Source Analysis and Contamination Assessment of Potentially Toxic Element in Soil of Small Watershed in Mountainous Area of Southern Henan, China.

In this study, the concentrations of potentially toxic elements in 283 topsoil samples were determined. Håkanson toxicity response coefficient modified matter element extension model was introduced to evaluate the soil elements contamination, and the results were compared with the pollution index method. The sources and spatial distribution of soil elements were analyzed by the combination of the PMF model and IDW interpolation. The results are as follows, 1: The concentration distribution of potentially toxic elements is different in space. Higher concentrations were found in the vicinity of the mining area and farmland. 2: The weight of all elements has changed significantly. The evaluation result of the matter-element extension model shows that 68.55% of the topsoil in the study area is clean soil, and Hg is the main contamination element. The evaluation result is roughly the same as that of the pollution index method, indicating that the evaluation result of the matter-element extension model with modified is accurate and reasonable. 3: Potentially toxic elements mainly come from the mixed sources of atmospheric sedimentation and agricultural activities (22.59%), the mixed sources of agricultural activities and mining (20.26%), the mixed sources of traffic activities, nature and mining (36.30%), the mixed sources of pesticide use and soil parent material (20.85%).

Enrichment of heavy metals from spent printed circuit boards by microwave pyrolysis.

This study reports the enrichment behaviors of heavy metals, including copper, tin, lead and zinc, in the process of microwave pyrolysis of spent printed circuit boards (SPCBs). The SPCB had good microwave absorptivity. Under the optimal conditions of microwave power of 700 W, pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C, dwell time of 5 min, N2 gas flow rate of 1.2 L/min, and load mass of 5 g, the yield of pyrolyzed SPCB was 79.16%. The contents of copper, tin, lead, and zinc in the pyrolyzed SPCB were increased to 28.52 wt%, 7.15 wt%, 1.31 wt%, and 1.13 wt%, respectively, with the corresponding retention percentages of 99.98%, 85.89%, 92.59% and 82.06%. The loss of metals was attributed to volatilization of the elements, which was affected by metal discharge due to excitation of electrons in the metals under microwave irradiation. Little copper loss was found because of the difficult reaction between copper and hydrogen bromide and the very high temperature required by the volatilization of copper. Tin, lead and zinc were mainly volatilized in the form of their metal bromides, including SnBr4, ZnBr2, and PbBr2. By controlling the pyrolysis conditions and metal discharge induced in the microwave field, the metals could be effectively enriched for subsequent treatment with high efficiency.