Vanadium-basidiomycete fungi interaction and its impact on vanadium biogeochemistry.

Fungi are well known to strongly interact with metals, thereby influencing metal biogeochemistry in the terrestrial environment. To assess and quantify potential fungi-vanadium (V) interactions, Amanita muscaria, Armillaria cepistipes, Xerocomus badius and Bjerkandera adusta were cultured in media containing soluble V (VOSO4 or NaVO3) or solid-phase V of different chemical forms and oxidation state (V2O3, VO2, V2O5, or V-Ti magnetite slag). All fungi underwent physiological and structural changes, as revealed by alterations in FT-IR peak positions and intensities relative to the control, and morphological changes of mycelia, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. The diametric growth size generally decreased with decreasing oxidation state of V and with increasing concentrations of VOSO4 and NaVO3, implying that V toxicity is dependent on V speciation. The tolerance index, the ratio of treated and control mycelium (dry weight), shows different tendencies, suggesting additional factors influencing fungi weight, such as the formation of extrahyphal crystals. Vanadium accumulation from VOSO4 and NaVO3 medium in all fungi (up to 51.3 mg g-1) shows the potential of fungi to immobilise soluble V, thereby reducing its impacts on environmental and human health. Uptake and accumulation of V in slag was insignificant, reflecting the association of slag V with insoluble crystalline materials. The fungal accumulation of V in medium amended with V-oxides demonstrates the ability of fungi to solubilise solid-phase V compounds, thereby introducing previously immobile V into the V biogeochemical cycle and into the food chain where it may impact ecological and human health. A.muscaria lowered the pH of the medium substantially during cultivation, indicating acidolysis and complexolysis via excretion of organic acids (e.g. oxalic acid). Oxidation of VOSO4 was observed by a colour change of the medium to yellow during B. adusta cultivation, revealing the role of fungally-mediated redox transformation in V (im)mobilisation. The calculated removal efficiencies of soluble V were 40-90% for A. cepistipes and X. badius, but a much lower recovery (0-20%) was observed from V oxides and slag (0-20%) by all fungi. This suggests the probable application of fungi for bio-remediation of mobile/soluble V in contaminated soils but not of V incorporated in the lattice of soil minerals.

Selective recovery of vanadium and scandium by ion exchange with D201 and solvent extraction using P507 from hydrochloric acid leaching solution of red mud.

D201 resin and P507 extractant diluted with sulfonated kerosene were used to respectively separate vanadium and scandium, and impurity ions from hydrochloric acid leaching solution of red mud. More than 99% of vanadium was selectively adsorbed from the hydrochloric acid leaching solution under the conditions of pH value of 1.8, volume ratio of leaching solution to resin of 10, and flow rate of 3.33 mL/min. Maximum extraction and separation of scandium was observed from the acid leaching solution at an aqueous pH value of 0.2. More than 99% of scandium can be selectively extracted using 15% P507, 5% TBP at the aqueous solution/organic phase (A/O) ratio of 10:1 for 6 min. The loaded organic phase was washed with 0.3 mol/L sulfuric acid, wherein most impurities were removed. After the process of desorption or stripping, precipitation, and roasting, high-purity V2O5 and Sc2O3 were obtained. Finally, a conceptual flow sheet was established to separate and recover vanadium and scandium from red mud hydrochloric acid leaching solution.

[Methodological approaches to the development of environmentally benign technology for the use of solid waste in iron metallurgy].

On the basis of the life cycle of materials, containing wastes of iron and steel industry, new methodological approaches to the assessment of technologies of the secondary use of wastes are developed A complex criteria for selection of the technology for the use of resource potential of solid waste of iron and steel industry are developed with taking into account environmental, technological and economic indices. The technology of the use of wastes of ferrovanadium industry as bulk solid materials at the solid waste landfill is shown.

Oxidovanadium(IV) Schiff base complex derived from vitamin B6: synthesis, characterization, and insulin enhancing properties.

A new Schiff base, [H(4)pydmedpt](2+)·2Cl(-), derived from one of the forms of vitamin B(6) has been synthesized by condensation of pyridoxal hydrochloride with N,N-bis[3-aminopropyl]-methylamine (medpt) and characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure is calculated by density functional theory (DFT) procedures, and the donor properties of each individual donor atom are evaluated by calculation of the Fukui function. One pot reaction of pyridoxal and medpt with vanadyl acetylacetonate yields the brown complex [V(IV)O(H(2)pydmedpt)](2+)·2Cl(-)1, which upon recrystallization from water crystallizes as [V(IV)O(pydmedpt)]·5H(2)O 2. The compounds are characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods, 2 being also characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It displays a slightly distorted octahedral geometry around the vanadium atom involving the coordination of N(amine), two N(imine), and O(phenolato) donors of the ligand. One of the phenolato oxygen donors is positioned trans to the terminal O-oxido atom with relatively short V-O(phenolate) {2.041(3) Å} and long V-O(oxido) {1.625(4) Å} bond distances when compared to other known compounds. The two different pK(a) values (6.0 and 7.9) obtained for 1 are due to protonation of the pyridine ring nitrogen atoms having different basic characters, this being also substantiated by theoretical calculation of the proton affinity of the O- and N- atoms of the molecule. The spin Hamiltonian parameters are obtained from the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, but the A(z) value (ca. 155 × 10(-4) cm(-1)) is lower than expected by applying the additivity rule for the present set of equatorial donor atoms (ca. 162-163 × 10(-4) cm(-1)), this being attributed to the strong trans V-O(phenolate) bond. The UV-vis transitions and EPR spectral parameters are calculated by DFT procedures, and both the calculated electronic transitions and the hyperfine coupling constants agree well with those experimentally observed. The inhibitory effect of 1 on FFA release and % glucose uptake determined with isolated rat adipocyte cells gave IC(50) and EC(50) values lower than for V(IV)OSO(4) and of the same order of magnitude of other reported insulin enhancing vanadium compounds.

On-line separation/preconcentration of V(IV)/V(V) in environmental water samples with CTAB-modified alkyl silica microcolumn and their determination by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry.

A simple and selective method of flow injection microcolumn separation/preconcentration on-line coupled with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was developed for the speciation of V(V)/(IV). Various factors affecting the separation/preconcentration of V(IV) and V(V) by conical microcolumn packed with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-modified alkyl silica have been systematically investigated. It is found that V(V) was quantitatively retained by the microcolumn at pH 2.0-7.0, while V(IV) was not retained by the microcolumn at pH 2.0-3.5 but quantitatively retained at pH 5.0-7.0. The two vanadium species adsorbed by the modified adsorbent were quantitatively desorbed by 0.10 mL of 1.0 mol L(-1) HNO(3). Therefore, V(V) and total vanadium could be determined by CTAB-modified alkyl silica packed microcolumn separation/preconcentration and on-line ICP-OES detection after adjusting sample solution to pH 2.5 and 6.0, respectively, and the assay of V(IV) was realized by subtracting V(V) from total V. The detection of limit (LOD) for V(V) was 0.03 microg L(-1) with an enrichment factor of 27.9 for a 3.0 mL sample consumption. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) (C(V(V))=C(V(IV))=5.0 microg L(-1), n=9) were 4.3% and 4.0% for V(V) and total V, respectively. The developed method was validated by the determination of V(IV) and V(V) in environmental water samples.

The gas-phase on-line production of vanadium oxytrihalides, VOX3 and their identification by infrared spectroscopy.

A new route has been devised, leading to the production of VOX3 molecules where X=F, Br and I by an on-line process using vanadium oxytrichloride, VOCl3 as a starting compound passed over the following heated salts NaF, KBr and KI at 375, 700 and 550 degrees C, respectively. The products have been characterized by the IR spectra of their vapors. The low resolution gas phase on-line Fourier transform infrared spectra reported for the first time show strong bands with PQR type structure, centered at 1058, 1035, 1030 and 1025 cm(-1) assigned to the v1(a1), the O=V stretching fundamental mode of VOF3, VOCl3 VOBr3 and VOI3, respectively.