Mussel-based monitoring of trace metal and organic contaminants along the east coast of China using Perna viridis and Mytilus edulis

Green lipped mussels, Perna viridis, and blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, were collected from seven locations along the east coast of China in September and October 2001. The mussel tissues were analyzed for metals (Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn, Cu, Fe and Hg), and trace organic contaminants including organochlorine compounds (OCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; based on 24 individual PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs). Maximum concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn, Cu, Fe and Hg in the mussel tissues were 0.14, 26.76, 5.31, 15.72, 4.78, 2.93, 7.40, 231.0, 54.17, 1002 and 317.3 microg/g dry weight respectively. Levels of DDTs, PAHs, PCBs and PHCs in the mussel samples were 14-640, 456-3495, 1-13 ng/g and 621-2863 microg/g dry weight, respectively. Results of this study indicated that contaminant levels were, in general, higher or at least comparable to those reported in other local or regional studies. Mussel samples collected in Chongming Dao in Shanghai and Jiao Zhou Wan in Qingdao had significantly higher levels of metal and trace organic contaminants among the seven sampling stations. Examination of the contaminant profiles suggests that PHCs originated from petrogenic sources, while both petrogenic and pyrolytic sources were important for PAHs. The generally high levels of metals and organochlorine compounds are probably the result of increasingly intense industrial activities along the east coast of China. An assessment of potential risks to human health due to consumption of the mussels was undertaken for the metals, PCBs, DDTs and chlordanes, and the results indicated that all metals, except Ni, could pose a health risk to heavy seafood consumers, while Hg appears to be of concern even for low level consumers.     

Petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surficial sediments of Xiamen Harbour and Yuan Dan Lake, China

Surficial sediments were sampled from nine stations in Xiamen Harbour and two stations in Yuan Dan Lake during April 2002. Sediment samples were extracted by organic solvents, separated by silica gel column chromatography and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass selective detector (GC-MSD). Selected ion monitoring was at M/Z=57 for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and individual M/Zs for each of the 15 typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nine alkylated PAHs. The results showed that concentrations of PHCs and total PAHs in the sediments of Yuan Dan Lake were 1397 microg g(-1) (dry weight, dw) and 1377 ng g(-1) (dw), respectively. The ranges for PHCs and total PAHs in the sediments from Xiamen Harbour were 133-943 microg g(-1) (dw) and 98-309 ng g(-1) (dw), respectively. Shipping activities, industrial wastewater discharges, fuel oil spillage from ships and vehicles were the main sources of PHCs and PAHs in the Harbour. In addition, the widespread use of coal for industrial processes and domestic consumption accounted for the second largest source of PAHs in the sediments, while atmospheric transport and deposition of PAHs are also important.     

Characterization of atmospheric particulates, particle-bound transition metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of urban air in the centre of Athens (Greece)

The concentrations of trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed to total suspended particulate (TSP) and finer fractions of airborne particulate matter (PM) were determined from a site in the centre of Athens (Greece), which is characterized by heavy local traffic and is densely populated, during the winter and summer periods in 2003-2004. Also, we collected and analyzed samples of diesel and gasoline exhaust particles from local vehicles (buses, taxis and private cars) and from chimney exhaust of residential central heating appliances. A seasonal effect was observed for the size distribution of aerosol mass, with a shift to larger fine fractions in winter. The most commonly detected trace metals in the TSP and PM fractions were Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, V, Ni and Cd and their concentrations were similar to levels observed in heavily polluted urban areas from local traffic and other anthropogenic emissions. Analysis of 16 PAHs bound to PM showed that they are mostly traffic related. In general, the fine particulate PAHs concentrations were higher than coarse particles. The most common PAHs in PM(10.2) and PM(2.1) were pyrene, phenanthrene, acenapthylene and fluoranthene, which are associated with diesel and gasoline exhaust particles. The results of this study underlined the importance of local emission sources, especially vehicular traffic, central heating and other local anthropogenic emissions. Compared with other big cities, Athens has much higher levels of airborne particles, especially of the finer fractions PM(10) and PM(2.5), correlated with traffic-related air pollution.     

Characterizations of particle-bound trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) within Tibetan tents of south Tibetan Plateau, China

INTRODUCTION: Exposure to trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed on particulates is of a serious health concern. Levels of some trace metals in total suspended particulate and 13 PAHs of fine particulate matter were measured from nomadic tents in the southern Tibetan Plateau in summer 2010. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The indoor air within the tents was seriously polluted, mainly due to yak dung combustion. Average trace metal concentrations were much higher (range of indoor/outdoor ratio 61-291) than those of the outdoor air. Additionally, enrichment factors of most trace metals of indoor air were similar to those of outdoor air, indicating outdoor air quality of the studied area was possibly influenced by pollutants emitted from local tents. Mean concentrations of total PAHs and BaP within tents was 5372.45 and 364.79 ng/m(3), hundred times higher than that of outdoor air of the Tibetan Plateau. Three- and four-ring PAHs were the predominant components. The diagnostic ratio of BaA/(BaA + Chr) was 0.33. Since Tibetan women typically spend longer time within the tents, they were exposed to PAHs (BaP exposure = 1.81 μg/m(3)) about two times of other family members. Among all the PAHs, Bap contributed the most (82.6%) of the total carcinogenicity. Similarly, the excess lifetime cancer risk for women and other family members were 2.75 × 10(-4) and 1.27 × 10(-4), respectively, indicating Tibetan herdsmen, especially women who are in charge of most house chores were at risk for adverse health effects.     

Assessment of air pollution in Nagasaki City: determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their nitrated derivatives, and some metals

Air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), their nitrated derivatives (NPAHs), and some metals on airborne particles in Nagasaki city, Japan were determined over a period of 12 months by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence, fluorescence and flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. The average concentrations (range) were 18.24 (4.07-41.54) ng/m3 for total PAHs, 0.91 (0.23-4.10) pg/m3 for NPAHs, 7.95 (1.71-16.31) ng/m3 for Pb, 11.56 (3.35-24.96) ng/m3 for Mn and 3.79 (0.97-14.71) ng/m3 for Ni (n = 136). The toxic equivalency factors adjusted concentration of total PAHs determined in Nagasaki city area was 2.33 ng/m3. Concentrations of total PAHs and NPAHs in winter were higher than those in summer. In a weekly variations study, total PAHs and NPAHs concentrations, as well as traffic volume showed a similar tendency with all values higher during weekdays and lower at the weekend. The correlation coefficients between total PAHs or NPAHs and traffic volume were 0.781 and 0.818, respectively. These results suggested that one of the main sources for NPAHs and PAHs in a city area might be motor vehicles.     

Plant performance, dioxygenase-expressing rhizosphere bacteria, and biodegradation of weathered hydrocarbons in contaminated soil

Two greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to investigate the potential of 13 plant species (grasses, cruciferes, legumes, herbs) to thrive in a long-term contaminated soil from a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site, to promote the proliferation of total and aromatic ring dioxygenase-expressing bacteria (ARDB) in the root zone, and to foster the biodegradation of petrol hydrocarbons (PHCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PHCs at 23200 mg kg(-1) and PAHs at 2194 mg kg(-1) reduced seed germination, plant survival, and shoot yields for most plants. Total bacteria and ARDB were generally more abundant in contaminated soil and were most numerous in the rhizosphere of mustard. During 68 d, the loss of total petrol hydrocarbons (TPHs) and total US EPA priority PAHs (TPAHs) was greatest in soil planted with hemp and mustard. Pea, cress, and pansy increased the amounts of PAHs extracted from soil, including an almost 60% increase for dibenzo(ah)anthracene. Plants may enhance the chemical extractability and perhaps biological availability of initially unextractable molecules.     

Monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in urban soil,compost and vegetation

Samples of urban surface soil, composts, leaves from avenue limetrees and grass from park areas of the city of Basel (Switzerland) were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Generally, significant lower levels of PAHs (10 times lower) and heavy metals (3–70 times lower) were found in vegetation samples than in composts or soils. The concentrations of PAHs in soil and compost samples were in the same order of magnitude although 10–100-times higher in comparison to data given for rural soils in other studies, whereas heavy metal contents in urban soils and composts were 2–3 times higher than in rural samples. Using multivariate statistical analysis, it was possible to define similarities or special characteristics of single substances or substance groups in a given matrix reflecting their chemical properties and providing information on their specific emission sources.     

Seasonal variation and source estimation of organic compounds in urban aerosol of Augsburg, Germany

This study reports a general assessment of the organic composition of the PM_2.5 samples collected in the city of Augsburg, Germany in a summer (August-September 2007) and a winter (February-March 2008) campaign of 36 and 30 days, respectively. The samples were directly submitted to in-situ derivatisation thermal desorption gas chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (IDTD-GC-TOFMS) to simultaneously determine the concentrations of many classes of molecular markers, such as n-alkanes, iso- and anteiso-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), oxidized PAHs, n-alkanoic acids, alcohols, saccharides and others.The PCA analysis of the data identified the contributions of three emission sources, i.e., combustion sources, including fossil fuel emissions and biomass burning, vegetative detritus, and oxidized PAHs. The PM chemical composition shows seasonal trend: winter is characterized by high contribution of petroleum/wood combustion while the vegetative component and atmospheric photochemical reactions are predominant in the hot season.     

Impact of meteorology and energy structure on solvent extractable organic compounds of PM2.5 in Beijing, China

Twenty-eight PM2.5 samples collected in Summer (July 2002) and Winter (November 2002) at two sites in Beijing, China were analyzed using GC/MS to investigate the impact of meteorology and coal burning on the solvent extractable organic compounds (SEOC). The characteristics and abundance of the n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-fatty acids and n-alkanols were determined. Source identification was made using organic species as molecular markers. Semi-volatile compounds of alkanes and PAHs had much higher concentrations in winter than summer because of the large difference in the temperature between the seasons. Plant wax emission was a major contributor to n-alkanes in summer, but fossil fuel residue was a major source (>80%) in winter. The seasonal differences in the distribution of pentacyclic triterpanes clearly shows the impact of coal burning for space heating in winter. The yield of PAHs in winter (148 ng m(-3) at the urban site and 277 ng m(-3) at the suburban site) was six to eight times higher than that in summer and was found to be mainly from coal burning. Higher pollutant concentrations were measured at the suburban site than the urban site in winter due to the rapid expansion of the city limit and the relocation of factories from urban to suburban areas over the last two decades.     

Characterization and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the urban environment of Delhi

This paper reports on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmospheric particulate matter of Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, an urbanized site of New Delhi, India. Suspended particulate matter samples of 24h duration were collected on glass-fiber filter paper for four representative days in each month during January 2002 to December 2003. PAHs were extracted from filter papers using toluene with ultrasonication method and analysed. Quantitative measurements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were carried out using the gas chromatography technique. The annual average concentration of total PAHs were found to be 668+/-399 and 672+/-388 ng/m3 in the years 2002 and 2003, respectively. The seasonal average concentrations were found to be maximum in winter and minimum during in the monsoon. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) indicate that diesel and gasoline driven vehicles are the principal sources of PAHs in all the seasons. In winter coal and wood combustion also significantly contribute to the PAH levels.     

Biomonitoring seasonal variation of urban air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using Ficus benghalensis leaves

Temporal and seasonal variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations in leaves of Ficus benghalensis were investigated in Varanasi city (India). Leaf samples were collected from six sites from urban area of Varanasi and from a control site. PAH extraction was done by sonication in dichloromethane-acetone and quantification by GC-MS. In January total leaf PAHs concentrations at all the urban sites were twice higher as compared to other season's viz. summer and rainy. In contrast, at the control site leaf PAHs concentrations showed lower values than urban sites. The maximum concentrations of total PAHs in winter were due to the medium molecular weight PAHs which increases with respect to both low and high molecular weight PAHs. The temporal variation of medium molecular weight PAHs was similar both at the urban and remote sites. These results support biomonitoring ability of Ficus benghalensis leaves to temporal variations in PAHs contamination.     

Deposition of motor vehicle emissions and winter maintenance along roadside assessed by snow analyses

A vertical snow-sampling method, where a sample was taken throughout the snowpack, was used to estimate the pollutant load on a roadside where average daily traffic density was about 9100 motor vehicles. The snow samples were collected at two sites, forest and open field, at two distances of 10 and 30 m from the road. The concentrations of inorganic anions (Cl(-), NO(-)(3), SO(2-)(4)), total N, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated phenols (PCPhs) were analysed. The results suggest that on roadsides there is a deposition caused by road traffic emissions and winter maintenance which exceeds normal background deposition. Inorganic anions mainly in particle form, originating from winter maintenance, are deposited near the road. PAHs with low molecular weight (相似文献   

Effects of heavy metals on population growth and metallothionein gene expression in the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus, from Calcutta, India

Major water bodies in and around the city of Calcutta (India) receive heavy metal contaminated effluents from industries, households, and vehicular traffic through sewage or drainage. We quantified concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Cd from three water bodies at Kalighat, Tangra, and VIP Road, respectively. The concentrations of these heavy metals were significantly greater in the summer than in monsoon when heavy downpours resulted in reduced metal concentrations. Concentrations of metals in the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus also reflected such seasonal fluctuations. Hatchability and survivorship of C. quinquefasciatus significantly differed among the sites and were reduced significantly from the control. Exposure to heavy metals also induced MT-gene expression in C. quinquefasciatus, likely helping them to survive in the water bodies stressed with heavy metals. MT-gene activity demonstrated significant variation among sites and seasons with the highest activity in the summer in the VIP Road population. This study suggests that C. quinquefasciatus could be used as an ecological indicator of heavy metal pollution by monitoring its MT-gene expression.     

Characterization of hydrocarbons, halocarbons and carbonyls in the atmosphere of Hong Kong

Ambient air quality measurements of 156 species including 39 alkanes, 32 alkenes, 2 alkynes, 24 aromatic hydrocarbons, 43 halocarbons and 16 carbonyls, were carried out for 120 air samples collected at two sampling stations (CW and TW) in 2001 throughout Hong Kong. Spatial variations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere were investigated. Levels of most alkanes and alkenes at TW site were higher than that at the CW site, while the BTEX concentrations at the two sites were close. The BTEX ratios at CW and TW were 1.6:10.1:1.0:1.6 and 2.1:10.8:1.0:2.0, respectively. For major halogenated hydrocarbons, the mean concentrations of chloromethane, CFCs 12 and 22 did not show spatial variations at the two sites. However, site-specific differences were observed for trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene. Furthermore, there were no significant differences for carbonyls such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone between the two sites. The levels of selected hydrocarbons in winter were 1-5 times that in summer. There were no common seasonal trends for carbonyls in Hong Kong. The ambient level of formaldehyde, the most abundant carbonyl, was higher in summer. However, levels of acetaldehyde, acetone and benzaldehyde in winter were 1.6-3.8 times that in summer. The levels of CFCs 11 and 12, and chloromethane in summer were higher than that in winter. Strong correlation of most hydrocarbons with propene and n-butane suggested that the primary contributors of hydrocarbons were vehicular emissions in Hong Kong. In addition, gasoline evaporation, use of solvents, leakage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas leakage and other industrial emissions, and even biogenic emissions affected the ambient levels of hydrocarbons. The sources of halocarbons were mainly materials used in industrial processes and as solvents. Correlation analysis suggested that photochemical reactions made significant contributions to the ambient levels of carbonyls in summer whereas in winter motor vehicle emissions would be the major sources of the carbonyls. The photochemical reactivity of selected VOCs was estimated in this study. The largest contributors to ozone formation were formaldehyde, toluene, propene, m,p-xylene, acetaldehyde, 1-butene/i-butene, isoprene and n-butane, suggesting that motor vehicles, gasoline evaporation, use of solvents, leakage of LPG, photochemical processes and biogenic emission are sources in the production of ozone. On the other hand, VOCs from vehicles and gasoline evaporation were predominant with respect to reactions with OH radical.     

A comparison of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and petroleum hydrocarbon uptake by mussels (Perna viridis) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) in Hong Kong coastal waters

The ability of mussels (Perna viridis) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to accumulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) from five sites in Hong Kong's coastal waters was compared. Mussels consistently had higher levels of contaminants, but their utility was limited at one highly polluted site due to mortality. Mussels and SPMDs ranked sites differently in terms of individual contaminant levels. Although SPMDs overcome many of the disadvantages of using living organisms to measure contaminants in marine waters, they cannot be used as "mimics" due to different PAH and PHC accumulation patterns.     

Risk assessment of inhalation exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in school children

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with the inhalable fraction of particulate matter were determined for 1 year (2009–2010) at a school site located in proximity of industrial and heavy traffic roads in Delhi, India. PM₁₀ (aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) levels were ～11.6 times the World Health Organization standard. Vehicular (59.5 %) and coal combustion (40.5 %) sources accounted for the high levels of PAHs (range 38.1–217.3 ng m^?3) with four- and five-ring PAHs having ～80 % contribution. Total PAHs were dominated by carcinogenic species (～75 %) and B[a]P equivalent concentrations indicated highest exposure risks during winter. Extremely high daily inhalation exposure of PAHs was observed during winter (439.43 ng day^?1) followed by monsoon (232.59 ng day^?1) and summer (171.08 ng day^?1). Daily inhalation exposure of PAHs to school children during a day exhibited the trend school hours?>?commuting to school?>?resting period in all the seasons. Vehicular source contributions to daily PAH levels were significantly correlated (r?=?0.94, p?<?0.001) with the daily inhalation exposure level of school children. A conservative estimate of ～11 excess cancer cases in children during childhood due to inhalation exposure of PAHs has been made for Delhi.     

Characterization of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Atlanta—Seasonal variations at urban,suburban, and rural ambient air monitoring sites

Twenty-eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and methylated PAHs (Me-PAH) were measured in daily PM_2.5 samples collected at an urban site, a suburban site, and a rural site in and near Atlanta during 2004 (5 samples/month/site). The suburban site, located near a major highway, had higher PM_2.5-bound PAH concentrations than did the urban site, and the rural site had the lowest PAH levels. Monthly variations are described for concentrations of total PAHs (∑PAHs) and individual PAHs. PAH concentrations were much higher in cold months than in warm months, with average monthly ∑PAH concentrations at the urban and suburban-highway monitoring sites ranging from 2.12 to 6.85 ng m^?3 during January–February and November–December 2004, compared to 0.38–0.98 ng m^?3 during May–September 2004. ∑PAH concentrations were found to be well correlated with PM_2.5 and organic carbon (OC) within seasons, and the fractions of PAHs in PM_2.5 and OC were higher in winter than in summer. Methyl phenanthrenes were present at higher levels than their un-substituted homologue (phenanthrene), suggesting a petrogenic (unburned petroleum products) input. Retene, a proposed tracer for biomass burning, peaked in March, the month with the highest acreage and frequency of prescribed burning and unplanned fires, and in December, during the high residential wood-burning season, indicating that retene might be a good marker for burning of all biomass materials. In contrast, potassium peaked only in December, indicating that it might be a more specific tracer for wood-burning.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbonyl compounds in urban atmosphere of Hong Kong

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbonyls compounds are becoming a major component of atmospheric toxic air pollutants (TAPs) in Hong Kong. Many studies in Hong Kong show that traffic emission is one of the most significant contributors in urban area of Hong Kong. A twelve months monitoring program for PAHs and carbonyl compounds started on 10 April 1999 including a two weeks intensive sampling in winter had been performed at a roadside urban station at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in order to determine the monthly and seasonal variations of PAHs and carbonyl concentrations. The objective of this study is to characterize the roadside concentrations of selected TAPs (PAHs and carbonyl compounds) and to compare with the long-term compliance monitoring data acquired by Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Monthly variations, seasonal variations and winter/summer ratios at the monitoring station are discussed.     

Characteristic study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for fine and coarse particulates at Pastureland near Industrial Park sampling site of central Taiwan

The concentrations of ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in a farm area (Tunghai University Pastureland) between August 2001 and April 2002 in central Taiwan, Taichung. Particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were collected on quartz filters, the collected sample was extracted with a dichloromethane (DCM)/n-hexane mixture (50/50, v/v) for 24 h, and then the extracts were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis. The PM2.5 (fine particulate) and PM2.5-10 (coarse particulate) total PAHs concentrations at the Tunghai University Pastureland sampling site were found to be 180.62 ngm(-3) and 164.98 ngm(-3), respectively. In general, the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were higher in spring and winter than those of summer and autumn for either PM2.5 or PM2.5-10 in Pastureland in central Taiwan. Moreover, coarse particulates are the dominant species during the dust storm season (March and April) in central Taiwan.     

Seasonal variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Pearl River Delta region,China

A level IV fugacity model was applied to simulate the seasonal variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various bulk media in Pearl River Delta (PRD), China. The predictions were validated against monthly observed concentrations of gaseous and particulate phase PAHs in air and annual mean concentrations of all other bulk media. The uncertainty of the predictions was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation. The influential parameters were identified using sensitivity analysis on both media concentrations and seasonal variations. The predicted concentrations and the patterns of seasonal variation generally agreed with the field observations. Concentrations of gaseous phase PAHs in air increased in the summer and decreased in the winter while concentrations of particulate phase PAHs in summer were lower than those in the winter. The relative variations of PAHs in the other bulk media were not as profound as those in air and the variation patterns were chemical compound dependent. Temperature and precipitation were the most important parameters leading to the seasonalities of PAH concentrations. Other key parameters included dry precipitation rate, advective water flow from upstream, and solid fractions in air and water.