This study investigated heavy metals in soils and agricultural products near an industrial district in Dongguan City. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As in soil and agricultural products from vegetable and banana fields were determined. Results indicated that except for Zn in one sample and Cd in five samples, the majority of the samples were notably enriched by heavy metals compa...

The removal efficiency of the heavy metals Zn, Pb and Cd by the zoosporic fungal species Saprolegnia delica and the terrestrial fungus Trichoderma viride, isolated from polluted water drainages in the Delta of Nile in Egypt, as affected by various ranges of pH values and different temperature degrees,was extensively investigated. The maximum removal efficiency of S. delica for Zn(II) and Cd(II)...

The present investigation deals with the accumulation of heavy metals in fields contaminated with fly ash from a thermal power plant and subsequent uptake in different parts of naturally grown plants. Results revealed that in the contaminated site, the mean level of all the metals (Cd, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mn and Fe) in soil and different parts (root and shoots) of plant species were found to be...

This study provided a picture of the spatial and temporal distributions of Cr, Co, Ni Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb in bottom sediments of Tolo Harbour. The concentrations of the eight heavy metals differed significantly between sites due to the poor tidal flushing in Tolo Harbour. The levels of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were generally enriched in sediments from inner Tolo Harbour, while sediments from outer T...

In this study, magnesium-zinc (Mg-Zn) alloy was investigated as a biodegradable orthopedic implant. MC3T3-E1 cell attachment, mineralization and osteogenic-specific mRNA expression were assessed for as measurements of the in vitro biocompatibility of Mg-Zn alloy. In vivo degradation of the Mg-Zn alloy and the accompanying new bone formation in the femoral marrow cavity were analyzed by scanning...

Mineralization of a readily biodegradable aromatic compound (benzoate) by intrinsic microorganisms in the anoxic sediment was used to quantify the inhibitory effect of heavily contaminated sediment from the Arthur Kill estuary (NY/NJ Harbor system, USA) on the anaerobic metabolism by naturally present bacterial populations. In anoxic microcosms, the effect of varying ratios of contaminated sedi...

Freshwater quality criteria for iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) were developed with particular reference to aquatic biota in Malaysia, and based on USEPA's guidelines. Acute toxicity tests were performed on eight different freshwater domestic species in Malaysia which were Macrobrachium lanchesteri (prawn), two fish: Poecilia reticulata and Rasbora sumatrana, Melanoides tubercu...

A method of determination of high Zn and Pb concentrations by means of EDXRF (energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry) is presented. Zn and Pb concentration in soil samples from contaminated areas ranged within a limit of Zn: 800–2000ppm and Pb: 200–600ppm. Soil analysis was conducted directly after the samples had been dried and powdered, as well as in situ in polluted areas. Due to ...

Laboratory experiments were used to assess morphological responses of Chironomus tentans larvae exposed to three levels of zinc and lead. Chironomus tentans egg masses were placed into triplicate control and metal-spiked aquaria containing the measured concentrations 1,442, 3,383, and 5,562 microg/g Pb dry weight and 1,723, 3,743, and 5,252 microg/g Zn dry weight. Larvae were collected at 10-d ...

The role of phytochelatins (PC(n), metal-binding oligopeptides with the general structure (γGlu-Cys)(n)-Gly (n = 2-11) in metal detoxification is assumed to be based on immobilization of metals, which prevents binding of metals to important biomolecules. Although induction of phytochelatin synthesis has often been observed in algae upon exposure to metals, direct evidence for binding of the ind...