Preface

Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) is regarded as an endemic, chronic, high incidence and degenerative osteoarthropathie disease. The areas of endemic KBD are relatively stable and are correlated with specific geographical environments. In China, estimation of KBD patients in 1985 indicated more than 2 million people were severely affected in a broad region inhibited by over 30 million people. KBD endemic areas form a broad belt extending from northeast to southwest. The disease mostly appears in mountainous and hilly regions, and farmers are the major potentially affected ones. Hence KBD has been designated a national health priori-ty problem in China since 60's.     

Environmental behaviors of selenium in soil of typical selenosis area, China

Daba Mountain area is one of the two endemic selenosis areas in China,which may relate with the environmental behaviors of selenium (Se) in soil.This study focuses on the concentraion and distribution of Se and its relationships with some other elements in natural soil in the area.The average concentration of Se in Daba Mountain soils was 14.3 times higher than the value cited for natural soil background worldwide,suggesting that soils in the region were contaminated by the element.The finding was confir...     

A new hypothesis for the etiology of Kaschin-Beck disease

Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) could be exogeneous free radical induced endemic osteoarthropathy under conditions of lacking necessary antioxidant defences.especially selenium-cored defence in Chinese eco-en-vironment. Experimental evidences have been provided for the internal relations among previously suggested pathologic factors, i.e., selenium deficiency, organic matters of drinking waterand mycotoxins from contaminated grains, based on the facts that the former is a preventory factor while the others are exogenous freeradical carriers. ESR spectrum shows that these exogenous free radical carriers have a property of semi-quinone compounds and are toxic in in-vitro cartilage cell culture and animal tests in inducing lipid peroxidation process.     

Sensitivity experiments and assessment of climatic changes in China induced by greenhouse effect

Climatic changes can be separated into two parts: natural changes -and human activity influenced on climatic changes. The observed data could not only show the effects caused by human activity. Several simulated results as simulated by the GCMs induced by the greenhouse effects in China .have been analysed. It is shown that an obvious warming of about 3-6℃ in winter and 2-5℃ in summer in China as simulated by the GCMs induced by doubling CO2 have been found. There are getting drier or wetter regions in China due to doubled CO2 as simulated by most of models. Comparing the simulated results with the observed data in China, some simulated results are able to be believed. The GCMs should be improved, especially in the regional areas.     

Study on correlation between humic acid and selenium in Kaschin-Beck disease areas

The relationship between humic acid and selenium content was studied in this research. The results of calculation showed that there is more humic acid and less selenium in Kaschin-Beck disease areas in China. Fulvic acid in soil could increase selenium level in plants. The chemical bonding between humic acid and selenium was observed with an I.R. spectroscope. It was remarkable for the changes of absorption peak and frequency in 1100-1000 cm-1, 900-700 cm-1.     

Research on organic matters in the drinking water of Kaschin-Beck disease area

Organic matters in drinking water of Kaschin-Beck disease areas were extracted. Then analyses and characterization were performed by means of multiply chemical and physical methods. The results did not show the obvious difference in the frame structure of humic substances and the structure of rmcromolecular compounds in the drinking water of disease and non-disease areas, but the difference in the contents of some micromolecular compounds and radicals. The investigation also includes the preliminary research on the photoreaction of drinking water from disease and non-disease areas and the accumulation of natural organic matter in the bone of tested animals.     

Effects of sludge dredging on the prevention and control of algae-caused black bloom in Taihu Lake, China

Algae-caused black bloom (also known as black water agglomerate) has recently become a critical problem in some Chinese lakes.It has been suggested that the occurrence of algae-caused black bloom was caused by the cooperation of nutrient-rich sediment with dead algae,and sludge dredging was adopted to control black bloom in some lakes of China.In this article,based on the simulation of black bloom using a Y-shape apparatus for modeling natural conditions,both un-dredged and dredged sites in three areas of Taihu Lake,China were studied to estimate the effects of dredging on the prevention and control of black bloom.During the experiment,drained algae were added to all six sites as an additional organic load;subsequently,the dissolved oxygen decreased rapidly,dropping to 0 mg/L at the sediment-water interface.Black bloom did not occur in the dredged sites of Moon Bay and Nan Quan,whereas all three un-dredged sites at Fudu Port,Moon Bay and Nan Quan experienced black bloom.Black bloom also occurred at the dredged site of Fudu Port one day later than at the other sites,and the odor and color were lighter than at the other locations.The color and odor of the black water mainly result from the presence of sulfides such as metal sulfides and hydrogen sulfide,among other chemicals,under reductive conditions.The color and odor of the water,together with the high concentrations of nutrients,were mainly caused by the decomposition of the algae and the presence of nutrient-rich sediment.Overall,the removal of the nutrient-rich sediment by dredging can prevent the occurrence and control the degree of algae-caused black bloom in Taihu Lake.     

Effects of seasonal climatic variability on several toxic contaminants in urban lakes: Implications for the impacts of climate change

Climate change is supposed to have influences on water quality and ecosystem. However, only few studies have assessed the effect of climate change on environmental toxic contaminants in urban lakes. In this research, response of several toxic contaminants in twelve urban lakes in Beijing, China, to the seasonal variations in climatic factors was studied. Fluorides, volatile phenols, arsenic, selenium, and other water quality parameters were analyzed monthly from2009 to 2012. Multivariate statistical methods including principle component analysis, cluster analysis, and multiple regression analysis were performed to study the relationship between contaminants and climatic factors including temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and sunshine duration. Fluoride and arsenic concentrations in most urban lakes exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature/precipitation, which is mainly caused by rainfall induced diffuse pollution. A negative correlation was observed between volatile phenols and temperature/precipitation, and this could be explained by their enhanced volatilization and biodegradation rates caused by higher temperature. Selenium did not show a significant response to climatic factor variations, which was attributed to low selenium contents in the lakes and soils. Moreover, the response degrees of contaminants to climatic variations differ among lakes with different contamination levels. On average, temperature/precipitation contributed to 8%, 15%, and 12% of the variations in volatile phenols, arsenic, and fluorides,respectively. Beijing is undergoing increased temperature and heavy rainfall frequency during the past five decades. This study suggests that water quality related to fluoride and arsenic concentrations of most urban lakes in Beijing is becoming worse under this climate change trend.     

Influences of greenhouse effect on agricultural production in China

An obvious warming in China induced by doubled carbon, dioxide as simulated by the climatic models have been found. It is also noticed that there might be drying or wetting in some parts of China induced by doubled CO2 as simulated by the general circulation models(GCMs). Agricultural productivity mainly depends on the temperature, rainfall and soil moisture in China. The changes of agricultural productivity in the different parts of China induced by doubled CO2 have been estimated in this paper. It is shown that the greenhouse effect might cause increasing production in some parts of China and decreasing production in other parts of China.     

The roles of organic degradation products andselenium in the pathogenesis ofKaschin-Beck disease

An investigation on the organic degradation products and selenium in the pathogenesis of Kaschin-Beck disease was carried out. The results demonstrated that the organic degradation products existed in food and drinking water were the pathogens of the KBD; their leading pathological process of cells would be "membrane injury" due to peroxide. As GSH-Px is a selenium contained enzyme, therefore insufficient selenium would be one of the most important conditions to cause KBD.     

环境中的碘与地方性甲状腺肿

本文从医学地理观点论述环境中的碘与地方性甲状腺肿地理流行的关系,提出了饮用水的碘含量与地方性甲状腺肿患病率的相关模式、我国地方性甲状腺肿病病区的成因类型及生产化预防措施.     

贵州地氟病与碘缺乏病区环境中氟和碘的研究

为查清贵州地氟病与碘缺乏病病源，对这两种地方病区的地质环境及食物中氟与碘的含量进行研究。结果表明：高氟燃煤、磷块岩及富氟岩石是产生地氟病的氟源，其致病途径主要是高氟燃煤对室内空气与食物造成氟污染，其次是富氟岩、矿经风化形成富氟土壤，使其上种植的食物含氟高，从而产生氟中毒。碘缺乏病的病源是病区岩石中贫碘，导致土壤、水体及食物中碘低而致病。并探讨了这两种地方病在贵州呈互补性分布，是由氟与碘的地球化学性质相似性及贵州省岩石地层分布的地域性所引起的。     

我国降水、降尘中硒、碘、氟的研究

研究了我国东甫沿海至西北地区降水、降尘中硒、碘、氟的分布及其影响因素,结果表明。我国降水硒、碘、氟含量范围分别为0.03—0.59ppb、0.3—3.8ppb和0.03—0.6ppm,一般为0.1—0.2ppb、1—2ppb和0.05—0.1ppm,其主要影响因素为人类活动,海洋、风沙及土壤微生物亦各有不同程度的影响。以集尘桶采集的降尘硒、碘、氟含量均远高于当地表层土壤,主要受当地大气污染状况、降尘量、降水量及降水中该元素含量的影响。硒、碘、氟三元素的挥发性与水迁移性的相互关系在很大程度上决定着我国四大地方病的分布。     

Predicting geogenic groundwater fluoride contamination throughout China

Endemic fluorosis exists in almost all provinces of China. The long-term ingestion of groundwater containing high concentrations of fluoride is one of the main causes of fluorosis. We used artificial neural network to model the relationship between groundwater fluoride concentrations from throughout China and environmental variables such as climatic, geological. and soil parameters as proxy predictors. The results show that the accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model in the test dataset are 80.5% and 0.86%, respectively, and climatic variables are the most effective predictors. Based on the artificial neural network model, a nationwide prediction risk map of fluoride concentrations exceeding 1.5 mg/L with a 0.5 × 0.5 arc minutes resolution was generated. The high risk areas are mainly located in western provinces of Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan, and the northern provinces of Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Shandong. The total number of people estimated to be potentially at risk of fluorosis due to the use of untreated high fluoride groundwater as drinking water is about 89 million, or 6% of the population. The high fluoride groundwater risk map helps the authorities to prioritize areas requiring mitigation measures and thus facilitates the implementation of water improvement and defluoridation projects.     

我国地方性氟中毒病区环境氟的安全阈值

概述了我国地方性氟中毒的4个流行区域及其环境特征,揭示地方性氟中毒的流行与地球化学环境密切相关,研究了不同氟中毒病区氟从外环境到人体的传输途径及其剂量-效应关系.选择氟斑牙检出率5%作为病区划分标准,确定了不同病区环境氟的安全阈值,为氟的环境风险评价提供科学依据.     

我国地带性自然土壤中氟和碘的研究

本文研究了我国12种地带性自然土壤中氟和碘的含量情况及其在土壤剖面中的分布状况.研究表明,自然土壤总氟的含量范围为109—451ppm,几何平均值为281ppm,低于耕作土的几何平均值(379ppm).总碘含量范围为0.97—18.49ppm,几何平均值为2.79ppm.自然土壤中的氟主要来自成土母质和母岩,碘主要来自大气降水.成土母质亦有一定的补给作用.     

中国食管癌发病区环境地球化学及相关模型的研究进展

食管癌是一种常见的消化道疾病,在世界许多国家和地区均有发生,其中环境因素是引发地方病食管癌的重要因素。目前,模型被应用于食管癌的研究中,食管癌研究模型主要有食管癌发病率预测模型,食管癌预防模型及食管癌动物模型等。本文主要综述了前人对中国食管癌发病区的土壤、饮用水和食物等环境地球化学因素,以及与食管癌研究相关的土壤模型和食管癌模型的研究进展。     

我国低硒带与克山病、大骨节病病因关系的研究

一、我国克山病、大骨节病的地理分布规律 我国克山病主要分布于黑龙江省到云南省、西藏东部一条东北—西南走向不连续的宽带内,称之为“病带”(图1)。这个病带具有共同的特点:     

贵州碘缺乏病区环境中碘的特征研究

为探讨贵州碘缺乏病与环境的关系，以及环境中岩石、土壤和水对碘缺乏病分布的影响因素，对贵州碘缺乏病的重病区、轻病区和非病区进行了一定量的岩石、土壤、水及粮食作物(大米和玉米)样品采集，测试碘背景含量，并进行对比分析。结果显示，环境中岩、土及水碘背景与贵州碘缺乏病分布有一定的关系。重病区主要属岩石、土壤和水碘背景含量低的分布区，其岩石类型主要为碳酸盐岩；非病区主要属岩石、土壤和水碘背景含量相对较高的分布区，其岩石类型主要为煤系；轻病区分布的岩石、土壤和水碘背景含量则介于重病区和非病区之间，其岩石类型主要为浅变质岩和碎屑岩。