Environmental Management
A. Abubakar; H. Yusuf; M. Syukri; R. Nasution; M. Yusuf; R. Idroes
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Medicinal plants growing in geothermal areas have been reported to possess relatively high concentrations of bioactive secondary metabolites, which have been attributed to the adaptive heat stress response. Nonetheless, the exploitation of their medicinal benefits is limited ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Medicinal plants growing in geothermal areas have been reported to possess relatively high concentrations of bioactive secondary metabolites, which have been attributed to the adaptive heat stress response. Nonetheless, the exploitation of their medicinal benefits is limited by potentially life-threatening concentrations of heavy metals. Chromolaena odorata Linn, also called seurapoh, is a well-known medicinal plant that can absorb and accumulate heavy metals from the soil. This present study aimed to investigate the contents of mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic in the ethanolic extract of Chromolaena odorata Linn leaves collected from a geothermal area in Aceh Province, Indonesia.METHODS: Three hot springs, namely Ie-Suum, Ie-Jue, and Ie-Brouk, located in the same geothermal area, Seulawah Agam, were selected as the sampling points, and three samples of Chromolaena odorata were collected at each point. Extraction was carried out by means of maceration employing ethanol solvent. The heavy metal contents of each extract were determined using priorly validated atomic absorption spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The maximum thresholds of each heavy metal from the Indonesian Agency for Drug and Food Control were adopted during data interpretation.FINDINGS: The results revealed the presence of trace levels of arsenic (0.0482 ± 0.004 – 0.0639 ± 0.007 milligram per kilogram) and lead (0.0219 ± 0.004 – 0.0672 ± 0.006 milligram per kilogram), which did not exceed Indonesian maximum safety thresholds (≤5 and ≤10 milligram per kilogram, respectively). Mercury in all samples was not observable (limit of detection = 0.018 milligram per liter). Cadmium was observed in almost all samples with a concentration range of 0.0219 ± 0.005–1.1472 ± 0.006 milligram per kilogram, which exceeded the maximum threshold (0.3 milligram per liter).CONCLUSION: Heavy metal contamination in the ethanolic extract of geothermal Chromolaena odorata leaves has been attributed to volcanic activities. Among the heavy metals of concern, cadmium was the only one with a concentration exceeding the safety limit. The presence of cadmium in the extract at a high concentration could cause its translocation to the human body, eventually leading to multiple organ damage. Therefore, the extract of Chromolaena odorata leaves collected from a geothermal area should be consumed with caution for possible cadmium intoxication.
Environmental Management
V. Pelitli; Ö. Doğan; H.J. Köroğlu
Abstract
In accordance with waste strategy for Turkey, the study was carried out to analyses waste engine crankcase oils and waste gearbox oils generated from vehicle maintenance services in order to determine their suitability for recycling, recovery or final disposal based on regulation published by Turkish ...
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In accordance with waste strategy for Turkey, the study was carried out to analyses waste engine crankcase oils and waste gearbox oils generated from vehicle maintenance services in order to determine their suitability for recycling, recovery or final disposal based on regulation published by Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry on 21 January 2004. The regulation requires all waste oil neither abandoned nor released into the environment and all batches must be analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, chlorine, total halogens, polychlorinated biphenyls, and flash points. The content analysis showed that the heavy metal concentrations in waste engine crankcase oils were varied considerably, between the metals analyzed, lead the highest is followed by chromium, arsenic and cadmium. In addition, higher amount of chlorine and total halogens, were detected in some samples, while polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations remained below regulatory limits for all samples. The analyses revealed that waste engine crankcase oils from fifteen to thirty five years old vehicles contained chromium, lead, chlorine and total halogens levels above legal limits set by Ministry of Environment and Forestry for recycling. Conversely, in comparison to the findings from the analyzed series of old vehicles, the waste engine crankcase oils samples from new vehicles and all waste gearbox oils are eligible for recycling.
Environmental Management
P.C. Emenike; D.O. Omole; B.U. Ngene; I.T. Tenebe
Abstract
The expensive nature of metal ions detoxification from wastewater have restricted the use of conventional treatment technologies. Cheap, alternative measures have been adopted to eliminate metal contamination, and adsorptions using agricultural adsorbents seem to be the way forward. The use of agricultural ...
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The expensive nature of metal ions detoxification from wastewater have restricted the use of conventional treatment technologies. Cheap, alternative measures have been adopted to eliminate metal contamination, and adsorptions using agricultural adsorbents seem to be the way forward. The use of agricultural adsorbents for cadmium (II), copper (II) and lead (II) ion removal has gained more interest in literature due to the level of contamination in water bodies. This review shed lights on the removal proficiency of various low–cost agricultural adsorbent for the elimination of cadmium (II), copper (II) and lead (II) ions, considering performance, surface modification, equilibrium adsorptive studies, kinetic characteristics, coefficient of correlation (R2) and reuse. Furthermore, these agricultural adsorbents have displayed better performance when rivaled with commercial/conventional adsorbent. Observations from different adsorptive capacities presented owe their performance to surface area improvement/modification, pH of the adsorbent, ionic potential of the solution, initial concentration and elemental component of the adsorbent. However, gaps have been identified to improve applicability, sorption performance, economic viability, optimization, and commercialization of suitable agricultural adsorbents.
