Spatial and seasonal variations of elemental and ion components in air particulate matters in three mega-cities in China

Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers of China. The rapid development of economy in last decades has caused severe air pollution problems, which has resulted in considerable harm to local ecological environment and human health. In this study, total 671 air samples were collected from Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang (the capital city in Hebei province), one reference site and four background sites in four seasons. Particulate matters (PMs) with different sizes, elements and dissolvable ions in PMs were analyzed. Pollutant concentrations, characteristics and seasonal variations were discussed in order to describe the pollution status and the possible sources in this region. Enriched factors of K, Ca, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb were all higher than 10. Concentrations of dissolvable ions were in the order of NO₃^–, SO₄^2–>NH₄⁺>Cl^–>Ca²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺>Mg²⁺, F^–. NO₃^–, SO₄^2–, NH₄⁺, Cl^– were the most important ion pollutants in the three cities which accounted for 90.3–92.3% of total 9 ion concentrations. Ion concentrations in the PMs were in the order of PM₁>PM_1–2.5>PM_2.5–10>PM₁₀>TSP. More than 50% of the dissolvable ions exist in PM1 and the percentage increases to 73.9–94.8% in PM_2.5. Human activities should be the main sources of the metallic pollutants, among which coal combustion was identified as the primary one.     

Impact of climate factors on cyanobacterial dynamics and their interactions with water quality in South Taihu Lake,China

Cyanobacterial bloom events in South Taihu Lake cause serious water quality problems and disturb aesthetic view of lake’s environment. In this study, correlations between cyanobacterial blooms and hydro-meteorological factors, including water quality, temperature and precipitation were investigated. Results demonstrated that South Taihu Lake was heavily affected by cyanobacteria and the proliferation of cyanobacteria due to variations in hydro-meteorological factors and water quality conditions. Water quality parameters, including COD, NH₃-N, TN and TP improved significantly since 2008 even at an elevated cyanobacterial bloom situation. Correlation analyses have shown that the development of cyanobacterial density and chlorophyll a concentration was sensitive to a wider temperature variation. The optimum temperature for cyanobacteria was 20°C, while extremely low and high temperatures were found to suppress their growth. Moreover, unusual rainfall patterns were measured during the study period (2003–2009), which showed an adverse impact on cyanobacterial development. Findings from this study suggested that seasonal lake’s water quality monitoring; suitable treatment of cyanobacterial blooms and strict policy implementation can solve the water quality issues in highly eutrophic lakes like Taihu.     

采用光谱学技术分析邻苯二甲酸酯与DNA互作机制

邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)作为增塑剂被广泛使用,易渗透到环境中产生环境毒性,多种PAEs已被美国环境保护署和中国环境监测中心列为优先控制污染物,其生态毒理学机制被广泛关注。本试验以小牛胸腺DNA(ct DNA)为供试材料,旨在通过光谱学技术探究PAEs与DNA的相互作用机制。在紫外可见光谱试验中,随着PAEs浓度的增加,DNA紫外光谱出现增色效应,证明DNA的部分碱基对被PAEs破坏,且PAEs与DNA通过嵌插作用结合。荧光光谱试验中,随着PAEs浓度的增加,EBct DNA体系荧光强度逐渐降低,邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(DMP)、邻苯二甲酸二乙酯(DEP)和邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)的最大荧光抑制率分别为55%、50%和36%;KI荧光猝灭试验中,在加入DNA之后KI对DMP、DEP和DBP的荧光猝灭常数Ksv分别从7.992(R2=0.9970)、10.270(R2=0.9960)和13.52(R2=0.9806)降低到6.721(R2=0.9963)、7.047(R2=0.9599)和11.03(R2=0.9803),荧光猝灭常数均降低,实验结果证明PAEs与DNA通过嵌插作用结合。盐离子试验中,随着Na Cl浓度的增加,PAEsct DNA的荧光强度没有发生变化。试验结果排除了PAEs与DNA分子之间沟槽作用的可能,确定了其结合方式为嵌插作用,随着PAEs侧链的逐渐增长,嵌插作用逐渐减弱。     

浸水条件下环氧微表处与沥青路面层间抗剪性能的试验研究∗

微表处在工程应用过程中受水与车辆荷载作用,容易产生推移或整片剥落。为此,在微表处中添加适量不同种类的水性环氧树脂(Water-borne Epoxy Resin,WER)形成环氧微表处,通过拉伸试验和自主设计的45°斜剪试验,研究WER对环氧微表处在浸水条件下层间抗剪性能的影响。试验结果表明:胶结料在掺入刚性较大的WER后,随浸水时间增加,胶结料塑性变形能力削弱,弹塑性阶段与塑性阶段减短,脆性增加,而掺加柔性的WER,塑性阶段持续时间较长;浸水状态下,环氧微表处与沥青路面的层间抗剪强度影响因素主次顺序为油石比WER掺量WER掺加方式,而切向变形率的影响因素主次顺序为WER掺量WER掺加方式油石比。在工程应用中,建议采用油石比7%、WER掺量8%～12%且将环氧树脂与固化剂预先调和后加入水中,然后与集料进行拌合。     

Treatment of mature landfill leachate by biofilters and Fenton oxidation

A series of processes by biofilter and Fenton oxidation to treat mature landfill leachate has been devised. At a hydraulic loading rate of 20 l m^?3 d^?1, a biofilter packed with aged refuse is found to remove 80% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 89% of ammonia nitrogen and 96% of total phosphorus (TP). Particularly, TP levels dropped below 1 mg l^?1. The optimal condition for Fenton oxidation was selected to be an initial pH of 5, a dosage of 0.01 and 0.02 mol l^?1 of FeSO₄ and H₂O₂, respectively, and a duration of 3 h, where COD removal efficiency reaches 58.6%, and BOD₅/COD ratio is raised from 0.05 to 0.20. Subsequent treatment by a biofilter packed with slag reduces COD, ammonia nitrogen levels to less than 100, 25 mg l^?1, respectively. A pilot scale experiment conducted in situ demonstrates that this series of processes exhibits a high efficiency in removing pollutants from mature landfill leachate and it is viable for application.     

Prolonged environmental exposure of arsenic through drinking water on the risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes

Prolonged exposure to inorganic arsenic has been a severe environmental public health issue worldwide in the recent decades. Increasing evidence has suggested a possible role of prolonged arsenic exposure through drinking water in the development of arsenic-induced chronic noncancer diseases, among which hypertension and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are the focus of concern. Although exposure to high levels of arsenic has been reported to be associated with excess risk of hypertension or T2D in a dose-dependent manner, the association has yet to be established, especially low-level exposure. This cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the potential association between prolonged environmental arsenic exposure through drinking water and the prevalence of hypertension and T2D in Inner Mongolia, China, with emphasis on the assessment of low-level exposure. In this study (a total of 669 men and women), we found that the blood pressure levels were significantly correlated with cumulative arsenic exposure and that the systolic blood pressure of the subjects with arsenic exposure >50 μg/L was significantly higher than those of the subjects with <10 and 10–50 μg/L exposure. Significant prevalence of hypertension was found in the subjects of the >50 μg/L group both before and after adjustment for confounders. In addition, a significant negative relationship was found between urinary arsenic percentage of dimethylated arsenic (DMA%) and the prevalence of hypertension in the >50 μg/L group. However, low-level arsenic exposure (10–50 μg/L) was not statistically associated with hypertension. No significant difference of blood glucose was found among the groups with different arsenic exposure levels. No statistical association was found between arsenic exposure and T2D. Our findings suggested that prolonged arsenic exposure might play a role in the development of hypertension; however, only high-level arsenic was associated with the risk of hypertension. Our findings also indicated that lower DMA% might be related with the increased susceptibility of arsenic-induced hypertension.     

超声波处理剩余污泥有机物、氮和磷的释放特性研究

以生活污水处理厂污泥为研究对象.采用超声波技术研究了污泥破解过程中有机物、氮和磷的释放规律.结果表明,在声能密度为0.167、0.330、0.500 W/mL的条件下,污泥中的有机物、氮和磷的释放均随超声时间而增加;破解后污泥释放出的有机物以分子量(MW)≤2 000的物质为主,且上清液BOD5/COD>0.33;所释放的氮以有机氮为主,其次是氨氮,污泥破解液COD/凯氏氮平均值为11,适合于生物法脱氮;污泥破解所释放的正磷酸盐约占污泥总磷质量的6.0%～18.2%.利用沉淀结晶法将其回收,可减轻原污水处理工艺的磷负荷.     

北京官厅水库周边土壤DDTs和HCHs暴露特征与风险评价

围绕北京水源地官厅水库周边2～10km范围于2009年系统布点,利用超声-振荡提取技术,使用气相色谱-电子捕获检测器(GC-ECD)分析方法测定了样品中的DDTs和HCHs含量.并利用GIS技术和地统计分析方法,研究其空间变异特征.结果表明,2009年官厅水库周边土壤中HCHs和DDTs的含量分别为n.d.～14.97ng·g-1(平均值0.73ng·g-1)、n.d.～64.91ng·g-1(平均值6.46ng·g-1).HCHs的残留以β-HCH为主,占总量的94.5%,DDTs的残留以p,p′-DDE为主,占总量的78.5%.不同土地利用类型中有机氯农药残留也不同,表现为果园农田荒地的趋势.Levene'sTest齐性检验结果显示,3种土地利用方式下HCHs和DDTs的残留差异并不显著.空间分析表明,其暴露格局受土地利用方式的影响,基本呈库北高于库南的趋势,高风险区集中在东部延庆县、中部的北辛堡镇以及西部的怀来县城附近.通过与我国土壤环境质量标准及荷兰土壤修复标准对比,并结合单因子污染指数法评价,本地区土壤中农药类POPs暴露仍处于较低的水平,环境风险较小.     

Effects of two polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDE-47, BDE-209) on the swimming behavior,population growth and reproduction of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) are new kinds of persistent organic pollutants(POPs) and their potential threats to the equilibrium and sustainability of marine ecosystems have raised worldwide concerns. Here, two kinds of PBDEs, tetra-BDE(BDE-47)and deca-BDE(BDE-209) were applied, and their toxic effects on the swimming behavior,population growth and reproduction of Brachionus plicatilis were investigated. The results showed that:(1) The actual concentrations of BDE-47 and-209 in the seawater phase measured by GC–MS(Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer) were much lower than their nominal concentrations.(2) In accordance with the 24-hr acute tests, BDE-209 did not show any obvious swimming inhibition to rotifers, but a good correlation did exist between the swimming inhibition rate and BDE-47 concentration suggesting that BDE-47 is more toxic than BDE-209.(3) Both BDE-47 and-209 had a significant influence on the population growth and reproduction parameters of B. plicatilis including the population growth rate, the ratio of ovigerous females/non-ovigerous females(OF/NOF), the ratio of mictic females/amictic females(MF/AF), resting egg production and the mictic rate, which indicate that these parameters in B. plicatilis population were suitable for monitoring and assessing PBDEs. Our results suggest that BDE-47 and-209 are not acute lethal toxicants and may pose a low risk to marine rotifers at environmental concentrations for short-term exposure. They also accumulate differently into rotifers. Further research data are needed to understand the mechanisms responsible for the effects caused by PBDEs and to assess their risks accurately.