Bioaccessibility of barium from barite contaminated soils based on gastric phase in vitro data and plant uptake.
Barite contamination of soil commonly occurs from either barite mining or explorative drilling operations. This work reported in vitro data for barite contaminated soils using the physiologically based extraction test (PBET) methodology. The existence of barite in plant tissue and the possibility of 'biomineralised' zones was also investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Soils with low barium (Ba) concentrations showed a higher proportion of Ba extractability than barite rich samples. Barium uptake to spinach from soil was different between short term spiking studies and field weathered soils. Furthermore, Ba crystals were not evident in spinach tissue or acid digest solutions grown in barium nitrate spiked soils despite high accumulation. Barite was found in the plant digest solutions from barite contaminated soils only. Results indicate that under the conservative assumptions made, a child would need to consume extreme quantities of soil over an extended period to cause chronic health problems.
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
Sedigheh
S
Abbasi
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Bld X, SA 5095, Australia; Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Electronic address: dane.lamb@newcastle.edu.au.
Dane T
DT
Lamb
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Bld X, SA 5095, Australia; Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
Thavamani
T
Palanisami
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Bld X, SA 5095, Australia.
Mohammed
M
Kader
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
Vitukawalu
V
Matanitobua
University of South Australia, Building X, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Bld X, SA 5095, Australia; Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
Mallavarapu
M
Megharaj
Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Bld X, SA 5095, Australia; Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, ATC Building, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
Ravi
R
Naidu
D001464:Barium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001466:Barium Sulfate / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001682:Biological Availability; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013021:South Australia; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000378:metabolism*; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001464:Barium; D001466:Barium Sulfate
Biomineralisation; Human health; Precipitation; Soil pica