Redox-controlled release dynamics of thallium in periodically flooded arable soil.
To our knowledge, this is the first work to mechanistically study the impact of the redox potential (EH) and principal factors, such as pH, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), chlorides (Cl-) and sulfates (SO42-), on the release dynamics of thallium (Tl) in periodically flooded soil. We simulated flooding using an automated biogeochemical microcosm system that allows for systematical control of pre-defined redox windows. The EHvalue was increased mechanistically at intervals of approximately 100 mV from reducing (-211 mV) to oxidizing (475 mV) conditions. Soluble Tl levels (0.02-0.28 μg L-1) increased significantly with increases in EH(r = 0.80, p < 0.01, n = 30). Thallium mobilization was found to be related to several simultaneous processes involving the gradual oxidation of Tl-bearing sulfides, reductive dissolution of Fe-Mn oxides and desorption from mineral sorbents. Manganese oxides did not appear to have a considerable effect on Tl retention under oxidizing conditions. Before conducting the microcosm experiment, Tl geochemical fractionation was assessed using the modified BCR sequential extraction procedure. The BCR revealed a majority of Tl in the residual fraction (77.7%), followed by reducible (13.3%) and oxidizable fractions (5.9%). By generating high levels of Tl toxicity at low doses, Tl released under oxidizing conditions may pose an environmental threat. In the future, similar studies should be conducted on various soils along with a determination of the Tl species and monitoring of the Tl content in plants to achieve more detailed insight into soluble Tl behavior.
University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11 080, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: santic@agrif.bg.ac.rs.
Svetlana
S
Antić-Mladenović
University of Bielefeld, Department for Information Management and University Development, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany. Electronic address: t_frohne@yahoo.de.
Tina
T
Frohne
University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11 080, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: mkres@agrif.bg.ac.rs.
Mirjana
M
Kresović
UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: ha-jo.staerk@ufz.de.
Hans-Joachim
HJ
Stärk
University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11 080, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: dubravkas@agrif.bg.ac.rs.
Dubravka
D
Savić
University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11 080, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: licina@agrif.bg.ac.rs.
Vlado
V
Ličina
University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany; Sejong University, Department of Environment and Energy, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: rinklebe@uni-wuppertal.de.
Jörg
J
Rinklebe
D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D055868:Floods; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry; D017895:Manganese Compounds; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013431:Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry; D013793:Thallium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
D017895:Manganese Compounds; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013431:Sulfates; D008345:Manganese; C027424:manganese oxide; D013793:Thallium; D007501:Iron
Geochemical fractionation; Mn oxides; Mobilization; Redox potential; Sulfides; Thallium