Abstract
An assessment study of the environmental pathways of arsenic released from a coal-fired power plant (CFPP) or introduced into soil as a contaminant by phosphatic fertilizers has been carried out using a time-dependent forecasting model.
The long-term predictions indicate that arsenic can be taken up by plants and that it can migrate into the groundwater system through soil layers. However, arsenic exhibits such a high degree of mobility that its retention and accumulation in biota should remain low. This fact may explain the relatively low concentrations of arsenic in environmental media as well as in groundwater systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AttrepM. and AnirudhanM.: 1977, ‘Atmospheric Inorganic and Organic Arsenic’,Trace Subst. Environ. Health 11, 365–369.
BaesC. F. and SharpR. D.: 1983, ‘A Proposal for Estimation of Soil Leaching and Leaching Constants for Use in Assessment Models’,J. Environ. Qual. 12, 17–28.
BeeseF. and WierengaP. J.: 1980, ‘Solute Transport through Soil with Adsorption and Root Water Uptake Computed with a Transient and a Constant-Flux Model’,Soil Science 129(4), 245–252.
BennettB. G.: 1981a, ‘Exposure of Man to Environmental Arsenic. An Exposure Commitment Assessment’,Sci. Total Environ. 20, 99–107.
BennettB. G.: 1981b, ‘The Exposure Commitment Method in Environmental Pollutant Assessment’,Envir. Monit. and Assess. 1, 21–36.
Bignoli, G., Sabbioni, E., and Goetz, L.: 1982, ‘Implementation of a Dynamic Previsional Approach to the Study of Heavy Metals—Environmental Pollution’, inInternational Days of Biology, Naples.
Bignoli, G.: 1980, ‘TOXICO: A System Analysis Model for Assessing the Behaviour and Impact upon Man of Heavy Metals Released in the Environment’, EUR-Technical Note 1.07.08.80.33.
Bignoli, G. and Bertozzi, G.: 1979, ‘Modelling of Artificial Radioactivity Migration in the Environment: A Survey’, EUR-6179.
BignoliB. and SabbioniE.: 1981, ‘Long-Term Prediction of the Potential Impact of Heavy Metals on Groundwater Quality as a Result of Fertilizer Use’,Studies in Environmental Science 17, 857–862.
Bignoli, G. and Sabbioni, E.: 1983, ‘Environmental Impact of Cr Released into Biosphere from Coal Combustion in a 2500 MWe Power Plant’, (to be published).
BogardiI., DucksteinL., and SzidarovskiF.: 1981, ‘A Control Model for Phosphorous Loading Reduction under Uncertainty’,Ecol. Model. 12, 83–103.
BowenH. J. M.: 1977, ‘Natural Cycles of Elements and Their Perturbation by man’, inEnvironment and Man, Vol. VI, Blackie Publ., London.
BowenH. J. M.: 1966,Trace Elements in Biochemistry, Academic Press Inc., London.
BradyN. C.: 1974,The Nature and Properties of Soils, McMillan Publ. Co. Inc., New York.
BreslerE.: 1973, ‘Simultaneous Transport of Solutes and Water under Transient Unsaturated Flow Conditions’,Water Res. Res. 9, 975–986.
CataldoD. A. and WildungR. E.: 1978, ‘Soil and Plant Factors Influencing the Accumulation of Heavy Metals by Plants’,Environ. Health Perspect. 27, 142–153.
Chamberlain, A. C.: 1953, ‘Aspects of Travel and Deposition of Aerosols and Vapour Clouds’, UKAEA Report AERE (MP) R, 1261.
Crecelius, E. A.: 1974, ‘The Geochemistry of Arsenic and Antimony in Puget Sound and Lake Washington’, Thesis, Washington University.
Fried, J. J.: 1980, ‘Present Groundwater Pollution Problems’, inNuclear Techniques in Groundwater Pollution Research, Proc. of an Advisory Group Meeting, organized by the IAEA, Vienna.
GoetzL., BignoliG., and SabbioniE.: 1981, ‘Mobilization of Heavy Metals from Coal-Fired Power Plants: Potential Impact on Groundwater’,Studies in Envir. Sci. 17, 261–264.
Jackson, R., Merrit, W. F., and Inch, K. J.: 1980, ‘The Distribution Coefficient as a Geochemical Measure of the Mobility of Contaminants in a Groundwater Flow System’, inNuclear Techniques in Groundwater Pollution Research, Proc. of an Advisory Group Meeting, organized by the IAEA, Vienna.
KorteN. E., SkoppJ., FullerW. H., NieblaF. E., and AlestiB. A.: 1975, ‘Trace Element Movement in Soils: Influence of Soil Physical and Chemical Properties’,Soil Sci. 122, 350–359.
LiskD. I.: 1972,Advances in Agronomy, Academic Press, New York.
MartinW. E.: 1964, ‘Losses of Sr90, Sr89, and I131 from Fallout Contaminated Plants’,Rad. Bot. 4, 275–282.
Martin, W. E., Bloom, S. G., and Yorde, I. R.: 1974, ‘Plutonium Transport and Dose Estimation Model’, NVO-142.
MuraliV. and AylmoreA. G.: 1980, ‘No-flow Equilibration and Adsorption Dynamics during Ionic Transport in Soils’,Nature 283, 467–469.
National Research Council Canada: 1978, ‘Effect of Arsenic in the Canadian Environment’, NRCC 15391, Ottawa.
Official Journal of the European Communities: 1975, C214/2.
Risby, T. H. (ed.): 1979, ‘Ultratrace Metal Analysis in Biological Sciences and Environment’, Advances in Chemistry Series, 172.
RosehartR. G. and ChuR.: 1975, ‘Methods for Identification of Arsenic Compounds’,Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 4, 395–398.
Sabbioni, E. and Goetz, L.: 1982, ‘Mobilization of Heavy Metals from Fossil-Fuelled Power Plants, Potential Ecological and Biochemical Implications’, EUR-6998/4.
SabbioniE. and BignoliG.: 1980, ‘Heavy Metals in Phosphatic Fertilizers: Potential Impact on Groundwater Quality’,Europ. Appl. Research Rep. 1, 141–180.
TammesP. M. and DeLintM. M.: 1969, ‘Leaching of As from Soil’,Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 17, 128.
TylerG.: 1978, ‘Leaching Rates of Heavy Metal Ions in Forest Soil’,Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 9, 137–148.
Van derHovenI.: 1963, ‘A Diffusion-Deposition Model for Particulate Effluents from Ground-Treated Nuclear Engines’,Int. J. Air Water Pollut. 7, 1023.
Van dePolR. M., WierengaP. J., and NielsenD. R.: 1977, ‘Solute Movement in a Field Soil’,Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 41, 10–13.
WangenL. E. and WilliamsM. D.: 1978, ‘Elemental Deposition Downwind of a Coal-Fired Power Plant’,Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 10, 33–44.
WoodJ. M.: 1974, ‘Biological Cycles for Toxic Elements in the Environment’,Science 183, 1049.
World Health Organization: 1981, ‘Environmental Health Criteria 18’, ARSENIC.
ZuninoH. and MartinJ. P.: 1976, ‘Metal Binding Organic Macromolecules in Soil: 2. Characterization of the Maximum Binding Ability of the Macromolecules’,Soil Sci. 128, 187.
ZwozoziakJ. W. and ZwozoziakA. B.: 1981, ‘Trace-Metal Behaviour in the Vicinity of a Copper Smelter’,Int. J. Envir. Studies 19, 35.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bignoli, G., Sabbioni, E. Environmental assessment of arsenic released from potential pollution sources. Environ Monit Assess 4, 53–65 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01047621
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01047621