Ecological-biogeochemical role of macrophytes in aquatic ecosystems of urbanized territories (an example of small water bodies of St. Petersburg)

The accumulation of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd) and biogenic elements (P, S, K, Ca, Na) in leaves has been studied in macrophytes of different ecological groups growing in small water bodies of St. Petersburg. The ecogeological and biogeochemical role of macrophytes in the water-aquatic plants-bottom sediments system and their contribution to the stability of aquatic ecosystem functioning under conditions of a megalopolis are considered. Prospects for using macrophytes for bioindication and phytoremediation of polluted aquatic ecosystems are discussed.     

Fractionation studies and bioaccumulation of sediment-bound heavy metals in Kolleru lake by edible fish

Kolleru lake is the largest fresh water lake in the districts of East and West Godavari of Andhra Pradesh, India. Many anthropogenic sources contribute to the heavy metal pollution in the lake and the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish helps in assessing the aquatic pollution. Total contents and fractionation of selected heavy metals, viz., Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni and Co were measured in sediment sample and three edible fish. The investigation aimed at revealing differences in the accumulation pattern of heavy metals in fish inhabiting sediments characterized by varying metal bioavailability. The metal concentrations were found to be greater than the background concentrations of sediments indicating the anthropogenic origin of metals. Good recovery values were obtained for metal contents in sediments and fish. Large fractions of Zn, Cd and Cu were associated with mobile fraction of sediment and showed greater bioaccumulation in fish whereas Ni and Co were least mobilisable. The results clearly indicate that the fish of Kolleru lake are contaminated with metals and not advisable for human consumption.     

Variation of nutrient and metal concentrations in aquatic macrophytes along the Rio Cachoeira in Bahia (Brazil)

The use of cuprous fungicides in cocoa production in the southern part of the state of Bahia (Brazil) for decades has caused an accumulation of copper in various components of the cocoa plantations, and a contamination of regional freshwater ecosystems is suspected. Urban and industrial sources are supposed to contribute to water pollution and eutrophication of the Rio Cachoeira, the main river in this region. In order to study the metal contamination and nutritional status of this freshwater ecosystem, samples of the aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes were collected at seven sites along the river course. The samples were analysed for their copper, aluminium, chromium, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. The levels of heavy metals increased in the downstream direction, particularly in the roots of water hyacinth. A dramatic increase of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in water as well as in plant tissues was found in samples collected downstream from the city of Itabuna. Metal input and eutrophication were attributed to agricultural, industrial and urban sources in the region. Biomonitoring of the water quality using aquatic macrophytes as accumulative indicator plants is recommended in addition to chemical water analyses.     

Monitoring of environmental heavy metals in fish from Nasser Lake

Lake ecosystems are, in particular, vulnerable to heavy metal pollution. Tilapia nilotica is one of the aquatic organisms affected by heavy metals. Therefore, heavy metals Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sr and Zn were determined in different tissues of T. nilotica (ages 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 years), which include the muscle, gill, stomach, intestine, liver, vertebral column and scales, to assess the fish pollution with heavy metals. In addition, the study was extended to determine these elements in the aquatic plant (Najas armeta), sediment and water of Khor E1-Ramel in Nasser Lake (Egypt). The study showed that of all the fish parts, fish liver accumulated the highest levels of Cu and Zn. Manganese presented in the intestine and stomach in the highest concentration. Scales exhibited the highest levels of Co, Cr, Ni and Sr, while the gill and vertebral column contains the lowest level of the studied elements. Heavy metals in different parts of T. nilotica differ with the fish growth and extraction rate of these elements from sediment, aquatic plant and lake water. Heavy metals under study in the edible parts of the investigated fish were in the safety permissible levels for human uses.     

滴水湖沉积物中重金属污染特征与评价

分析滴水湖及其周边沉积物中Hg、As、Cu、Cd、Pb、Zn和Cr等7种重金属含量特征，并用地累积指数法、潜在生态风险指数法和主成分分析法对沉积物中的重金属污染状况进行了评价和分析。结果表明，滴水湖沉积物中As和Pb低于上海市潮滩背景值，Hg、Cd、Zn和Cr均高于潮滩背景值，50%样点的Cu高于潮滩背景值；地累积指数法评价结果表明滴水湖沉积物中Cr的平均污染水平为偏中污染，Hg、Cd和Zn为轻度污染，As、Cu和Pb为清洁水平；潜在生态风险指数法评价结果表明滴水湖沉积物重金属为中等生态风险，Hg和Cd是潜在生态风险的主要贡献元素；主成分分析结果表明，滴水湖沉积物中Hg、Cu、Cd、Pb、Zn和Cr主要来自于人为源，As主要来自底质滩涂     

武汉地区湖泊沉积物重金属的分布及潜在生态效应评价

对武汉地区6个湖泊沉积物重金属元素Hg、Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn、As、Cr、Ni的空间分布特征及其潜在生态效应进行研究。调查区的湖泊底泥重金属含量表现出市区内湖泊沉积物的重金属含量普遍高于郊区湖泊,其中墨水湖中重金属含量最高;湖泊沉积物柱重金属元素垂向分布表现为城区受到一定程度污染的湖泊某些元素表现出表层沉积物显著高于底部沉积物含量的特征,而郊区湖泊除Cd外其它元素垂向含量变化不大,说明郊区湖泊受到人为影响较小。利用潜在生态危害指数法对湖泊沉积物进行生态危害评价,显示武汉地区湖泊元素生态危害排序为：Cd>Hg>As>Cu>Pb>Zn;墨水湖沉积物重金属潜在生态危害相对最高,其次是金银湖;其它湖泊重金属生态危害都比较轻,总体而言武汉湖泊重金属生态危害还是较小的。但参照国外沉积物基准的生态数据库阈值,市区受到人为污染较严重的湖泊沉积物可能会对生物产生负面影响。     

Climate change driven plant–metal–microbe interactions

Various biotic and abiotic stress factors affect the growth and productivity of crop plants. Particularly, the climatic and/or heavy metal stress influence various processes including growth, physiology, biochemistry, and yield of crops. Climatic changes particularly the elevated atmospheric CO₂ enhance the biomass production and metal accumulation in plants and help plants to support greater microbial populations and/or protect the microorganisms against the impacts of heavy metals. Besides, the indirect effects of climatic change (e.g., changes in the function and structure of plant roots and diversity and activity of rhizosphere microbes) would lead to altered metal bioavailability in soils and concomitantly affect plant growth. However, the effects of warming, drought or combined climatic stress on plant growth and metal accumulation vary substantially across physico–chemico–biological properties of the environment (e.g., soil pH, heavy metal type and its bio-available concentrations, microbial diversity, and interactive effects of climatic factors) and plant used. Overall, direct and/or indirect effects of climate change on heavy metal mobility in soils may further hinder the ability of plants to adapt and make them more susceptible to stress. Here, we review and discuss how the climatic parameters including atmospheric CO₂, temperature and drought influence the plant–metal interaction in polluted soils. Other aspects including the effects of climate change and heavy metals on plant–microbe interaction, heavy metal phytoremediation and safety of food and feed are also discussed. This review shows that predicting how plant–metal interaction responds to altering climatic change is critical to select suitable crop plants that would be able to produce more yields and tolerate multi-stress conditions without accumulating toxic heavy metals for future food security.     

Copper and zinc in four freshwater fish species from Lake Pamvotis (Greece)

Lake ecosystems are vulnerable to heavy-metal pollution. Fish samples are considered as one of the most indicative factors, in freshwater systems, for the estimation of trace metals pollution potential. Lake Pamvotis (NW Greece) is a typical Mediterranean ecosystem of great importance in regard to biodiversity and to aesthetic value. The fish species found most commonly in the lake are Cyprinus carpio, Silurus aristotelis, Rutilus ylikiensis, and Carassius gibelio. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the level of contamination of two essential heavy metals (copper and zinc) appearing at high concentrations in lake water in the above four fish species. Metal concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy in three different tissues (muscle, liver, gonads) in order to assess the fish contamination. A two-factor analysis of variance, based on the procedure of general linear models, was employed in which fish species (four levels) and fish tissue (three levels) were examined for potential influence on Cu and Zn concentrations. Differences between level means per factor were treated using Tukey's multiple comparisons of means. The study showed that C. carpio and R. ylikiensis presented the highest metal content. Tissues analysis revealed that liver and gonads accumulated the highest levels of Cu and Zn. Metal concentration in the edible part of the examined fish (muscle) were in the safety-permissible levels for human consumption.     

鄱阳湖表层沉积物中砷及重金属赋存形态及其潜在生态风险

重金属污染是水体沉积物污染的主要问题之一，研究沉积物中重金属元素的赋存形态，探索水体中重金属的来源，可以为水体重金属污染治理修复提供理论基础。采用BCR三步连续提取法对鄱阳湖枯水期表层沉积物中As和7种重金属元素（Cd、Co、Cr、Cu、Ni、Pb和Zn）的赋存形态进行了研究，并基于重金属风险评价代码（Risk Assessment Code, RAC）方法评估了鄱阳湖表层沉积物中的As和7种重金属元素的潜在生态风险。结果表明，鄱阳湖表层沉积物中As、Co、Cr、Cu、Ni和Zn主要以残渣态的形式存在(6160%~8518%)；Pb主要以残渣态（5097%）和铁锰氧化物结合态（4102%）为主要的赋存形态，其可提取态所占比例为4903%，具有较高的二次释放潜力；Cd的赋存形态主要以弱酸提取态（4160%）和铁锰氧化态（2719%）为主，其可提取态所占比例高达7749%，潜在生态风险较大。RAC分析结果表明，鄱阳湖表层沉积物Cd的生态风险整体上位于高风险，需要加强对鄱阳湖Cd污染的关注。所有站点Cr的弱酸提取态所占比例均低于1%，表明鄱阳湖Cr污染的生态风险为无风险，As、Ni和Pb属于低风险，而Cu、Co和Zn位于低风险至中等风险     

Common buzzards (Buteo buteo) bio-indicators of heavy metals pollution in Sicily (Italy)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of toxic (As, Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Mn and Zn) metals in samples (feathers, liver, kidney, lung, intestine and muscle) of common buzzards (Buteo buteo) from Sicily, used as bio-indicators for monitoring environmental metals pollution. All samples of buzzards were collected at the “Recovery Center of Wild Fauna” of Palermo, through the Zooprophilactic Institute. The quantitative determinations of metals were carried out using an atomic absorbtion spectrophotometer (AAS). The results obtained showed the presence of metals in all samples analyzed. For toxic metals the highest levels of Pb and As were found in liver and those of Cd in kidney; for essential metals Zn levels were higher than Cu and Mn in all tissues analyzed. Significant differences are observed in metal levels between female and male and juvenile and adult bird samples.Highest metal levels found in liver, kidney and muscle can be considered indicative of chronic exposure to metals while the presence of metals in feathers can be consequential to storing and elimination processes. The results obtained suggest that common buzzards (Buteo buteo) may be very useful as bio-indicators for monitoring environmental pollution.     

鄱阳湖夏候鸟小白鹭对环境样品中重金属的富集研究

通过采集鄱阳湖区北、中、南段小白鹭栖息区域（都昌县多宝乡洞子李村、鄱阳县珠湖乡瓢里山、进贤县前坊镇西湖李家）的环境样品（水样、土壤以及小白鹭食物）与小白鹭羽毛和蛋壳样本，分析其中Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd、V、Cr、Ni和As 8种重金属元素含量，判定鄱阳湖湿地环境中重金属污染状况及生物富集特征。研究表明，环境样品中土壤样品中的重金属含量符合国家Ⅱ类土壤标准，鄱阳湖水样重金属含量在Ⅰ类地表水标准范围之内，仅小白鹭食物（小鱼虾：小河虾、小鲫鱼、小八须鱼等）中的重金属含量高于国家食品标准。小白鹭对环境中重金属污染物的富集表现为：除3个采样点小白鹭羽毛中Cr元素，瓢里山与青岚湖采样点小白鹭蛋壳中Cu元素对其食物的富集系数>1，构成富集外，其他重金属元素均不构成富集，但小白鹭羽毛和蛋壳中的各重金属元素对水样的富集系数为14628～8 00610，富集程度较高。而水体样品中的各重金属在小白鹭食物样品中均存在富集，系数高达51716～14 21937     

Trace metal bioaccumulation: models, metabolic availability and toxicity

Aquatic invertebrates take up and accumulate trace metals whether essential or non-essential, all of which have the potential to cause toxic effects. Subsequent tissue and body concentrations of accumulated trace metals show enormous variability across metals and invertebrate taxa. Accumulated metal concentrations are interpreted in terms of different trace metal accumulation patterns, dividing accumulated metals into two components - metabolically available metal and stored detoxified metal. Examples of different accumulation patterns are described from crustaceans but have a general applicability to all aquatic invertebrates. Toxicity does not depend on total accumulated metal concentration but is related to a threshold concentration of internal metabolically available metal. Toxicity ensues when the rate of metal uptake from all sources exceeds the combined rates of detoxification and excretion (if present) of the metal concerned. The biodynamic model of trace metal bioaccumulation allows the prediction and explanation of widely differing accumulated trace metal concentrations in organisms, combining geochemical analyses of environmental metal concentrations with the measurement of key physiological parameters for a species from the site under consideration. The combination of the biodynamic model as a unified explanation of metal bioaccumulation with an understanding of the relationship between accumulation and toxicity sets the stage for a realistic understanding of the significance of trace metal concentrations in aquatic invertebrates.     

鄱阳湖水土环境及其水生维管束植物重金属污染

位于鄱阳湖流域乐安河中下游的德兴铜矿,是我国著名的大型铜业基地,是鄱阳湖流域重金属污染的主要来源之一。2003年7月至8月对鄱阳湖部分流域的水质、沉积物、底泥及水生维管束植物等样品的重金属污染进行了研究调查,采用原子吸收分光光度法分别对样品中的Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd等重金属含量进行了测定,并对测定结果进行了评价。研究结果表明,鄱阳湖流域水体中的重金属含量均达到地表水评价标准中的Ⅰ类标准,底泥、土壤等已受到了一定程度的重金属污染。而水生植物对重金属元素都具有不同程度的富集能力,植物对重金属的富集作用与土壤背景值有一定的相关性,土壤中重金属的背景值越高,植物对重金属的富集量也相应增加。     

太湖五里湖底泥污染特性研究

五里湖是太湖污染最严重的水域。为对其治理提供依据,在该湖区设置了4个采样点,对底泥的表层样、柱状样、间隙水样和上覆水体作了重金属和营养盐分布测试,并作了数据统计分析。结果表明：以地积累指数评价,五里湖底泥的重金属污染程度为轻度,总体可达到《土壤环境质量标准》（GB15618-1995）三级标准,根据超出背景值的倍数分析,五里湖重金属含量顺序为Cu>Cd>Pb>Hg>As>Cr。重金属含量表层（0～5 cm）相对较低,第二层（5～10 cm）和第三层（10～20 cm）是主要的污染沉积层,这与底泥沉积特征是相对应的。表层底泥总氮、总磷和有机质含量较高并具有明显的相关性,相关系数介于0.757 6～0.862 2之间,显示了污染物质的同源性。表层底泥和间隙水中营养盐含量明显高于湖水,相对于湖水呈可释放状态,是湖体内源污染之一。     

盲数优化地积累模型评价长江中下游湖泊沉积物重金属污染

盲数优化地积累模型是基于最大隶属度原则和隶属度加权相结合的一种不确定性评价方法。鉴于污染评价系统多种不确定信息共存的特点,将盲数优化地积累模型应用于长江中下游不同类型湖泊沉积物中重金属污染程度评价中。根据计算出的可能值区间及可信度看空间分布的均匀性,以及评价等级的可信度水平,辨识污染程度和等级,减小局部污染对区域整体污染程度的影响。结果表明:象湖、鄱阳湖、洞庭湖3个湖泊表层沉积物中的重金属的空间分布都不均匀,象湖表层沉积物中重金属的污染情况为:PbCuZn,其中Pb为中度污染,Cu为轻度污染,Zn为清洁;鄱阳湖沉积物中重金属污染评价结果为Cu﹥Pb﹥Zn,其中Cu为中度污染,Pb为偏中度污染,Zn为偏重污染;洞庭湖沉积物中重金属污染评价结果为Cu≈Pb≈Zn,且均为轻度污染。盲数优化地积累模型方法可行,与定性评价结果基本一致,但在对污染等级判定上更真实可靠。弥补了传统确定性方法的不足,更真实、更客观地表征了评价区域沉积物重金属的富集污染程度。     

鄱阳湖主要入湖口重金属的分布及潜在风险评价

于2011年5月在鄱阳湖的主要入湖口采集了水样和表层沉积物，测定并分析了其中Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd 4种重金属元素的含量和分布。同时采用地积累指数法、潜在生态危害指数法和生态毒性效应等评价方法对沉积物中重金属的污染状况进行了分析评价。结果显示：鄱阳湖主要入湖口水体重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd含量均符合国家渔业水质标准要求，除修河的Pb和信江、饶河入湖口的Cd含量属于国家地表水Ⅱ类水质外，其它所有样地的4种重金属含量均低于国家地表水I类标准限值。沉积物中4种重金属含量均超过鄱阳湖相应背景值且呈积累富集的趋势，其中信江入湖口、饶河入湖口以及三江口已受到重金属的严重污染，潜在生态危害均为中等，而污染最轻的区域为南主湖区。揭示重金属污染程度顺序为Cu＞Zn＞Pb＞Cd；单个重金属潜在生态风险顺序为Cd＞Cu＞Pb＞Zn。进一步的生态毒性效应评价结果表明，虽然鄱阳湖主要入湖口沉积物已经受到重金属污染，但对多数底栖生物未产生明显毒害     

Impacts of sewage irrigation on heavy metal distribution and contamination in Beijing, China

A potential hazard to Beijing was revealed due to the accumulation trend of heavy metals in agricultural soils with sewage irrigation, which results in metal contamination and human exposure risk. Samples including soils and plants were collected to assess the impacts of sewage irrigation on the irrigated farming area of Beijing. Concentrations of the five elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb were determined in samples to calculate the accumulation factor and to establish a basis for environmental protection and the suitability of sewage irrigation for particular land use in the urban-rural interaction area of Beijing. Using reference values provided by the Beijing Background Research Cooperative Group in the 1970s, the pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF), and contamination factor (CF) of these metals were calculated. The pollution load indices (sewage irrigation land 3.49) of soils indicated that metal contamination occurred in these sites. The metal enrichment (EF of Cd 1.8, Cr 1.7, Cu 2.3, Zn 2.0, Pb 1.9) and the metal contamination (CF of Cd 2.6, Cr 1.5, Cu 2.0, Zn 1.7, Pb 1.6) showed that the accumulation trend of the five toxic metals increased during the sewage irrigation as compared with the lower reference values than other region in China and world average, and that pollution with Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb was exacerbated in soils. The distributions of these metals were homogeneous in the irrigation area, but small-scale heterogeneous spatial distribution was observed. Irrigation sources were found to affect heavy metal distributions in soils. It was suggested that heavy metal transfer from soils to plants was a key pathway to human health exposure to metal contamination. However, with the expansion of urban areas in Beijing, soil inhalation and ingestion may become important pathways of human exposure to metal contamination.     

Heavy metals in mullet, Liza abu, and catfish, Silurus triostegus, from the Atatürk Dam Lake (Euphrates), Turkey

The distribution of some heavy metals in three different organs of mullet, Liza abu, and catfish, Silurus triostegus, from Atatürk Dam Lake located on Euphrates (Turkey) was studied. Co and Mo concentrations were below limits of detection in all fish organs, whereas Ni was also below limits in organs of mullet. The metal accumulation in the liver and gill of L. abu and S. triostegus was found to be quite high in comparison with the muscle. In general, the concentrations are similar to those previously observed on other fish studied in Atatürk Dam Lake and lower than those determined in Tigris River. The analysed metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn) were found in fish muscle at mean concentrations under the permissible limits proposed by FAO.     

低溶解氧对苦草生长的影响

针对太湖梅梁湾生态净化示范区内重建的沉水植物存在的腐烂死亡问题及伴随的底层水体溶解氧偏低现象，在室外模拟生态系统内进行了低氧对沉水植物（苦草）生长的影响试验。结果表明：无论沉积物类型如何，一个月的低氧处理（溶解氧平均值为1.6 mg/L）对苦草株重、株高、分蘖数及叶片数等指标的影响均不明显，对块茎的影响则较显著，表现为块茎数量与重量显著下降。对岸边沉积物处理组而言，低氧对苦草根系的影响显著，表现为根须变细且数量增加，根系活力明显下降，中心沉积物处理组则不显著。同时，低氧处理使岸边沉积物处理组的沉积物氧化还原电位显著下降、水体营养盐浓度上升，尤其是磷酸盐浓度显著增加，中心沉积物处理组的环境理化因子变幅则相对较小。分析认为，低氧对苦草生长的影响虽不明显，但对其种群扩张有潜在的不利作用；梅梁湾生态净化示范区内沉水植物的腐烂死亡，低氧的作用是次要或间接的。     

Effects of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Astacus astacus</Emphasis> L. Population on Biomass of Macrophytes in a Fresh Water Body

In experiments performed in aquariums, the daily consumption of Chara vulgaris alga by crayfish (Astacus astacus L.) has been determined. These quantitative data have been used to make a prognosis of the effect of the A. astacus population on the biomass of macrophytes in Lake Berezovo (Pskov oblast). The density of the crayfish population and the biomass of higher aquatic vegetation in the lake have been determined in field studies. Extrapolation of the results of laboratory experiments to a natural water body has shown that crayfish are capable of controlling no less than 40% of submersed macrophytes in the area used by their population.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 300–305.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kholodkevich, Shumilova, Fedotov, Zhuravlev.