Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil ecological criteria for nickel as a function of soil properties

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Scientific information for the chemistry and ecotoxicology of metals in soils has been obtained in the research conducted in recent years. However, the latest “science” obtained from this research has not yet been translated into “regulations” in China. In the present study, the predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) for Ni which denoted as soil ecological criteria for Ni were derived based on the effects of soil properties on bioavailability/ecotoxicity of Ni, incorporating the differences in species sensitivity as well as in laboratory and field conditions. First, collected all ecotoxicity data of Ni from bioassays in Chinese soils and filtered with given criteria to obtain reliable data. Second, corrected the compiled data with either aging factor or leaching and aging factors simultaneously to eliminate the discrepancy caused by difference between laboratory and realistic field conditions. Prior to being put into a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method to fit SSD curves, the corrected Ni ecotoxicity data were normalized with Ni ecotoxicity predictive models to modify the variation in Ni ecotoxicity caused by different soil properties. Then, the hazardous concentration for x% of the species (HCx) was figured out from the Ni SSD curve and the ecological criterion of Ni (PNEC) was set equal to HCx. Finally, predictive models for HCx were developed by quantifying the relationship between the Ni HCx and soil properties. Soil pH was the major factor controlling the values of HCx for Ni, with HC5 varying from 6.5 mg/kg in an acidic soil (pH 5.0) to 218.8 mg/kg in an alkaline soil (pH 8.5). The predictive models with parameters of soil pH and organic carbon (%) could calculate HCx with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.90–0.95. When soil cation exchange capacity was taken into account the third parameter, the predictive models could predict HCx more accurate with R2 values of 0.94–0.99.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) (2008) A flexible approach to species protection. CSIRO, Adelaide. http://www.cmis.csiro.au/envir/burrlioz

  • Bongers M, Rusch B, Van Gestel CAM (2004) The effect of counterion and percolation on the toxicity of lead for the springtail Folsomia candida in soil. Environ Toxicol Chem 23:195–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruus PM, Kjaer C, Elmegaard N (2000) Toxicity and bioaccumulation of copper to black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus) in relation to bioavailability and the age of soil contamination. Environ Contam Toxicol 39:431–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Huang D, Liu J (2009) Functions and toxicity of nickel in plants: recent advances and future prospects. Clean Soil Air Water 37:304–313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chhabra RJ, Pleysier J, Cremers AC (1975) The measurement of the cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cations in soils: a new method. In: Proceedings of international clay conference. Applied Publishing, Mexico. 439–449

  • Crommentuijn T, Polder M, Sijm D, Bruijn JD, Plassche EVD (2000) Evaluation of the Dutch environmental risk limits for metals by application of the added risk approach. Environ Toxicol Chem 19:1692–1701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dan T, Hale B, Johnson D, Conard B, Stiebel B, Veska E (2008) Toxicity thresholds for oat (Avena sativa L.) grown in Ni-impacted agricultural soils near Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. Can J Soil Sci 88:389–398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denkhaus E, Salnikow K (2002) Nickel essentiality, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 42:35–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Di Toro DM, Allen HE, Bergman HL, Meyer JS, Paquin PR, Santore RC (2001) Biotic ligand model of the acute toxicity of metals. I. Technical basis. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:2378–2396

    Google Scholar 

  • Díez M, Simón M, Martín F, Dorronsoro C, García I, Van Gestel CAM (2009) Ambient trace element background concentrations in soils and their use in risk assessment. Sci Total Environ 407:4622–4632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Chemicals Agency(2004) Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment, Appendix R.7.13–2: Environmental risk assessment for metals and metal compounds [Internet]. [cited 2016 11 08]. Available from: http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13632/information

  • European Union (EU) (2006) Draft risk assessment report for nickel and nickel compounds. Section 3.1: terrestrial effects assessment. Draft of May 11, Brussels: EU, European Union

  • Gajewska E, Skodowska M (2009) Nickel-induced changes in nitrogen metabolism in wheat shoots. J Plant Physiol 166:1034–1044

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldhaber SB (2003) Trace element risk assessment: essentiality vs. toxicity. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 38:232–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo XY, Zuo YB, Wang BR, Li JM, Ma YB (2010) Toxicity and accumulation of copper and nickel in maize plants cropped on calcareous and acidic field soils. Plant Soil 333:365–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haanstra L, Doelman P, Voshaar JHO (1985) The use of sigmoidal dose response curves in soil ecotoxicological research. Plant Soil 84:293–297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang JS (2012) Differences between laboratory and field tests for phytotoxicity of copper and nickel in soils [dissertation]. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang JS, Wei DP, Guo XY, Ma YB (2012) Toxicity and accumulation of copper and nickel in wheat plants cropped on alkaline and acidic field soils. Environ Sci 33:1369–1375 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Janssen CR, Schamphelaere KD, Heijerick D, Muyssena B, Locka K, Bossuyta B, Vangheluwea M, van Spranga P (2000) Uncertainties in the environmental risk assessment of metals. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 6:1003–1018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kooijman SALM (1987) A safety factor for LC50 values allowing for differences in sensitivity among species. Water Res 21:269–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li B (2010) The phytotoxicity of added copper and nickel to soils and predictive models [thesis]. Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li XF, Huang YZ, Ma YB, Sun JW, Cui HJ (2010a) Leaching impacts Ni toxicity differently among soils but increases its predictability according to nitrification assay. J Soil Sediment 10:579–589

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Ma YB, McLaughlin MJ, Kirby JK, Cozens G, Liu JF (2010b) Influences of soil properties and leaching on copper toxicity to barley root elongation. Environ Toxicol Chem 29:835–842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XF, Sun JW, Huang YZ, Ma YB, Zhu YG (2010c) Copper toxicity thresholds in Chinese soils based on substrate-induced nitrification assay. Environ Toxicol Chem 29:294–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Zhang HT, Ma YB, McLaughlin MJ (2013) Relationship between soil properties and toxicity of copper and nickel to bok choy and tomato in Chinese soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 32:2372–2378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Liu JF, Yang JX, Ma YB, Chen SB (2015) Comparison of phytotoxicity of copper and nickel in soils with different Chinese plant species. J Integr Agric 14:1192–1201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo L, Ma YB, Zhang SZ, Wei DP, Zhu YG (2009) An inventory of trace element inputs to agricultural soils in China. J Environ Manag 90:2524–2530

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma YB, Lombi E, McLaughlin MJ, Oliver IW, Nolan AL, Oorts K, Smolders E (2013) Aging of nickel added to soils as predicted by soil pH and time. Chemosphere 92:962–968

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Molas J (2002) Changes of chloroplast ultrastructure and total chlorophyll concentration in cabbage leaves caused by excess of organic Ni(II) complexes. Environ Exp Bot 47:115–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • National Environmental Protection Council (2011) National Environmental Protection Council Measures 2011-guideline on soil quality guidelines for arsenic, chromium (III), copper, DDT, lead, naphthalene, nickel and zinc, schedule B5c. National Environmental Protection Council, Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  • Oorts K, Bronckaers H, Smolders E (2006) Discrepancy of the microbial response to elevated Cu between freshly spiked and long-term contaminated soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 25:845–853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oorts K, Ghesquiere U, Smolders E (2007) Leaching and aging decrease nickel toxicity to soil microbial processes in soils freshly spiked with nickel chloride. Environ Toxicol Chem 26:1130–1138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poonkothai M, Vijayavathi BS (2012) Nickel as an essential element and a toxicant. Int. J. Environ Sci 1(4):285–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin RJ, Chen FX (2005) Amelioration of aluminum toxicity in red soil through use of barnyard and green manure. Commun Soil Sci Plan 36:1875–1889

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rooney CP, Zhao FJ, McGrath SP (2007) Phytotoxicity of nickel in a range of European soils: influence of soil properties, Ni solubility and speciation. Environ Pollut 145:596–605

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlekat CE, Van Genderen E, De Schamphelaere KAC, Antunes PMC, Rogevich EC, Stubblefield WA (2010) Cross-species extrapolation of chronic nickel biotic ligand. Sci Total Environ 408:6148–6157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scott-Fordsmand JJ, Weeks JM, Hopkin SP (2000) Importance of contamination history for understanding toxicity of copper to earthworm Eisennia fetida (Oligochaeta: Annelida) using neutral-red retention assay. Environ Toxicol Chem 19:1774–1780

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Semenzin E, Temminghoff EJM, Marcomini A (2007) Improving ecological risk assessment by including bioavailability into species sensitivity distributions: an example for plants exposed to nickel in soil. Environ Pollut 148:642–647

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smolders E, Oorts K, Van Sprang P, Schoeters I, Janssen CR, Mcgrath SP, Mclaughlin MJ (2009) Toxicity of trace metals in soil as affected by soil type and aging after contamination: calibrated bioavailability models to set ecological soil standards. Environ Toxicol Chem 28:1633–1642

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens DP, McLaughlin MJ, Heinrich T (2003) Determining toxicity of lead and zinc runoff in soils: salinity effects on metal partitioning and on phytotoxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 22:3017–3024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Struijs J, Van de Meent D, Peijnenburg WJGM, Van den Hoop MAGT, Crommentuijn T (1997) Added risk approach to derive maximum permissible concentrations for heavy metals: how to take into account the natural background levels. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 37:112–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Hoeven N (2004) Current issues in statistics and models for ecotoxicological risk assessment. Acta Biotheor 52:201–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Gestel CAM, Van Hekezen J, Bot J, Doornekamp A (1995) Development of a standardized soil ecotoxicity test with Platynothrus peltifer (Acari: Oribatida), using copper as a reference chemical [M]//contaminated Soil’95. Springer, Maastricht, pp 611–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Sprang PA, Verdonck FAM, Van Assche F, Regoli L, De Schamphelaere KAC (2009) Environmental risk assessment of zinc in European freshwaters: a critical appraisal. Sci Total Environ 407:5373–5391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Straalen NM, Denneman CAJ (1989) Ecotoxicological evaluation of soil quality criteria. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 18:241–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang XQ, Wei DP, Huang ZB (2012) Application of species sensitivity distribution in deriving of ecological thresholds for nickel in soils. J Agro Environ Sci 31:92–98 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang XQ, Wei DP, Ma YB, McLaughlin MJ (2015) Derivation of soil ecological criteria for copper in Chinese soils. PLoS One 10:e0133941. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133941

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei DP (2010) Application of bioluminescent bacteria bioassay on determination the toxicity of copper and nickel in Chinese soils [thesis]. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weng LP, Lexmond TM, Wolthoorn A, Temminghoff EJM, Van Riemsdijk WH (2003) Phytotoxicity and bioavailability of nickel: chemical speciation and bioaccumulation. Environ Toxicol Chem 22:2180–2187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler JR, Grist EPM, Leung KMY, Morritt D, Crane M (2002) Species sensitivity distributions: data and model choice. Mar Pollut Bull 45:192–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan ZG, Xie DL, Xu M, Li FS (2011) The report of bioavailability assessment of nickel in typical Chinese soils: earthworm toxicity testing. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Yusuf M, Fariduddin Q, Hayat S, Hayat S, Ahmad A (2011) Nickel: an overview of uptake, essentiality and toxicity in plants. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:1–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang HT, Li B, Liu JF, Ma YB, Wei DP (2009) Major soil factors controlling nickel toxicity to tomato in a wide range of Chinese soils and the predictable models. Asian J Ecotoxicol 4:569–5769 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the colleagues and scientists for sharing the dataset of Ni ecotoxicity reported in the Chinese literature.

Funding statement

The authors thank the financial support by the International Nickel Association and by the project of Research on Migration/Transformation and Safety Threshold of Heavy Metals in Farmland Systems (2016YFD0800406), National Key Research and Development Program of China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Chemistry, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China

    XiaoQing Wang

  2. Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    DongPu Wei & YiBing Ma

  3. School of Resources and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    YiBing Ma

  4. CSIRO Land and Water Waite Road, Centre for Environmental Contaminant Research, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia

    Mike J. McLaughlin

  5. Soil Science, Waite Research Institute, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Road, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia

    Mike J. McLaughlin

Authors
  1. XiaoQing Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. DongPu Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. YiBing Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mike J. McLaughlin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to YiBing Ma.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, X., Wei, D., Ma, Y. et al. Soil ecological criteria for nickel as a function of soil properties. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 2137–2146 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0456-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0456-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation