Rare earth elements tracing the soil erosion processes on slope surface under natural rainfall

A field experiment using rare earth elements (REEs) as tracers was conducted to investigate soil erosion processes on slope surfaces during rainfall events. A plot of 10 m × 2 m × 0.16 m with a gradient of 20° (36.4%) was established and the plot was divided into two layers and four segments. Various REE tracers were applied to the different layers and segments to determine sediment dynamics under natural rainfall. Results indicated that sheet erosion accounted for more than 90% of total erosion when the rainfall amount and density was not large enough to generate concentrated flows. Sediment source changed in different sections on the slope surface, and the primary sediment source area tended to move upslope as erosion progressed. In rill erosion, sediment discharge mainly originated from the toe-slope and moved upwards as erosion intensified. The results obtained from this study suggest that multi-REE tracer technique is valuable in understanding the erosion processes and determining sediment sources.     

应用化学提取法评价大气颗粒物中重金属的生物有效性

以广州市楼顶降尘为研究对象,在分析其粒度分布和重金属总量的基础上,采用单一化学提取法(DWLP、TCLP)和多级化学提取法(SEP)研究了大气颗粒物中4种重金属元素的生物有效性.结果表明:样品中96%以上颗粒小于100 μm,其中10 μm和2.5 μm以下颗粒分别占33%和11%.大气颗粒物中重金属含量很高,Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd的平均含量分别为362.43、1 033.81、830.32和5.80 mg/kg,是广东省环境土壤背景值的17～64倍.单一提取法中,TCLP的提取效率明显高于DWLP,表明pH值是影响大气颗粒物中重金属释放的主要因素.SEP法结果显示,Zn和Cd的生物可利用态比例远高于Cu和Pb.经DWLP和TCLP法提取后,颗粒物中重金属的总含量有不同程度的降低,生物可利用态所占比例明显增加.通过综合分析,发现SEP比其他两种方法更适用于评价大气颗粒物中重金属的生物有效性.     

Unusual arsenic speciation in sea anemones

Nine species of sea anemones (Anthopleura asiatica, Actinia equina, Actinodendron arboreum, Phymanthus loligo, Entacmaea actinostoloides, Stichodactyla gigantea, S. haddoni, S. mertensii and Metridium senile) contained arsenic in the range of 1.6-7.0microg As g(-1) (wet mass basis). Irrespective of the species, water-soluble arsenic compounds accounted for more than 80% of the total arsenic. Analysis of water-soluble arsenic compounds by LC/ESI-MS revealed that four arsenicals, arsenobetaine (AB), trimethylarsoniopropionate, arsenocholine (AC) and tetramethylarsonium ion (TEMA), are contained in most species but arsenate, methylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid and trimethylarsine oxide are absent in all species. Interestingly, compositional patterns of the four arsenicals greatly differed from species to species. Only three species (S. gigantea, S. haddoni and M. senile) contained AB at the highest proportions, similar to the majority of marine animals. However, the remaining six species showed unusual compositional patterns of arsenic compounds; AC was most predominant in A. arboreum and P. loligo and TEMA in A. asiatica, A. equina, E. actinostoloides and S. mertensii. On the whole, high proportions (24.6-87.1% of the water-soluble arsenic) of TEMA appear to be a peculiar characteristic of many species of sea anemones. Thus, sea anemones are an important animal group in the arsenic cycling, especially in that they may be donors of TEMA to predators.     

An experimental method to verify soil conservation by check dams on the Loess Plateau, China

A successful experiment with a physical model requires necessary conditions of similarity. This study presents an experimental method with a semi-scale physical model. The model is used to monitor and verify soil conservation by check dams in a small watershed on the Loess Plateau of China. During experiments, the model–prototype ratio of geomorphic variables was kept constant under each rainfall event. Consequently, experimental data are available for verification of soil erosion processes in the field and for predicting soil loss in a model watershed with check dams. Thus, it can predict the amount of soil loss in a catchment. This study also mentions four criteria: similarities of watershed geometry, grain size and bare land, Froude number (Fr) for rainfall event, and soil erosion in downscaled models. The efficacy of the proposed method was confirmed using these criteria in two different downscaled model experiments. The B-Model, a large scale model, simulates watershed prototype. The two small scale models, D_a and D_b, have different erosion rates, but are the same size. These two models simulate hydraulic processes in the B-Model. Experiment results show that while soil loss in the small scale models was converted by multiplying the soil loss scale number, it was very close to that of the B-Model. Obviously, with a semi-scale physical model, experiments are available to verify and predict soil loss in a small watershed area with check dam system on the Loess Plateau, China.     

Evaluation of the fish short term reproduction assay for detecting endocrine disrupters

In a fish testing strategy, positive results of the fish short term reproduction assay (FSTR), often trigger a definitive test like the fish sexual development test (FSDT) or the fish full life cycle test (FFLC), entailing ethical and economic problems. This study analysed 137 studies encompassing 35 chemicals with different modes of actions (MOAs). Variability is quantified for MOA endpoints vitellogenin (VTG) and secondary sex characteristics (SSCs) as well as for apical endpoints. Two MOA endpoints could indicate estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, androgenic, anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities. Great variability, however, has been observed for chemicals with anti-androgenic and steroidogenesis activities, suggesting that TG229/230 may not be sensitive enough to detect these types of chemicals and may produce false negatives. Changes in apical endpoints like fecundity are not limited to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Non-EDCs could induce the similar effects on these apical endpoints. If elucidating MOA is needed, targeted in vitro MOA tests are suggested. Positive in vitro MOA results trigger a definitive test, which could be used for confirmation of the MOA in vivo and for deriving a no observed effect concentration (NOEC). Based on positive MOA results of TG229, a definitive test such as the FSDT or the FFLC is still needed, because the current TG229 has limitation on the derivation of a NOEC. An extended TG229 with more power to detect reproduction effects, as recently proposed in the OECD test guideline program, would improve the possibility to derive a NOEC and increase its usefulness in risk assessment.     

斜生栅藻的无菌化培养及其在原油降解中的应用研究

选用组合抗生素结合溶菌酶/SDS预处理方法对斜生栅藻进行无菌化培养,对不同抗生素组合的除菌效果进行了比较。青霉素+庆大霉素对斜生栅藻和附生菌都有强烈的抑制性能,而青霉素+利福平和青霉素+四环素组合除菌不彻底。青霉素+卡那霉素组合能彻底除去附生菌并且对藻的抑制作用最小,可得到无菌斜生栅藻。将斜生栅藻与石油组分降解菌构建菌藻共生体系,未除菌藻的附生菌与石油组分菌之间不能很好地相互适应,使得原油降解效果反而降低。纯栅藻则对石油降解菌表现出非常良好的促进作用,利用除菌后的斜生栅藻与石油组分降解菌构建了一个高效降解原油的菌藻共生体系,充分肯定了微藻无菌化培养的积极意义。     

降解多环芳烃的微生物的分离、鉴定方法及应用

阐述了降解多环芳烃的微生物的分离和鉴定方法；介绍了多环芳烃降解微生物的驯化方式；综述了多环芳烃降解菌的应用研究情况；对消除环境中多环芳烃污染问题的相关研究进行了展望并指出了将实验室筛选分离到的多环芳烃高效降解菌应用到实际环境中需解决的主要问题。     

PM10中重金属的分布及其在模拟酸雨中的释放

运用扫描电镜-X射线能谱分析方法(SEM-EDS)和电感耦合等离子体-原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES),分析和测定了佛山市可吸入颗粒物(PM₁₀)及其中重金属的赋存状态和质量分布.同时研究了模拟酸雨淋溶条件下PM₁₀中重金属Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd的释放过程.结果表明,颗粒物在大气中存在的形态各异,主要以簇状集合体形式存在.PM₁₀日平均浓度为0.19 mg/m³,与国家二级标准(0.15 mg/m³)相比,超标率为79%.PM₁₀中含有一定量的Zn、Pb、Cu和Cd,其中Zn、Pb的含量要高于Cd和Cu.模拟酸雨淋溶实验显示,PM₁₀中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd均有不同程度的释放,Cd和Zn的释放率明显高于Cu和Pb,且释放速率较快;pH值是影响4种重金属释放的主要因素,随模拟淋溶液pH值降低,重金属的释放强度显著提高.     

活性污泥数学模型(ASM1)入流组分测定及应用

阐述了活性污泥 1号模型 (ASM1)入流中 7个含碳有机物、4个含氮物质、碱度等四大类 13种组分的分析方法 ,并用这些方法测定了西安市北石桥、电子村两个排放口的城市污水水质。实验结果表明快速可生物降解有机物 (SS)采用间歇实验法、慢速可生物降解有机物 (XS)采用测定BOD5间接计算法既操作简单又准确可靠 ,能为利用活性污泥 1号模型进行污水处理厂的设计、模拟及管理提供入流组分分析依据     

Toxicity screening of biodegradable polymers. II. Evaluation of cell culture test with medium extract

Cell culture testing with material extracts was applied to toxicity screening of some commercial degradable plastics: a plasticized cellulose acetate, an aliphatic polyester (Bionolle), polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (Biopol), and polycaprolactone (TONE polymer). Cell culture medium with serum was used as extraction medium. Methods for the determination of morphology and viability of cells cultured in the extract were investigated. Phase-contrast light microscopy of cells, enhanced by neutral red staining, provides high-contrast images for qualitative evaluation of cell morphology and lysis. Compared to the determination of protein using the Bradford method and of neutral red uptake, the determination of dehydrogenase activity using 3-[4,5-dimethylthia-zol-2-yl]-2,5-diephenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) is more sensitive and accurate. The relative MTT activity of cells cultured in fresh extracts indicate that TONE polymer (all shapes) and Bionolle (test bars and films) are comparable to materials currently used in the food industry (polyethylene terephthalate, atactic and isotactic polystyrene) with no toxic effects on cells.