Managing waste electrical and electronic equipment is currently one of the top priority challenges of waste management in the European Union. The collection and subsequent processing of waste electrical and electronic equipment are realized by means of the so-called collective systems that employ collection boxes varying in size and materials used for their production. This study focuses on quantifying and comparing environmental impacts of often-used collection boxes on the example of mobile phone collection. The comparison was based on volume (20 l, 60 l, and 70 l) and on the material used for the construction of the box (polypropylene, corrugated cardboard, and stainless steel). Other parameters, such as lifetime, material and energy performance for production, end of life stage, and waste generation were taken in account. The evaluation was carried out using the method of life cycle assessment with the characterization model CML 2001 created in GaBi 8. The goal of the study was to identify the box with the smallest environmental impact and to identify the hotspots in the life cycles of the individual collection boxes. The results of the study show that polypropylene boxes are the most environmentally suitable for collecting small waste electrical and electronic equipment as they produce the lowest environmental impacts in all of the impact categories evaluated, while boxes made of stainless steel have been found to represent the least environmentally friendly option. The results of the study provide and suggest to the collective system basic data for choosing the type of collection box.
There is an increasing awareness of the threats posed by the worldwide presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment. Due to their high persistence, MPs will accumulate in the environment and their quantities tend to increase with time. MPs end up in environments where often also chemical contaminants are present. Since the early 2000s, the number of studies on the sorption of chemicals to plastic particles has exponentially increased. The objective of this study was to critically review the literature to identify the most important factors affecting the sorption of chemical contaminants to MPs. These factors include the physicochemical properties of both the MPs and the chemical contaminants as well as environmental characteristics. A limited number of studies on soil together with an increased notion of the importance of this compartment as a final sink for MPs was observed. Therefore, we assessed the distribution of model chemicals (two PCBs and phenanthrene) in the soil compartment in the presence of MPs using a mass balance model. The results showed a high variation among chemicals and microplastic types. Overall, a higher partitioning to MPs of chemical contaminants in soil is expected in comparison to aquatic environments. As sorption to a large extent determines bioavailability, the effects of combined exposure to chemicals and MPs on the toxicity and bioaccumulation in biota are discussed. Finally, some considerations regarding sorption and toxicity studies using MPs are given.
- MeSH
- biologická dostupnost MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza MeSH
- chemické modely MeSH
- fenantreny analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- plastické hmoty analýza MeSH
- polychlorované bifenyly analýza MeSH
- půda chemie MeSH
- společenstvo MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí škodlivé účinky MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: The purpose of this study was to compare the suitability of different phytotoxicity testing procedures for the evaluation of toxicity associated with both soil contamination and solid wastes, both of which can be of environmental risk to plants. Ten different representative types of contaminated soils and solid waste samples were chosen from the Czech Republic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both solid-phase and aquatic toxicity testing procedures on mono- and dicotyledonous plants were performed using Lactuca sativa L., Sinapis alba L., Hordeum vulgare L., Triticum aestivum L., Lemna minor L., and the chlorococcal algae Desmodesmus subspicatus (syn. Scenedesmus subspicatus), strain BRINKMANN: 1953/SAG 86.81. An innovative classification scheme, using the intensity of toxic effects upon the plants, is presented in the study. Detailed chemical characterizations of both solid samples and their aquatic elutriates were carried out, using the appropriate ISO guidelines. In the solid samples, all the congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls were analyzed, together with 16 U.S. EPA polyaromatic hydrocarbons, the aggregate of C10-C40 hydrocarbons, total organic carbon, extractable organic halogens, as well as the majority of the environmentally toxic metals. In the aquatic elutriates, parameters analyzed were pH, conductivity, dissolved organic content, phenol index, main anions, and the majority of the environmentally relevant metals. RESULTS: Eight out of ten samples tested expressed phytotoxic properties on tested organisms. Only three of the samples were toxic to both aquatic and terrestrial organisms in the tests. This demonstrates how different substances present in different samples can express different types of toxic effects, resulting in the illogical substituting terrestrial bioassays with aquatic ones. DISCUSSION: Based upon our experience, we propose the following battery of bioassays for use in the characterization of toxic properties of solid wastes and contaminated soils: Aquatic ecosystems were tested by the algae D. subspicatus and plant L. minor; and the terrestrial ecosystems were tested by the dicotyledonous L. sativa and monocotyledonous H. vulgare. This proposed new battery of bioassays for the detection of phytotoxicity of both solid wastes and contaminated soils has higher sensitivity (as well as greater ecological relevance) compared to the battery of bioassays currently used in the Czech Republic. CONCLUSIONS: The tests currently used for regulatory purposes in the Czech Republic are phytotoxicity tests of elutriates, using S. alba and D. subspicatus, which have been found insufficiently sensitive to the range of different pollutants present in contaminated soils and/or solid wastes. If only aquatic bioassays are used for the toxicity testing, it is possible that the toxic effects of substances (poorly or totally) insoluble in water might be underestimated. The new proposed system of toxicity classification has proven to be both practical and sensitive. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: This recommended alternative battery of phytotoxicity tests includes both aquatic tests of waste elutriates (with the algae D. subspicatus along with the aquatic plant L. minor), in addition to tests of the terrestrial solid samples (with the dicotyledonous L. sativa and the monocotyledonous H. vulgare). This battery of bioassays is sufficiently sensitive, representing a majority of types of aquatic and terrestrial plants.
- MeSH
- Eukaryota účinky léků MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu toxicita MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- nakládání s odpady MeSH
- odpadní produkty analýza klasifikace MeSH
- půda analýza MeSH
- rostliny účinky léků MeSH
- testy toxicity metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
The effect of toxic metals on seed germination was studied in 23 cultivars of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.). Toxicity of cadmium, cobalt, copper, zinc, nickel, lead, chromium, and arsenic at five different concentrations (0.01-1 mM) was tested by standard ecotoxicity test. Root length was measured after 72 h of incubation. Elongation inhibition, EC50 value, slope, and NOEC values were calculated. Results were evaluated by principal component analysis, a multidimensional statistical method. The results showed that heavy-metal toxicity decreased in the following order: As3+>or=As5+>Cu2+>Cd2+>Co2+>Cr6+>Ni2+>Pb2+>Cr3+>Zn2+.
- MeSH
- arsen toxicita MeSH
- biodegradace MeSH
- chrom toxicita MeSH
- inhibitory růstu toxicita MeSH
- kadmium toxicita MeSH
- klíčení účinky léků MeSH
- kobalt toxicita MeSH
- kořeny rostlin účinky léků růst a vývoj MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu toxicita MeSH
- len klasifikace účinky léků růst a vývoj MeSH
- měď toxicita MeSH
- nikl toxicita MeSH
- olovo toxicita MeSH
- testy toxicity MeSH
- těžké kovy toxicita MeSH
- vztah mezi dávkou a účinkem léčiva MeSH
- zinek toxicita MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
