Tungsten contamination, behavior and remediation in complex environmental settings

Shiv Bolan; Hasintha Wijesekara; Achali Ireshika; Tao Zhang; Mingjun Pu; Gianniantonio Petruzzelli; Francesca Pedron; Deyi Hou; Liuwei Wang; Sarah Zhou; Hoachen Zhao; Kadambot H.M. Siddique; Hailong Wang; Jörg Rinklebe; M.B. Kirkham; Nanthi Bolan

Environment International (Nov 2023)

Tungsten contamination, behavior and remediation in complex environmental settings

Shiv Bolan,
Hasintha Wijesekara,
Achali Ireshika,
Tao Zhang,
Mingjun Pu,
Gianniantonio Petruzzelli,
Francesca Pedron,
Deyi Hou,
Liuwei Wang,
Sarah Zhou,
Hoachen Zhao,
Kadambot H.M. Siddique,
Hailong Wang,
Jörg Rinklebe,
M.B. Kirkham,
Nanthi Bolan

Affiliations

Shiv Bolan: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) National Research Network, Australia
Hasintha Wijesekara: Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri Lanka
Achali Ireshika: Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri Lanka
Tao Zhang: Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention-control and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
Mingjun Pu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention-control and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
Gianniantonio Petruzzelli: Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystem, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Francesca Pedron: Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystem, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Deyi Hou: School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Liuwei Wang: School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Sarah Zhou: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
Hoachen Zhao: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
Kadambot H.M. Siddique: The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
Hailong Wang: Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center of Guangdong Province, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, People’s Republic of China
Jörg Rinklebe: University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; Corresponding authors at: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia and University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany.
M.B. Kirkham: Department of Agronomy, Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
Nanthi Bolan: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) National Research Network, Australia; Corresponding authors at: UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia and University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 181
p. 108276

Abstract

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Tungsten (W) is a rare element and present in the earth's crust mainly as iron, aluminium, and calcium minerals including wolframite and scheelite. This review aims to offer an overview on the current knowledge on W pollution in complex environmental settlings, including terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, linking to its natural and anthropogenic sources, behavior in soil and water, environmental and human health hazards, and remediation strategies. Tungsten is used in many alloys mainly as wafers, which have wide industrial applications, such as incandescent light bulb filaments, X-ray tubes, arc welding electrodes, radiation shielding, and industrial catalysts. The rigidity and high density of W enable it to be suitable for defence applications replacing lead. In soil, W metal is oxidised to the tungstate anion and occurs in oxidation states from − 2 to + 6, with the most prevalent oxidation state of + 6. However, recently, people have been alerted to the risk posed by W alloys and its particulates, which can cause cancer and have other detrimental health effects in animals and humans. The population is subject to W pollution in the workplace by breathing, ingestion, and dermal contact. Remediation of W-polluted soil and aquatic environments can be accomplished via stabilization or solubilization. Stabilization of W in soil and groundwater using immobilizing agents inhibits the bioavailability of W, thereby preventing the contaminant from reaching the food chain, while solubilization of W in soil involving mobilizing materials accelerates the elimination of W via soil washing and root absorption. Future research opportunities covering risk-based remediation of W pollution in these complex settings are presented.

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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