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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
2832069
Reference Type
Journal Article
Subtype
Review
Title
Bioavailability of heavy metals in soils: definitions and practical implementation-a critical review
Author(s)
Kim, RY; Yoon, JK; Kim, TS; Yang, JE; Owens, G; Kim, KR
Year
2015
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
ISSN:
0269-4042
EISSN:
1573-2983
Publisher
SPRINGER
Location
DORDRECHT
Volume
37
Issue
6
Page Numbers
1041-1061
Language
English
PMID
25841357
DOI
10.1007/s10653-015-9695-y
Web of Science Id
WOS:000363547300010
Abstract
Worldwide regulatory frameworks for the assessment and remediation of contaminated soils have moved towards a risk-based approach, taking contaminant bioavailability into consideration. However, there is much debate on the precise definition of bioavailability and on the standardization of methods for the measurement of bioavailability so that it can be reliably applied as a tool for risk assessment. Therefore, in this paper, we reviewed the existing definitions of heavy metal bioavailability in relation to plant uptake (phytoavailability), in order to better understand both the conceptual and operational aspects of bioavailability. The related concepts of specific and non-specific adsorption, as well as complex formation and organic ligand affinity were also intensively discussed to explain the variations of heavy metal solubility and mobility in soils. Further, the most frequently used methods to measure bioavailable metal soil fractions based on both chemical extractions and mechanistic geochemical models were reviewed. For relatively highly mobile metals (Cd, Ni, and Zn), a neutral salt solution such as 0.01 M CaCl2 or 1 M NH4NO3 was recommended, whereas a strong acid or chelating solution such as 0.43 M HNO3 or 0.05 M DTPA was recommended for strongly soil-adsorbed and less mobile metals (Cu, Cr, and Pb). While methods which assessed the free metal ion activity in the pore water such as DGT and DMT or WHAM/Model VI, NICA-Donnan model, and TBLM are advantageous for providing a more direct measure of bioavailability, few of these models have to date been properly validated.
Keywords
Bioaccessibility; Free metal ion activity; Phytoavailability; Mobility; Specific adsorption; Complex formation
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IRIS
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Chromium VI
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January 2015 - April 2016
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