ABSTRACT Heavy metals contained in electronic waste, if discarded improperly, can become bioavailable after vermicomposting, posing a risk to the environment. Small-scale vermicomposting experiments were carried out with printed circuit boards (PCBs) to investigate the migration of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Sn) to the final compost, as well as the mobility and bioavailability of these metals. High total levels of Pb, Sn and Cu in samples of manure with electronic waste (MEW) and vegetables with electronic waste […]

Little is known bout the pedogenetic differentiation in Alto Paranaíba, western Minas Gerais, Brazil, when materials with such a variety of chemical compositions as tufite, alkaline-ultramafic igneous rocks and carbonatites are compared, which are all found in this region. The purpose of this study was to characterize the physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of three representative soil topolitosequences of the Alto Paranaíba region. Therefore, 11 soil profiles were described and collected in the Serra do Salitre, Patrocínio and Coromandel counties, […]

The determination of As by hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy (HG-AAS) is a simple, sensitive, precise and low-cost method. However, this technique requires the pre-reduction of the existing As(V) species, which is obtained by the use of reducing agents such as KI. In extracts containing oxidizing agents, the pre-reduction of As is impaired, as it occurs in extracts obtained by the BCR (French acronym for Community Bureau of Reference) method for the sequential extraction of As in sediments. The objective […]

Besides the typically low levels of secondary 2:1 minerals found in the clay fraction of soils in tropical and subtropical climates, the small mineral size and low crystallinity make their analyses by X-ray difractometry (XRD) difficult. This study aimed to evaluate physical and chemical methods for concentrating secondary 2:1 minerals in the clay fraction to facilitate their identification by XRD. Also, it was sought to analyze the nature of the minerals regarding the sites of origin of permanent charges (tetrahedral […]

Soil contamination is nowadays a problem that requires detailed investigation in order to set up criteria for distinction between natural anomalies and antropogenic contribution. This work was carried out to evaluate zinc distribution and fractions, aiming to identify the origin of high Zn content in soils around mining areas in the Vazante county -MG (Brazil). Soil profiles were sampled in mined areas, and in upslope and downslope positions at depths of 0-2, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-50, 50-100 and 100-150 cm. A […]

The low biodegradability of synthetic chelating agents used for phytoextraction poses a great environmental risk due to the potential for metal leaching. Natural chelating agents can be an alternative to synthetic chelates due to their rapid biodegrability. The study aimed to compare the performance of natural organic acids (gallic, citric, and oxalic) to synthetic chelates/acids EDTA, DTPA, and NTA for induced phytoextraction of Pb, Cu and Zn by corn (Zea mays) and velvetbean (Stizolobium aterrimum). Soil samples were contaminated to […]

The final disposal of sewage sludge has become a cause of environmental concern. Because of its high content of both organic matter and plant nutrients, sewage sludge has been used as fertilizer. However, it is important to know the fractions and bioavailability of heavy metals in sludge-amended soils. In the case of zinc, one of the most abundant metals in sewage sludge, knowledge on forms and plant availability are important to predict its behavior in soils. The present experiment was […]

The effects of pH changes and sewage sludge application on the distribution of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn among exchangeable, organic, amorphous Fe and Al oxides, crystalline Fe and Al oxides, and residual fractions of two soils (and Eutrustox and a Ultipsamment) were studied in a greenhouse experiment carried out at the FCAV-UNESP, in Jaboticabal (SP), Brazil. The heavy metal contents in these fractions were related to those extracted with DTPA, HCl 0.1 mol L-1, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3 extractants […]

Few studies relate the K reserve in soils developed in a humid tropic climate with the minerals found in the clay fraction. Nineteen soils were collected for this purpose in the Triângulo Mineiro region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, developed from different parent materials and different weathering degrees. Due to the greater occurrence, a larger number of samples of the Bauru Group was collected, comprising all the geological formations found in the region. The total K content in soil and the sand, […]

To evaluate a fractionation scheme for Zn in a sandy soil (Ultisol) and its relation with Zn availability for Cynodon spp cv. Tifton-85, an experiment was carried out in greenhouse, with a factorial scheme (5 doses of zinc, 2 doses of lime and 2 times of sampling), in a completely randomized block design, with three replications. The doses of Zn were: 0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5 and 10 mg dm-3; half of the pots did not received liming (V = 42%) and, in the other half, liming was […]