Abstract
Tungsten (W) is a lithophile element that occurs naturally in small concentrations in soils and sediments. Its hardness and resistance to corrosion (alone, alloyed with other metals, or combined with carbon) makes it an important strategic element with a wide range of both common and specialised applications. Concerns over adverse environmental effects of W have recently arisen and its designation as a non-toxic and environmentally benign metal is being reconsidered. Tungsten speciation and the formation of polytungstates in acid conditions may be important in ecotoxicology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Brewer, L., Fairbrother, A., Clark, J., & Amick, D. (2003). Acute toxicity of lead, steel, and an iron–tungsten–nickel shot to mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 39, 638–648.
De Francisco, N., Troya, J. D. R., & Aguera, E. I. (2003). Lead and lead toxicity in domestic and free living birds. Avian Pathology, 32, 3–13.
Dermatas, D., Braida, W., Christodoulatos, C., Strigul, N., Panikov, N., Los, M., & Larson, S. (2004). Solubility, sorption, and soil respiration effects of tungsten and tungsten alloys. Environmental Forensics, 5, 5–13.
Feldmann, J., & Cullen, W. R. (1997). Occurrence of volatile transition metal compounds in landfill gas: Synthesis of molybdenum and tungsten carbonyls in the environment. Environmental Science and Technology, 31, 21–25.
Fish and Wildlife Service (1999). Migratory bird hunting; final approval of tungsten-iron and tungsten-polymer shots and temporary approval of tungsten-matrix and tin shots as nontoxic for hunting waterfowl and coots. In Federal Register, 64, 32752–32756. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
Fu, M. H., & Tabatabai, M. A. (1988). Tungsten content of soils, plants, and sewage sludges in Iowa, USA. Journal of Environmental Quality, 17, 146–148.
Kabata-Pendias, A. (2001). Trace elements in soils and plants (3rd ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press Inc.
Kletzin, A., & Adams, M. W. W. (1996). Tungsten in biological systems. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 18, 5–63.
Koutsospyros, A., Braida, W. J., Christodoulatos, C., Dermatas, D., & Strigul, N. S. (2006). A review of tungsten: From environmental obscurity to scrutiny. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 136, 1–19.
Krauskopf, K. B. (1972). Tungsten. In K. H. Wedepohl (Ed.), Handbook of geochemistry (Vol. II/3). New York: Springer (Chapter 74).
Lassner, E., & Schubert, W. D. (1999). Tungsten – Properties, chemistry, technology of the element, alloys, and chemical compounds. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Pourbaix, M. (1974). Atlas of electrochemical equilibria in aqueous solutions. Waterloo: NACE International/Cebelcor.
Pyatt, F. B., & Pyatt, A. J. (2004). The bioaccumulation of tungsten and copper by organisms inhabiting metalliferous areas in North Queensland, Australia: An evaluation of potential health implications. Journal of Environmental Health Research, 3, 13–18.
Quin, B. F., & Brooks, R. R. (1972). The rapid determination of tungsten in solid, stream sediments, rocks and vegetation. Analytica Chimica Acta, 58, 301–309.
Scheuhammer, A. M., & Norris, S. L. (1995). A review of the environmental impacts of lead shotshell ammunition and lead fishing weights in Canada (Occasional Paper Number 88). Ontario: Canadian Wildlife Service.
Senesi, G. S., Baldassarre, G., Senesi, N., & Radina, B. (1999). Trace element inputs into soils by anthropogenic activities and implications for human health. Chemosphere, 39, 343–377.
Senesi, N., Padovano, G., & Brunetti, G. (1988). Scandium, titanium, tungsten and zirconium content in commercial inorganic fertilizers and their contribution to soil. Environmental Technology Letters, 9, 1011–1020.
Shacklette, H. T., Erdman, J. A., & Harms, T. F. (1978). Trace elements in plant foodstuffs. In F. W. Oehme (Ed.), Toxicity of heavy metals in the environment. Part 1 (p. 25). New York: Marcel Dekker.
Shedd, K. B. (2008). Tungsten. In 2008 minerals yearbook (pp. 79.1–79.20). Keyworth: U.S. Geological Survey. Available at: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/tungsten/
Shedd, K. B. (2011). Tungsten. In Mineral commodity summaries (pp. 176–177). Keyworth: U.S. Geological Survey. Available at: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/tungsten/
Strigul, N. (2010). Does speciation matter for tungsten ecotoxicology? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 73, 1099–1113.
Strigul, N. S., Koutsospyros, A., Arienti, P., Christodoulatos, C., Dermatas, D., & Braida, W. J. (2005). Effects of tungsten on environmental systems. Chemosphere, 61, 248–258.
Tajima, Y. (2001). A review of the biological and biochemical effects of tungsten compounds. Current Topics Biochemical Research, 4, 129–136.
Tajima, Y. (2003). The effects of tungstophosphate and tungstosilicate on various stress promoters transformed in Escherichia coli. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 94, 155–160.
Werner, A. B. T., Sinclair, W. D., & Amey, E. B. (1998). International strategic mineral issues summary report—Tungsten (U.S. Geological Survey Circular 930–O). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/circular/c930-o.pdf
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Clemente, R., Lepp, N.W. (2013). Tungsten. In: Alloway, B. (eds) Heavy Metals in Soils. Environmental Pollution, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4470-7_25
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4470-7_25
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-4469-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-4470-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)