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Biomedical subjects

Z Q Lin

Publications and source records attributed to Z Q Lin.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated soils and waters: fundamentals and future prospects.

Interest in selenium pollution and remediation technology has escalated during the past two decades. Although not known to be essential for plants, selenium is an essential micronutrient for humans and animals, having important benefits for their nutrition. At high concentrations, however, selenium becomes toxic to animals and humans. A major selenium controversy in the 1980s emerged in California at the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge; hence, scientists, environmental regulators, politicians, and the general public in the United States became aware of selenium's potential as an environmental contaminant. Consequently, extensive research has been conducted in the western United States, and a vast amount of financial resources have been allocated to develop management strategies and remediation technologies for reducing the impact of naturally occurring selenium on the biological environment. A plant-based technology, defined as 'phytoremediation', has received increasing recognition as a low-cost, environmentally friendly approach for managing the toxic effects of selenium. Plants have the ability to absorb and sequester selenium and to convert inorganic selenium to volatile forms of organic compounds that are released harmlessly into the atmosphere. The present review summarizes recent research findings and information about strategies on using phytoremediation systems to detoxify selenium-contaminated soils and waters in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Antioxidants↗

Removal and distribution of iron, manganese, cobalt, and nickel within a Pennsylvania constructed wetland treating coal combustion by-product leachate.

A flow-through wetland treatment system was constructed to treat coal combustion by-product leachate from an electrical power station at Springdale, Pennsylvania. In a nine-compartment treatment system, four cattail (Typha latifolia L.) wetland cells (designated Cells 1 through 4) successfully removed iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) from the inlet water; Fe and Mn concentrations were decreased by an average of 91% in the first year (May 1996-May 1997), and by 94 and 98% in the second year (July 1997-June 1998), respectively. Cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) were decreased by an average of 39 and 47% in the first year, and 98 and 63% in the second year, respectively. Most of the metal removed by the wetland cells was accumulated in sediments, which constituted the largest sink. Except for Fe, metal concentrations in the sediments tended to be greater in the top 5 cm of sediment than in the 5- to 10- or 10- to 15-cm layers, and in Cell 1 than in Cells 2, 3, and 4. Plants constituted a much smaller sink for metals; only 0.91, 4.18, 0.19, and 0.38% of the Fe, Mn, Co, and Ni were accumulated annually in the aboveground tissues of cattail, respectively. A greater proportion of each metal (except Mn) was accumulated in cattail fallen litter and submerged Chara (a macroalga) tissues, that is, 2.81, 2.75, and 1.05% for Fe, Co, and Ni, respectively. Considerably higher concentrations of metals were associated with cattail roots than shoots, although Mn was a notable exception.

Biological Availability↗

Trace element removal from coal ash leachate by a 10-year-old constructed wetland.

This study investigated the ability of a 10-yr-old constructed wetland to treat metal-contaminated leachate emanating from a coal ash pile at the Widows Creek electric utility, Alabama (USA). The two vegetated cells, which were dominated by cattail (Typha latifolia L.) and soft rush (Juncus effusus L.), were very effective at removing Fe and Cd from the wastewater, but less efficient for Zn, S, B, and Mn. The concentrations were decreased by up to 99% for Fe, 91% for Cd, 63% for Zn, 61% for S, 58% for Mn, and 50% for B. Higher pH levels (>6) in standing water substantially improved the removing efficiency of the wetland for Mn only. The belowground tissues of both cattail and soft rush had high concentrations of all elements; only for Mn, however, did the concentration in the shoots exceed those in the belowground tissues. The concentrations of trace elements in fallen litter were higher than in the living shoots, but lower than in the belowground tissues. The trace element accumulation in the plants accounted for less than 2.5% of the annual loading of each trace element into the wetland. The sediments were the primary sinks for the elements removed from the wastewater. Except for Mn, the concentrations of trace elements in the upper layer (0-5 cm) of the sediment profile tended to be higher than the lower layers (5-10 and 10-15 cm). We conclude that constructed wetlands are still able to efficiently remove metals in the long term (i.e.,>10 yr after construction).

Biological Availability↗

Evaluation of the macroalga, muskgrass, for the phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated agricultural drainage water by microcosms.

Previous field studies suggested that the macroalga, muskgrass (Chara canescens Desv. & Lois), plays an important role in the removal of selenium (Se) from agricultural drainage water. This study evaluated the efficiency of Se removal from drainage water by muskgrass-vegetated wetland microcosms, and determined the extent to which muskgrass removed Se through phytoextraction and biovolatilization. Six flow-through wetland microcosms were continuously supplied with drainage water containing an average Se concentration of 22 microg L(-1) over a 24-d experimental period. The Se mass input and outflow and the rate of Se volatilization were monitored daily for each microcosm. Three microcosms containing muskgrass reduced the daily mass Se input in the inflow drainage water by 72.1%; this compared with a reduction of 50.6% of the mass Se input for three unvegetated control microcosms. Selenium accumulated in muskgrass tissues accounted for 1.9% of the total mass Se input in the microcosm, followed by 0.5% via biological volatilization. The low rates of Se volatilization from selenate-supplied muskgrass, which were 10-fold less than from selenite, were probably due to a major rate limitation in the reduction of selenate to organic forms of Se in muskgrass. This conclusion was derived from X-ray absorption spectroscopy speciation analysis, which showed that muskgrass treated with selenite contained 91% of the total Se in organic forms (selenoethers and diselenides), compared with 47% in muskgrass treated with selenate.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Selenium removal and mass balance in a constructed flow-through wetland system.

A field study on the removal of Se from agricultural subsurface drainage was conducted from May 1997 to February 2001 in the Tulare Lake Drainage District (TLDD) of San Joaquin Valley, California. A flow-through wetland system was constructed consisting of ten 15- x 76-m unlined cells that were continuously flooded and planted with either a monotype or combination of plants, including sturdy bulrush [Schoenoplectus robustus (Pursh) M.T. Strong], baltic rush (Juncus balticus Willd.), smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.), rabbitsfoot grass [Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.], salt-grass lDistichlis spicata (L.) Greene], cattail (Typha latifolia L.), tule [Schoenoplectus acutus (Muhl. ex Bigelow) A. Löve & D. Löve], and widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima L.). One cell had no vegetation planted. The objectives of this research were to evaluate Se removal efficiency of each wetland cell and to carry out a mass balance on Se. The inflow drainage water to the cells had average annual Se concentrations of 19 to 22 microg L(-1) dominated by selenate [Se(VI), 95%]. Average weekly water residence time varied from about 3 to 15 d for Cells 1 through 7 (target 7 d), 19 to 33 d for Cells 8 and 9 (target 21 d), and 13 to 18 d for Cell 10 (target 14 d). Average weekly Se concentration ratios of outflow to inflow ranged from 0.45 to 0.79 and mass ratio (concentration x water volume) from 0.24 to 0.52 for year 2000, that is, 21 to 55% reduction in Se concentration and 48 to 76% Se removal in mass by the wetland, respectively. The nonvegetated cell showed the least Se removal both in concentration and in mass. The global mass balance showed that on the average about 59% of the total inflow Se was retained within the cells and Se outputs were outflow (35%), seepage (4%), and volatilization (2%). Independent measurements of the Se retained in the cells totaled 53% of the total Se inflow: 33% in the surface (0-20 cm) sediment, 18% in the organic detrital layer above the sediment, 2% in the fallen litter, < 1% in the standing plants, and < 1% in the surface water. Thus, about 6% of the total Se inflow was unaccounted for in the internal compartments.

Agriculture↗