils containing HCH. Germination was not as strongly affected as other parameters such as the rate of germination and seedling vigour. In general, all of the species displayed signs of stress in response to the presence of HCH, although to different degrees. Some of the species used in the experiment (Hordeum vulgare L., Brassica sp., Phaseoulus vulgaris L.) were capable of mitigating the negative effects of HCH, and displayed a certain degree of resistance, as their biomass production was not greatly affected by the contaminant. These (tolerant) plants therefore appear to be ideal for phytoremediation purposes.

Laboratory appraisal of organic carbon changes in mixtures made with different inorganic wastes.

Mixtures of organic and inorganic wastes were incubated to examine the changes in organic C (OC) contents. An anaerobic sludge and a CaO-treated aerobic sludge, with OC concentrations of 235 and 129 gkg(-1), were used. The inorganic wastes used - referred to as "conditioners" - were shot blasting scrap, fettling, Linz-Donawitz slag, foundry sand (FS), and fly ash from wood bark combustion (FA). The total OC (TOC) and KMnO(4)(-) oxidized OC were determined. DTA-TGA profiles and FTIR spectra were also obtained. Mixtures made with the FS contained significantly lower (P<0.05) amounts of TOC (45 gkg(-1)) than the rest of mixtures, which was attributed to the non-existence of reactive surfaces in the conditioner and the increased aeration induced by this material. Those made with FA contained significantly higher (P<0.05) amounts of TOC (170 gkg(-1)), which was attributed to: (i) the addition of an extra source of C - black carbon (BC) - in the FA, and (ii) the inhibition of mineralization from the compounds present in this conditioner (e.g., amorphous aluminosilicates, BC). The results highlight the importance of the characteristics of the conditioners on the fate of the OM originating from the sludges.

Chemical changes in heavy metals in the leachates from Technosols.

A 2 month long column study was conducted to evaluate the mobility of heavy metals eluting from Technosols constituted from sewage sludges (aerobic or anaerobic) (as controls) or a mixture of different types of sewage sludges with green foundry sand (FS) or/and Linz-Donowitz slag (LD). The organic and inorganic wastes were mixed at a ratio of 56:44 (w/w). The mixtures and the controls were moistened to field capacity before adding them to the polypropylene columns (4.5 cm wide and 14 cm long). During the 8-week experimental period, the columns were watered, twice a week, with 100 mL of deionised water. The concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Cr) in the leachates were determined periodically. The concentrations of all the heavy metals were generally higher in the leachates from the Technosols containing anaerobic sewage sludge as a component. The concentration of Cu was strongly dependent on pH and was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the most alkaline leachates (pH>10) than in the other leachates. More Zn was mobilized in the most acidic leachates (pH<6) than in other leachates. The concentration of Ni in 80% of the leachates exceeded the EU drinking water limit for Ni (0.02 mgL(-1)). The concentrations of Pb were lower in the Technosols containing FS. The concentrations of Cd in the leachates from Technosols containing the conditioners were relatively high, while concentrations of Cr were higher in the controls. As far as the potential toxicity of heavy metals is concerned, the combination of aerobic sludge, inorganic conditioners able to buffer the pH to around neutrality, and reactive aluminosilicates, can be regarded as suitable choice for formulating Technosols from wastes.

Influence of the acid buffering capacity of different types of Technosols on the chemistry of their leachates.

The preparation of tailor-made Technosols from wastes may be a novel and prospective option for the re-use of wastes and restoration of degraded areas. A two-month study with pilot columns was conducted to evaluate the influence of the acid buffering capacity of different Technosols on the chemistry of their leachates. The Technosols were made from mixtures of organic and inorganic wastes at a ratio of 56:44 (w/w). The organic components used were an anaerobic (AN) and an aerobic (AE) sewage sludge. The inorganic wastes used--referred to as "conditioners"--were Linz-Donowitz slag (LD) and foundry sand (FS). A mixture of the two conditioners at a ratio of 50:50 (w/w) was made to provide a third type of conditioner (LD+FS). Controls consisted of columns filled with organic waste only (either AN or AE sludges). Changes in pH, electrical conductivity, concentrations of major ions and dissolved organic carbon in the leachates were evaluated periodically. The main processes determining the pH of the systems were nitrification and leaching, but organic matter decomposition and carbonation may also have had an influence. Nitrification was strongly retarded in the AN sludge (attributed to the probable absence of nitrifiers in this waste after the AN wastewater treatment) and was impeded in those mixtures in which LD was used as a component (due to the liming effect). Final pH values ranged from 5.0 and 5.4 (in AE and AE+FS, respectively) to 11.1 (in AN+LD). The pH of the other mixtures finally ranged between 7 and 8. In formulating mixtures of wastes, their acid buffering capacity should be taken into account in addition to the nutrient contents and the limits of contaminants established by local regulations.

Extractability and leachability of heavy metals in Technosols prepared from mixtures of unconsolidated wastes.

Mixtures of wastes were prepared to improve on the characteristics of the individual ingredients as Technosols, with special attention given to heavy metal extractability. An anaerobic digested sewage sludge and a CaO-treated aerobic sludge were used. A mixture of the two sludges (50:50 DW basis) was also prepared to provide a third type of sludge. The residues were mixed with other types of waste, such as fly ash, Linz-Donowitz slag, foundry sand, shot blasting machine scrap, fettling and barley straw. Extractability of Cu, Cr, Ni, and Zn by 0.01 M CaCl(2) extraction (Me(CACI(2)) was carried out, and leachability of these elements was estimated by acidification of an aqueous suspension of the mixtures with 0.5 N acetic acid (Me(acetic)). The total concentrations of the metals were also determined (Me(T)). The Me(CACI(2)/Me(T) ratios for Cu and Ni (means: 4.0% and 3.1%) were higher than those for Cr and Zn (means: 0.07% each). The mean Me(acetic)/Me(T) ratios followed the order Ni, Zn, Cu, and Cr (19.5%, 4.1%, 3.7%, and 0.09%, respectively). The results highlight the existence of complex interactions among organic matter solubility, pH and heavy metal extractability.