Tissue-based environmental quality benchmarks and standards

Although the use of tissue concentrations (residues) of chemical contaminants as the dose metric to characterize chemical toxicity to aquatic organisms has been gaining acceptance over the past 20 years, tissue concentrations are less commonly used in water quality management and have yet to be formally adopted as benchmarks or environmental quality standards (EQS). This synthesis paper addresses advantages and disadvantages for the development and application of tissue-based EQS as an alternative and supplement to exposure-based EQS determined with water and sediment concentration data. Tissue-based EQS can be readily developed in parallel with conventional toxicity tests, and achieved by quantification of chemical concentrations in tissue alongside traditional concentration-response toxicity testing. Tissue-residue toxicity metrics can be used as benchmarks for screening and monitoring water and sediment quality, to derive equivalent water or sediment EQS, and for ecological risk assessments and weight of evidence approaches for assessing ecosystem impairment. Tissue-based toxicity metrics and associated EQS provide several advantages; however, there are some limitations to consider and key knowledge gaps to fill.     

Source apportionment of PAHs and n-alkanes in respirable particles in Tehran,Iran by wind sector and vertical profile

The vertical concentration profiles and source contributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes in respirable particle samples (PM₄) collected at 10, 100, 200 and 300-m altitude from the Milad Tower of Tehran, Iran during fall and winter were investigated. The average concentrations of total PAHs and total n-alkanes were 16.7 and 591 ng/m³, respectively. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was applied to the chemical composition and wind data to apportion the contributing sources. The five PAH source factors identified were: ‘diesel’ (56.3 % of total PAHs on average), ‘gasoline’ (15.5 %), ‘wood combustion, and incineration’ (13 %), ‘industry’ (9.2 %), and ‘road soil particle’ (6.0 %). The four n-alkane source factors identified were: ‘petrogenic’ (65 % of total n-alkanes on average), ‘mixture of petrogenic and biomass burning’ (15 %), ‘mixture of biogenic and fossil fuel’ (11.5 %), and ‘biogenic’ (8.5 %). Source contributions by wind sector were also estimated based on the wind sector factor loadings from PMF analysis. Directional dependence of sources was investigated using the conditional probability function (CPF) and directional relative strength (DRS) methods. The calm wind period was found to contribute to 4.4 % of total PAHs and 5.0 % of total n-alkanes on average. Highest average concentrations of PAHs and n-alkanes were found in the 10 and 100 m samples, reflecting the importance of contributions from local sources. Higher average concentrations in the 300 m samples compared to those in the 200 m samples may indicate contributions from long-range transport. The vertical profiles of source factors indicate the gasoline and road soil particle-associated PAHs, and the mixture from biogenic and fossil fuel source-associated n-alkanes were mostly from local emissions. The smaller average contribution of diesel-associated PAHs in the lower altitude samples also indicates that the restriction of diesel-fueled vehicle use in the central area of Tehran has been effective in reducing the PAHs concentration.     

稠油降解微生物的筛选鉴定及其降解特性

从二连油田原油和油层水中筛选驯化出3株能够降解稠油的细菌DS1、DS2和DS3,通过16S rRNA基因序列比对发现DS1、DS2和DS3分别与溶血不动杆菌(Acinetobacter haemolyticus)、鹑鸡肠球菌(Enterococcus gallinarum)和耳炎短杆菌(Brevibacterium otitidis)相似度最高,分别为99%、99%和98%。研究结果表明,DS1对温度和pH有较强耐受性,DS3对盐度的适应性较好,2株菌最适的降解条件为温度35~40℃、盐度2%~5%(W/V)、pH为7~10。在5%的原油浓度下,复合菌对原油的30 d降解率达89.2%。经GC-MS分析,微生物降解作用后,除C29其他烃类几乎被全部降解。3株菌在7d内对500 g/L粘度为1 746 mPa·s(50℃)的稠油降粘率分别为49.1%、46.6%和49.0%,而复合菌对稠油的降粘效果高于单一菌株,其降粘率达到57.0%。     

基于GIS的新疆库尔勒市耕地地力等级评价研究

以新疆库尔勒市为例,将利用测土配方施肥项目所取得的基础数据,筛选有机质、速效钾、有效磷、有效锌等可量化的指标作为评价指标。根据模糊数学理论和特尔斐法建立评价因子的隶属函数模型,利用层次分析法建立评价因子的层次分析模型。以ArcGIS统计分析模块和空间分析模块为平台,根据加法模型计算出耕地地力综合指数,划分耕地地力等级。评价结果基本符合当地实际。     

Bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls in different foods using an in vitro digestion method

Bioaccessibility of organic pollutants in food is important for exposure estimation and risk assessment. An in vitro enzyme digestion experiment was carried out to analyze the bioaccessibility of PCBs in different foods including freshwater fish (bighead carp and oriental weather fish) and vegetables (spinach and cabbage). The results indicated that the bioaccessibility of PCBs in freshwater fish (3%) was much lower than that in leafy vegetables (25%). Based on field survey, the daily exposure TEQ value from these two types of food was 17.9 pg/kg bw/day. However, when bioaccessibility was taken into consideration, the value decreased to 0.61 pg/kg bw/day. Therefore, the forms of PCBs existing in food strongly influenced the bioavailability for humans, which may have important implications on dietary exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to illustrate the bioaccessibility of PCBs in different foods using an in vitro digestion method.     

Perceptions of implied hazard for visual and auditory alerting signals

Visual and auditory alerts are increasingly important and have many applications, particularly in the presentation of hazard information in transportation and many industrial systems. This paper is concerned with the factors that govern the relative effectiveness of alerting signals involving various combinations of visual and auditory signals. The visual variables were colour, flash rate, and flash mode, combined with or without an auditory alarm. It was found that the subjects associated different levels of hazard with different alerting light colours, flash rates, flashing modes, and with combinations of auditory and visual alerts. A red flashing light was perceived as the most effective hazard warning colour, with yellow and blue warning lights indicative of less hazardous situations. The faster the flash rate, the greater is the hazard perceived. A flash rate of 60 fpm (flashes per minute) was not as effective as the rates of 180 and 240 fpm, and 240 fpm was the most effective. This implies that hazard warning signal should flash at well above 60 fpm. Having a breakup in the flashing pattern so as to provide a double or triple flash mode also increases the effectiveness of the signal. There were significant interactions between the alert variables used. The difference in perceived hazard levels for the colours blue and yellow were statistically non significant, but blue was more effective in conveying hazard message than yellow at the high flash rates. When accompanied with auditory alarms, blue and yellow were perceived to convey the same perception level of hazard as red without auditory alarms. The effect of colour on perceived hazard was also found to vary with flash mode. As compared to either visual signal alone or a visual signal with other types of acoustic alarms, a siren type of auditory alarm was found more effective for eliciting perception of hazards. There was evidence that presenting alerting signal in triple-flash mode and at high flash rate could be annoying and might not help improving hazard awareness.     

Solubilization of blood meal to be used as a liquid fertilizer

The solubilization of blood meal by means of the microwave-hydrogen peroxide enhanced advanced-oxidation process (MW/H(2)O(2)-AOP) was studied. It was found that over the treatment temperature range of 60 to 120 degrees C, solids particle reduction, ammonia and orthophosphate production could be achieved by this process. Large protein molecules were broken down into intermediate compounds with low molecule weights, ammonia and nitrate. Intermediate compounds, such as peptides and amino acids, can also be easily converted to nitrogenous nutrients for plant growth by bacteria. Soluble nitrogen content increased with an increase in microwave heating temperature when acid was added; significant amounts of ammonia were obtained at higher temperatures. Nitrate decreased in concentration with an increase of treatment temperature. Orthophosphate concentrations increased after the advanced-oxidation process (AOP) treatments, with and without acid addition; but were more pronounced with acid addition. Maximum solubility of chemical oxygen demand (COD) occurred at 80 degrees C. Without the addition of acid, soluble COD decreased due to protein denaturation and coagulation out of the solution.     

Elimination of 10 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the freshwater mussel, Elliptio complanata

Mussel biomonitors are widely used as screening tools for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in marine and aquatic environments. This study determined elimination rate coefficients (k(tot)) for eight PBDE and five PCB congeners in the freshwater mussel, Elliptio complanata, over a 120d depuration period. Elimination of BDE 15, 28, 47, 75 and 100 was similar to PCBs of equivalent hydrophobicity and negatively related to chemical K(OW). Rapid elimination of BDE 190 and an inferred rapid elimination of BDE 183 indicate mussels are capable of biotransformation of certain highly brominated PBDEs. Time to 90% steady state ranged from 48 to 66d for di- and tribromoDE congeners and from 91 to >250d for tetra- to hexabromoDE congeners. Given the long time periods required for steady state, mussel accumulated PBDE residues should be interpreted in the context of calibrated bioaccumulation models.     

Use of ammoniacal nitrogen tolerant microalgae in landfill leachate treatment

Two microalgae, Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Chlamydomonas snowiae, were isolated from a high ammonia leachate pond in Li Keng Landfill, Guangzhou, China. Their growth and nutrient removal rates were determined in a serial dilution of landfill leachate under laboratory conditions, and their growth rates were compared with that of a C. pyrenoidosa strain isolated from a clean river. The results indicated the growth of all three algae was inhibited by high leachate concentrations, and the inhibition appears linked to high ammonia (ammoniacal-N670mgL(-1)). Significant amounts of ammoniacal-N, ortho-P and COD in the leachate were removed by the algae, with a positive correlation between algal growth and nutrient consumption. Not enough data are available to conclude that one strain was less inhibited by ammoniacal nitrogen or more effective at treating it. Phytotoxicity of leachate was reduced after algal growth, as demonstrated by a seed germination experiment with Brassica chinensis. The germination rates in 10%, 30% and 50% concentrations of algal-treated leachate were significantly higher than those in the same concentration but algal-free leachate.     

城市化对河流着生硅藻物种和功能多样性的影响——以深圳市河流为例

着生藻类是河流生态系统的主要初级生产者,了解城市化对着生藻类多样性的影响对于城市河流管理具有重要意义.本研究以深圳市河流为例,研究了河流着生硅藻性状及物种、功能多样性对城市干扰的响应.研究发现城区和郊区的水质状况差异显著.城区样点的NH₄⁺-N、NO₂-N、TN、TP和DOC浓度是郊区的3～20倍不等.水环境的巨大变化也导致了河流着生藻类生物多样性的变化.城区组物种丰富度、Pielou指数和Simpson指数均显著高于郊区组,而功能均匀度则显著低于郊区组.并且在21个硅藻性状中,有15个性状在城区和郊区组间存在显著差异.进一步用随机森林模型拟合着生藻类生物多样性与水质指标的关系,结果发现硅藻性状对城市化反应较其他指标更为敏感.特别是小型、可动、低共位群和运动群这4个性状指标,构建的随机森林模型解释率能达到40%～60%,而生物多样性指数构建的模型解释率只有15%～25%左右.总体来说,TP和TN是影响城市河流着生硅藻多样性的主要水质指标.在营养水平高的城市样点.个体较大、能够移动的硅藻占有主导地位;而在营养水平较低的郊区...