scholarly journals Evaluation of Trace Elemental Levels as Pollution Indicators in an Abandoned Gold Mine Dump in Ekurhuleni Area, South Africa

Author(s):  
Godwin Okereafor ◽  
Mamookho Makhatha ◽  
Lukhanyo Mekuto ◽  
Vuyo Mavumengwana

In the Blesbokspruit area of Ekuhurleni, South Africa, previous gold mining activities resulted in many tailings dump sites. 20 representative soil samples were used in describing the distribution of metals. The soils were very strongly acidic ranging from 3.86 to 4.34 with a low cation exchange capacity (CEC). Based on X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, elemental composition of the soils revealed average values of major elements such as Na2O (0.18%), MgO (0.63%), Al2O3 (6.51%), SiO2 (81.83%), P2O5 (0.04%), SO3 (3.40%), K2O (1.98%), CaO (0.45%), TiO2 (0.51%), Cr2O3 (0.17%), MnO (0.04%), Fe2O3 (3.59%), NiO (0.04%), As2O3 (0.02%), with Rb2O and SrO falling below 0.01%. Trace metals (TM) contamination levels in the soils were evaluated using various pollution indices which revealed that over 60% of the soils were between the high degree and the ultra-high degree of contamination classes. The concentration of various trace metals varies from 860.3–862.6 mg/kg for Cr; 324.9–328.4 mg/kg for Al; 200.9–203.4 mg/kg for As; 130.1–136.2 mg/kg for Fe; 121.9–125.8 mg/kg for Pb; 27.3–30.2 mg/kg for Co; 23.8–26.8 mg/kg for Ni; 7.2–9.2 mg/kg for Ti; 7.1–9.2 mg/kg for Cd; 4.0–5.6 mg/kg for Zn and 0.1–0.6 mg/kg for Cu.

1986 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
Raina Niskanen

The number of successive extractions with 1 M KCI needed for adequate estimation of effective cation-exchange capacity was studied with four mineral soils. The effective CEC estimated as the sum of equivalents of exchangeable Ca, Mg, Na, H and Al extracted by four successive treatments ranged from 57 to 206 meq/kg soil. In three cultivated soils, 63—90 % of CEC was saturated by Ca and Mg, in the fourth soil (a deeper layer virgin soil), 60 % of CEC by exchangeable H and Al. By two successive treatments often minutes duration with 50ml of 1 M KCI, the equivalent sum of exchangeable cations extracted amounted to 83—92 % of effective CEC in cultivated soils and 67 % of that in virgin soil; >90 % of exchangeable Ca and Mg, 78—97 % of Al, 48—62 % of H and 28—64 % of Na were extracted. By three successive treatments the equivalent sum amounted to 79—96 % of effective CEC, by the single treatment of 30 minutes duration with 100ml of 1 M KCI to 57—79 %. Two successive extractions with 1 M KCI may be enough for estimation of effective CEC in cultivated mineral soils with high degree of saturation by exchangeable Ca and Mg. Soils with high degree of saturation by exchangeable acidity require three successive extractions.


Data in Brief ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 104473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uchenna Okereafor ◽  
Elizabeth Makhatha ◽  
Lukhanyo Mekuto ◽  
Vuyo Mavumengwana

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mardi Wibowo

Since year 1977 until 2005, PT. ANTAM has been exploited nickel ore resources at Gebe Island – Center ofHalmahera District – North Maluku Province. Mining activity, beside give economically advantages also causedegradation of environment quality espicially land quality. Therefore, it need evaluation activity for change ofland quality at Gebe Island after mining activity.From chemical rehabilitation aspect, post mining land and rehabilitation land indacate very lack and lackfertility (base saturated 45,87 – 99,6%; cation exchange capacity 9,43 – 12,43%; Organic Carbon 1,12 –2,31%). From availability of nutrirnt element aspect, post mining land and rehabilitation land indicate verylack and lack fertility (nitrogen 0,1 – 1,19%). Base on that data, it can be concluded that land reclamationactivity not yet achieve standart condition of chemical land.Key words : land quality, post mining lan


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 468-476
Author(s):  
Miroslav Jursík ◽  
Martin Kočárek ◽  
Michaela Kolářová ◽  
Lukáš Tichý

Six sunflower herbicides were tested at two application rates (1N and 2N) on three locations (with different soil types) within three years (2015–2017). Efficacy of the tested herbicides on Chenopodium album increased with an increasing cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil. Efficacy of pendimethalin was 95%, flurochloridone and aclonifen 94%, dimethenamid-P 72%, pethoxamid 49% and S-metolachlor 47%. All tested herbicides injured sunflower on sandy soil (Regosol) which had the lowest CEC, especially in wet conditions (phytotoxicity 27% after 1N application rate). The highest phytotoxicity was recorded after the application of dimethenamid-P (19% at 1N and 45% at 2N application rate). Main symptoms of phytotoxicity were leaf deformations and necroses and the damage of growing tips, which led to destruction of some plants. Aclonifen, pethoxamid and S-metolachlor at 1N did not injure sunflower on the soil with the highest CEC (Chernozem) in any of the experimental years. Persistence of tested herbicides was significantly longer in Fluvisol (medium CEC) compared to Regosol and Chernozem. Dimethenamid-P showed the shortest persistence in Regosol and Chernozem. The majority of herbicides was detected in the soil layer 0–5 cm in all tested soils. Vertical transport of herbicides in soil was affected by the herbicide used, soil type and weather conditions. The highest vertical transport was recorded for dimethenamid-P and pethoxamid (4, resp. 6% of applied rate) in Regosol in the growing season with high precipitation.  


Author(s):  
Geraldo R. Zuba Junio ◽  
Regynaldo A. Sampaio ◽  
Altina L. Nascimento ◽  
Luiz A. Fernandes ◽  
Natália N. de Lima ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to evaluate the chemical attributes of an Inceptisol cultivated with castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), variety ‘BRS Energia’, fertilized with sewage sludge compost and calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) silicate. The experiment was conducted at the ICA/UFMG, in a randomized block design, using a 2 x 4 factorial scheme with three replicates, and the treatments consisted of two doses of Ca-Mg silicate (0 and 1 t ha-1) and four doses of sewage sludge compost (0, 23.81, 47.62 and 71.43 t ha-1, on dry basis). Soil organic matter (OM), pH, sum of bases (SB), effective cation exchange capacity (CEC(t)), total cation exchange capacity (CEC(T)), base saturation (V%) and potential acidity (H + Al) were evaluated. There were no significant interactions between doses of sewage sludge compost and doses of Ca-Mg silicate on soil attributes, and no effect of silicate fertilization on these attributes. However, fertilization with sewage sludge compost promoted reduction in pH and increase in H + Al, OM and CEC. The dose of 71.43 t ha-1 of sewage sludge compost promoted the best soil chemical conditions.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2617
Author(s):  
Alicja Szatanik-Kloc ◽  
Justyna Szerement ◽  
Agnieszka Adamczuk ◽  
Grzegorz Józefaciuk

Thousands of tons of zeolitic materials are used yearly as soil conditioners and components of slow-release fertilizers. A positive influence of application of zeolites on plant growth has been frequently observed. Because zeolites have extremely large cation exchange capacity, surface area, porosity and water holding capacity, a paradigm has aroused that increasing plant growth is caused by a long-lasting improvement of soil physicochemical properties by zeolites. In the first year of our field experiment performed on a poor soil with zeolite rates from 1 to 8 t/ha and N fertilization, an increase in spring wheat yield was observed. Any effect on soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), surface area (S), pH-dependent surface charge (Qv), mesoporosity, water holding capacity and plant available water (PAW) was noted. This positive effect of zeolite on plants could be due to extra nutrients supplied by the mineral (primarily potassium—1 ton of the studied zeolite contained around 15 kg of exchangeable potassium). In the second year of the experiment (NPK treatment on previously zeolitized soil), the zeolite presence did not impact plant yield. No long-term effect of the zeolite on plants was observed in the third year after soil zeolitization, when, as in the first year, only N fertilization was applied. That there were no significant changes in the above-mentioned physicochemical properties of the field soil after the addition of zeolite was most likely due to high dilution of the mineral in the soil (8 t/ha zeolite is only ~0.35% of the soil mass in the root zone). To determine how much zeolite is needed to improve soil physicochemical properties, much higher zeolite rates than those applied in the field were studied in the laboratory. The latter studies showed that CEC and S increased proportionally to the zeolite percentage in the soil. The Qv of the zeolite was lower than that of the soil, so a decrease in soil variable charge was observed due to zeolite addition. Surprisingly, a slight increase in PAW, even at the largest zeolite dose (from 9.5% for the control soil to 13% for a mixture of 40 g zeolite and 100 g soil), was observed. It resulted from small alterations of the soil macrostructure: although the input of small zeolite pores was seen in pore size distributions, the larger pores responsible for the storage of PAW were almost not affected by the zeolite addition.


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