Dynamics of arsenic adsorption in the targeted arsenic-safe aquifers in Matlab, south-eastern Bangladesh: Insight from experimental studies

Targeting shallow low-As aquifers based on sediment colour may be a viable solution for supplying As-safe drinking water to rural communities in some regions of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. The sustainability of this solution with regard to the long-term risk of As-safe oxidized aquifers becoming enriched with As needs to be assessed. This study focuses on the adsorption behaviour of shallow oxidized sediments from Matlab Region, Bangladesh, and their capacity to attenuate As if cross-contamination of the oxidized aquifers occurs. Water quality analyses of samples collected from 20 tube-wells in the region indicate that while there may be some seasonal variability, the groundwater chemistry in the reduced and oxidized aquifers was relatively stable from 2004 to 2009. Although sediment extractions indicate a relatively low amount of As in the oxidized sediments, below 2.5 mg kg⁻¹, batch isotherm experiments show that the sediments have a high capacity to adsorb As. Simulations using a surface complexation model that considers adsorption to amorphous Fe(III) oxide minerals only, under-predict the experimental isotherms. This suggests that a large proportion of the adsorption sites in the oxidized sediments may be associated with crystalline Fe(III) oxides, Mn(IV) and Al(III) oxides, and clay minerals. Replicate breakthrough column experiments conducted with lactose added to the influent solution demonstrate that the high adsorption capacity of the oxidized sediments may be reduced if water drawn down into the oxidized aquifers contains high levels of electron donors such as reactive dissolved organic C.     

Study of subsurface geology in locating arsenic-free groundwater in Bengal delta,West Bengal,India

Over a large area of the Bengal delta in West Bengal, India, arsenic distribution patterns in groundwater were studied. One hundred and ten boreholes at different target locations were made, subsurface sediments were logged and analysed, and arsenic values in sediments vis-à-vis groundwater were compared. The study elucidates the subsurface geology of the western part of Bengal delta and characterises the sediments that were intersected in different boreholes with contrasting values of arsenic in groundwater. It reveals an existence of multiple aquifers stacked over each other. Depending on the color and nature of aquifer-sands and their overlying clay beds six aquifer types (Type-1 to Type-6) are classified and described. Sediment-arsenic for all the varieties of aquifer sands are near similar but the groundwater-arsenic of these six aquifers varies widely. Type-2 and Type-5 aquifers host arsenic-contaminated groundwater whereas the other four aquifers are arsenic-free. Type-2 and Type-5 aquifers are capped by a grey to dark grey soft organic matter-rich clay unit which makes these aquifers semi-confined to leaky-confined. These contribute in releasing arsenic from the sediments. The results of this study are employed in a proposed georemedial measure against this hazardous toxic element.     

大同盆地砷中毒病区沉积物中砷的吸附行为和影响因素分析

沉积物对砷的吸附-解吸作用是控制砷在地下水中的迁移和转化的决定性因素。对砷中毒重病区大同盆地山胡县沉积物中砷的吸附行为和影响因素研究结果表明,沉积物对砷的吸附符合Freundlich吸附等温模式,吸附量主要与沉积物颗粒大小、黏土矿物质量分数和类型、铁铝氧化物质量分数以及沉积物中As的质量分数有关,有机质质量分数对砷的吸附量影响需进一步深入研究。铝硅酸盐、铁铝氧化物质量分数较高且颗粒较细的黏土和亚黏土类沉积物对砷的吸附性较强;而铝硅酸盐、铁铝氧化物质量分数较低且颗粒较粗的细砂和粉砂类沉积物对砷的吸附性较差,其所处的含水层也是形成高砷地下水的主要含水层。pH值为5．5～8．0时,砷的吸附量最大。大同盆地高砷地下水pH条件非常不利于沉积物中砷的吸附,易形成高砷地下水。该区地下水10℃左右的温度条件非常有利于沉积物对砷的吸附,但由于影响因素较多,且地下水的温度在不同季节会发生一定的变化,其产生的影响还有待进一步研究。     

Role of Quaternary stratigraphy on arsenic-contaminated groundwater from parts of Barak Valley, Assam, North–East India

Groundwater arsenic survey in Cachar and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley, Assam shows that people in these two districts are drinking arsenic-contaminated (max. 350 μg/l) groundwater. 66% of tubewells in these two districts have arsenic concentration above the WHO guideline value of 10 μg/l and 26% tubewells have arsenic above 50 μg/l, the Indian standards for arsenic in drinking water. 90% of installed tubewells in these two districts are shallow depth (14–40 m). Shallow tubewells were installed in Holocene Newer Alluvium aquifers are characterised by grey to black coloured fine grained organic rich argillaceous sediments and are mostly arsenic contamination in groundwater. Plio-Pleistocene Older Alluvium aquifers composed of shale, ferruginous sandstone, mottle clay, pebble and boulder beds, which at higher location or with thin cover of Newer Alluvium sediments are safe in arsenic contamination in groundwater. 91% of tubewell water samples show significantly higher concentrations of iron beyond its permissible limit of 1 mg/l. The iron content in these two districts varies from 0.5 to as much as 48 mg/l. Most of the arsenic contaminated villages of Cachar and Karimganj districts are located in entrenched channels and flood plains of Newer Alluvium sediments in Barak-Surma-Langai Rivers system. However, deeper tubewells (>60 m) in Plio-Pleistocene Older Alluvium aquifers would be a better option for arsenic-safe groundwater. The arsenic in groundwater is getting released from associated Holocene sediments which were likely deposited from the surrounding Tertiary Barail hill range.     

地下水流动对砷迁移的影响: 大同盆地试验场的观测与模拟

地下水流动特征对水文地球化学特征具有重要控制作用, 研究分析了大同盆地地下水流动特征对高砷水迁移的影响.以山阴县桑干河南岸地下水试验场(SYFS)的监测数据为基础, 建立了河岸带三维非稳定地下水流模型.结果表明, 灌溉在很大程度上影响着地下水位动态变化.灌溉活动减慢了地下水埋深和水平地下水流速, 加速了不同岩性地层之间的垂向水量交换.粉土(L1、L2、L3和L4)、粘土1(L5)和砂1(L6)之间始终存在由上至下的垂向水量交换, 粘土2(L7)、砂2(L8)、粘土3(L9)和砂3(L10)以水平水量交换为主.灌溉水和大气降水从地表向下垂直入渗至含水层的过程中, 推动了地表和包气带沉积物中的砷逐渐向下迁移; 到达含水层后, 水平交换量占主导, 地下水在水平方向上频繁的水量交换促使As在含水层中发生水平迁移.      

Geochemical assessment of arsenic contamination in well water and sediments from several communities in the Nawalparasi District of Nepal

Arsenic contamination of well water is a serious issue in the Nawalparasi District of the Terai region in Nepal. A local investigation was carried out on 137 tube wells in 24 communities of the district in December 2011. The investigation revealed that the average arsenic concentration in the tube wells was 350 μg/L, and that nearly 98 % of the wells exceeded the WHO guideline arsenic level limit of 10 μg/L. Highly contaminated well water, with more than 400 μg/L of arsenic, was found within the limited depth ranges of 18–22 and 50–80 m. High arsenic levels exceeding 500 μg/L were detected in shallower wells at Patkhauli, Mahuawa, Thulokunwar, and Goini located between 27.517° and 27.543°N and between 83.648° and 83.748°E. Boring sampling at five communities of Kashiya, Goini, Sanokunwar, Thulokunwar, and Mahuawa revealed two aquifers located at the two depths around 14–22 and 41–50 m in each community. Dark gray or black-colored peaty clay layers rich in organic matter were distributed at depths of 18–21 m beside the upper aquifers with high arsenic concentration in each community. Positive correlations were shown between iron and arsenic in the sediments from the five communities. It can be inferred that these results were caused by dissolution of iron-oxyhydroxide molecules with arsenic from solid phases. Microbial metabolisms have a great potential to induce the dissolution and release arsenic attached on the solid phases into aqueous phases depending on the level of redox potential and pH.     

富砷地下水研究进展

原生高砷地下水已对人类健康构成了极大威胁，许多国家和地区对此进行了较深入的研究。在阅读国内外大量文献资料的基础上，全面系统地总结了世界范围内原生高砷地下水概况、砷富集环境和砷来源、分析方法和技术、砷富集机理以及高砷区水源安全保障技术等。提出了高砷地下水研究的主要发展方向，包括：含水介质中砷形态研究、微生物影响下含水层中砷的释放研究、同位素技术在高砷地下水研究中的应用以及高砷饮用水安全保障技术研究等。     

Chemical availability of arsenic and heavy metals in sediments from abandoned cinnabar mine tailings

The understanding of the solid-phase speciation of arsenic in soils and sediments is important in the evaluations of its potential mobility and availability in the environment. The spoil heaps of abandoned mercury mines contain waste materials with high arsenic and heavy metals concentrations. The weathering of these tailings can cause their mobilization to the surroundings. In this work, the mobility and availability of arsenic and some heavy metals were evaluated in sediments from two heavily polluted mercury mining districts in Asturias (NW Spain). For this purpose, a slightly modified version of the Bureau Community of Reference sequential extraction scheme was applied to sediments. The total contents in the operationally defined fractions were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Extremely high total arsenic concentrations were found in all sediments ranging from 4,000 to 24,800 mg kg^?1. High easily mobilizable arsenic contents were found in the first mining area, related to the solubilization of Ca-bearing phases, supported by extracts analyses, X-ray diffraction results and the positive correlation found among the As and Ca fractionations. Ni and Zn were the most mobile among heavy metals, being Cr the least mobile, suggesting an anthropogenic origin due to the metallurgical processes, transport or dispersion generated from neighbour spoil heaps. In the second mining area, the bulk of As was concentrated in the residual phase, as well as Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ti, indicating a mineralogical origin and the low availability of these elements. The strong correlations established between As and Fe and Ti distributions support the hypothesis that As is mainly associated to structural mineral phases in these sediments.     

Holocene estuarine sediments as a source of arsenic in Pleistocene groundwater in suburbs of Hanoi,Vietnam

Groundwater pollution by arsenic is a major health threat in suburban areas of Hanoi, Vietnam. The present study evaluates the effect of the sedimentary environments of the Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, and the recharge systems, on the groundwater arsenic pollution in Hanoi suburbs distant from the Red River. At two study sites (Linh Dam and Tai Mo communes), undisturbed soil cores identified a Pleistocene confined aquifer (PCA) and Holocene unconfined aquifer (HUA) as major aquifers, and Holocene estuarine and deltaic sediments as an aquitard layer between the two aquifers. The Holocene estuarine sediments (approximately 25–40 m depth, 9.6–4.8 cal ka BP) contained notably high concentrations of arsenic and organic matter, both likely to have been accumulated by mangroves during the Holocene sea-level highstand. The pore waters in these particular sediments exhibited elevated levels of arsenic and dissolved organic carbon. Arsenic in groundwater was higher in the PCA (25–94 μg/L) than in the HUA (5.2–42 μg/L), in both the monitoring wells and neighboring household tubewells. Elevated arsenic concentration in the PCA groundwater was likely due to vertical infiltration through the arsenic-rich and organic-matter-rich overlying Holocene estuarine sediments, caused by massive groundwater abstraction from the PCA. Countermeasures to prevent arsenic pollution of the PCA groundwater may include seeking alternative water resources, reducing water consumption, and/or appropriate choice of aquifers for groundwater supply.     

Transport of bacteria in aquifer sediment: experiments and modeling

A mathematical model based on the advection-dispersion equation, modified to account for growth, decay, attachment, and detachment of microorganisms, was developed to describe the transport and growth of bacteria in aquifers. Column experiments on the transport of a species of sulfate-reducing bacteria through saturated-aquifer sediment were conducted to gain a quantitative knowledge of the attachment and detachment processes. Relevant parameter values such as the attachment-site capacity of the sediment and the attachment and detachment coefficients under different conditions, were obtained by fitting the experimental data with the non-growth condition transport model. The transport model was then refined and improved to incorporate the microbial sulfate reduction mechanism. To evaluate the applicability of this model, bacterial transport in aquifers under both nutrient-rich and oligotrophic environments was modeled by employing the parameters gained from experiments and from available literature; the model results were consistent with observations reported in former studies. In addition, the results revealed that the distribution of bacteria in the aqueous phase and in the sediments is directly related to the attachment-site capacity of the sediment. Thus, the attachment-site capacity of the sediment is a key factor to evaluate the transport and growth of bacteria in aquifers.     

Arsenic variability and groundwater age in three water supply wells in southeast New Hampshire

Three wells in New Hampshire were sampled bimonthly over three years to evaluate the temporal variability of arsenic concentrations and groundwater age.All samples had measurable concentrations of arsenic throughout the entire sampling period and concentrations in individual wells had a mean variation of more than 7 μg/L.The time series data from this sampling effort showed that arsenic concentrations ranged from a median of 4 μg/L in a glacial aquifer well(SGW-65)to medians of 19μg/L and37 μg/L in wells(SGW-93 and KFW-87)screened in the bedrock aquifer,respectively.These high arsenic concentrations were associated with the consistently high pH(median≥8)and low dissolved oxygen(median0.1 mg/L)in the bedrock aquifer wells,which is typical of fractured crystalline bedrock aquifers in New Hampshire.Groundwater from the glacial aquifer often has high dissolved oxygen,but in this case was consistently low.The pH also is generally acidic in the glacial aquifer but in this case was slightly alkaline(median = 7.5).Also,sorption sites may be more abundant in glacial aquifer deposits than in fractured bedrock which may contribute to lower arsenic concentrations.Mean groundwater ages were less than 50 years old in all three wells and correlated with conservative tracer concentrations,such as chloride;however,mean age was not directly correlated with arsenic concentrations.Arsenic concentrations at KFW-87 did correlate with water levels,in addition,there was a seasonal pattern,which suggests that either the timing of or multiple sampling efforts may be important to define the full range of arsenic concentrations in domestic bedrock wells.Since geochemically reduced conditions and alkaline pHs are common to both bedrock and glacial aquifer wells in this study,groundwater age correlates less strongly with arsenic concentrations than geochemical conditions.There also is evidence of direct hydraulic connection between the glacial and bedrock aquifers,which can influence arsenic concentrations.Correlations between arsenic concentrations and the age of the old fraction of water in SGW-65 and the age of the young fraction of water in SGW-93 suggest that water in the two aquifers may be mixing or at least some of the deeper,older water captured by the glacial aquifer well may be from a similar source as the shallow young groundwater from the bedrock aquifer.The contrast in arsenic concentrations in the two aquifers may be because of increased adsorption capacity of glacio-fluvial sediments,which can limit contaminants more than fractured rock.In addition,this study illustrates that long residence times are not necessary to achieve more geochemically evolved conditions such as high pH and reduced conditions as is typically found with older water in other regions.     

Geochemical mobility of arsenic in the surficial waters from Argentina

The presence of arsenic (As) in surface water constitutes an important environmental risk, where mobility and adsorption processes are responsible for its behavior in the sediment–water interface. Therefore, the assessment of adsorption, mobility and water availability of arsenic in freshwater sediments, with agricultural, livestock and urban soil uses was performed. Arsenic concentrations in sediments ranged from 5.4 to 15.9 mg kg^?1 (total) and 2.8 to 6.5 mg kg^?1 (labile), and those of iron and manganese were 11,563–23,500 and 140.6–662.1 mg kg^?1, respectively. The As levels in water were significantly lower than those of sediments. Results would suggest that As co-precipitation and adsorption on Fe oxides are probably the major route of immobilization, determining its low lability. Manganese did not present an outstanding contribution to the retention, and cation-exchange capacity, pH and organic matter of sediments did not show an influence on the mobility of As.     

氧化还原动态变化对沉积物砷和氟释放的影响:以河北白洋淀平原为例

季风性波动引起的降雨、径流和排泄过程会引发浅层地下水系统周期性氧化还原动态变化,从而对地下水系统中有害组分的迁移转化产生影响。为探讨氧化还原动态过程对沉积物中砷(As)和氟(F)释放的影响,本研究选择河北白洋淀地区沉积物样品,利用发酵罐作为反应器,建立氧化还原动态实验体系,并监测动态变化过程中实验体系各组分含量的变化。结果表明,碱性和还原环境均有利于地下水中As、F的富集。还原阶段较高的pH条件有利于溶液中F^-的解吸,且体系中有机物降解会产生大量HC0₃^-和C0₃^2-,与F^-发生竞争吸附而有利于F^-的富集。对于溶液中As的富集,一方面是由于还原条件下体系中的As以As(III)为主,受沉积物的吸附作用较弱,从而有利于As被释放到溶液中;另一方面是因为还原阶段较高的pH也会使反应体系中As和沉积物间的吸附作用被减弱,造成As的解吸附。由于实验所用沉积物砷含量较低,不同S0₄^2-浓度条件对氧化还原动态过程中As、F迁移的影响不明显。总之,氧化还原动态变化过程会强烈影响地下水系统中砷、氟的富集。     

Adams和Couch法古盐度恢复结果的可靠性检验——以青海湖布哈河口区沉积物为例

Adams公式和Couch公式是利用沉积物中硼元素浓度对沉积水体古盐度进行定量恢复的常用方法,但由于两种方法的恢复结果经常存在较大差异,古盐度的计算结果常难以让人信服。为了验证Adams公式和Couch公式的可靠性,本次研究采集了青海湖布哈河口区不同沉积环境的表层沉积物和底层水体样品,处理后分别分析了沉积物中硼元素浓度、总有机碳（TOC）含量及矿物组成,同时对水体盐度及其硼浓度进行了测量,结果表明:湖泊水体中硼浓度与盐度存在极好的线性正相关性,但沉积物中硼元素的浓度与沉积水体中硼的浓度并无直接联系。根据沉积物中硼的浓度及黏土矿物含量和组成,分别采用Adams公式和Couch公式对水体盐度进行计算,盐度计算值均远高于水体盐度实测值,其中Adams公式的计算结果与实测值差别最大,盐度计算值与沉积物中硼含量呈正相关关系。沉积物中的硼元素主要由继承自母岩的硼、黏土矿物吸附硼和有机质中富集的硼三部分组成,只有黏土矿物中的吸附硼能够反映水体盐度。青海湖布哈河口区沉积物富含有机质,有机质对硼强烈的富集作用是导致Adams公式和Couch公式盐度恢复结果失效的重要原因,同时不同类型黏土矿物对硼吸附能力的差异也对恢复结果有重要影响:黏土矿物在盐水中的浸泡试验表明蒙脱石对硼的吸附能力最强,次为伊利石,高岭石吸附能力最差,推翻了Couch关于伊利石对硼吸附能力最强的认识。原Adams公式和Couch公式仅没有考虑有机质对硼的影响,对不同类型黏土矿物吸附能力的认识有误,不适合陆相沉积物沉积水体古盐度的恢复。沉积物黏土矿物中吸附硼浓度仍是反映沉积水体盐度的可靠指标,古盐度的恢复首先必须消除沉积物中有机质对硼的影响,然后根据一系列的浸泡试验确定不同类型黏土矿物对硼的吸附系数,并建立新的计算公式。     

Factors affecting the association of fatty acids with mineral particles in sea water

Certain factors influencing the incorporation, transport and release of fatty acids by clay minerals, calcite and marine sediments have been investigated.Salinity was found to be an important factor. The adsorption of heptadecanoic acid by bentonite clay at 4%. was nearly triple that at 0%.. However, from 4%. to 35%., only a minor adsorption increase occurred. This behavior is believed to be related to flocculation of the clay at the lower salinity range. The pH over the range of 6.0–8.5 has a small influence on fatty acid-clay association, depressing it somewhat as the basicity increases.When the temperature of the fatty acid solution was increased from 0°C to 50°C, a decrease in adsorption on to clay was found. This effect may be due to increased water solubility of the acid at higher temperatures, since solubility is very important in controlling the degree of fatty acid-mineral interaction. Furthermore, apparent solubilization of fatty acids by indigenous dissolved organic matter in sea water reduces adsorption on to clay minerals.Based upon the heat of adsorption of ?14.6 kcal/mole, fatty acids are physically bound to clay minerals by weak van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds.Bentonite and kaolinite were found to be the most adsorptive minerals investigated, followed in order by illite, montmorillonite and calcite. Sediments from Narragansett Bay were found to lie between illite and montmorillonite in adsorptive capacity after indigenous sediment organic matter had been removed. Sediment organic matter reduced fatty acid uptake by a factor of 1.6.     

微生物对砷的地球化学行为的影响--暨地下水砷污染机制的最新研究进展

砷在自然界中广泛存在,近年来砷污染对人类健康造成的危害越来越引人关注。微生物在自然界中长期与砷共存,进化出不同的生物转化机制,在自然水体中微生物主要参与砷的不同氧化价态之间的转化过程,即As(V)和As(III)之间的氧化还原作用。砷酸盐异化还原菌（Dissimilatory Arsenate Respiring Prokaryote, DARP）可以将As(V)还原为As(III),化能自养亚砷酸盐氧化菌（Chemoautotrophic Arsenite Oxidizer, CAO）和异养亚砷酸盐氧化菌（Heterotrophic Arsenite Oxidizer, HAO）可以将As(III)氧化为As(V)。这些砷代谢微生物在分类和代谢能力上都具有很大的多样性,它们广泛参与了砷的生物地球化学循环的关键步骤,对特定环境条件下砷的地球化学行为产生重要影响,进而参与了砷的全球循环。在盐碱湖莫诺（Mono）湖中砷的不同价态分层存在,CAO与DARP的紧密偶联共同参与了莫诺湖中的砷的地球化学循环。在孟加拉三角洲的地下含水层中,微生物参与了将砷从固相迁移到水相的关键步骤,最终导致了地下水中的砷污染。     

Assessment of naturally occurring arsenic contamination in the groundwater of Sarkisla Plain (Sivas/Turkey)

High arsenic levels in groundwater of the aquifers, belonging to the Pliocene terrestrial layers and Quaternary alluvial sediments, have become a significant problem for the inhabitants living in Sarkisla (Turkey). The main objective of this study was to determine the origin and arsenic contamination mechanisms of the Sarkisla drinking water aquifer systems. The highest arsenic concentrations were found in Pliocene layers and alluvial sediments with concentrations ranging from 2.1 to 155 mg/kg. These rocks are the main aquifers in the study area, and most of the drinking groundwater demand is met by these aquifers. Groundwater from the Pliocene aquifer is mainly Ca-HCO₃ and Ca-SO₄ water type with high EC values reaching up to 3,270 μS/cm, which is due to the sulfate dissolution in some parts of the alluvial aquifer. Stable isotope values showed that the groundwater was of meteoric origin. Tritium values for the groundwater were between 8.31 and 14.06 TU, representing a fast circulation in the aquifer. Arsenic concentrations in the aquifers were between 0.5 and 345 μg/L. The highest arsenic concentrations detected in the Pliocene aquifer system reached up to 345 μg/L with an average value of 60.38 μg/L. The arsenic concentrations of the wells were high, while the springs had lower arsenic concentrations. These springs are located in the upper parts of the study area where the rocks are less weathered. The hydrogeochemical properties demonstrated that the water–rock interaction processes in sulfide-bearing rocks were responsible for the remarkably high groundwater arsenic contamination in the study area. In the study area, the arsenic levels determined in groundwater exceeded the levels recommended by the WHO. Therefore, it is suggested that this water should not be used for drinking purposes and new water sources should be investigated.     

Adsorption, desorption and oxidation of arsenic affected by clay minerals and aging process

 Adsorption/desorption and oxidation/reduction of arsenic at clay surfaces are very important to the natural attenuation of arsenic in the subsurface environment. Although numerous studies have concluded that iron oxides have high affinities for the adsorption of As(V), very little experimental work has addressed the arsenic attenuation capacities of different clay minerals and aging process affecting the transformation of arsenic. The abundance of clay minerals in a variety of geochemical environments and their influence on adsorption of contaminants suggests a need for more experimental work to characterize the adsorption desorption, and oxidation of arsenic on clay minerals. In this investigation three types of clay mineral were studied: the 1 : 1 layer clays [halloysite (IN), sedimentary M-kaolinite, and weathered EPK-kaolinite]; the 2 : 1 layer clays [illite (MT) and illite/montmorillonite (MT)]; the 2 :>: 1 layer clay [chlorite (CA)]. The halloysite and the chlorite had much greater As(V) adsorption (25–35 folds) than the other clay minerals. The clay minerals had lower As(III) adsorption than As(V) adsorption, and the adsorption was affected by pH. Desorption of arsenic from the clay minerals was significantly influenced by the aging process. The quantities of extractable As(III) and As(V) decreased with increasing aging time. The results demonstrated that oxidation of As(III) to As(V) occurred on the clay surfaces, whereas reduction of As(V) to As(III) was not found in any of the clay minerals studied. The oxidation of As(III) was affected by the types of clay and aging time. Received: 22 March 1999 · Accepted: 15 April 1999     

Clay minerals in sediments of Portuguese reservoirs and their significance as weathering products from over-eroded soils: a comparative study of the Maranhão, Monte Novo and Divor Reservoirs (South Portugal)

The Southern region of Portugal is subjected to several forms of over-erosion. Most leached products, mainly composed of fine particles containing nutrients, metals or pesticides, are easily transported by river flows. When these are hindered by a physical barrier such as a dam, the particulate load accumulates on the bottom of the reservoirs, often leading to a pronounced decrease of water quality. Bottom sediments from three reservoirs were subjected to grain-size analysis and a study of clay minerals by X-ray diffraction. Most sediments contain a diverse set of clay minerals, mostly illites, smectites, chlorites and kaolinites. The nature of the clay minerals reflects the nature of the parent rocks. During the cycles of transport and temporary deposition, they may undergo significant chemical and physical transformations, which lead to an increase of expandable properties and therefore, to a higher cationic exchange capacity, determining its important role as vehicles of environmental pollutants.     

金矿区河水和底泥中重金属含量分布与耦合关系

河流中河水与底泥中重金属含量之间的关系对于河流污染防治意义重大。对某金矿区3种典型河流的河水与底泥中的重金属含量进行分析,发现4条河流均有超过国家标准限值的情况,河水中7种重金属元素均出现超标,Cr、As元素超标不严重;底泥中Hg、Pb、Cr、Cu、Zn超标,其中Hg超标最严重,河水和底泥中Hg最大超标倍数分别达到3099倍和244倍。河流中重金属主要赋存形态为沉积态,底泥的吸附解吸作用是河流底泥和河水中重金属沿程变化的主控因素;金矿区区域上河水和底泥中重金属很好地服从Langmuir等温吸附模式。矿业活动、地层岩性均会影响底泥对重金属的平均最大吸附容量,流径黄土区的双桥河平均最大吸附容量最大。研究结果为矿山河流污染防治与预警提供了参考依据。