共混比对氯化聚氯乙烯(CPVC)/聚乙烯醇缩丁醛(PVB)共混超滤膜的影响

为了改善氯化聚氯乙烯(CPVC)超滤膜的亲水性,通过溶液共混的方法将亲水性的聚乙烯醇缩丁醛(PVB)与CPVC共混,制备了CPVC/PVB超滤膜。探讨了共混比对CPVC/PVB超滤膜的微观结构、水通量、截留率、亲水性、机械性能及耐污染性等性能的影响。研究结果表明,CPVC/PVB共混比为9∶1时,PVB在CPVC/PVB超滤膜表面的质量百分含量达到43.41%,表明CPVC/PVB共混超滤膜较CPVC超滤膜的亲水性有显著的改善。该共混比下,CPVC/PVB超滤膜的纯水通量较CPVC超滤膜提高了一倍,耐污染性和污水通量较CPVC超滤膜均有显著提高。     

用于污水处理的PVC/TPU共混中空纤维膜研制

将聚氯乙烯与热塑性聚氨酯共混,以二甲基乙酰胺为溶剂,用干-湿纺法制备中空纤维膜.主要研究了PVC与TPU的相容性,并考察了共混比、添加剂及芯液组成对共混膜的结构和性能的影响.通过测定孔隙率及扫描电镜来测试PVC/TPU的孔结构及其多孔性,通过测定水通量和牛血清蛋白的截留率来评价共混膜的性能.实验表明,适当控制膜液的组成,可以得到水通量较大、截留率高、抗冲击性能优良的膜.改变芯液组成,可获得断面及皮层结构有很大差异的中空纤维膜.     

PVDF/PMMA与PVDF/TPU共混膜抗污染性能研究及应用

观察新型五孔PVDF共混改性纤维膜SEM形貌特征,采用逐级通量法测定PVDF/PMMA和PVDF/TPU共混改性膜的临界通量,研究在次临界和超临界通量下A(PVDF/PMMA)与B(PVDF/TPU)2种管式膜组件的过滤和抗污染性能,并在次临界通量下处理地表水。结果表明,PVDF共混改性膜具有优良的微观结构,且膜B性能较好;膜A、B的临界通量分别为12 L/(m2.h)和10 L/(m2.h);膜组件B比膜组件A抗污染性能好。次临界通量下膜组件的运行比超临界通量下的稳定。与采用单独超滤处理某市地表水相比,2种膜组件采用混凝+超滤工艺的运行处理效果更好,且膜组件B比膜组件A处理效果佳。     

聚砜超滤膜制备、改性及抗油污染性能评价

采用聚砜、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮和甲基吡咯烷酮为原料,通过相转化法制得聚砜超滤膜,并用二氧化钛、盐酸多巴胺、硅烷偶联剂KH550和三(羟甲基)氨基甲烷盐酸盐进行表面改性。实验考察了不同质量分数的聚砜对膜水通量的影响及改性前后膜水通量、透过系数及接触角的变化,同时配制500mg·L~(-1)的含油污水进行抗油污染测试。实验发现:聚砜超滤膜的水通量与压力成正比,且随着聚砜浓度的增加,聚砜超滤膜的纯水透过系数逐渐降低。最终选取质量分数为15%的聚砜超滤膜进行改性,改性后的膜纯水通量较改性前下降了40.66%,接触角从66.5°下降至35.3°,亲水性提高了46.91%,且抗污染性明显提高,在含油污水测试中,水通量增大了2.2倍,表现出较普通聚砜超滤膜更高的水通量和稳定性。     

微量1,6-己二胺改性纳米Fe3O4对PVDF共混膜性能的影响

以微量的改性纳米四氧化三铁与聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)共混,制备具有良好亲水性、纯水通量和防污性能的PVDF复合膜。通过溶剂热法合成了经1,6-己二胺改性的纳米四氧化三铁(H-Fe_3O_4),同时比较了未经改性的四氧化三铁(Fe_3O_4)和改性后的四氧化三铁(H-Fe_3O_4)的结构性能差异。通过相转化法制备了H-Fe_3O_4(质量分数小于1.0%)与PVDF的共混复合膜(H-Fe_3O_4@PVDF复合膜)。通过测试膜的晶相组成、表面和断面形貌、静态纯水接触角、平均孔隙率、平均孔径、纯水通量、牛白蛋白截留率以及通量恢复率,研究微量H-Fe_3O_4的投加对复合膜性能的影响。结果表明,经1,6-己二胺调控合成的H-Fe_3O_4,比Fe_3O_4拥有更小的粒径、更好的单分散性以及更多的亲水官能团。向膜中添加0.3%的H-Fe_3O_4,可使复合膜的静态纯水接触角由80.9°降到66.6°,亲水性得到良好的改善。复合膜的平均孔隙率、平均孔径、纯水通量以及通量恢复率随H-Fe_3O_4投加量的增加均明显提高。当H-Fe_3O_4质量分数为0.4%时,复合膜的纯水通量从原膜的10.4 L·(m~2·h)~(-1)增加到了144.0 L·(m~2·h)~(-1),通量恢复率也从原膜的51.4%增加到了87.5%。微量H-Fe_3O_4的添加较好地改善了PVDF膜的性能,具有较好的实用价值。     

天然有机物对PVDF超滤膜的污染行为及AFM表征

为了进一步研究各类型污染物对自制PVDF超滤膜的污染机制,分别采用DAX-8,XAD-4型吸附树脂将西安市灞河水分为亲水性、强疏水性及弱疏水性组分,考察了天然有机物(NOM)对膜通量衰减的影响、污染层的表面粗糙度和结构、各类型污染物与膜之间黏附力。实验结果表明:(1)3种组分对PVDF膜的污染程度为亲水性组分强疏水性组分弱疏水性组分;(2)污染后膜表面粗糙度大于新膜表面粗糙度,膜表面污染层粗糙度越大,膜通量越容易恢复;(3)过滤初期,膜与污染物之间的力占主导作用,且亲水性污染物-PVDF膜之间的力强疏水性污染物-膜弱疏水性污染物-膜;(4)过滤后期,污染物与污染物之间的力占主导作用,且亲水性污染物之间力强疏水性污染物弱疏水性污染物。     

纳米二氧化锆改性膜生物反应器处理生活污水的试验研究

对聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)中空纤维膜进行共混改性,制备出纳米二氧化锆(ZrO_2)改性的中空纤维膜。通过对改性膜和未改性膜的纯水通量、机械性能、微观结构、接触角、含水率、孔隙率等参数进行表征,并使改性膜和未改性膜组件应用于膜生物反应器处理生活污水,对比了两者的出水水质,并对其膜过滤过程中的阻力进行分析。结果表明:两个膜组件应用于膜生物反应器污水处理效果良好,对COD和BOD5的去除达到90%以上,对氨氮的去除达到80%以上,对TN和TP的去除达到70%以上。与未改性膜相比,改性膜的膜通量更大,阻力更小,表明纳米ZrO_2可明显改善PVDF中空纤维膜的亲水性,提高其抗污染能力。     

多效膜蒸馏技术浓缩回收废水中的二甲基亚砜

利用具有内部潜热回收功能的气隙式多效膜蒸馏(MEMD)组件对含二甲基亚砜(DMSO)的化纤废水进行了浓缩回收研究,考察了料液中DMSO浓度、进料流量、进料温度和膜侧进口温度对膜通量、造水比、分离因子和回收率的影响。结果表明,多效膜蒸馏可以将DMSO废水浓缩至200~300 g/L;初始浓度为6.2 g/L时,造水比和分离因子最高值分别为12.4和76.0;虽然膜通量、造水比和分离因子均随料液浓度增大而下降,但是当DMSO浓度达到200 g/L时,膜通量、造水比、分离因子仍分别高达3.74 L/(m2·h)、7.1、32.1;在整个浓缩过程中,回收率维持在99.6%以上;当DMSO废水浓缩达到150 g/L以上时,含有少量DMSO的渗透液可作为二次料液继续用MEMD过程浓缩。膜组件在连续运行的1个月内保持了良好的操作性能。该实验研究表明,多效膜蒸馏过程可以高效节能地浓缩回收化纤废水中的DMSO。     

生物制剂对MBR中无纺布膜组件过滤性能的影响

研究了生物制剂对浸渍式膜生物反应器(submerged membrane bioreactor,SMBR)中聚丙烯无纺布(non-wov-en fabric,NWF)膜组件过滤性能的影响。结果表明,能减少膜组件表面附着污泥胞外聚合物(extra-cellular polymeric sub-stances,EPS)的含量及污泥的沉积,减缓膜通量的衰减速率和膜污染,无纺布膜组件的过滤性能得到明显改善,表现出一定的耐污染性。生物制剂能改善污泥的沉降性能,有效防止污泥膨胀;对MBR的COD去除率基本没有影响,但略微增大了处理水的浊度。     

超滤膜深度处理染整废水的膜污染机理

实验采用不同规格和材料的超滤膜进行染整二级尾水分离实验,对超滤膜污染机理及影响因素进行了分析。实验采用红外光谱分析了聚醚(PES)膜、聚砜(PSF)膜和聚醚酰亚胺(PEI)膜3种超滤膜材料,对比了污染前后膜面的接触角以及不同切割分子量对膜通量及出水水质的影响,并利用线性化的Herman堵塞模型拟合了不同分子量超滤膜的堵塞模型,初步探讨了超滤膜的污染机理。实验结果表明,膜材料表面亲水性基团的多少与初始膜通量大小成正比,出水COD值随超滤膜切割分子量减小而减小。切割分子量同为2 000 Da的3种超滤膜中,PES膜的处理效果最佳,出水COD平均值为47.81 mg/L;PEI膜通量最高,平衡通量可达50 L/(m2.h);切割分子量为1 000、10 000的超滤膜堵塞机理符合滤饼过滤模型,100 000的超滤膜堵塞机理更接近于完全堵塞模型;1 000的聚醚砜材质膜(PES)更适合此类废水的深度处理。     

Radionuclides and trace elements in fish collected upstream and downstream of Los Alamos national laboratory and the doses to humans from the consumption of muscle and bone

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine radionuclide and trace element concentrations in bottom‐feeding fish (catfish, carp, and suckers) collected from the confluences of some of the major canyons that cross Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) lands with the Rio Grande (RG) and the potential radiological doses from the ingestion of these fish. Samples of muscle and bone (and viscera in some cases) were analyzed for ³H, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁷Cs, ^totU, ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, and ²⁴¹Am and Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cr, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Tl. Most radionuclides, with the exception of ⁹⁰Sr, in the muscle plus bone portions of fish collected from LANL canyons/RG were not significantly (p<0.05) higher from fish collected upstream (San Ildefonso/background) of LANL. Strontium‐90 in fish muscle plus bone tissue significantly (p<0.05) increases in concentration starting from Los Alamos Canyon, the most upstream confluence (fish contained 3.4E‐02 pCi g^‐1 [126E‐02 Bq kg^‐1]), to Frijoles Canyon, the most downstream confluence (fish contained 14E‐02 pCi g^‐1 [518E‐02 Bq kg^‐1]). The differences in ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in fish collected downstream and upstream (background) of LANL, however, were very small. Based on the average concentrations (±2SD) of radionuclides in fish tissue from the four LANL confluences, the committed effective dose equivalent from the ingestion of 46 lb (21 kg) (maximum ingestion rate per person per year) of fish muscle plus bone, after the subtraction of background, was 0.1 ± 0.1 mrem y^‐1 (1.0 ± 1.0 μSv y^‐1), and was far below the International Commission on Radiological Protection (all pathway) permissible dose limit of 100 mrem y^‐1 (1000 μSv y^‐1). Of the trace elements that were found above the limits of detection (Ba, Cu, and Hg) in fish muscle collected from the confluences of canyons that cross LANL and the RG, none were in significantly higher (p<0.05) concentrations than in muscle of fish collected from background locations.     

Radionuclides in deer and elk from Los Alamos national laboratory and the doses to humans from the ingestion of muscle and bone

Abstract

This paper summarizes radionuclide concentrations (³H, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, and ^totU) in muscle and bone tissue of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) collected from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico, lands from 1991 through 1998. Also, the committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) and the risk of excess cancer fatalities (RECF) to people who ingest muscle and bone from deer and elk collected from LANL lands were estimated. Most radionuclide concentrations in muscle and bone from individual deer (n = 11) and elk (n = 22) collected from LANL lands were either at less than detectable quantities (where the analytical result was smaller than two counting uncertainties) and/or within upper (95%) level background (BG) concentrations. As a group, most radionuclides in muscle and bone of deer and elk from LANL lands were not significantly higher (p<0.10) than in similar tissues from deer (n = 3) and elk (n = 7) collected from BG locations. Also, elk that had been radio collared and tracked for two years and spent an average time of 50% on LANL lands were not significantly different in most radionuclides from road kill elk that have been collected as part of the environmental surveillance program. Overall, the upper (95%) level net CEDEs (the CEDE plus two sigma for each radioisotope minus background) at the most conservative ingestion rate (50 lbs of muscle and 13 lbs of bone) were as follows: deer muscle = 0.22 mrem y^‐1 (2.2 μSv y^‐1), deer bone = 3.8 mrem y^‐1 (38 μSv y^‐1), elk muscle = 0.12 mrem y^‐1 (1.2 μSv y^‐1), and elk bone = 1.7 mrem y^‐1 (17 μSv y^‐1). All CEDEs were far below the International Commission on Radiological Protection guideline of 100 mrem y^‐1 (1000 μSv y^‐1), and the highest muscle plus bone net CEDE corresponded to a RECF of 2E‐06, which is far below the Environmental Protection Agency upper level guideline of 1E‐04.     

Leaching of seven pesticides currently used in cotton crop in Mato Grosso State—Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the leaching of pesticides and the applicability of the Attenuation Factor (AF) Model to predict their leaching. The leaching of carbofuran, carbendazim, diuron, metolachlor, α and β endosulfan and chlorpyrifos was studied in an Oxisol using a field experiment lysimeter located in Dom Aquino – Mato Grosso. The samples of percolated water were collected by rain event and analyzed. Chemical and physical soil attributes were determined before pesticide application to the plots. The results showed that carbofuran was the pesticide that presented a higher leaching rate in the studied soil, so was the one representing the highest contamination potential. From the total carbofuran applied in the soil surface, around 6 % leached below 50 cm. The other pesticides showed lower mobility in the studied soil. The calculated values to AF were 7.06E-12 (carbendazim), 5.08E-03 (carbofuran), 3.12E-17 (diuron), 6.66E-345 (α-endosulfan), 1.47E-162 (β-endosulfan), 1.50E-06 (metolachlor), 3.51E-155 (chlorpyrifos). AF Model was useful to classify the pesticides' potential for contamination; however, that model underestimated pesticide leaching.     

Endosulfan in China 2—emissions and residues

Background, aim, and scope  Endosulfan is one of the organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and also a candidate to be included in a group of new persistent organic pollutants (UNEP 2007). The first national endosulfan usage inventories in China with 1/4° longitude by 1/6° latitude resolution has been reported in an accompanying paper. In the second part of the paper, we compiled the gridded historical emissions and soil residues of endosulfan in China from the usage inventories. Based on the residue/emission data, gridded concentrations of endosulfan in Chinese soil and air have been calculated. These inventories will provide valuable data for the further study of endosulfan. Methods  Emission and residue of endosulfan were calculated from endosulfan usage by using a simplified gridded pesticide emission and residue model—SGPERM, which is an integrated modeling system combining mathematical model, database management system, and geographic information system. By using the emission and residue inventories, annual air and soil concentrations of endosulfan in each cell were determined. Results and discussion  Historical gridded emission and residue inventories of α- and β-endosulfan in agricultural soil in China with 1/4° longitude by 1/6° latitude resolution have been created. Total emissions were around 10,800 t, with α-endosulfan at 7,400 t and β-endosulfan at 3,400 t from 1994 to 2004. The highest residues were 140 t for α-endosulfan and 390 t for β-endosulfan, and the lowest residues were 0.7 t for α-endosulfan and 170 t for β-endosulfan in 2004 in Chinese agricultural soil where endosulfan was applied. Based on the emission and residue inventories, concentrations of α- and β-endosulfan in Chinese air and agricultural surface soil were also calculated for each grid cell. We have estimated annual averaged air concentrations and the annual minimum and maximum soil concentrations across China. The real concentrations will be different from season to season. Although our model does not consider the transport of the insecticide in the atmosphere, which could be very important in some areas during some special time, the estimated concentrations of endosulfan in Chinese air and soil derived from the endosulfan emission and residue inventories are in general consistent with the published monitoring data. Conclusions  To our knowledge, this work is the first inventory of this kind for endosulfan published on a national scale. Concentrations of the chemical in Chinese air and agricultural surface soil were calculated for each grid cell. Results show that the estimated concentrations of endosulfan in Chinese air and soil agree reasonably well with the monitoring data in general. Recommendations and perspectives  The gridded endosulfan emission/residue inventories and also the air and soil concentration inventories created in this study will be updated upon availability of new information, including usage and monitoring data. The establishment of these inventories for the OCP is important for both scientific communities and policy makers.     

Impact of spiked concentrations of Cd,Pb, As and Zn in growth medium on elemental uptake of Nasturtium officinale (Watercress)

This study is aimed at investigating the impact of water quality on the uptake and distribution of three non-essential and toxic elements, namely, As, Cd and Pb in the watercress plant to assess for metal toxicity. The plant was hydroponically cultivated under greenhouse conditions, with the growth medium being spiked with varying concentrations of As, Cd and Pb. Plants that were harvested weekly for elemental analysis showed physiological and morphological symptoms of toxicity on exposure to high concentrations of Cd and Pb. Plants exposed to high concentrations of As did not survive and the threshold for As uptake in watercress was established at 5 ppm. Translocation factors were low in all cases as the toxic elements accumulated more in the roots of the plant than the edible leaves. The impact of Zn on the uptake of toxic elements was also evaluated and Zn was found to have an antagonistic effect on uptake of both Cd and Pb with no notable effect on uptake of As. The findings indicate that phytotoxicity or death of the watercress plant would prevent it from being a route of human exposure to high concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in the environment.     

Butyltin compounds in sediment and fish from the Polish Coast of the Baltic Sea

Concentrations of mono- (MBT), di- (DBT), and tri-(TBT) butyltin compounds were measured in eggs, liver, and muscle of nine species of fish from four regions of the Baltic Sea - the Firth of Vistula, the Gulf of Gdańsk, Puck Bay, and the mouth of the Vistula River. The overall concentration ranges among all the fish sampled from the four sites were: < 7 to 79 ng/g for MBT, 6 to 1100 ng/g for DBT, 7 to 3600 ng/g for TBT, and 16 to 4800 ng/g for total BTs, on a wet wt basis. The highest concentration of total BTs was found in herring liver from the Firth of Vistula (4800 ng/g, wet wt) and in roach muscle from Puck Bay (3300 ng/g, wet wt), while the least concentration was found in burbot eggs and liver from the Vistula River (39 and 32 ng/g, wet wt, respectively). TBT was the major form of BTs present in most samples analyzed. Sediment samples collected from shipyards in the Gulf of Gdańsk contained butyltin concentrations ranging from 1.2 to 46 μg/g (dry wt) for MBT, 2.0 to 42 μg/g for DBT, and 2.6 to 40 μg/g for TBT. As with the fish, the majority of the BTs in sediment were present as TBT, which suggested recent exposure of the aquatic environment of the region to TBT.     

Malathion-induced sublethal toxicity on the hematology of cricket frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)

The effect of malathion [diethyl(dimethoxythiophosphorylthio)succinate] at sublethal concentration (0.006 ppm) on hematological parameters of the cricket frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) was studied for 24 hrs to 240 hrs of exposure and remarkable hematological alterations were observed. The study on hematological parameters revealed a highly significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the total erythrocytes count in malathion-exposed animals from 24 hours to 96 hrs of exposure as compared to control. Significant decreases (P < 0.01) of hemoglobin and packed cell volume were also observed from 48 hrs to 240 hrs. A significant increase (P < 0.01) in leucocytes count was noted throughout the exposure period. Elevated numbers of lymphocytes and eosinophils as found in the present study revealed lymphocytosis as well as eosinophilia, suggesting that this was a result of direct stimulation of the immunological defense due to the presence of a toxic substance or may be associated with tissue damage. The cytomorphological and cytopathological study of erythrocytes and leucocytes in malathion-exposed frogs at 0.006 ppm concentration revealed various cytotoxic effects at different exposure times. It was noted that the size and the shape of the erythrocytes were subjected to variation in different blood disorders.     

Relation between forest vegetation, atmospheric deposition and site conditions at regional and European scales

Several monitoring programs have been set up to assess effects of atmospheric deposition on forest ecosystems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate effects on the understorey vegetation, based on the first round of a regional (the Netherlands) and a European forest monitoring program. A multivariate statistical analysis showed surprisingly similar results for both data sets; the vegetation appeared to be largely determined by the ‘traditional’ factors soil, climate, and tree species, but there was a small but statistically significant effect of atmospheric deposition. The effects of deposition include a slight shift towards nitrophytic species at high N deposition in the European network, and towards acidophytic species at high S-deposition in the Dutch network. The relatively small effect of atmospheric deposition is understandable in view of the very large natural variation in environmental conditions. Time series of both vegetation and environment are needed to assess deposition effects in detail.     

Influence of crop residues on trifluralin mineralization in a silty clay loam soil

Trifluralin is typically applied onto crop residues (trash, stubble) at the soil surface, or onto the bare soil surface after the incorporation of crop residues into the soil. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of the type and amount of crop residues in soil on trifluralin mineralization in a Wellwood silty clay loam soil. Leaves and stubble of Potato (Solanum tuberosum) (P); Canola (Brassica napus) (C), Wheat (Triticum aestivum) (W), Oats (Avena sativa), (O), and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) (A) were added to soil microcosms at rates of 2%, 4%, 8% and 16% of the total soil weight (25 g). The type and amount of crop residues in soil had little influence on the trifluralin first-order mineralization rate constant, which ranged from 3.57E-03 day^?1 in soil with 16% A to 2.89E-02 day^?1 in soil with 8% W. The cumulative trifluralin mineralization at 113 days ranged from 1.15% in soil with 16% P to 3.21% in soil with 4% C, again demonstrating that the observed differences across the treatments are not of agronomic or environmental importance.     

Concurrent nitrate and Fe(III) reduction during anaerobic biodegradation of phenols in a sandstone aquifer

The biodegradation of phenols (5, 60, 600 mg l⁻¹) under anaerobic conditions (nitrate enriched and unamended) was studied in laboratory microcosms with sandstone material and groundwater from within an anaerobic ammonium plume in an aquifer. The aqueous phase was sampled and analyzed for phenols and selected redox sensitive parameters on a regular basis. An experiment with sandstone material from specific depth intervals from a vertical profile across the ammonium plume was also conducted. The miniature microcosms used in this experiment were sacrificed for sampling for phenols and selected redox sensitive parameters at the end of the experiment. The sandstone material was characterized with respect to oxidation and reduction potential and Fe(II) and Fe(III) speciation prior to use for all microcosms and at the end of the experiments for selected microcosms.The redox conditions in the anaerobic microcosms were mixed nitrate and Fe(III) reducing. Nitrate and Fe(III) were apparently the dominant electron acceptors at high and low nitrate concentrations, respectively. When biomass growth is taken into account, nitrate and Fe(III) reduction constituted sufficient electron acceptor capacity for the mineralization of the phenols observed to be degraded even at an initial phenols concentration of 60 mg l⁻¹ (high) in an unamended microcosm, whereas nitrate reduction alone is unlikely to have provided sufficient electron acceptor capacity for the observed degradation of the phenols in the unamended microcosm.For microcosm systems, with solid aquifer materials, dissolution of organic substances from the solid material may occur. A quantitative determination of the speciation (mineral types and quantity) of electron acceptors associated with the solids, at levels relevant for degradation of specific organic compounds in aquifers, cannot always be obtained. Hence, complete mass balances of electron acceptor consumption for specific organic compounds degradation are difficult to confine. For aquifer materials with low initial Fe(II) content, Fe(II) determinations on solids and in aqueous phase samples may provide valuable information on Fe(III) reduction. However, in microcosms with natural sediments and where electron acceptors are associated with the sediments, complete mass-balances for substrates and electron acceptors are not likely to be obtained.