Organic-mineral colloids regulate the migration and fractionation of rare earth elements in groundwater systems impacted by ion-adsorption deposits mining in South China.

Ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits distributed in the subtropics provide a rich global source of REEs, but in situ injection of REEs extractant into the mine can result in leachate being leaked into the surrounding groundwater systems. Due to the lack of understanding of REE speciation distribution, particularly colloidal characteristics in a mining area, the risks of REEs migration caused by in situ leaching of ion-adsorption REE deposits has not been concerned. Here, ultrafiltration and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (AF4-ICP-MS) were integrated to characterize the size and composition of REEs in leachate and groundwater from mining catchments in South China. Results show that REEs were associated with four fractions: 1) the <1 kDa fraction including dissolved REEs; 2) the 1 - 100 kDa nano-colloidal fraction containing organic compounds; 3) the 100 kDa - 220 nm fine colloids including organic-mineral (Fe, Mn and Al (oxy)hydroxides and clay minerals); 4) the >220 nm coarse colloids and acid soluble particles (ASPs) comprising minerals. Influenced by the ion exchange effect of in situ leaching, REEs in leachate were mostly dissolved (79 %). The pH of the groundwater far from the mine site was increased (5.8 - 7.3), the fine organic-mineral colloids (46 % - 80 %) were the main vectors of transport for REEs. Further analysis by AF4 revealed that the fine colloids can be divided into mineral-rich (F1, 100 kDa - 120 nm) and organic matter-rich (F2, 120 - 220 nm) populations. The main colloids associated with REEs shifted from F1 (64 % ∼ 76 %) to F2 (50 % ∼ 52 %) away from the mining area. For F1 and F2, the metal/C molar ratio decreased away from the mining area and middle to heavy REE enrichment was presented. According to the REE fractionation, organic matter was the predominant component capable of binding REEs in fine colloids. Overall, our results indicate that REEs in the groundwater system shifted from the dissolved to the colloidal phase in a catchment affected by in situ leaching, and organic-mineral colloids play an important role in facilitating the migration of REEs.

Molecular insights into the catabolism of dibutyl phthalate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PS1 based on biochemical and multi-omics approaches.

A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial catabolism of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is still lacking. Here, we newly isolated a bacterial strain identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa PS1 with high efficiency of DBP degradation. The degradation ratios of DBP at 100-1000 mg/L by this strain reached 80-99 % within 72 h without a lag phase. A rare DBP-degradation pathway containing two monobutyl phthalate-catabolism steps was proposed based on intermediates identified by HPLC-TOF-MS/MS. In combination with genomic and transcriptomic analyses, we identified 66 key genes involved in DBP biodegradation and revealed the genetic basis for a new complete catabolic pathway from DBP to Succinyl-CoA or Acetyl-CoA in the genus Pseudomonas for the first time. Notably, we found that a series of homologous genes in Pht and Pca clusters were simultaneously activated under DBP exposure and some key intermediate degradation related gene clusters including Pht, Pca, Xyl, Ben, and Cat exhibited a favorable coexisting pattern, which contributed the high-efficient DBP degradation ability and strong adaptability to this strain. Overall, these results broaden the knowledge of the catabolic diversity of DBP in microorganisms and enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying DBP biodegradation.

New Insights into the Role of Natural Organic Matter in Fe-Cr Coprecipitation: Importance of Molecular Selectivity.

Coprecipitation of Fe/Cr hydroxides with natural organic matter (NOM) is an important pathway for Cr immobilization. However, the role of NOM in coprecipitation is still controversial due to its molecular heterogeneity and diversity. This study focused on the molecular selectivity of NOM toward Fe/Cr coprecipitates to uncover the fate of Cr via Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). The results showed that the significant effects of Suwannee River NOM (SRNOM) on Cr immobilization and stability of the Fe/Cr coprecipitates did not merely depend on the adsorption of SRNOM on Fe/Cr hydroxides. FT-ICR-MS spectra suggested that two pathways of molecular selectivity of SRNOM in the coprecipitation affected Cr immobilization. Polycyclic aromatics and polyphenolic compounds in SRNOM preferentially adsorbed on the Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles, which provided extra binding sites and promoted the aggregation. Notably, some specific compounds (i.e., polyphenolic compounds and highly unsaturated phenolic compounds), less unsaturated and more oxygenated than those adsorbed on Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles, were preferentially incorporated into the insoluble Cr-organic complexes in the coprecipitates. Kendrick mass defect analysis revealed that the insoluble Cr-organic complexes contained fewer carbonylated homologous compounds. More importantly, the spatial distribution of insoluble Cr-organic complexes was strongly related to Cr immobilization and stability of the Fe/Cr-NOM coprecipitates. The molecular information of the Fe/Cr-NOM coprecipitates would be beneficial for a better understanding of the transport and fate of Cr and exploration of the related remediation strategy.

Co-transport of biochar nanoparticles (BC NPs) and rare earth elements (REEs) in water-saturated porous media: New insights into REE fractionation.

The present study investigated the co-transport behavior of three REEs3+ (La3+, Gd3+, and Yb3+) with and without biochar nanoparticles (BC NPs) in water-saturated porous media. The presence of REEs3+ enhanced the retention of BC NPs in quartz sand (QS) due to decreased electrostatic repulsion between BC NPs and QS, enhanced aggregation of BC NPs, and the contribution of straining. The distribution coefficients (KD) in packed columns in the co-transport of BC NPs and three REEs3+ were much smaller than in batch experiments due to the different hydrodynamic conditions. In addition, we, for the first time, found that REE fractionation in the solid-liquid phase occurred during the co-transport of REEs3+ in the presence and absence of BC NPs. Note that the REE fractionation during the co-transport, which is helpful for the tracing application during earth surface processes, was driven by the interaction of REEs3+ with QS and BC NPs. This study elucidates novel insights into the fate of BC NPs and REEs3+ in porous media and indicates that (i) mutual effects between BC NPs and REE3+ should be considered when BC was applied to REE contaminated aquatic and soil systems; and (ii) REE fractionation provides a useful tool for identifying the sources of coexisting substances.

[Retarding potential of biochar on antibiotic resistance genes in soil and the mechanisms: A review.] / ç”Ÿç‰©ç‚­å¯¹åœŸå£¤ä¸­æŠ—ç”Ÿç´ æŠ—æ€§åŸºå› çš„é˜»æŽ§æ½œåŠ›åŠæœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil pose a major challenge to global environment and health. The development of effective technologies to reduce their negative effects has implications for maintaining soil health and human health. Biochar would be a suitable control material due to its characteristics of high carbon content, large surface area, excellent adsorption capacity, and economic advantages. There are three mechanisms underlying its negative effects on the abundance of ARGs: 1) adsorption of certain pollutants (e.g., antibiotics and heavy metals) to reduce the co-selective pressure of ARGs; 2) alteration of microbial composition through altering soil physico-chemical properties, and thereby limiting the ability of bacteria to undergo horizontal transfer of ARGs; 3) direct impairment of horizontal gene transfer by the adsorption of horizontal transfer vectors such as plasmids, transposons, and integrons. However, the negative effect of biochar depends on the source of material, pyrolysis process, and its amount added. Furthermore, field aging of biochar may reduce its ability to block ARGs. Endogenous contaminants of biochar, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals, may cause the enrichment of specific antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment or induce horizontal gene transfer. In further studies, suitable biochar should be selected according to soil environments, and biochar aging control measures should be taken to improve its retarding effect on ARGs.

Host-Endosymbiont Relationship Impacts the Retention of Bacteria-Containing Amoeba Spores in Porous Media.

Amoebae are protists that are commonly found in water, soil, and other habitats around the world and have complex interactions with other microorganisms. In this work, we investigated how host-endosymbiont interactions between amoebae and bacteria impacted the retention behavior of amoeba spores in porous media. A model amoeba species, Dictyostelium discoideum, and a representative bacterium, Burkholderia agricolaris B1qs70, were used to prepare amoeba spores that carried bacteria. After interacting with B. agricolaris, the retention of D. discoideum spores was enhanced compared to noninfected spores. Diverse proteins, especially proteins contributing to the looser exosporium structure and cell adhesion functionality, are secreted in higher quantities on the exosporium surface of infected spores compared to that of noninfected ones. Comprehensive examinations using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), a parallel plate chamber, and a single-cell force microscope present coherent evidence that changes in the exosporium of D. discoideum spores due to infection by B. agricolaris enhance the connections between spores in the suspension and the spores that were previously deposited on the collector surface, thus resulting in more retention compared to the uninfected ones in porous media. This work provides novel insight into the retention of amoeba spores after bacterial infection in porous media and suggests that the host-endosymbiont relationship regulates the fate of biocolloids in drinking water systems, groundwater, and other porous environments.

Discrimination and Quantification of Soil Nanoparticles by Dual-Analyte Single Particle ICP-QMS.

This study presents the new application of dual-analyte single particle inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (spICP-QMS) to the discrimination and quantification of two typical soil nanoparticles (kaolinite and goethite nanoparticles, abbr. KNPs and GNPs) in three samples (SA, SB, and SC) with three detection events (Al unpaired event, Fe unpaired event, and paired event). SA was mainly composed of KNPs with a concentration of 28 443 ± 817 particle mL-1 and a mean particle size of 140.7 ± 0.2 nm. SB was mainly composed of GNPs with a concentration of 39 283 ± 702 particle mL-1 and a mean particle size of 141.8 ± 2.9. In SC, the concentrations of KNPs and GNPs were 22 4541 ± 1401 and 70 604 ± 1623 particle mL-1, respectively, and the mean particle sizes of KNPs and GNPs were 140.7 ± 0.2 and 60.2 ± 0.3 nm, respectively. The accuracy of dual-analyte spICP-QMS was determined by spiking experiments, comparing these results with the measurements of other techniques, analyzing the samples in different SA and SB proportions and in different SC concentrations. Our results demonstrated that the dual-analyte spICP-QMS is a promising approach to distinguishing different kinds of natural NPs in soils.

Significance of Non-DLVO Interactions on the Co-Transport of Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Soil Nanoparticles in Porous Media.

Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory is typically used to quantify surface interactions between engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), soil nanoparticles (SNPs), and/or porous media, which are used to assess environmental risk and fate of ENPs. This study investigates the co-transport behavior of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with positively (goethite nanoparticles, GNPs) and negatively (bentonite nanoparticles, BNPs) charged SNPs in quartz sand (QS). The presence of BNPs increased the transport of MWCNTs, but GNPs inhibited the transport of MWCNTs. In addition, we, for the first time, observed that the transport of negatively (BNPs) and positively (GNPs) charged SNPs was facilitated by the presence of MWCNTs. Traditional mechanisms associated with competitive blocking, heteroaggregation, and classic DLVO calculations cannot explain such phenomena. Direct examination using batch experiments and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to UV and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (AF4-UV-ICP-MS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that MWCNTs-BNPs or MWCNT-GNPs complexes or aggregates can be formed during co-transport. Non-DLVO interactions (e.g., H-bonding and Lewis acid-base interaction) helped to explain observed MWCNT deposition, associations between MWCNTs and both SNPs (positively or negatively), and co-transport. This research sheds novel insight into the transport of MWCNTs and SNPs in porous media and suggests that (i) mutual effects between colloids (e.g., heteroaggregation, co-transport, and competitive blocking) need to be considered in natural soil; and (ii) non-DLVO interactions should be comprehensively considered when evaluating the environmental risk and fate of ENPs.

Transport and Retention of Poly(Acrylic Acid-co-Maleic Acid) Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles in Porous Media: Effect of Input Concentration, Ionic Strength and Grain Size.

Understanding the physicochemical factors affecting nanoparticle transport in porous media is critical for their environmental application. Water-saturated column experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of input concentration (Co), ionic strength (IS), and sand grain size on the transport of poly(acrylic acid-co-maleic acid) coated magnetite nanoparticles (PAM@MNP). Mass recoveries in the column effluent ranged from 45.2 to 99.3%. The highest relative retention of PAM@MNP was observed for the lowest Co. Smaller Co also resulted in higher relative retention (39.8%) when IS increased to 10 mM. However, relative retention became much less sensitive to solution IS as Co increased. The high mobility is attributed to the PAM coating provoking steric stability of PAM@MNP against homoaggregation. PAM@MNP retention was about 10-fold higher for smaller grain sizes, i.e., 240 µm and 350 µm versus 607 µm. The simulated maximum retained concentration on the solid phase (Smax) and retention rate coefficient (k1) increased with decreasing Co and grain sizes, reflecting higher retention rates at these parameters. The study revealed under various IS for the first time the high mobility premise of polymer-coated magnetite nanoparticles at realistic (<10 mg L−1) environmental concentrations, thereby highlighting an untapped potential for novel environmental PAM@MNP application usage.

Transport and Retention of Free-Living Amoeba Spores in Porous Media: Effects of Operational Parameters and Extracellular Polymeric Substances.

Amoebas are protists that are widespread in water and soil environments. Some species are pathogenic, inducing potentially lethal effects on humans, making them a major threat to public health. Nonpathogenic amoebas are also of concern because they have the potential to carry a mini-microbiome of bacteria, either transiently or via more long-term stable transport. Due to their resistance to disinfection processes, the physical removal of amoeba by filtration is necessary to prevent their propagation throughout drinking water distribution networks and occurrence in tap water. In this study, a model amoeba species Dictyostelium discoideum was used to study the transport and retention behavior of amoeba spores in porous media. The key factors affecting the transport behavior of amoeba spores in fully saturated media were comprehensively evaluated, with experiments performed using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and parallel plate chamber system. The effects of ionic strength (IS) on the deposition of spores were found to be in contrast to the predicted Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory that more deposition is observed under lower-IS conditions. The presence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was found to be the main contributor to deposition behavior. Overall, these results provide plausible evidence for the presence of amoeba in tap water. Furthermore, this is one of the first studies to examine the mechanisms affecting the fate of amoeba spores in porous media, providing a significant baseline for future research to minimize the safety risk presented by amoeba in drinking water systems.

Non-monotonic contribution of nonionic surfactant on the retention of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in porous media.

The concentration of nonionic surfactants like Triton X-100 (TX100) can influence the transport and fate of emerging contaminants (e.g., carbon nanotubes) in porous media, but limited research has previously addressed this issue. This study investigates the co-transport of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and various concentrations of TX100 in saturated quartz sand (QS). Batch experiments and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the interactions between TX100 and MWCNTs. Results indicated that the concentration ratio of MWCNTs and TX100 strongly influences the dispersion of MWCNTs and interaction forces between MWCNTs and QS during the transport. Breakthrough curves of MWCNTs and TX100 and retention profiles of MWCNTs were determined and simulated in column studies. MWCNTs strongly enhanced the retention of TX100 in QS due to the high affinity of TX100 for MWCNTs. Conversely, the concentration of TX100 had a non-monotonic impact on MWCNT retention. The maximum transport of MWCNTs in the QS occurred at an input concentration of TX100 that was lower than the critical micelle concentration. This suggests that the relative importance of factors influencing MWCNTs changed with TX100 sorption. Results from interaction energy calculations and modeling of competitive blocking indicate that the predictive ability of interaction energy calculations and colloid filtration theory may be lost because TX100 mainly altered intermolecular forces between the MWCNT and porous media. This study provides new insights into the co-transport of surfactants and MWCNTs in porous media, which can be useful for environmental applications and risk management.

Factors influencing heavy metal availability and risk assessment of soils at typical metal mines in Eastern China.

China exemplifies the serious and widespread soil heavy metal pollution generated by mining activities. A total of 420 soil samples from 58 metal mines was collected across Eastern China. Total and available heavy metal concentrations, soil physico-chemical properties and geological indices were determined and collected. Risk assessments were applied, and a successive multivariate statistical analysis was carried out to provide insights into the heavy metal contamination characteristics and environmental drivers of heavy metal availability. The results suggested that although the degrees of pollution varied between different mine types, in general they had similar contamination characteristics in different regions. The major pollutants for total concentrations were found to be Cd and As in south and northeast China. The availability of Zn and Cd is relatively higher in south China. Soil physico-chemical properties had major effect on metal availability where soil pH was the most important factor. On a continental scale, soil pH and EC were influenced by the local climate patterns which could further impact on heavy metal availability. Enlightened by this study, future remediation strategies should be focused on steadily increasing soil pH, and building adaptable and sustainable ecological system to maintain low metal availabilities in mine site soils.

Co-transport and competitive retention of different ionic rare earth elements (REEs) in quartz sand: Effect of kaolinite.

The increasing excavation and utilization of rare earth elements (REEs) have resulted in an elevated release of these elements into the environment. Therefore, investigating the transport behavior of REEs is critical for a comprehensive understanding of their geochemical cycles and to propose potential pollution control strategies. This study investigated the transport, co-transport, and competitive retention of three REEs: La (a light REE), Gd (a middle REE), and Yb (a heavy REE), as well as the co-transport of REEs and kaolinite (a representative clay mineral) in porous media. Both observed and simulated breakthrough curves and retention profiles demonstrated that all ionic REEs exhibited considerable breakthrough and slight retention with almost uniform shapes in quartz sand (QS) owing to the weak affinity of ionic REEs to QS. The breakthrough of REEs in all experiments followed the order of La > Gd > Yb, indicating that REE breakthrough increased with decreasing atomic number. The same elements exhibited their highest breakthrough during the co-transport of the three REEs, followed by co-transport of two REEs, and finally single transport. Furthermore, mathematical modeling indicated that the retention of REEs in QS was a predominantly kinetic process, whereby competitive blocking was the dominant mechanism for the enhanced breakthrough of REEs during co-transport, as compared to single transport. The co-transport of REEs and kaolinite demonstrated that kaolinite has a slight influence on the transport of REEs in QS under adsorption kinetics. However, REEs inhibited the transport and strongly enhanced the retention of kaolinite in QS due to a decreasing electrostatic repulsion between kaolinite and QS in the presence of REEs, even if the adsorption of REEs onto kaolinite was weak under adsorption kinetics. Therefore, this study increases our understanding of the transport mechanisms of REEs in the environment.

Mechanisms of Pb and/or Zn adsorption by different biochars: Biochar characteristics, stability, and binding energies.

Biochar has been widely studied as an amendment for use in remediation of water and soil contaminated with heavy metals such as Pb2+ and Zn2+, but the effects of biochar characteristics, including stability, on the competitive adsorption of Pb2+ and Zn2+ by biochars from various sources are incompletely understood. In this work, biochars from three different feedstocks, including rice straw (RS), chicken manure (CM), and sewage sludge (SS), were prepared at two pyrolysis temperatures, 550 and 350 °C, and tested to investigate the influence of their stabilities and other characteristics on their adsorption of Pb2+ and Zn2+ in both single- and binary-metal systems. RS biochar had the highest carbon and hydrogen contents, greatest number of functional groups (e.g., OH and C=C/C=O), highest pH, most negative surface charge, and highest physical stability, and thus the highest adsorption capacity for Pb2+ and Zn2+. Pyrolysis at the higher temperature resulted in a slight decrease in aromatic functional groups on biochar surfaces but higher adsorption capacities for Pb2+ and Zn2+ due to the decreased biochar particle size and increased specific surface area. FTIR, XRD, and XPS analyses indicated that Pb2+ and Zn2+ were absorbed on the biochars primarily via chemical complexation with aromatic functional groups. Quantum chemistry calculations confirmed that these functional groups (e.g., -OH and-COOH) tended to bind more strongly with Pb2+ than with Zn2+ due to the former's lower binding energies, which also accounted for the notable decrease in adsorption of Zn2+ in the presence of Pb2+. In addition, compared to carboxyl groups, hydroxyl groups had smaller binding energies and stronger metal complexation. These findings provide a theoretical basis for improved understanding of potential applications of biochars in environmental remediation.

Interactions of CeO2 nanoparticles with natural colloids and electrolytes impact their aggregation kinetics and colloidal stability.

The aggregation kinetics and colloidal stability of CeO2-NPs in the presence of monovalent or divalent electrolytes, as well as inorganic (kaolin and goethite) and organic (humic acid, HA) colloids were evaluated using time-resolved dynamic light scattering, advanced spectroscopic tools, and theoretical calculations. Critical coagulation concentrations for CeO2-NPs were generally lower in CaCl2 than that in NaCl electrolyte. The negatively charged kaolin accelerated CeO2-NPs aggregation due to electrostatic attraction, whilst opposite phenomenon was observed for the positively charged goethite in NaCl solution. In CaCl2 solution, goethite destabilized CeO2-NPs because of its well-crystal structure and specific adsorption of Ca2+. The presence of 0.1 mg C/L HA decreased the surface charge of CeO2-NPs, resulting in lower critical coagulation concentrations. Increasing the HA concentration from 0.1 to 1 mg C/L improved CeO2-NPs stability, mainly via electrostatic and steric repulsion. The Ca2+-bridging and complexation contributed significantly to CeO2-NPs aggregation. Additional aggregation experiments in seven natural waters revealed that CeO2-NPs remained stable in water types with high contents of organic colloids and low levels of salts, thus having higher transport potential. These findings provided new insights into the interactive influence of naturally occurring colloids and ions on the heteroaggregation behavior and fate of CeO2-NPs.

Improved longevity of nanoscale zero-valent iron with a magnesium hydroxide coating shell for the removal of Cr(VI) in sand columns.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) has been engineered as an attractive tool for in-situ groundwater remediation. However, the poor mobility and aqueous corrosion of NZVI in the porous subsurface have hindered its practical applications. In this research, the NZVI surface was coated with a novel Mg(OH)2 shell (NZVI@Mg(OH)2) to improve the feasibility of NZVI for remediation. In the column tests for continuous removal of Cr(VI) from the flowing water, the Mg(OH)2 shell greatly improved the delivery of NZVI into the sand columns. Coating NZVI with Mg(OH)2 shell also showed considerably greater chemical stability than bare NZVI and thus greater resistance to aqueous corrosion. In addition, the dissolution of Mg(OH)2 allowed the reactivity to be gradually recovered along the sand column for Cr(VI) reduction. As a result, compared to bare NZVI in the columns, NZVI@Mg(OH)2 significantly prolonged the breakthrough period of Cr(VI) and hence increased the columns' Cr(VI) removal capacity. Moreover, the Cr(III) produced was effectively immobilized by NZVI@Mg(OH)2, even under an acidic condition (pH 4.0). The results show that Mg(OH)2 coating is a promising technique to improve the longevity and capacity of NZVI for full-scale in-situ soil and groundwater remediation.

Co-transport of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate in chemically heterogeneous porous media.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are increasing used in commercial applications and may be released into the environment with anionic surfactants, such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS), in sewer discharge. Little research has examined the transport, retention, and remobilization of MWCNTs in the presence or absence of SDBS in porous media with controlled chemical heterogeneity, and batch and column scale studies were therefore undertaken to address this gap in knowledge. The adsorption isotherms of SDBS on quartz sand (QS), goethite coated quartz sand (GQS), and MWCNTs were determined. Adsorption of SDBS (MWCNTs ¼â€¯GQS > QS) decreased zeta potentials for these materials, and produced a charge reversal for goethite. Transport of MWCNTs (5 mg L-1) dramatically decreased with an increase in the fraction of GQS from 0 to 0.1 in the absence of SDBS. Conversely, co-injection of SDBS (10 and 50 mg L-1) and MWCNTs radically increased the transport of MWCNTs when the GQS fraction was 0, 0.1, and 0.3, especially at a higher SDBS concentration, and altered the shape of retention profile. Mathematical modeling revealed that competitive blocking was not the dominant mechanism for the SDBS enhancement of MWCNT transport. Rather, SDBS sorption increased MWCNT transport by increasing electrostatic and/or steric interactions, or creating reversible interactions on rough surfaces. Sequential injection of pulses of MWCNTs and SDBS in sand (0.1 GQS fraction) indicated that SDBS could mobilize some of retained MWCNTs from the top to deeper sand layers, but only a small amount of released MWCNTs were recovered in the effluent. SDBS therefore had a much smaller influence on MWCNT transport in sequential injection than in co-injection, presumably because of a greater energy barrier to MWCNT release than retention. This research sheds novel insight on the roles of competitive blocking, chemical heterogeneity and nanoscale roughness, and injection sequence on MWCNT retention and release.

Controls on rare-earth element transport in a river impacted by ion-adsorption rare-earth mining.

Rare-earth elements (REEs) are known to be a group of emerging pollutants, but the geochemistry of REEs in river waters in ion-adsorption rare-earth mining areas has attracted little attention. In this study, samples of the <0.45 µm and 0.22-0.45 µm (large colloids) water fractions and acid-soluble particles (ASPs) were collected from a river impacted by ion-adsorption rare-earth mining activities. The roles of ligand complexation, colloid binding, and particle adsorption in REE transport and distribution were also investigated. Results showed higher concentrations of REEs in the <0.45 µm fraction of all sampling sites (3.30 × 10-2-9.42 µM) compared with that in the control site (1.21 × 10-3 µM); this fraction was also characterized by middle REE enrichment at upstream sites, where REEs are mainly controlled by the <0.22 µm fraction (55%-94% of the species found in the <0.45 µm fraction) and ligand complexation (REE3+, REE(SO4)+, and REE(CO3)+). At downstream sites, heavy REE enrichment was observed, which was largely determined by binding to large colloids (68%-83% of the species found in the <0.45 µm fraction) and adsorption to particles (>90% of the acidified bulk water). Furthermore, REE patterns indicated that the REE-associated large colloids were mineral or mixed mineral-organic matter (OM) at upstream sites and OM-dominated or functionalized at downstream sites. The particles were mainly coated by inorganic matter substances (e.g., Fe/Al oxyhydroxides). In summary, our results reveal that REE patterns provide a useful tool to study the fate of REEs in ion-adsorption rare-earth mining catchments.

Roles of cation valance and exchange on the retention and colloid-facilitated transport of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a natural soil.

Saturated soil column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport, retention, and release behavior of a low concentration (1 mg L-1) of functionalized 14C-labeled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a natural soil under various solution chemistries. Breakthrough curves (BTCs) for MWCNTS exhibited greater amounts of retardation and retention with increasing solution ionic strength (IS) or in the presence of Ca2+ in comparison to K+, and retention profiles (RPs) for MWCNTs were hyper-exponential in shape. These BTCs and RPs were well described using the advection-dispersion equation with a term for time- and depth-dependent retention. Fitted values of the retention rate coefficient and the maximum retained concentration of MWCNTs were higher with increasing IS and in the presence of Ca2+ in comparison to K+. Significant amounts of MWCNT and soil colloid release was observed with a reduction of IS due to expansion of the electrical double layer, especially following cation exchange (when K+ displaced Ca2+) that reduced the zeta potential of MWCNTs and the soil. Analysis of MWCNT concentrations in different soil size fractions revealed that >23.6% of the retained MWCNT mass was associated with water-dispersible colloids (WDCs), even though this fraction was only a minor portion of the total soil mass (2.38%). More MWCNTs were retained on the WDC fraction in the presence of Ca2+ than K+. These findings indicated that some of the released MWCNTs by IS reduction and cation exchange were associated with the released clay fraction, and suggests the potential for facilitated transport of MWCNT by WDCs.

Co-transport of chlordecone and sulfadiazine in the presence of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in soils.

Batch and saturated soil column experiments were conducted to investigate sorption and mobility of two 14C-labeled contaminants, the hydrophobic chlordecone (CLD) and the sulfadiazine (SDZ), in the absence or presence of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The transport behaviors of CLD, SDZ, and MWCNTs were studied at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1-10 mg L-1) and they were applied in the column studies at different times. The breakthrough curves and retention profiles were simulated using a numerical model that accounted for the advective-dispersive transport of all compounds, attachment/detachment of MWCNTs, equilibrium and kinetic sorption of contaminants, and co-transport of contaminants with MWCNTs. The experimental results indicated that the presence of mobile MWCNTs facilitated remobilization of previously deposited CLD and its co-transport into deeper soil layers, while retained MWCNTs enhanced SDZ deposition in the topsoil layers due to the increased adsorption capacity of the soil. The modeling results then demonstrated that the mobility of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in the environment and the high affinity and entrapment of contaminants to ENPs were the main reasons for ENP-facilitated contaminant transport. On the other hand, immobile MWCNTs had a less significant impact on the contaminant transport, even though they were still able to enhance the adsorption capacity of the soil.