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===The Source=== | ===The Source=== | ||
− | [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--routes.jpg|thumb|400px|right|The car traffic is the main source of platinum pollution all over the world, especially along the | + | [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--routes.jpg|thumb|400px|right|The car traffic is the main source of platinum pollution all over the world, especially along the sidesroads]]. |
− | The main source is obviously the catalytic converters. As a catalyst platinum is not supposed to leave the converter but during the lifetime of the converter a certain amount is released and is dispersed in environment. [https://2016.igem.org/Team:Aix-Marseille/Integrated_Practices/Industry Others uses] of platinum can generate pollution with platinum as the uses in the medical field. Patients will be exposed at high concentration and will reject ( | + | The main source is obviously the catalytic converters. As a catalyst platinum is not supposed to leave the converter but during the lifetime of the converter a certain amount is released and is dispersed in environment. [https://2016.igem.org/Team:Aix-Marseille/Integrated_Practices/Industry Others uses] of platinum can generate pollution with platinum as the uses in the medical field. Patients will be exposed at high concentration and will reject (feces and urine) in sewage high amounts of platinum. All the electronic industry is a source of pollution, since the e-waste are enriched in platinum. If recycling is not properly performed this platinum can be released in environment. |
− | A plenty of studies assess the increase in metals around in environment. Many places and many metals are concerned all over the world and to demonstrate that, representative example are displayed in this page. Metal pollution in | + | A plenty of studies assess the increase in metals around in environment. Many places and many metals are concerned all over the world and to demonstrate that, representative example are displayed in this page. Metal pollution in environment is diverse and platinum is not the only metal polluting the environment, not at all. However we'll focus here on Platinum and Palladium pollution. |
− | === | + | ===Platinum along roads=== |
− | As platinum and palladium are used as | + | As platinum and palladium are used as catalytic converters the main source of pollution is close the axis of car traffic, i.e. roads and highways. Several studies show different concentrations as context of measures are always different and the factors involved in concentration are much complex. |
− | The average concentration of platinum and palladium can reach values of '''22.74µg/kg''' for platinum and '''120.8µg/kg''' just near the road. As we can | + | The average concentration of platinum and palladium can reach values of '''22.74µg/kg''' for platinum and '''120.8µg/kg''' just near the road. As we can foresee, the concentration is dependent of the distance of the road and indeed values fall to 2.04µg/kg and 84.2µg/kg for platinum and palladium respectively is measure are carried out 5 meters away from the road <ref name="hooda2007">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969707006390 Hooda et al., 2007 </ref> |
− | Near roads in Germany, with a heavy traffic of about 16,000 car a days and with a speed limit of 80km/h, platinum concentrations have been | + | Near roads in Germany, with a heavy traffic of about 16,000 car a days and with a speed limit of 80km/h, platinum concentrations have been estimated around '''50µg/kg'''. C |
Even greater value have been found, reaching the impressive value of '''132µg/kg'''<ref>http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es061453s Zereini and al., 2007</ref>. | Even greater value have been found, reaching the impressive value of '''132µg/kg'''<ref>http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es061453s Zereini and al., 2007</ref>. | ||
===Platinum in plants=== | ===Platinum in plants=== | ||
− | plants are a biological compartment able to concentrate all type of | + | plants are a biological compartment able to concentrate all type of pollutant present in the environment. Thus, many studies have been carried out to assess the concentration in plants living near pollution source as a highway or a road. |
− | Plants thriving near the roads accumulate metals as expected as their concentrations for platinum and palladium | + | Plants thriving near the roads accumulate metals as expected as their concentrations for platinum and palladium respectively are in average about '''8.64µg/kg''' and '''10µg/kg''' respectively<ref name="hooda2007"/>. |
− | + | Some species of birch trees are also able to accumulate platinum to a value up to '''1350ng/g''' and ashes from pine trees presents platinum concentration around '''5000ng/g'''<ref name="reith2014">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825214000063?np=y Reith and al., 2014</ref>. | |
===Platinum in rivers=== | ===Platinum in rivers=== | ||
− | As rivers collect all stream and watercourses, all the washed pollutant are gathered in rivers, especially after a | + | As rivers collect all stream and watercourses, all the washed pollutant are gathered in rivers, especially after a phenomenon of washing i.e. rain. |
[[File:T--Aix-Marseille--Rhine.jpg|thumb|400px|left|The Rhine river, a major axis of industry and transport in Europe thus strongly exposed to platinum and metals pollution]] | [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--Rhine.jpg|thumb|400px|left|The Rhine river, a major axis of industry and transport in Europe thus strongly exposed to platinum and metals pollution]] | ||
Concentrations found in Rhine river help to realize how concentrations in platinum could increase with the effluents due to the rain washing. Concentration usually found are about 5ng/g but after a rain events (all soils, and surfaces are washed out) this concentration reach a value of '''31.2µg/g''' thus increased a '''thousand''' times <ref name="reith2014"/> | Concentrations found in Rhine river help to realize how concentrations in platinum could increase with the effluents due to the rain washing. Concentration usually found are about 5ng/g but after a rain events (all soils, and surfaces are washed out) this concentration reach a value of '''31.2µg/g''' thus increased a '''thousand''' times <ref name="reith2014"/> | ||
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===Platinum in urban area=== | ===Platinum in urban area=== | ||
− | In urban area, the source of platinum are every where as many types of vehicles are always present in thoses places. Exhaust gas | + | In urban area, the source of platinum are every where as many types of vehicles are always present in thoses places. Exhaust gas from catalyst converter are pervasive in such area and scientist have expected to find high, hence their studies in those areas. |
Concentrations in soils town center have even shown a value of '''90µg/kg'''!<ref name="wichmann2007">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969707007905 Wichmann and al., 2007</ref> | Concentrations in soils town center have even shown a value of '''90µg/kg'''!<ref name="wichmann2007">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969707007905 Wichmann and al., 2007</ref> | ||
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If rivers gather pollution, the sewage sludge contain the main pollutants once presents in the waters.. | If rivers gather pollution, the sewage sludge contain the main pollutants once presents in the waters.. | ||
− | In sewage sludge,one of the most promising start for our process, all the | + | In sewage sludge,one of the most promising start for our process, all the residuals metals concentrate especially after rain events. |
Concentration have been measured around '''602µg/kg''' for platinum and 722 µg/kg''' for palladium<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19878972 Jackson, Prichard and Sampson., 2010</ref>. | Concentration have been measured around '''602µg/kg''' for platinum and 722 µg/kg''' for palladium<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19878972 Jackson, Prichard and Sampson., 2010</ref>. | ||
As produced steadily in great quantities, sewage sludge could be a very good source for our process. | As produced steadily in great quantities, sewage sludge could be a very good source for our process. | ||
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==Classical solutions== | ==Classical solutions== | ||
− | Metals pollution in | + | Metals pollution in environment is a concern for health authorities for a long time. However metal pollution is increasing so fast for so many metals (Pt, Pd, Rh, Co, Pb, Mo, Cu, Zn, Hg, Ni, Sb, Se...) that the actual solution to deal with such pollution is actually to burn and confine ashes from sewage sludge. Indeed the classical treatment with bacteria is not efficient to eliminate such metals pollution. So the sludge are burned and then stocked as pollutant materials. |
− | This solution allow to prevent the contamination in | + | This solution allow to prevent the contamination in environment since sludge are classically spread in field, but it doesn't reduce pollution in environment and worse, produce contaminated ashes, unvaluable and unusable materials which need to be stocked. |
==Biotechnological solutions== | ==Biotechnological solutions== | ||
− | The ''' | + | The '''phytoremdiation''' use plants and their ability to concentrate or destroy pollutant to clean up soils or waters. |
Plants thriving along the roads are continuously exposed to the metals pollution, so they can be used as a compartments in order to remove polution. | Plants thriving along the roads are continuously exposed to the metals pollution, so they can be used as a compartments in order to remove polution. | ||
Some plant species are well known to accumulate metals as ''Pycnandra acuminata'', see photo. [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--Nickel_tree.jpg|thumb|right|500px| ''Pycnandra acuminata'' is able to accumulate Nickel up to 20% of the weigh of its life blood<ref>Author:Antony van der Ent</ref>]] | Some plant species are well known to accumulate metals as ''Pycnandra acuminata'', see photo. [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--Nickel_tree.jpg|thumb|right|500px| ''Pycnandra acuminata'' is able to accumulate Nickel up to 20% of the weigh of its life blood<ref>Author:Antony van der Ent</ref>]] |