Enhanced debromination of 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) by zero-valent zinc with ascorbic acid

• Highly efficient debromination of BDE-47 was achieved in the ZVZ/AA system. • BDE-47 debromination by the ZVZ/AA can be applied to a wide range of pH. • AA inhibits the formation of (hydr)oxide and accelerates the corrosion of ZVZ. • Reduction mechanism of BDE-47 debromination by the ZVZ/AA system was proposed. A new technique of zero-valent zinc coupled with ascorbic acid (ZVZ/AA) was developed and applied to debrominate the 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), which achieved high conversion and rapid debromination of BDE-47 to less- or non-toxic forms. The reaction conditions were optimized by the addition of 100 mg/L ZVZ particles and 3 mmol/L AA at original solution pH= 4.00 using the solvent of methanol/H₂O (v:v= 4:6), which could convert approximately 94% of 5 mg/L BDE-47 into lower-brominated diphenyl ethers within a 90 min at the ZVZ/AA system. The high debromination of BDE-47 was mainly attributed to the effect of AA that inhibits the formation of Zn(II)(hydr)oxide passivation layers and promotes the corrosion of ZVZ, which leads to increase the reactivity of ZVZ. Additionally, ion chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses revealed that bromine ion and lower-debromination diphenyl ethers formed during the reduction of BDE-47. Furthermore, based on the generation of the intermediates products, and its concentration changes over time, it was proposed that the dominant pathway for conversion of BDE-47 was sequential debromination and the final products were diphenyl ethers. These results suggested that the ZVZ/AA system has the potential for highly efficient debromination of BDE-47 from wastewater.     

动态校准仪臭氧间接传递技术

对5台主流动态校准仪开展臭氧间接传递技术研究,对动态校准仪的准确性、可靠性、稳定性及臭氧传递的线性方程等性能参数进行了实验室考察。总体而言,发生型动态校准仪和分析型动态校准仪均可用于臭氧传递工作中。分析型动态校准仪可直接进行臭氧传递,发生型动态校准仪在臭氧传递前必须进行预校准。建议至少每3个月对发生型动态校准仪进行1次臭氧传递,每6个月对分析型动态校准仪进行1次臭氧传递。     

Current status and historical variations of phthalate ester (PAE) contamination in the sediments from a large Chinese lake (Lake Chaohu)

The residual levels of phthalate esters (PAEs) in the surface and two core sediments from Lake Chaohu were measured with a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC–MS). The temporal–spatial distributions, compositions of PAEs, and their effecting factors were investigated. The results indicated that di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were three dominant PAE components in both the surface and core sediments. The residual level of total detected PAEs (∑PAEs) in the surface sediments (2.146?±?2.255 μg/g dw) was lower than that in the western core sediments (10.615?±?9.733 μg/g) and in the eastern core sediments (5.109?±?4.741 μg/g). The average content of ∑PAEs in the surface sediments from the inflow rivers (4.128?±?1.738 μg/g dw) was an order of magnitude higher than those from the lake (0.323?±?0.093 μg/g dw), and there were similar PAE compositions between the lake and inflow rivers. This finding means that there were important effects of PAE input from the inflow rivers on the compositions and distributions of PAEs in the surface sediments. An increasing trend was found for the residual levels of ΣPAEs, DnBP, and DIBP from the bottom to the surface in both the western and eastern core sediments. Increasing PAE usage with the population growth, urbanization, and industrial and agricultural development in Lake Chaohu watershed would result in the increasing production of PAEs and their resulting presence in the sediments. The significant positive relationships were also found between the PAE contents and the percentage of sand particles, as well as TOC contents in the sediment cores.     

Cadmium (Cd) distribution and contamination in Chinese paddy soils on national scale

Rice is a staple food by an increasing number of people in China. As more issues have arisen in China due to rice contaminated by cadmium (Cd), Cd contamination in arable soils has become a severe problem. In China, many studies have examined Cd contamination in arable soils on a national scale, but little studies have focused on the distribution of Cd in paddy fields. This study explored the spatial pattern of Cd in paddy soils in China, made a preliminary evaluation of the potential risk, and identified the most critically contaminated regions based on the domestic rough rice trade flow. The results showed that Cd concentrations in paddy soils in China ranged from 0.01 to 5.50 mg/kg, with a median value of 0.23 mg/kg. On average, the highest Cd concentrations were in Hunan (0.73 mg/kg), Guangxi (0.70 mg/kg), and Sichuan (0.46 mg/kg) provinces. Cd concentrations in paddy soils in central and western regions were higher than those in eastern regions, especially the southeastern coastal regions. Of the administrative regions, Cd standard exceedance rate was 33.2 %, and the heavy pollution rate was 8.6 %. Regarding to Cd of paddy soil, soil environmental quality was better in Northeast China Plain than in Yangtze River Basin and southeastern coastal region. Mining activities were the main anthropogenic pollution source of Cd in Chinese paddy soil. Based on rice trade, more of the Chinese population would be exposed to Cd through intake of rice produced in Hunan province. Certain regions that output rice, especially Hunan province, should be given priority in the management and control of Cd contamination in paddy soil.     

口服纳米银对大鼠的生物有效性及其体内分布的研究

由于独特的抗菌特性，纳米银(AgNP)在诸多领域得到广泛应用，但是其生物有效性、动物组织分布及排出尚不清楚。将聚乙烯吡咯烷酮包被的AgNP溶液按照10 mg kg^-1给雌性SD大鼠灌胃，采用ICP-MS检测SD大鼠组织、粪便及尿液中总银浓度。实验结果表明，AgNP通过小肠吸收后，可以通过血液循环快速分布在肝、肾、脾、肺、脑等靶器官。灌胃后1 h，大鼠各组织中总银浓度达到最大值(肝、肾、脾、肺、脑中银浓度分别为0.29 ± 0.13 mg kg^-1、0.23 ± 0.04 mg kg^-1、0.17 ± 0.05 mg kg^-1、0.11 ± 0.01 mg kg^-1、0.06 ±0.02 mg kg^-1)，之后银浓度随时间降低直至和对照组无显著性差异。在灌胃途径下，AgNP对SD大鼠的有效性为8.5%，且73%的AgNP是通过粪便的途径排出体外。     

Bioaccumulation of zinc,lead, copper,and cadmium from contaminated sediments by native plant species and Acrida cinerea in South China

This research was conducted to search and identify spontaneously growing heavy metal-tolerant plant species that are potentially useful for phytoremediation in contaminated sediment. Five sites were selected for collection of plants growing on polluted shore (river bank) sediment of the Xiang River, China. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in plants, sediments, and grasshoppers were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS700, Perkin-Elmer, USA). Considering translocation factor and bioaccumulation factor, Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae), Rumex dentatus (Polygonaceae), and Lagopsis supina (Labiatae) could be potentially useful for phytostabilization of metals. R. crispus can be considered potentially useful for phytoextraction of Cd. In light of the biomagnification factors, grasshoppers are deconcentrators for Pb and Cd, microconcentrators for Zn and macroconcentrators for Cu to the plants, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd accumulation in R. crispus and L. supina, providing a pioneer contribution to the very small volume of data available on the potential use of native plant species from contaminated sediments in phytostabilization and phytoremediation technologies.     

Trends and variations of pH and hardness in a typical semi-arid river in a monsoon climate region during 1985–2009

The rapid growth of urbanization and industrialization, along with dramatic climate change, has strongly influenced hydrochemical characteristics in recent decades in China and thus could cause the variation of pH and general total hardness of a river. To explore such variations and their potential influencing factors in a river of the monsoon climate region, we analyzed a long-term monitoring dataset of pH, SO₄ ^2?, NO_x, general total hardness (GH), Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cl^? in surface water and groundwater in the Luan River basin from 1985 to 2009. The nonparametric Seasonal Kendall trend test was used to test the long-term trends of pH and GH. Relationship between the affecting factors, pH and GH were discussed. Results showed that pH showed a decreasing trend and that GH had an increasing trend in the long-term. Seasonal variation of pH and GH was mainly due to the typical monsoon climate. Results of correlation analysis showed that the unit area usage amounts of chemical fertilizer, NO₃ ^?, and SO₄ ^2? were negatively correlated with pH in groundwater. In addition, mining activity affected GH spatial variation. Acid deposition, drought, and increasing the use of chemical fertilizers would contribute to the acidification trend, and mining activities would affect the spatial variation of GH. Variations of precipitation and runoff in semi-arid monsoon climate areas had significant influences on the pH and GH. Our findings implied that human activities played a critical role in river acidification in the semi-arid monsoon climate region of northern China.     

农药混配制剂环境风险评估现状与展望

本文综述了欧洲和美国农药混配制剂的环境风险评估方法。详细介绍了欧洲食品安全局(EFSA)评估体系中的2种方法,即,基础的"整体测试法"和近年来提倡的"基于组分的方法"。"基于组分的方法"的特点是以浓度加和模型(CA模型)作为默认假设进行初级评估,以独立作用模型(IA模型)等作为高级评估手段的农药混配制剂环境风险评估方法。此外,本文还介绍了模型偏差率(MDR)、毒性相似度及毒力单元(TU)等概念以及混配制剂风险评估流程。本文的目的旨在为建立我国农药混配制剂的环境风险评估方法体系提供参考。     

气溶胶中抗生素抗性基因研究进展:以养殖场和医院为例

抗生素在医药和养殖业的大量使用导致耐药菌的出现,加速了抗生素抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs)在不同环境介质中的传播扩散,抗生素耐药性已成为目前全球卫生、食品安全和发展的最大威胁之一。气溶胶作为ARGs的潜在储存库缺乏系统的研究数据,而通过空气传播具有较高抗生素抗性水平的细菌可能是引起重要疾病的主要传播途径。本文针对养殖场和医院2个抗生素大量使用的典型场所,对气溶胶中ARGs的污染现状、样品采集与检测技术进行综述,并探讨了这一环境污染的潜在风险,表明开展气溶胶中ARGs研究的必要性,并为以后需开展的工作提出几点建议。