Study of lead phytoavailability for atmospheric industrial micronic and sub-micronic particles in relation with lead speciation

Environ Pollut. 2009 Apr;157(4):1178-85. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.09.053. Epub 2008 Nov 21.

Abstract

Particles from channelled emissions of a battery recycling facility were size-segregated and investigated to correlate their speciation and morphology with their transfer towards lettuce. Microculture experiments carried out with various calcareous soils spiked with micronic and sub-micronic particles (1650+/-20mg Pb kg(-1)) highlighted a greater transfer in soils mixed with the finest particles. According to XRD and Raman spectroscopy results, the two fractions presented differences in the amount of minor lead compounds like carbonates, but their speciation was quite similar, in decreasing order of abundance: PbS, PbSO(4), PbSO(4) x PbO, alpha-PbO and Pb(0). Morphology investigations revealed that PM(2.5) (i.e. Particulate Matter 2.5 composed of particles suspended in air with aerodynamic diameters of 2.5 microm or less) contained many Pb nanoballs and nanocrystals which could influence lead availability. The soil-plant transfer of lead was mainly influenced by size and was very well estimated by 0.01M CaCl(2) extraction.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Air Pollutants / pharmacokinetics
  • Air Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Biological Availability
  • Biological Transport
  • Calcium Chloride / metabolism
  • Ecotoxicology / instrumentation
  • Ecotoxicology / methods
  • Industrial Waste* / analysis
  • Lactuca / metabolism*
  • Lead / analysis
  • Lead / pharmacokinetics
  • Lead / toxicity*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Particle Size
  • Soil Pollutants / analysis
  • Soil Pollutants / pharmacokinetics
  • Soil Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Industrial Waste
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Lead
  • Calcium Chloride