Comparisons of Geochemical Signatures of Biotransformation of Fuel Hydrocarbons in Groundwater

Biotransformation processes play an active role in reducing the environmental impact of fuel hydrocarbon releases to groundwater. Because monitoring data at release locations are typically sparse, spatial variations in geochemical indicator parameters are often called upon as indirect evidence of biotransformation. These parameters include concentrations of electron acceptors (O₂, NO₃ ^-, SO> ₄ ^2- , reduced redox reaction by-products (Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, CH₄), as well as bicarbonate alkalinity, pH and E_h. However, background variability in a number of these parameters complicates the task of data interpretation, particularly in the case of small data sets. In this study, correlation analyses are applied to geochemical indicator data at six hydrocarbon groundwater contamination sites in California to identify which parameters are the most reliable indicators. The results of the analyses suggest that the most direct indicators of the local redox environment – Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, CH₄, E_h – yield the most consistent evidence of hydrocarbon biotransformation. Indicators which rely largely on mass balance – O₂, NO ₃ ^- , SO ₄ ^2- , alkalinity – appear to be less reliable. These findings may provide guidance in both the collection and interpretation of groundwater monitoring data at hydrocarbon contamination sites.     

两种消解法测定沉积物总磷的对比

通过过硫酸钾消解法与HClO₄-H₂SO₄消解法对土壤和水系沉积物的标准物质,以及三峡水库沉积物未知样品中的总磷含量进行测定,并对检测结果进行对比,分析过硫酸钾消解法测定沉积物总磷的可行性。结果表明,在标准样品中,HClO₄-H₂SO₄消解法的检测结果是标准值的83%~100%,并且所有结果均在其不确定度范围之内;过硫酸钾消解法的检测结果仅达到标准值的19%~42%,超出其不确定度范围,不能作为有效数据。在未知样品中,过硫酸钾消解法检测结果也远低于HClO₄-H₂SO₄消解法检测结果,只达到后者的32%~52%。由此可见,过硫酸钾消解法测定沉积物或土壤中总磷,仍需要进一步的研究,以达到符合实际的检测结果。     

Deterioration of water quality of Surma river

Surma River is polluted day by day by human activities, poor structured sewerage and drainage system, discharging industrial and household wastes. The charas (natural channels) are responsible for surface runoff conveyance from its urban catchments to the receiving Surma River. Water samples have been collected from a part of Surma River along different points and analyzed for various water quality parameters during dry and monsoon periods. Effects of industrial wastes, municipal sewage, and agricultural runoff on river water quality have been investigated. The study was conducted within the Chattak to Sunamganj portion of Surma River, which is significant due to the presence of two major industries – a paper mill and a cement factory. The other significant feature is the conveyors that travel from India to Chattak. The river was found to be highly turbid in the monsoon season. But BOD and fecal coliform concentration was found higher in the dry season. The water was found slightly acidic. The mean values of parameters were Conductivity 84–805 μs; DO: dry-5.52 mg/l, monsoon-5.72 mg/l; BOD: dry-1mg/l, monsoon-0.878 mg/l; Total Solid: dry-149.4 mg/l, monsoon-145.7 mg/l. In this study, an effort has been taken to investigate the status of concentration of phosphate (PO⁻⁴) and ammonia–nitrogen (NH₄–N) at four entrance points of Malnichara to the city, Guali chara, Gaviar khal and Bolramer khal. Data has been collected from March–April and September–October of 2004. Concentrations have been measured using UV Spectrophotometer. Although the phosphate concentration has been found within the limit set by DOE for fishing, irrigation and recreational purposes, however ammonia–nitrogen has been found to exceed the limit.     

Kinetics of degradation of carbendazim by B. subtilis strains: possibility of in situ detoxification

Food safety is a global concern due to the increased use of pesticides in agriculture. In grapes, carbendazim is one of the frequently detected fungicides. However, it is amenable to biodegradation. In this study, we aimed to assess the degradation of carbendazim by four Bacillus subtilis strains, which had earlier shown potential for biocontrol of grape diseases. In liquid medium, each of the four strains, namely, DR-39, CS-126, TL-171, and TS-204, could utilize carbendazim as the sole carbon source. The half-life was minimized from 8.4 days in the uninoculated spiked control to 4.0–6.2 days by the four strains. In Thompson Seedless sprayed with carbendazim at 1.0 g L^?1, the residue on grape berries in control was 0.44 mg kg^?1 after 25 days of application, whereas in grapes treated with the four B. subtilis strains, the residues had decreased to 0.02 mg kg^?1. The degradation kinetics showed low half-lives of 3.1 to 5.2 days in treated grapes as compared to 8.8 days in control. In inoculated soils, the half-lives were 5.9 to 7.6 days in autoclaved and 6.5 to 7.2 days in nonautoclaved soils as compared to 8.2 and 8.0 days in respective controls. The growth dynamics of these strains in all the three matrices was not affected by presence of carbendazim. Bacillus strains TS-204 and TL-171 showed higher degradation rate than the other two strains in all the three matrices and show promise for in situ biodegradation of carbendazim.     

Monitoring of multiple drug-resistant pathogens in a selected stretch of Bay of Bengal,India

The present work aims at identification of multiple drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria in a selected stretch, namely, Puri on the Bay of Bengal, India. Six stations at the coast of Puri were selected and samples of water and sediment were collected during the winter of 2008 and 2009 for this study. Thirty-eight pathogenic bacteria were isolated and identified from both the water and the sediment of 6 fixed stations (PU-1a, PU-1b, PU-2, PU-3, PU-4, and PU-5). The identified pathogens were Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis. Antibiotic sensitivity of the isolated bacteria was studied by using 12 selected antibiotics, commonly used for the medication of human beings and animals. The isolated pathogens from both the water and the sediment samples showed lowest resistance to chloramphenicol (C-30 μg) where as the pathogens showed highest level of resistance to ampicillin (10-μg) among the antibiotics used for the study. Among the isolated pathogens E. faecalis (PU-1a), P. aeruginosa (PU-2 and PU-3), E. coli (PU-3 and PU-4), and K. pneumonia (PU-4) showed resistance to more than four antibiotics. Out of the isolated species, 57.8% pathogens were multi-drug resistant. Antibiotic resistance indexes of all the stations were calculated and found to be in the range of 0.066 to 0.083.     

Assessment of Temporal and Spatial Variation of Nitrate Removal in Riparian Zones

The aim of this study was to monitor long-term temporal and spatial groundwater NO₃^- removal efficiencies in different riparian zones via a limited number of sampling wells. Groundwater NO₃^- concentrations were measured fortnightly or monthly over a period of two years using transects of ground water sampling wells. Depending on the level of the NO₃^- load (up to 120mgNL^-1 at the input side of the riparian zone a distance of 10 to 30m was needed to remove NO₃^- from the groundwater below 11.3mgNL^-1. Considering all seasons, the mixed vegetation and grass riparian site succeeded to remove groundwater NO₃^- efficiently (92—100% within a distance of 30m. The forested riparian zone removed 72—90% of the total NO₃^- input within a distance of 30m. Evidence emerged that NO₃^- could also be removed actively at depths up to 2m, due to the presence of organically enriched layers of alluvial deposits or roots. Our four dimensional approach (three dimensional space and time), in combination with a limited number of sampling wells, was shown to be a useful monitoring tool to assess the variability of NO₃^- removal in riparian zones.     

New evidences in the complexity of contamination of the lagoon of Venice: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) pollution

This study presents the first evaluation of the current pollution by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) of surface sediments from the Lagoon of Venice. We focused the research on tri-to hepta-BDEs, the main components of penta- and octa-mixtures, which are considered to be the most toxic for the biocoenosis. The results pointed out a quite homogeneous contamination of this keystone European transitional environment, with ∑ ₁₃PBDEs values ra nging from 0.39 to 6.78 ng/g dry weight; these values reflect low to moderate pollution levels, which is in conformity to other coastal European ecosystems. The average PBDE profile of the lagoon sediments follows this decreasing trend of congeners: BDE-47>BDE-99> >BDE-190>BDE-28>BDE-153>BDE-154>BDE-138, BDE-183, and BDE-17, which is similar to the worldwide distribution pattern. BDE-47 and BDE-99 revealed a recent use of a penta-BDE mixture, while the presence of hepta-BDEs (BDE-183 and BDE-190) in all of the sites can indicate the actual use of a deca-BDE formulation, because these congeners are considered to be debrominated byproducts of BDE-209 degradation.     

An analytic study of the effect of saltation on wind profiles

An analytic study of wind profiles above the saltation layer, in which the motion of uniform saltating grains of sand or snow occurs, is conducted. In this study, analytic solutions of the Ekman layer equation that governs the motion of air in a barotropic, neutral atmosphere are obtained in order to investigate the effects of the saltation on the airflow at large distance from a smooth surface. Solutions are derived subject to expressions of the eddy viscosity K(z) defined above the saltation layer up to the Ekman layer. The wind profiles and boundary layer interactions with the saltation process are discussed. With the assumptions that the eddy viscosity varies smoothly from the surface layer to the Ekman layer and K=0.4u _* z(1–z/h), the solutions are found to be consistent with bottom boundary conditions, specified by the velocity profile law outside the saltation layer. These solutions can be either used as an alternative to predict the saltation or used to test the sensitivities of the parameterization scheme designed to simulate dust emissions in a climate or general circulation model (GCM).     

恶臭监测嗅觉测试方法的比较分析

通过恶臭污染监测技术的比较分析,阐明了各类恶臭监测技术的特点和发展方向,指出嗅觉测试法在目前技术水平下的重要作用和地位,依据古典心理物理学中最小可觉差法及平均差误法对欧洲EN13725标准方法和中国三点比较式臭袋法进行了比较分析,得到2种实验方法的特点。古典物理学是科学心理学一百多年的发展历程中已经形成的经典研究技术,主要用于外界刺激对人的感觉器官作用的测试技术。其中最小可觉差法是采用已知"标准刺激"对未知的"比较刺激"进行比较的感受阈值测定方法。平均差误法则是将"标准刺激"阈值视为零,并将接近零的平均实验结果作为感觉阈值的测定方法。在欧洲嗅辨实验所用的"标准刺激"为标准臭气样,而中国嗅辨实验暂时没有标准臭气样品,仍依据嗅觉阈值为零的概念进行恶臭样品实验。通过多年对嗅辨员的考核经验,总结了人的嗅阈值的分布特征,进而提出标准臭气样品的制备研究方法,提出培训嗅辨师以增强对环境恶臭污染识别能力的观点,借以深入理解恶臭嗅觉测定技术方法。     

Monitoring of Coliforms and chlorine residual in water distribution network of Rawalpindi, Pakistan

The present study was undertaken to examine the drinking water quality of Rawal Treatment Plant, Rawalpindi and its distribution network by collecting samples from eight different locations. The aim was to determine potential relationship between the presence of microorganisms and chlorine residual in the distribution network. Quantification of chlorine residual, turbidity, standard plate count (SPC), fecal and total coliforms by Most Probable Number (MPN) was performed. Three different forms of chlorine were measured at each sampling station such as free chlorine, residual chlorine, chloramines and total chlorine residual. A critical evaluation of data presented indicated that pH generally ranged from 7.02–7.30; turbidity varied from 0.34–2.79 NTU; conductivity fluctuated from 359–374 μS/cm; and TDS values were found to be ranging between 180–187 mg/l. Station # 7 was found to be most contaminated. The value of total chlorine was found to be 0.86 to1.7 mg/l at Station # 3 and 6, respectively. Highest standard plate count was 62 CFU/ml at Station # 7. Total coliforms were less than 1.1 MPN/100 ml at almost most of the stations except at Station # 3 where it was found to be greater than 23.0 MPN /100 ml. Overall aim of this study is to create awareness about contamination of drinking water in the water distribution networks and to make recommendations to provincial agencies such as EPA, CDA and WASA that regular monitoring should be carried out to ensure that the chlorine residual is available at consumer end.     

Determination of Heavy Metals in Water from Boreholes in Dumasi in the Wassa West District of Western Region of Republic of Ghana

Concentrations of heavy metals in the borehole at Dumasi in the Wassa West District of the Republic of Ghana have been measured in this study. The concentrations of the following metals in the ground water from Dumasi borehole are: Iron (Fe) – 7.52 ppm, Manganese (Mn) – 1.11 ppm, Arsenic (As) – 4.52 ppm, Chromium (Cr) – 0.026 ppm, Cobalt (Co) – 0.01 ppm, Zinc (Zn) – 0.007 ppm, Cadmium (Cd) – 0.002 ppm and Lead (Pb) – 0.005 ppm. The results of the study show that resident adults and children who use water from the boreholes are at serious risk from exposure to health hazards associated with exposure to the above metals in the boreholes in Dumasi. If the results of this study are applied to other mining communities, which lie on the Birimian and Tarkwaian rock system, then the residents are at serious risk from exposure to toxic metals from drinking water from the boreholes dug for them by mining companies operating in their communities.     

Biomonitoring of Environmental Pollution Using Dielectric Properties of Tree Leaves

In the present work, dielectric measurements were performed in plane-tree leaves collected from a polluted urban site and a natural unpolluted one, in order to investigate the sensitivity of dielectric relaxation spectroscopy to the detection of heavy metals pollution. Although heavy metal concentrations at the urban site are not found considerable higher than those at the natural site, the two samples exhibit different features in the recorded dielectric spectra. Evaluation of experimental data suggests that the dielectric modulus (M*(ω)) representation is the most suitable for accenting the different dielectric relaxation processes of each sample. The imaginary part of dielectric modulus M″(ω) was fitted using a three-term Havriliak–Negami relaxation function, with fitting parameters, which depend on the concentrations of heavy metals. The lower frequency relaxation process is attributed to the ionic conductivity of the samples, while the two others are due to different charge transport mechanisms of α-response. The investigation of plane-tree leaves in terms of their dielectric properties can be considered as a promising biomonitoring for environmental pollution.     

Sensitivity analysis of water quality for Delhi stretch of the River Yamuna,India

Simulation models are used to aid the decision makers about water pollution control and management in river systems. However, uncertainty of model parameters affects the model predictions and hence the pollution control decision. Therefore, it often is necessary to identify the model parameters that significantly affect the model output uncertainty prior to or as a supplement to model application to water pollution control and planning problems. In this study, sensitivity analysis, as a tool for uncertainty analysis was carried out to assess the sensitivity of water quality to (a) model parameters (b) pollution abatement measures such as wastewater treatment, waste discharge and flow augmentation from upstream reservoir. In addition, sensitivity analysis for the “best practical solution” was carried out to help the decision makers in choosing an appropriate option. The Delhi stretch of the river Yamuna was considered as a case study. The QUAL2E model is used for water quality simulation. The results obtained indicate that parameters K ₁ (deoxygenation constant) and K ₃ (settling oxygen demand), which is the rate of biochemical decomposition of organic matter and rate of BOD removal by settling, respectively, are the most sensitive parameters for the considered river stretch. Different combinations of variations in K ₁ and K ₂ also revealed similar results for better understanding of inter-dependability of K ₁ and K ₂. Also, among the pollution abatement methods, the change (perturbation) in wastewater treatment level at primary, secondary, tertiary, and advanced has the greatest effect on the uncertainty of the simulated dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand concentrations.     

Volunteer monitoring of E. coli in streams of the upper Midwestern United States: a comparison of methods

Fecal contamination of water is a public health concern for those using the water for drinking or recreation. The EPA recommends using Escherichia coli to evaluate recreational freshwaters for fecal contamination. With limited resources available, states have recently focused on training volunteers to expand data collection and resource assessment. Several bacteria testing methods are available for use by the public; however, few studies have comprehensively evaluated their use by volunteers. This study evaluated two E. coli monitoring methods used by volunteers: Coliscan Easygel® and 3M^TM Petrifilm^TM, incubated for 24 and 48 hours. The methods were assessed to determine how closely each matched results with EPA-approved laboratory analyses. Analysis of covariance results indicated that when used by volunteers to monitor surface water, 3M^TM Petrifilm^TM results were more similar to laboratory analyses than Coliscan Easygel®. Both test methods had similar overall accuracy of predicting if a sample exceeded or fell below the 235 cfu/100 mL EPA body contact standard for recreational surface waters. Two-thirds of volunteers preferred 3M^TM Petrifilm^TM.     

Assessment of the Health Impacts of Particulates from the Redevelopment of Kings Cross

The Kings Cross/St. Pancras area has been a rail transport hub from Central London to the Midlands and North Eastern England since the middle of the nineteenth century and dust from the Kings Cross railway lands was even described by Charles Dickens.¹ The Channel Tunnel high speed Rail Link (CTRL) is being constructed between 2001 and 2007 to connect continental Europe to Central London. The CTRL and associated development will help regenerate an area that is surrounded by deprived high density housing estates. London Borough of Camden has set up an extensive particulate monitoring programme to determine if there are any health impacts on local residents from emissions from the demolition and construction work. This article assesses the results from particulate measurements in 2003–2004 and compares this to baseline conditions before the redevelopment work began. The evidence suggests that although 2003 had higher than average pollution levels in the UK as a whole, even higher levels of particulates in the size range PM₁₀–PM_2.5 (defined as PM_coarse) were measured in Kings Cross. Due to the size of these particulates, they tend to be released from construction works rather than transport or secondary particulate sources. Concentrations in 2004 were lower than 2003, but this was primarily due to meteorological conditions. The paper also looks at the health of the local population and discusses whether these elevated levels are creating a problem and legally constitute a statutory nuisance. The Council continues to work with the contractors to try and ensure best practical means to minimise dust emissions and their effect on local residents. ¹Our Mutual Friend     

Assessment of hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in parts of Hindon–Yamuna interfluve region,Baghpat District,Western Uttar Pradesh

The present study has been carried out to assess groundwater quality in parts of Hindon–Yamuna interfluve region of western Uttar Pradesh. Fifty-five groundwater samples were collected from hand pumps in post-monsoon 2005 and pre-monsoon 2006 period, respectively, covering an area of about 1,345 km². Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solid, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO₃, Cl, and SO₄ were determined. Concentration of the chemical constituents in groundwater of the study area varies spatially and temporarily. Interpretation of analytical data of major ion chemistry helps to identify three chemical types of groundwater i.e. ‘mixed’, ‘mixed bicarbonate’ and ‘alkali bicarbonate’ types. The species likely to occur in groundwater of the study area are Ca-HCO₃, Mg-HCO₃, Ca-SO₄, Na-Cl, Na-SO₄, Na-HCO₃, K-Cl, and some other possible species of K, depending on its abundance. The groundwater of the study area comes under the category of moderately hard to very hard, mildly acidic to slightly alkaline in nature. There is anomalously high concentration of major ions, particularly, Na, K, SO₄, and Cl. High SO₄ and K values may be related to anthropogenic influences, rather than through some natural process. Sodium along with Cl may be added to the system through sewage pollution and leachate percolation.     

深圳市大气中PCDD/Fs污染水平初步研究

目的:了解深圳市大气中二噁(PCDD/Fs)的污染水平和分布特征。方法:利用大流量空气采样器分别采集6个采样点的空气样品,每个采样点采集两个平行样品。参照美国环保总局(US EPA Method TO-9A)二噁的检测方法,通过高分辨气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁式质谱仪(HRGC/HRMS)对大气样品中17种具有毒性当量因子(TEF)的单体进行了定性和定量分析。结果:∑PCDD/Fs的浓度范围为0.23～11.88pg/m3(平均值为3.84 pg/m3)。毒性当量浓度范围为0.014～0.29 pg I-TEQ/m3(平均值为0.135 pg I-TEQ/m3)。OCDD、HpCDD、HpCDF、OCDF、HxCDF是丰度较大的单体,分别占总浓度的48.21%、15.85%、11.37%、7.40%、6.59%。PCDDs和PCDFs单体浓度(除OCDF之外)均随氯原子取代个数的增加而增大。2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF对总的毒性当量贡献最大,占总毒性当量浓度的38.87%。六个采样点中有三个地点二噁同系物分布显示了"源"的特征,而另外三个地点则显示了"汇"的特征。成人的PCDD/Fs暴露量为0.0023～0.047 pg I-TEQ/kg.day;儿童PCDD/Fs暴露量为0.0052～0.11 pg I-TEQ/kg.day。结论:深圳市大气样品中二噁浓度低于国内一些城市研究水平,而高于日本、欧美国家的研究水平。     

The assessment of spatial distribution of soil salinity risk using neural network

Soil salinity in the Aral Sea Basin is one of the major limiting factors of sustainable crop production. Leaching of the salts before planting season is usually a prerequisite for crop establishment and predetermined water amounts are applied uniformly to fields often without discerning salinity levels. The use of predetermined water amounts for leaching perhaps partly emanate from the inability of conventional soil salinity surveys (based on collection of soil samples, laboratory analyses) to generate timely and high-resolution salinity maps. This paper has an objective to estimate the spatial distribution of soil salinity based on readily or cheaply obtainable environmental parameters (terrain indices, remote sensing data, distance to drains, and long-term groundwater observation data) using a neural network model. The farm-scale (∼15 km²) results were used to upscale soil salinity to a district area (∼300 km²). The use of environmental attributes and soil salinity relationships to upscale the spatial distribution of soil salinity from farm to district scale resulted in the estimation of essentially similar average soil salinity values (estimated 0.94 vs. 1.04 dS m⁻¹). Visual comparison of the maps suggests that the estimated map had soil salinity that was uniform in distribution. The upscaling proved to be satisfactory; depending on critical salinity threshold values, around 70–90% of locations were correctly estimated.     

Tissue distribution of 210Po and 210Pb in select marine species of the coast of Kudankulam, southern coast of Gulf of Mannar, India

Activities of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in various tissues of four species of decapod crabs and two species of cephalopod mollusks (cuttlefishes) of Kudankulam coast were studied. A non-uniform distribution of these radionuclides was observed between the organs. Of all the tissues, ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb were found accumulated more in the hepatopancreas and intestine of crabs and in the digestive gland, shell gland, and intestine of cephalopods. Among crabs, Charybdis lucifera registered a little higher ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb activities. The cephalopod species Loligo duvauceli displayed higher ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in some organs when compared to Sepia pharaonis. The muscle of all the species registered lower activity. In cephalopods, the activity ratio of ²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb fell within the range of 1?C2 for most of the organs, and in crab tissues, it varied from 1.7 to 31.4. The biological concentration factor for organs of cephalopods ranged from 1.2 ×10³ to 4.3 ×10⁵ for ²¹⁰Po and 4.8 ×10² to 8.4 ×10⁴ for ²¹⁰Pb and for organs of crabs it varied between 2.0 ×10⁴ and 1.9 ×10⁶ for ²¹⁰Po and 9.2 ×10² and 2.4 ×10⁴ for ²¹⁰Pb. The study revealed that the organs associated with digestion and metabolism displayed a higher activity concentration than the other tissues. A significant variation in the accumulation of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb was noted between species (P?<?0.05). The activity levels recorded are in agreement with values recorded in related organisms in other parts of the world. The data generated will act as a reference database for these organisms of this coast in which a nuclear power station is under construction.     

机场周围区域飞机噪声监测方法对比研究

中国机场周围区域飞机噪声监测一直采用计权等效连续感觉噪声级L_(WECPN)为评价量,标准修订后拟采用昼夜等效声级L_(dn)为评价量,监测方法也相应更改。该文通过理论推导及宁波栎社机场噪声现场监测数据,系统比较了2种机场周围区域飞机噪声监测方法,并分析了监测结果的差异及影响因素。结果表明:L_(WECPN)与L_(dn)在相差10 dB的基础上,差值受到单次飞机噪声值和傍晚飞行次数2个因素影响。单次飞机噪声监测量L_(EPN)和L_(AE)在飞机匀速直线经过时差值约为3.75 dB,实际上受到飞行航迹、飞机运动状态、噪声传播环境、突发噪声干扰等因素影响,此次监测的187次飞机L_(EPN)和L_(AE)的差值范围为2.1～5.5 dB。傍晚飞行次数引起的监测结果差值范围为0～4.8 dB。