南京城区黑臭河道底泥污染特征及生态风险评价

河道黑臭是目前我国许多城市面临的环境问题,研究其底泥中的污染物如有机质、氮磷和重金属的污染特征并据此进行生态风险评价,对城市黑臭河道的污染控制与生态修复具有十分重要的意义。选取南京城区内8条典型黑臭河道,采集其表层底泥样品进行分析,测得其中有机质、总氮、总磷的含量分别为0.75%～10.86%、0.05%～0.68%、0.04%～0.23%,三者之间呈显著正相关关系,表明了它们较好的同源性,应用沉积物质量标准评价发现,这3种污染物污染程度总体介于严重级与最低级之间,但氮磷的污染比有机质更为严重。底泥中6种重金属的平均含量均超过背景值,相关性分析结果表明Cu、Cr、Ni、Zn之间均呈极显著正相关关系,而重金属与营养物之间未发现较好的相关性,潜在生态风险评价结果表明底泥中重金属污染严重,84.2%的河道具有高潜在生态风险,各元素的潜在生态风险顺序依次为 Cd >Cu >Pb >Cr >Ni >Zn,Cd为主要污染物,具有很高潜在生态风险。与国内其他典型受污染水体相比,南京城区黑臭河道底泥中总氮、总磷与重金属Cd的污染更为严重。     

The impact of phosphate loading activities on near marine environment: the Syrian coast.

The impact of loading cargoes of phosphate ore into ships on the near marine environment at the Syrian coast has been evaluated. Results have shown a significant enhancement of 210Po, 210Pb and other natural radionuclides in sediment and surface water inside the port area. The highest 210Po and 210Pb concentrations observed in sediment were found to be 170 and 64 Bq kg(-1) respectively, while 210Pb and 210Po concentrations in surface water ranged from 5 to 20 mBq l(-1) and 0.93 to 3.23 mBq l(-1). In addition, comparable values of 210Po and 210Pb for all marine organisms (algae, crab and fish) suggest that their use as indicators for phosphate pollution is not recommended. However, the effect of loading cargoes on the port marine environment of Tartous was found to be mainly related to wind direction where radioactive air particulate are either being dispersed to land or sea.     

江苏港口海域沉积物重金属污染状况

江苏海港建设方兴未艾，赣榆港和大丰港发展速度尤为突出。分别选取赣榆港和大丰港海域的6个和8个沉积物调查站位，通过地统计分析探讨主要污染来源空间分布和来源组成特征，并对重金属污染现状进行评价。结果显示，赣榆港表层沉积物中Cd、As、Cu、Pb、Cr、Zn含量范围分别为0049 3~0098 7、73~178、199~412、132~192、275~542、438~812 mg/kg，空间分布上总体表现为近岸海域较离岸海域略高，沉积物重金属含量受到陆源影响，〖JP2〗其中重金属Zn与Cu存在相同或相似的来源，而As的来源与其他重金属差异均较大；大丰港表层沉积物中Cd、As、Cu、Pb、Cr、Zn含量范围分别为0037 8~0229 0、57~190、32~275、100~231、620~870、320~859 mg/kg，重金属空间上区域变异显著，除Cr外的重金属之间存在相同或相似来源。污染评价显示，赣榆港和大丰港整体污染程度总体较轻。港口建设初期的海洋沉积物调查与评价，不仅反映该海域初始的沉积环境状况，为沉积环境影响评价提供参考，还能为港口规模和产业选择提出限制条件     

Pollution profile of damodar river sediment in Raniganj-Durgapur industrial belt,West Bengal,India

This paper reports on the pollution profile of Damodar river sediment as obtained from analysis of the river sediment at suitable selected sites in the Raniganj-Durgapur industrial belt, West Bengal, India. The parameters measured include (a) silica, mixed oxide, calcium, magnesium, total water-soluble exchangeable cation and anion, chemical oxygen demand, and (b) some toxic and other elements, such as sodium, potassium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, manganese, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, iron nickel, phosphorus, sulphur, and vanadium. The parameters listed under (a) led to the characterization of the sediment, and those under (b) gave an index of metal pollution of the sediment. The elements were estimated by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry.     

Atmospheric Mercury Pollution in Beijing

Abstract

The atmospheric mercury pollution in Beijing is a serious problem. Atmospheric mercury has three sources: natural emission, anthropogenic emission and previously deposited mercury reemission or recycling, composing elemental mercury, divalent mercury and particulate-phase mercury. Many studies showed that mercury in Beijing’s air was higher than the general level of mercury concentration in the atmosphere. Mercury emission sources were discussed. Industrial emissions, coal burning, vehicle exhaust emissions and waste incineration were thought to be the main sources of atmospheric mercury pollution in Beijing. And also meteorology has an effect on atmospheric mercury concentration in Beijing. Measures have been taken to control the emission of mercury into the air in recent years.     

Single-laboratory evaluation and modification of U.S. EPA methods 7470 and 7471 for the determination of mercury in aqueous and solid hazardous wastes

The current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) protocols for mercury determinations in aqueous and solid waste samples (SW-846 Methods 7470 and 7471) using recirculating cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) have been evaluated. The U.S. EPA methods are not sufficiently flexible to permit special quality control (QC) measures, have limited detectability for low-level mercury concentrations, and are plagued by spectral interferences caused by the nonspecific absorption of primary mercury radiation by volatile organic vapors. The U.S. EPA protocols have been modified in a single-laboratory study to facilitate additional QC measures, to enhance detectability for low-level mercury concentrations, and to eliminate nonspecific vapor absorption interferences. Volumetric manipulations for additional QC measures, if required, are facilitated by performing the sample digestions in Erlenmeyer flasks rather than in the current Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) reduction-aeration bottles. Typical manipulations for additional QC measures that are now feasible include dilution of concentrated samples and multiple aliquot sampling for post-digestion spike and replicate analyses. Instrument detectability is improved 10-fold by using a gas sparging bottle as a dedicated reduction-aeration vessel and a silver wool-amalgamation CV-AAS system operated in an open configuration. The on-line amalgamation/thermal desorption process of the modified CV-AAS system eliminates interfering water and organic matrix vapors prior to the mercury absorption measurement. Good accuracy and precision have been obtained with the amalgamation CV-AAS system for the analyses of four reference sediment materials. The amalgamation CV-AAS measurements on the reference sediment digests have been successfully performed at absolute mercury concentration levels that are only 1 to 4 times above the instrumental detection limit of the U.S. EPA recirculating CV-AAS method.     

Nematode species at risk--a metric to assess pollution in soft sediments of freshwaters

Soft sediments are often highly polluted as many of the toxic chemicals introduced into surface waters bind to settling particles. The resulting accumulation of pollutants in the sediments poses a risk for benthic communities. However, pollution induced changes in benthic communities have been difficult to determine when using macro-invertebrates as bioindicators, as these organisms are often absent in soft sediment. The present study therefore examined the ability of meiofaunal organisms, specifically, nematodes, to assess the ecological status of soft sediments. Over a 9-year period, nematode communities present in sediments collected from large rivers and lake Constance in Germany were studied. These sediments showed a large range of physico-chemical properties and anthropogenic contamination. After the degree of metal and organic contamination was translated into ecotoxicologically more relevant toxic units (TUs), multivariate methods were used to classify nematode taxa in species at risk (NemaSPEAR) or not at risk (NemaSPE(not)AR). This approach clearly distinguished the influence of sediment texture from that of the toxic potential of the samples and thus allowed classification of the nematode species according to their sensitivity to or tolerance of toxic stress. Two indices, expressing the proportion of species at risk within a sample (NemaSPEAR[%](metal), NemaSPEAR[%](organic)), were calculated from independent data sets obtained in field and experimental studies and showed good correlations with the toxic potential (field data) or chemical concentrations (microcosm data). NemaSPEAR[%] indices for metal and organic pollution were therefore judged to be suitable for assessing the impact of chemical contamination of freshwater soft sediments.     

The speciation and bioavailability of mercury in sediments of Haihe River, China

Twenty-one sediment samples in 11 sites along the Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River, Tianjin, China, were analyzed to investigate the pollution status and bioavailability of mercury (Hg). The results showed that the Haihe River was slightly polluted with Hg when flowing through Tianjin city. On the contrary, the sediments collected from Dagu Drainage River, an important drainage river in Tianjin, were found to have very high Hg concentrations and the highest concentration reached 8779.1 ng g(-1) (dry weight). The methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations accounted for 0.1-2.4% (average: 0.9%) of total mercury (HgT) and were strongly influenced by HgT (r=0.91, p=0.99, n=20) and total organic carbon (TOC; r=0.76, p=0.99, n=20) contents in sediments. Moreover, a five-step sequential selective extraction (SSE) procedure was used to study the bioavailability of Hg in sediments. The mercury in sediments existed mainly as element Hg and mercury sulfide, which accounted for 46.5% and 39.0% of HgT, respectively. The percentage of exchangeable Hg (defined as water soluble Hg plus 'human stomach acid' soluble Hg) was only 0.1-4.6%. The distribution of exchangeable Hg showed an obvious difference to that of HgT, indicating that the HgT concentrations were absolutely insufficient to evaluate the risk of Hg in sediments.     

三峡消落带沉积物-大气界面汞交换通量及其影响因素

应用动力通量箱(Dynamic Flux Chamber,DFC)与高时间分辨率的RA-915+自动汞分析仪联用技术,在消落带沉积物出露期,野外现场监测沉积物-大气界面汞交换通量,同时对其影响因素进行了分析。结果表明:三峡库区消落带沉积物-大气界面汞交换通量范围为-6.80±12.35~28.17±36.17 ng/(m2·h)晴天库区消落带沉积物-大气界面汞交换通量表现出相同的变化趋势,即从早晨开始沉积物-大气界面汞的交换通量逐渐增加,到正午左右达到峰值,之后交换通量逐渐减小,但阴天这一趋势不明显。暖季白天沉积物-大气界面汞交换通量都以释放为主,冷季白天则以沉降为主。暖季晴天,沉积物-大气汞交换通量与气温、沉积物温度、光照强度呈显著正相关关系,与相对湿度呈显著负相关关系。无论晴天还是阴天,大气汞浓度都与沉积物-大气汞交换通量呈负相关关系。白天,光照强度和大气汞浓度是影响消落带沉积物/大气界面汞交换通量的主要因素,而在夜间,沉积物温度和大气汞浓度是其主要影响因素。     

Existing oxidant/ozone standards in OECD countries

This paper describes the historical development and current legislation to control photochemical oxidant pollution in OECD countries. Policies for implementing, attaining, and maintaining ambient air quality standards or goals are discussed, problems associated with the various steps are highlighted, and the possibility of international policy guidelines which could control pollution across national frontiers is considered. To date, only a few countries have formulated ambient air quality standards for ozone/ oxidants; these standards are usually short-term averages over 1 h, ranging from 0.06 ppm (μL/L) in Japan to 0.12 ppm (μL/L) in the United States. The current interest in air quality management on an international scale leads to the conclusion that successful control of photochemical oxidant pollution would be best accomplished through the establishment of internationally acceptable standards or goals for oxidants/ozone based on health effects and other relevant environmental impacts, in combination with control strategies developed and implemented on an international level.     

Pollutant emission reduction effect through effluent tax,concentration-based effluent standard,or both

There are numerous studies comparing different kinds of environmental taxes and standards. However, forms of environmental standards focused by former researchers are usually quantity-based limits/standards (e.g. pounds per day or pounds per unit of output). Concentration-based emission standard (e.g. milligrams per liter of wastewater) as one important form of environmental standard has not been given much attention. In this article, comparable estimates of their probable effect on enterprise pollution reduction will be developed for concentration-based effluent standards, effluent taxes, and a combination of both. A linear simulation model is used to clearly and obviously compare the effects of effluent taxes and concentration-based standards within the same figure. With one detailed application to the paper industry, some enlightenment and conclusions – as well as the general applicability of these principles – are then provided: Under the same effluent tax rate, enterprises, groups, and industries that are cleaner will reduce more pollutants than those that have higher pollutant abatement costs. It is recommended that effluent taxes are set by avoiding cutting it even at one stroke and considering the feasibility of pollution-reducing technology in various industries. It is necessary to reduce MAC of enterprises to better stimulate enterprises’ or industries’ emission reduction by preferential measures, such as high tax rate coordinated by speeding up the depreciation of environmental protection equipment.     

Trace element pollution records in some UK lake sediments, their history, influence factors and regional differences

Sediment cores were taken from six sites across the UK. Apart from Banbury Reservoir in London, all the other sites are relatively remote lakes. Trace elements Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sn, As and V, major elements such as Fe, Mn, Ti and Al were analysed, and organic content measured as loss-on-ignition was determined in all of these cores. The result shows that these relatively remote sites have experienced enhanced atmospheric deposition of anthropogenically derived trace elements for over 100 years, and the contamination might start before industrialisation. Trace metal contamination remains the highest level at Banbury Reservoir showing "pollution source" influence. Despite the considerable reduction in atmospheric deposition in recent years, although some of the element concentrations in the surface sediments have declined, they are still much higher than their natural background values. In these sites, trace element pollution records have been influenced by many different factors. Redox condition could affect As distribution in the sediments. Sediment matrix could also affect trace element pollution signal. Apart from direct atmospheric deposition, the distributions of trace elements in the sediments have been affected by forestry activities and catchment erosion, and more contaminated soil in-wash could increase sediment pollution whilst less contaminated soil could dilute sediment pollution. In some sites, data suggest that catchment in-wash is an important source of elements for the lakes.     

Mercury pollution in Wuchuan mercury mining area,Guizhou, Southwestern China: The impacts from large scale and artisanal mercury mining

To evaluate the environmental impacts from large scale mercury mining (LSMM) and artisanal mercury mining (AMM), total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were determined in mine waste, ambient air, stream water and soil samples collected from Wuchuan mercury (Hg) mining area, Guizhou, Southwestern China. Mine wastes from both LSMM and AMM contained high THg concentrations, which are important Hg contamination sources to the local environment. Total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations in the ambient air near AMM furnaces were highly elevated, which indicated that AMM retorting is a major source of Hg emission. THg concentrations in the stream water varied from 43 to 2100 ng/L, where the elevated values were mainly found in the vicinity of AMM and mine waste heaps of LSMM. Surface soils were seriously contaminated with Hg, and land using types and organic matter played an important role in accumulation and transportation of Hg in soil. The results indicated heavy Hg contaminations in the study area, which were resulted from both LSMM and AMM. The areas impacted by LSMM were concentrated in the historical mining and smelting facilities, while Hg pollution resulted from AMM can be distributed anywhere in the Hg mining area.     

An evaluation of the historical response of mercury contamination in estuarine sediments to chlor-alkali effluent treatment

Sediment cores from intertidal areas of an estuary which has received untreated and later treated effluents from a chlor-alkali plant have been examined for their mercury contents. The historical response of mercury pollution, as reflected in the sediments, to the introduction of effluent treatment is discussed, and the problems of interpretation of these types of data in relation to estimates of sedimentation rates and sedimentological variables are emphasized. In general the effluent treatment appears to have had a rapid and effective influence on mercury pollution in the estuary.     

西苕溪干流水体、悬浮物和表层沉积物中营养盐分布特征与水质评价

了解不同介质的营养盐分布可以全面掌握河流的环境现状。为了调查西苕溪干流的营养盐分布特征和水质现状,沿着干流采集了11个点位的水体、悬浮物和表层沉积物样品,并对水体、悬浮物和表层沉积物中的营养盐特征进行了分析,拟为苕溪流域的水污染防治提供基础数据。研究表明:整个西苕溪干流,水体和沉积物中总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)浓度均存在丰水期明显高于枯水期的季节变化特征,水体中总氮的浓度均超出地表水环境质量Ⅴ类的标准,显示氮污染是西苕溪流域的特点。相关性分析结果表明,悬浮物中的TN和有机质(OM)呈极显著性正相关(r=0.974,p0.01);水体中的TN和悬浮物的各营养盐指标之间的相关性均达到了极显著水平,但沉积物营养盐指标与水体的TN和TP相关性不明显,显示沉积物并不能很好反映流域水质的现状。     

Tropical Coastal Organisms as Qualitative Indicators of Mercury and Organomercury for Sustainable Use of Living Resources

Organisms sensitive to ambient environment are used as bioindicators in monitoring pollution. The present investigation is designed to measure the extent of mercury and organomercury levels in selective biota of different trophic levels inhabiting in the coastal environment of Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, eastern part of India. The primary objective of this work is to provide baseline data for future environmental quality programme and to ascertain the suitability of these organisms to be used as bioindicator species of pollution. The seagrass (Porterasia coarctata), macrobenthos (polychaetes, gastropods and bivalve molluscs) and pelagic finfishes were collected from sites of different physiochemical characteristics. Concentration of total mercury was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique (CVAAS) using a Perkin-Elmer 2380 AAS equipped with MHS 10.Both mercury and organomercury levels showed considerable interspecific and regional variations which reflected the feeding strategy of these animals and also the location of stations. The bivalve molluscs showed a high degree of organ-specificity in accumulation which might be attributed to the ion exchange activity of mucous membrane covering gill and mantle. Mercury levels in various compartments did not reveal any regular temporal variations but showed a slight increase in the late monsoon months indicating the apparent influence of river run-off and reduction in salinity in the ambient medium. A continuous monitoring programme is recommended in order to clarify the present trend and to establish the studied organisms as indicator species.     

Pollution of the Begej Canal sediment--metals, radioactivity and toxicity assessment

The Begej Canal is one among a large number of canals in Vojvodina (Northern Province of Serbia and Montenegro). The paper describes a study of metal and radioactivity contamination of the Begej Canal sediment. It is also concerned with the evaluation of sediment acute toxicity based on standard test species Daphnia magna and simultaneously extracted metals and acid volatile sulfides. The quality of sediment was assessed according to Dutch standards, but the results were also compared with some Canadian and USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines for sediment quality. The results showed severe pollution with chromium, copper, cadmium and zinc, whereby the anthropogenic origin of these contaminants was indicated. The tests of toxicity of sediment pore water to D. magna, gave no indication of the presence of substances in acutely toxic concentrations to this species. It can be speculated that, despite of high metal contents, the observed toxicity was low because of the high contents of clay and iron, as well as sulphide. Also, based on a comparison with the Danube sediment and Vojvodina soil in general, the data of the Begej sediment contamination with 238U and 137Cs. The 137Cs data were used for approximate dating of the sediment. No traces of contamination by nuclear power plants in the region were found, while the presence of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) was proved. Conclusions based on different criteria for sediment quality assessment were in some cases contradictory. Study also showed that radioactivity aspects can be useful in sediment quality surveys. The obtained results will be invaluable for the future activities regarding integrated water management based on EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) in the Danube basin, and particularly in the region of crossborder water body of the Begej Canal.     

A model for positive environmental control

In the control of pollution, two apparently important facts are often negelected: (1) removal of a particular pollutant from a particular source and location may merely result in transforming it into a pollutant, or pollutants of different forms, in other locations; (2) the activity of pollution control itself requires inputs, the production of which may generate additional pollutants. In order to achieve positive environmental control, these two facts must be considered in selecting control processes and in determining optimum control standards. It is necessary that an integrated approach to pollution control be taken, making allowances for ecological inter-relations. As practiced today, pollution control is handled as separate problems of disposing gas, liquid and solid wastes. This paper proposes a model for evaluating the total environmental impact of a pollution control process or method. Theoretical criteria for determining an optimum control level with or without resource constraint are also derived.     

Natural radionuclides and (137)Cs distributions and their relationship with sedimentological processes in Patras Harbour, Greece

Surficial and subsurficial sediment samples derived from gravity cores, selected from the harbour of Patras, Greece, were analyzed for grain size, water content, bulk density, specific gravity, organic carbon content and specific activities of natural radionuclides and (137)Cs. The specific activities of (232)Th, (226)Ra, (40)K and (137)Cs were measured radiometrically. The radionuclides (238)U and (232)Th were also analyzed using the INAA. The differences found between the specific activities of the natural radionuclides measured by the two methods are of no statistical significance. The sediment cores selection was based on a detailed bathymetric and marine seismic survey. Through the study of the detailed bathymetric map and the seismic profiles it was shown that ship traffic is highly influential to the harbour bathymetry. The granulometric and geotechnical properties of the sediments and therefore the specific activities of the natural radionuclides and (137)Cs seem to be controlled by the ship traffic. Relationship between radionuclide activity concentrations and granulometric/geotechnical parameters was defined after the treatment of all the analyses using R-mode factor analysis. The natural radionuclide activities are related to the fine fraction and bulk density of the sediments, while (137)Cs is mainly influenced by the organic carbon content. In addition, (238)U and (226)Ra seem to be in close relation with the heavy minerals fraction in coarse-grained sediments with high specific gravity.     

Mercury pollution in the Tapajos River basin, Amazon: mercury level of head hair and health effects.

There is increasing concern about the potential neurotoxic effects of exposure to methylmercury for the 6 million people living in the Amazon, even in regions situated far away from the gold mines (garimpos), considered to be the major source of mercury pollution. In November 1998, a spot investigation on mercury contamination was conducted in three fishing villages (Barreiras, Rainha, and Sao Luiz do Tapajos) on the Tapajos River, an effluent of the Amazon, situated several hundred kilometers downstream from the gold-mining areas. A total of 132 fishermen and their families volunteered for the current study. As was anticipated, the total mercury levels in the head hair collected from the fishing villages were relatively high (14.1-20.8 ppm on the average) and the number of subjects with a high total mercury level over 10 ppm (the least upper bound of a normal value) was 103 (78.0%) in total, along with various symptoms, thereby suggesting wide mercury contamination in the Tapajos River basin. Moreover, in view of the absence of other diseases (e.g., alcoholism or malaria), a high intake of fish containing a methylmercury level, and high hair mercury levels in addition to the various symptoms such as sensory disturbance (especially glove-and-stocking type, which is characteristic of Minamata disease), tremor, failure in two-point discrimination, and slight balancing failure, several subjects examined were diagnosed with mild Minamata disease. The findings obtained suggest, thus, that the mercury pollution in the Amazon should be crucially observed for head hair mercury level and health in a much broader region.