Trends and Prospects in Environmental Geochemistry (Water, Soil, and Sediments)

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 7925

Special Issue Editors

Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Interests: environmental geochemistry; trace elements behavior; stable and radiogenic isotopes; water-air-rock interactions; weathering; soils and sediments; geo-biological reactions; natural and antropogenic anomalies; geo-resources and sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Interests: environmental geochemistry; trace elements behavior; stable and radiogenic isotopes; water-air-rock interactions; weathering; soils and sediments; geo-biological reactions; natural and antropogenic anomalies; geo-resources and sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Geochemical analyses of soils, sediment, and interacting water are important for understanding environmental systems and their evolution over the time.

They record both natural and anthropogenic factors, including fluxes of contaminants, and allow for the calculation of important geochemical budgets that measure interactions between the pedosphere–hydrosphere–atmosphere, as well as interactions with the biosphere.

New trends in geochemical investigations are currently facilitated by development of:

- portable instruments that allow for on-site analysis as an alternative to laboratory work;

- more performant elemental analysers that allow for lower detection limits;

- more performant mass spectrometers that allow for analysis investigations of a wide spectrum of isotopic tracers;

- remote-sensing geochemical prospection thanks to drone or satellite applications;

- geo-statistic applications that allow for the preparation of geochemical maps.

Despite the recent analytical developments, several types of data are still of difficult interpretation for the paucity of suitable geochemical archives, and have limited theoretical backgrounds.

Therefore, there is a need for studies that define geochemical backgrounds and anomalies in various frameworks.

Soil, sediment, and interacting water are essential georesources that provide nutrients for ecosystems and human populations, and thus have multiple applications. Therefore, soil, sediment and interacting water have to have sustainable approaches and be monitored carefully.

This Special Issue is open to a wide range of original research papers based on isotopic and elemental geochemistry, focused on geochemical processes occurring in the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere that describe elemental occurrence, migration, and accumulation from different natural but also anthropogenic (e.g., agriculture and industry) sources. The aim is to publish articles dealing with innovative approaches and new perspectives, as well as practical applications, addressed at a broad geosciences audience. Publications dealing with interdisciplinary approaches are particularly welcome.

Dr. Gianluca Bianchini
Dr. Claudio Natali
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • geochemical backgrounds
  • geochemical anomalies
  • geochemical cycles
  • geogenic vs. anthropogenic sources
  • environmental monitoring
  • methodological developments
  • innovative approaches

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2946 KiB  
Article
Nitrate and Dissolved Organic Carbon Release in Sandy Soils at Different Liquid/Solid Ratios Amended with Graphene and Classical Soil Improvers
by Luigi Alessandrino, Nicolò Colombani, Vassilis George Aschonitis and Micòl Mastrocicco
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 6220; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12126220 - 18 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1356
Abstract
This study emphasizes the importance of employing parallel batch tests with different liquid/solid (L/S) ratios to assess their dissolution mechanisms. Changes in physicochemical parameters (electrical conductivity, pH, and oxidation-reduction potential), as well as the sorption/desorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO [...] Read more.
This study emphasizes the importance of employing parallel batch tests with different liquid/solid (L/S) ratios to assess their dissolution mechanisms. Changes in physicochemical parameters (electrical conductivity, pH, and oxidation-reduction potential), as well as the sorption/desorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO3) due to graphene addition in a calcareous sandy soil (CS) and in a siliciclastic riverine sandy soil (SS) were assessed via batch experiments at different L/S ratios. Graphene’s production is growing at a great pace, so it’s important to test methods to reuse graphene wastes. The results of soil batch experiments mixed with graphene were compared with classical soil improvers (compost, biochar, and zeolites). The batches were performed using the saturation soil extraction method with deionized water as a proxy of rainwater. The contact time was 48 h. At the end of the experiment, water samples were collected to be analyzed for NO3, DOC, DIC, Ca, and Mg. Graphene did not alter the physiochemical parameters of both soils. Moreover, its addition did not trigger any NO3 increase respect to control and to other improvers. Biochar increased EC and pH beyond recommended limits for most crops’ growth in both soils. As expected, compost addition produced the highest NO3 release. Full article
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11 pages, 5603 KiB  
Article
Mapping Co–Cr–Cu and Fe Occurrence in a Legacy Mining Waste Using Geochemistry and Satellite Imagery Analyses
by Sara Kasmaeeyazdi, Enrico Dinelli and Roberto Braga
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 1928; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12041928 - 12 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1199
Abstract
Abandoned mining wastes are both an environmental challenge and a possible secondary raw material source. The characterization and monitoring of these sites are often expensive and cumbersome because of the need of repeated field surveys. Remote sensing data are a cost-effective alternative that [...] Read more.
Abandoned mining wastes are both an environmental challenge and a possible secondary raw material source. The characterization and monitoring of these sites are often expensive and cumbersome because of the need of repeated field surveys. Remote sensing data are a cost-effective alternative that helps in producing multiscale maps of mining wastes. These maps can be used to investigate and monitor the spatial patterns of different elements within the mining wastes. In this work, Sentinel-2 images are combined with the geochemical samples in order to map the distribution of iron, copper, chromium, and cobalt. The target area was the Vigonzano mining wastes in Northern Apennines (Italy) where there are a small number of geochemical analyses but a large amount of satellite image data. We used the multivariate geostatistical estimation method (Co-Kriging) that exploit the meaningful spatial correlation between the elements of interest and band ratios (obtained from Sentinel-2 images). The concentration maps highlighted subareas for Cu and Cr with an estimated grade of about 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. In addition, the critical element Co showed an enrichment in the south-east part of the mining wastes, in a similar pattern as Cr. Instead, the obtained maps show Ce, La, Rb, and Nb depletion compared to the surrounding agricultural areas. The concentration maps were intended as a prefeasibility study to determine enriched areas for further detailed investigation. Full article
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26 pages, 3885 KiB  
Article
Exploring Methane Emission Drivers in Wetlands: The Cases of Massaciuccoli and Porta Lakes (Northern Tuscany, Italy)
by Stefania Venturi, Franco Tassi, Jacopo Cabassi, Antonio Randazzo, Marta Lazzaroni, Francesco Capecchiacci, Barbara Vietina and Orlando Vaselli
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(24), 12156; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112412156 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2668
Abstract
Wetlands are hotspots of CH4 emissions to the atmosphere, mainly sustained by microbial decomposition of organic matter in anoxic sediments. Several knowledge gaps exist on how environmental drivers shape CH4 emissions from these ecosystems, posing challenges in upscaling efforts to estimate [...] Read more.
Wetlands are hotspots of CH4 emissions to the atmosphere, mainly sustained by microbial decomposition of organic matter in anoxic sediments. Several knowledge gaps exist on how environmental drivers shape CH4 emissions from these ecosystems, posing challenges in upscaling efforts to estimate global emissions from waterbodies. In this work, CH4 and CO2 diffusive fluxes, along with chemical and isotopic composition of dissolved ionic and gaseous species, were determined from two wetlands of Tuscany (Italy): (i) Porta Lake, a small wetland largely invaded by Phragmites australis reeds experiencing reed die-back syndrome, and (ii) Massaciuccoli Lake, a wide marsh area including open-water basins and channels affected by seawater intrusion and eutrophication. Both wetlands were recognized as net sources of CH4 to the atmosphere. Our data show that the magnitude of CH4 diffusive emission was controlled by CH4 production and consumption rates, being mostly governed by (i) water temperature and availability of labile carbon substrates and (ii) water column depth, wind exposure and dissolved O2 contents, respectively. This evidence suggests that the highest CH4 diffusive fluxes were sustained by reed beds, providing a large availability of organic matter supporting acetoclastic methanogenesis, with relevant implications for global carbon budget and future climate models. Full article
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19 pages, 3153 KiB  
Article
Total and Leached Arsenic, Mercury and Antimony in the Mining Waste Dumping Area of Abbadia San Salvatore (Mt. Amiata, Central Italy)
by Federica Meloni, Giordano Montegrossi, Marta Lazzaroni, Daniele Rappuoli, Barbara Nisi and Orlando Vaselli
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(17), 7893; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11177893 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1702
Abstract
Total and leached Arsenic, Mercury and Antimony were determined in the topsoils developed on the mining waste dumping area of Le Lame (Mt. Amiata, central Italy) where the post-processing Hg-rich ore deposits from the mining area of Abbadia San Salvatore were stored. The [...] Read more.
Total and leached Arsenic, Mercury and Antimony were determined in the topsoils developed on the mining waste dumping area of Le Lame (Mt. Amiata, central Italy) where the post-processing Hg-rich ore deposits from the mining area of Abbadia San Salvatore were stored. The concentrations of As, Hg and Sb were up to 610, 1910 and 1610 mg kg−1, respectively, while those in the leachates (carried out with CO2-saturated MilliQ water to simulate the meteoric water conditions) were up to 102, 7 and 661 μg·L−1, respectively. Most aqueous solutions were characterized by Hg content <0.1 μg·L−1. This is likely suggesting that the mine wastes (locally named “rosticci”) were possibly resulting from an efficient roasting process that favored either the removal or inertization of Hg operated by the Gould furnaces and located in the southern sector of Le Lame. The highest values of total and leachate mercury were indeed mostly found in the northern portion where the “rosticci”, derived by the less efficient and older Spirek-Cermak furnaces, was accumulated. The saturation index was positive for the great majority of leachate samples in Fe-oxy-hydroxides, e.g., ferrihydrite, hematite, magnetite, goethite, and Al-hydroxides (boehmite and gibbsite). On the other hand, As- and Hg-compounds were shown to be systematically undersaturated, whereas oversaturation in tripuhyte (FeSbO4) and romeite (Ca2Sb2O7) was evidenced. The Eh-pH diagrams for the three chalcophile elements were also constructed and computed and updated according to the recent literature data. Full article
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