Microbiotests for the evaluation of the pollution from the oil shale industry

BackgroundA recent study demonstrates that inhalation of airborne particulate from Mount Etna eruptions may induce fibrotic lung disease. The occupational exposure of construction workers from the Etna area, who excavate building sites and use basalt dust to make mortar, has never been assessed.MethodsSamples of basalt, volcanic ash, basalt + cement and cement dust were collected on the construction site of a subway tunnel, ground to dust and subjected to the Microtox® solid-phase test to evaluate the toxicity of dust suspensions. Samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Minerals were identified and characterized by their morphology and elemental composition.ResultsThe elements found most frequently were C, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe and O. All four dusts were toxic: basalt and ash were significantly less toxic than basalt + cement and cement, which shared a similar and very high degree of toxicity. Higher Fe, Ca and Mg concentrations were associated with greater toxicity.ConclusionsThe risk related to long-term occupational exposure to various dusts on constructions sites in the Mount Etna area should be further assessed.

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“…TU represents relative toxicity as described by Kahru et al [25]: <1% = non toxic; 1–40% = toxic; 40–100% = very toxic; >100% = extremely toxic.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Professional exposure to basaltic rock dust: assessment by the Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological test

Ledda

Rapisarda

Bracci³

et al. 2013

Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology

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“…For the detailed method concerning the use of the Toxkits, see Kahru et al [28]. Briefly, 48-well plates with Thamnocephalus platyurus larvae were incubated in the dark at 25ЊC for 24 h, and the mortality of test organisms was used as the toxicity endpoint.…”

Section: Ecotoxicological Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Synthetic freshwater served as a control solution. For the detailed method concerning the use of the Toxkits, see Kahru et al [28]. The soil extract was considered toxic if it caused the mortality of more than 20% of the test organisms (inhibition:…”

Section: Ecotoxicological Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biotests and biosensors in ecotoxicological risk assessment of field soils polluted with zinc, lead, and cadmium

Kahru

Ivask

Kasemets

et al. 2005

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

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The combined chemical and ecotoxicological hazard evaluation study was conducted on 60 smelter-influenced soils containing 1 to 13, 50 to 653, and 100 to 1,198 mg/kg of Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively. For these soils (liquid-to-soil ratio = 10), water extractability of Zn, Cd, and Pb was less than 0.19% (median values). Acetic acid (0.11 M) extracted 23, 9.7, and 0.7% of Cd, Zn, and Pb, respectively. Although heavy metal concentrations in the studied soils were high, the toxic effects of water extracts were observed only in few samples and in few biotests (algae Selenastrum capricornutum and metal detector assay). For most of the aquatic test organisms (e.g., crustaceans, photobacteria), the bioavailable concentrations of metals in soil-water extracts were either subtoxic, or the adverse effects were compensated by soil nutrients, etc. However, analysis of the soils with recombinant Cd sensor Bacillus subtilis (pTOO24) showed that about 65% of these apparently subtoxic samples contained bioavailable Cd when analyzed in the suspension assay (detection limit 1.5 mg Cd/kg soil), indicating the desorption of Cd induced by direct contact of bacteria with soil particles. The median bioavailable fraction of Cd (1%) was 23-fold lower than the fraction extracted by acetic acid. The Pb-Cd sensor Staphylococcus aureus (pT0024) detected bioavailable Pb only in the suspensions of five of the most lead-polluted soils (>417 mg Pb/kg): the median bioavailability of Pb was 0.42%. Consequently, the hazard assessment relying on total metal levels in soils should be revised by critical comparison with data obtained from bioassays. Development and use of biosensors (excellent tools for mechanistic studies and signaling hazard already at subtoxic level) should be encouraged.

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“…It is considered as a dangerous waste, which may contain pollutants including sulfates, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are toxic and carcinogenic. 9 In certain countries, a large quantity of SC (about 300 million tons in Estonia, for example) is mostly placed into open dumps. The combustion of SC, as discussed in several papers, 10,11 could be a promising concept, allowing for the use of the high residual energetic potential of this material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Decarbonated fraction versus the front temperature:(9) reference experiments and (0) experiments with CO 2 -enriched air.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of a CO₂-Enriched Gas on the Decarbonation of CaCO₃ and the Oxidation of Carbon in the Smoldering Process of Oil Shale Semicoke

2011

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One way of recovering oil is to propagate a co-current feed smoldering front in oil shale. This can be performed either in situ or as an ex situ process. Smoldering in oil shale semicoke achieves both thermal valorization and carbon release. In both cases, two phenomena cause CO 2 formation and release: the oxidation of fixed carbon and the decarbonation of CaCO 3 . It is shown in this work that enriching the gas fed to the front with CO 2 significantly impacts both phenomena, potentially in a positive way: (i) the oxidation of fixed carbon to CO is encouraged, leading to the production of a richer gas and limiting the amount of CO 2 formed, and (ii) the decarbonation of CaCO 3 is limited, which also contributes to reducing the formation of CO 2 .

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Microbiotests for the evaluation of the pollution from the oil shale industry

Cited by 13 publications

References 3 publications

Professional exposure to basaltic rock dust: assessment by the Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological test

Professional exposure to basaltic rock dust: assessment by the Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological test

Biotests and biosensors in ecotoxicological risk assessment of field soils polluted with zinc, lead, and cadmium

Impact of a CO₂-Enriched Gas on the Decarbonation of CaCO₃ and the Oxidation of Carbon in the Smoldering Process of Oil Shale Semicoke

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Microbiotests for the evaluation of the pollution from the oil shale industry

Cited by 13 publications

References 3 publications

Professional exposure to basaltic rock dust: assessment by the Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological test

Professional exposure to basaltic rock dust: assessment by the Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological test

Biotests and biosensors in ecotoxicological risk assessment of field soils polluted with zinc, lead, and cadmium

Impact of a CO2-Enriched Gas on the Decarbonation of CaCO3 and the Oxidation of Carbon in the Smoldering Process of Oil Shale Semicoke

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Impact of a CO₂-Enriched Gas on the Decarbonation of CaCO₃ and the Oxidation of Carbon in the Smoldering Process of Oil Shale Semicoke