Spatial distributions and potential risk analysis of total soil selenium in Guangdong Province, China

A total of 260 soil profiles were examined to investigate the spatial distribution of total soil selenium (Se) in Guangdong province, China. In the investigated area, the soil Se concentrations follow an approximately lognormal distribution. The soil Se geometric mean concentration of 0.23 mg kg(-1) is higher than that of Chinese soils; however, Se concentration varies over the study area. The baseline concentration of 0.13 to 0.41 mg kg(-1) indicates that the soil Se concentration is mostly in the range of deficiency to medium level for surface soils in Guangdong province. In A-, B-, and C-horizon, soil Se spatial distribution is correlated with the nature of the parent material, with high Se concentration mainly located in limestone and sandshale areas and low Se concentration associated with purple shale and granite areas. The spatial distribution pattern of soil Se concentrations suggests that potential Se deficiency may be an issue for human health in this province. Moreover, due to soil degradation and erosion, calculated soil Se exported into surrounding waters could reach approximately 23,000 kg yr(-1) in the study area.     

PRESENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN NEW JERSEY STREAMBED SEDIMENTS1

ABSTRACT: The distribution of trace elements in New Jersey streambed sediments is described with respect to physiographic provinces and major drainage areas. Samples were collected during 1976–1993 at 295 sites distributed throughout New Jersey. Copper, chromium, lead, and zinc were detected with the greatest frequency and at the highest concentrations of the elements. Concentrations of most trace elements were significantly higher in streambed sediments from the New England (glaciated) and Piedmont physiographic provinces - the provinces with the lowest and highest percentages of urban land use, respectively - than in sediments from the other provinces. High trace-element concentrations in the New England (glaciated) province reflect previous mining of extensive magnetite deposits, whereas those in the Piedmont province most likely reflect urban land use. Significantly lower trace-element concentrations in streambed sediments from the Coastal Plain are attributable to the low pH of the streamwater, the lack of iron and manganese available to form coatings that scavenge trace elements, and the relatively low percentage of urban land use in the province. Trace-element concentrations were related to land use, population, or point sources in the drainage basin specific to the sampling location by using logistic regression. Results of this analysis indicate a relation between arsenic and agricultural land use; chromium and physiographic province; and copper, lead, and zinc and population density.     

垃圾填埋处理中微量金属元素迁移和转变特性分析

城市生活垃圾中含有多种微量金属元素,并且在填埋处理过程中会产生重金属的二次污染,是城市垃圾填埋处理中最难解决的问题。本文对垃圾中微量金属的来源、微量金属在填埋过程中的迁移和转变特性等方面进行了研究。研究认为,微量金属在填埋处理过程中除受本身特性的影响,还与垃圾的产地和组成有关。     

TRACE METALS IN SEDIMENT: SPATIAL TRENDS AND SORPTION PROCESSES1

ABSTRACT: Sediment bound trace metals are often examined for spatial trends such as downstream patterns or distance from a source. Spatial trends may indicate either differences in metal inputs, or, when considerable sediment variability exists, differences in sediment sorption processes. These two possibilities become important not only when sediment contamination is evaluated within an area, but also when regulatory agencies attempt to make equivalent among area decisions. Sediments from an urban watershed were examined for: (1) downstream trace metal trends and (2) sediment sorption relationships. Analyses determined that downstream trenda as related to metal inputs could not be recognized by analyzing the < 2mm (≤, sand) sediment size fraction. Conversely, the trace metal concentrations were found to be distinctly related to sediment characteristics. The watershed's metal concentrations are similar to those found in uncontaminated to slightly contaminated sediments in the United States.     

ACCUMULATION OF SELECTED TRACE METALS IN SOILS OF URBAN RUNOFF SWALE DRAINS1

ABSTRACT: Field investigations were conducted at three sites in the Washington, D.C., area to detect the accumulation patterns of the trace metals, cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in the soils of roadside grassed swale drains that had been receiving urban stormwater runoff. Two sites were residential areas and one site was an intensively used highway. The research results seem to indicate that the use of swale drains to control urban stormwater runoff had few harmful effects to fine textured soils with respect to the study metals. With the exception of zinc, typical roadside patterns of decreasing metal concentrations with increasing distance from roads were observed for the upper 5 cm of study soils. Zinc accumulated in residential grassed swales due to leachate from galvanized curverts. Sampling to a depth of 60 cm revealed no evidence of subsurface trace metal enrichment in the study swales. Although the percentage of soil zinc in leachable form was as high as 20 percent of total zinc concentrations, the other study metals had small leachable components. Leachable lead was always less than 1 percent of the total lead.     

Metal release from bottom sediments of Ocoee Lake No. 3, a primary catchment area for the Ducktown Mining District

Ocoee Lake No. 3 is the first reservoir receiving suspended sediments contaminated with trace metals discharged by acid mine effluents from the Ducktown Mining District, Tennessee. Bottom sediments (0-5 cm) from the lake were sampled to assess the potential for future adverse environmental effects if no remediation controls or activities are implemented. The sediments were found to include a major component (173 +/- 19 g kg(-1)) that dissolved in 6 mol L(-1) HCl within 24 h. This acid-soluble and relatively labile fraction contained high concentrations of Fe (460 +/- 40 g kg(-1)), Al (99 +/- 11 g kg(-1)), Mn (10 +/- 8 g kg(-1)), Cu (2000 +/- 700 mg kg(-1)), Zn (1300 +/- 200 mg kg(-1)), and Pb (300 +/- 200 mg kg(-1)). When the pH of water in contact with the sediment was decreased experimentally from 6.4 to 2.6, the concentrations of dissolved trace metals increased by factors of 2200 for Pb, 160 for Cu, 21 for Zn, 9 for Cd, 8 for Ni, and 5 for Co. The order in which metals were released with decreasing pH was the reverse of that reported for pH-dependent sorption of these metals in upstream systems. Substantial release of trace metals from the sediment was observed even by a modest decrease of pH from 6.4 to 5.9. Therefore, the metal-rich sediment of the lake should be considered as potentially hazardous to bottom-dwelling aquatic species and other organisms in the local food chain. In addition, if the reservoir is dredged or if the dam is removed, the accumulated sediment may have to be treated for recovery of sorbed metals.     

基于元素流分析的长江经济带总磷污染减量化研究——以湖北为例

本文运用元素流分析方法,解析了长江经济带社会经济系统磷代谢的主要过程,构建了磷代谢分析框架及磷流核算模型,并以湖北为例,审视了其磷代谢过程及规律,定量识别了水体磷负荷的主要来源,力图提出减少长江经济带总磷污染的相关建议与对策。结果表明:(1)湖北长江经济带磷代谢系统整体结构不协调,呈现典型的单向型;(2)随着矿物磷—植物磷—动物磷的转换,重要工业化生产性子系统(磷化工、农业种植、规模养殖)磷的物质生产率逐渐退化,污染排放率、废物累积率、养分循环率则次第升高,城镇居民对总磷污染的贡献度要远超农村居民;(3)规模养殖、农业种植、磷化工、城镇居民生活是湖北长江经济带水体总磷污染的主要来源。     

广东省城镇化与生态环境耦合协调的空间特征及影响因素研究

为研究广东省快速城镇化与生态环境系统的相互影响关系,本文应用耦合协调度模型、地理探测器等方法对1995年、2005年、2016年广东省城镇化与生态环境耦合协调度及影响因素进行了分析。研究表明:①以广东省为研究区,1995—2016年广东省城镇化与生态环境耦合协调度呈持续上升趋势,整体呈S型曲线,经历了严重失调—中度协调—优质协调和城镇化滞后—相对平衡—生态环境滞后的过程。②以21个地级市为研究区,1995—2016年各地级市城镇化与生态环境耦合协调度持续提高,属优质和良好协调型的区域以珠海、深圳为核心逐步向外围扩展,表现出明显的核心—边缘特征。③生态环保政策、土地开发强度是不同时期影响21个地级市城市化与生态环境耦合协调度的共性因素。同时,2005年以前,产业结构及人口和GDP的快速增长是主要的影响因素;2005年以后,人口高度集聚、土地快速开发、科技和技术创新等因素则发挥着更重要的作用。     

应用污染负荷指数法评价攀枝花地区金沙江水系沉积物中的重金属

本文对攀枝花地区金沙江水系沉积物中8个重金属元素的地球化学特征、空间分布特征进行了研究,并应用污染负荷指数法对各重金属的污染程度进行了评价。研究发现,重金属在支流与金沙江交汇点下游处含量高于上游处,重金属污染不严重,属轻度污染。污染程度为:Mn>V>Pb>Zn>As>Cr>Cu>Co。污染较严重的是攀钢冶金区、攀钢选矿区、攀钢采矿区以及攀钢尾矿坝。     

Vehicular Contamination of Dust in Amman, Jordan

Road dust from four traffic areas; the city center, tunnels, closed car parks and a residential area was collected from the urban part of Amman and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals content.Total PAH and selected heavy metals were in the range of a few gg^–1. The distribution of PAH was controlled by the arid climatic conditions. PAH distribution in the street dust tended to be dominated by 4- and 6-ring PAHs with significantly less 2- and 3-ring PAH reflecting volatilization of the latter under the hot and dry climatic conditions. However, both PAH and heavy metal concentrations were affected by the densities and conditions of traffic activity at the various sites. Generally, the highest concentrations of both PAH and heavy metals were found in the tunnels and the lowest in the residential areas.Significant correlation between PAH and total organic matter (TOM), lead and cadmium indicated that PAH and heavy metals in street dust of heavily traffic areas are strongly affected by automobile exhaust emission and that those in the residential areas have another source, most probably street material erosion.     

Metal contamination in sediments of the western Bohai Bay and adjacent estuaries, China

Twelve sediment cores were collected in July 2007 in open waters of western Bohai Bay, the Port of Tianjin, and the adjacent estuaries of the Haihe and Yongding Rivers. While overall concentrations of trace metals at incremental depths in these cores met the Marine Sediment Quality (GB18668-2002) criteria of China, the magnitude of both metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (I(geo)) suggested that pollution with Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn was occurring in the estuaries and Port. Risk analysis also suggested that Ag and Ni concentrations were sufficiently elevated as to cause adverse biological effects in the study area. Although metal concentrations in western Bohai Bay were of less concern, a positive relationship between EF values and excess (210)Pb activity for several metals suggested that their concentrations were increasing over time.     

Environmental Activism in Provincial China

Environmental activism and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are not limited to major cities, but have gradually taken root in provincial and local politics in China. This paper compares the development and characteristics of environmental activism in Guangdong province and Guangxi autonomous region, with the aim of shedding light on the causes of regional disparities in this field. With extensive and strong ties to peer organizations across issue areas within the province, grassroots environmental groups in Guangdong have grown as an integral part of local civil society. They have survived, through mutual-support, on a larger scale than those in Guangxi. Also, with a higher level of networking and capacity, environmental NGOs in Guangdong are more able to utilize the new opportunities offered by recent institutional reforms in social management and environmental protection in the province. The paper, thus, challenges the argument that over-emphasizes the domination of the state and points out that inter-organizational partnerships and the overall maturity of the civil society sector contribute most to the uneven development of grassroots environmental activism.     

THE IMPACT OF URBANIZATION ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF THE SADDLE RIVER1

ABSTRACT: A three-year study has been conducted on a 4.6 mile stretch of the Saddle River near Lodi, New Jersey. The primary objectives of this investigation were (1) to provide baseline information on the concentration and distribution of heavy metals in bottom sediments of the Saddle River; (2) to qualitatively evaluate which parameters affect this distribution; and (3) to determine the effect of urbanization on the concentration and distribution of these materials. Significant enrichments of several heavy metals were observed in bottom sediments of the lower Saddle River near Lodi, New Jersey, as compared to the upper Saddle River. Attempts to correlate metal concentrations in bottom sediments with chemical-oxygen demand were not successful in demonstrating a relationship between these two factors. Metal concentrations were found to be strongly dependent upon particle size. In general, metal concentrations in bottom sediments increased with decreasing partical diameter. However, metals enrichment was observed to be considerably greater in the larger sediment fractions studied (>420μ) than the smaller sediment fractions as one proceeded downstream through the urban area. Since the larger sediment fractions are least effected by scour and transport they may best reflect the effect of urbanization on the distribution of heavy metals over an extended period of time at a given location.     

Concentration of potentially toxic elements in field crops grown near and far from cities of the Pampas (Argentina)

Soils of the Pampas show no signs of contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), except in the areas that surround cities. The concentration of PTE in crops grown in this region is in most cases unknown. Our objective was to determine the PTE concentration in main field crops and pastures grown in 'a priori' non-contaminated areas and in potentially contaminated areas around cities. Forty-eight plots from farms located far from cities or roads and 36 plots from farms located very close to cities or to high traffic roads were sampled. The area ranged from 33 degrees 40' S to 36 degrees 0' S and from 57 degrees 35' W to 61 degrees 22' W. Maize, soybean, wheat, grazed grassland and pastures, and their top soils were sampled. All samples were acid digested. Cadmium, zinc, chromium, copper, nickel and lead were determined using ICPES. Standard t-tests were performed. All soils were within the known normal values of soil PTE concentrations, with the exception of a few cases around cities. PTE accumulation on grains and aerial biomass is considered almost negligible in crops grown in both studied areas, with the exception of a few elements in soybean. PTE concentrations in crops and pastures are in keeping with the low content of trace metals found in soils of the Pampas.     

Recovery and distribution of biosolids-derived trace metals in a clay loam soil

The long-term mobility of trace metals has been cited as a potential hazard by critics of EPA 503 rule governing the land application of biosolids. The objectives of this study were to assess the accumulation of Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn within the soil profile; the distribution of exchangeable, specifically adsorbed, organic, and oxide fractions of each metal; and mass balance of Cu, Ni, and Zn 17 yr after a single biosolids application. Biosolids were applied to 1.5- x 2.3-m confined plots of a Davidson clay loam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudult) in 1984 at 0, 42, 84, 126, 168, and 210 Mg ha(-1). The highest biosolids application supplied 4.5, 750, 43, and 600 kg ha(-1) of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn, respectively. Soils were sampled to a depth of 0.9 m and sectioned into 5-cm increments after separating the Ap horizon. Total (EPA-3050B), bioavailable (Mehlich-I), sequential extraction, and dispersible clay analyses were performed on samples from the control, 126 Mg ha(-1), and 210 Mg ha(-1) treatments. Trace metals are still concentrated in the top 0.2 m with slight enrichment down to 0.3 m. More than 85% of applied Cu, Ni, and Zn are still found in the topsoil where biosolids was incorporated and 95% or more of the applied metals were accounted for with mass balance calculations. Mehlich-I results showed a slight increase in metal concentration down to 0.35 m. Biosolids application increased the concentrations of trace metals in all the extracted fractions. The major portions of Cu, Zn, and Ni are associated with the metal-oxides fraction. Dispersible clay content and water-soluble metal contents were low and except for water-soluble Zn they were not affected by biosolids application. Results from this study showed that 17 yr after biosolids application there was negligible movement of trace metals through the soil profile and consequently there is little risk of contamination of ground water at this site.     

长三角地区三省一市传统村落空间分布特征及影响因素

以长三角地区三省一市的1074个国家级传统村落为研究对象,采用GIS空间分析和数理统计分析等方法,从整体和省市域层面分析传统村落的空间分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明:①长三角地区传统村落空间分布整体上呈凝聚型,但省域、市域尺度层面上则呈相对集聚的不均衡分布,省域层面上传统村落主要集中于皖南—浙西,市域层面上则主要分布于安徽省的黄山市、宣城市和浙江省的丽水市、金华市、台州市、衢州市。②自然地理、历史文化、交通和经济发展水平是长三角地区传统村落空间分布的主要影响因素。     

阿尔金山保护区地表水部分重金属背景值调查与分析

根据实地考察,采集了阿尔金山保护区主要地表水体的水质样本。受考察期限和水质样本保存要求与期限限制,只对样本中铜、锌、镉等重金属指标进行了检测,分析了各指标与《地表水环境质量标准》中不同标准限值的关系,及其在地理空间上的分布规律。本次考察分析的结果可作为后期水质考察的背景信息,是进一步开展保护区水环境调查和研究的基础。     

DISTRIBUTION AND GRAIN-SIZE PARTITIONING OF METALS IN BOVFOM SEDIMENTS OF AN EXPERIMENTALLY ACIDIFIED WISCONSIN LAKE1

ABSTRACT: A study of concentrations and distribution of major and trace elements in surficial bottom sediments of Little Rock Lake in northern Wisconsin included examination of spatial variation and grain-size effects. No significant differences with respect to metal distribution in sediments were observed between the two basins of the lake, despite the experimental acidification of one of the basins from pH 6.1 to 4.6. The concentrations of most elements in the lake sediments were generally similar to soil concentrations in the area and were well below sediment quality criteria. Two exceptions were lead and zinc, whose concentrations in July 1990 exceeded the criteria of 50 μg/g and 100 μg/g, respectively, in both littoral and pelagic sediments. Concentrations of some elements, particularly Cu, Pb, and Zn, increased along transects from nearshore to midlake, following a similar gradient of sedimentary organic carbon. In contrast, Mn, Fe, and alkali/alkaline-earth elements were at maximum concentrations in nearshore sediments. These elements are less likely to partition to organic particles, and their distribution is more dependent on mineralogical composition, grain size, and other factors. Element concentrations varied among different sediment grain-size fractions, although a simple inverse relation to grain size was not observed. Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were more concentrated in a grain-size range 20–60 tm than in either the very fine or the coarse fractions, possibly because of the aggregation of smaller particles cemented together by organic and Fe/Mn hydrous-oxide coatings.     

Using rank-order geostatistics for spatial interpolation of highly skewed data in a heavy-metal contaminated site

The spatial distribution of a pollutant in contaminated soils is usually highly skewed. As a result, the sample variogram often differs considerably from its regional counterpart and the geostatistical interpolation is hindered. In this study, rank-order geostatistics with standardized rank transformation was used for the spatial interpolation of pollutants with a highly skewed distribution in contaminated soils when commonly used nonlinear methods, such as logarithmic and normal-scored transformations, are not suitable. A real data set of soil Cd concentrations with great variation and high skewness in a contaminated site of Taiwan was used for illustration. The spatial dependence of ranks transformed from Cd concentrations was identified and kriging estimation was readily performed in the standardized-rank space. The estimated standardized rank was back-transformed into the concentration space using the middle point model within a standardized-rank interval of the empirical distribution function (EDF). The spatial distribution of Cd concentrations was then obtained. The probability of Cd concentration being higher than a given cutoff value also can be estimated by using the estimated distribution of standardized ranks. The contour maps of Cd concentrations and the probabilities of Cd concentrations being higher than the cutoff value can be simultaneously used for delineation of hazardous areas of contaminated soils.     

Determining contamination level of heavy metals in road dust from busy traffic areas with different characteristics

This study identified the levels and sources of heavy metal contamination in road dust from busy traffic areas in a typical industrial city in Korea. This study compared the total concentrations, as determined by aqua regia digestions and atomic absorption spectroscopy, of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) in the road dust from areas with different characteristics such as traffic rotaries, downtown areas, circulation roads, and asphalt and concrete highways. The contamination levels of the heavy metals in the road dust were evaluated using the contamination factor and the degree of contamination. The contamination levels of the heavy metals in the road dust were highly dependent on traffic volume and atmospheric dispersion from traffic rotaries. Industrial emissions and the frequency of brake use and vehicles coming to a complete stop were additional factors that affected the contamination levels in downtown areas. The concrete highway had higher contamination levels of the heavy metals than the asphalt highway. Vehicle speed was also a strong contributing factor to the degree of contamination of heavy metals in the road dust from the circulation roads and highways.