Long-term and high-bioavailable potentially toxic elements (PTEs) strongly influence the microbiota in electroplating sites

Yating Luo; Jingli Pang; Chunhui Li; Jiacong Sun; Qiao Xu; Jien Ye; Hanxin Wu; Yuanyan Wan; Jiyan Shi

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151933

Long-term and high-bioavailable potentially toxic elements (PTEs) strongly influence the microbiota in electroplating sites

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Mar 25:814:151933. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151933. Epub 2021 Nov 26.

Authors

Yating Luo¹, Jingli Pang², Chunhui Li², Jiacong Sun², Qiao Xu³, Jien Ye², Hanxin Wu², Yuanyan Wan², Jiyan Shi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
² Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
³ Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
⁴ Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: shijiyan@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 34838915
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151933

Abstract

Multiple potentially toxic elements (PTEs) wastes are produced in the process of electroplating, which pollute the surrounding soils. However, the priority pollutants and critical risk factors in electroplating sites are still unclear. Hence, a typical demolished electroplating site (operation for 31 years) in the Yangtze River Delta was investigated. Results showed that the soil was severely polluted by Cr(VI) (1711.3 mg kg^-1), Ni (6754.0 mg kg^-1) and Pb (2784.4 mg kg^-1). The spatial distribution of soil PTEs performed by ArcGIS illustrated that the soil pollution varied with plating workshops. Hard Cr electroplating workshops (HCE), decorative Cr electroplating workshops (DCE) and sludge storage station (SS) were the hot spots in the site. Besides, the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) - extractable Cr and Ni contents in different workshops were significantly related (P < 0.05) to their bioavailable fractions (exchangeable fraction (F1) + bound to carbonate fraction (F2)), which pose potential risk to humans. Although the soil total Pb concentration was high, its mobility was very low (<0.007%). Moreover, the soil microbial community dynamics under the stress of long term and high contents of PTEs were further revealed. The soil microbiota was significantly disturbed by long term and high concentration of PTEs. A bit of bacteria (Caulobacter) and fungi (Cladosporium and Monocillium) showed tolerance potential to multiple metals. Furthermore, the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the bioavailable fractions (F1 + F2) of Cr and Ni were the most critical environmental variables affecting microbiota. Therefore, remediation strategies are required urgently to reduce the bioavailability of soil Cr and Ni. The results of this study provide an overview of the pollution distribution and microbial dynamics of a typical plating site, laying a foundation for ecological remediation of electroplating sites in Yangtze River Delta of China.

Keywords: Bioavailability; Distribution; Environmental variables; Microbial community; Multiple metals.

MeSH terms

China
Electroplating
Environmental Monitoring
Humans
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Microbiota*
Risk Assessment
Soil
Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Soil
Soil Pollutants