Distribution of some trace metals and their fluxes in the Genesee River,NY

Total and particulate metal concentrations, measured during intensive synoptic studies of the Genesee River, NY, correlated with suspended-sediment concentration and river discharge. Dissolved metal concentrations, on the other hand, showed little systematic variation over the length of the river. Metal and sediment fluxes for two elevated-discharged periods peaked at a midbasin sampling site. For most metals at most sampling sties particulate materials comprised over one-half of the total material. Comparison of particulate material metal concentrations, normalized to the measured suspended-sediment concentrations had with basinwide average values shows that sites having low suspended-sediment concentrations had high particulate material metal contents relative to the basin averages, while sites with high suspended-sediment concentration had low metal contents. These results are consistent with a metal transport mechanism in the Genesee River involving (1) a nearly constant dissolved component, (2) a fine acid-soluble component, and (3) a coarse component that is effectively a neutral diluent in the sediment. Chemical factors, such as sediment organic content, also appear to affect metal transport in the Genesee River.     

An assessment of the risks associated with polychlorinated biphenyls found in the stomach contents of stranded Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and Finless Porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from Hong Kong waters

The risks to Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins and Finless Porpoises associated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were assessed. Stomach contents from twelve stranded Humpback Dolphins and sixteen stranded Finless Porpoises were collected. Concentrations of total and isomer-specific PCBs in the stomach contents were determined using dual-column gas chromatography equipped with electron capture detectors (GC-ECD). Risks due to the PCBs were assessed in three scenarios, based on total PCBs (summation of 41 PCB congeners), total toxicity equivalency (TEQs) and PCB 118, using the toxicity reference values (TRVs) as the threshold effects benchmarks. The calculated risk quotients (RQs) showed that risks due to PCBs were generally low or negligible. Specifically, RQs from total TEQs and total PCBs for Finless Porpoises are below one, suggesting that PCBs should be a low risk for the Finless Porpoise in Hong Kong waters. However, the Humpback Dolphin has RQs larger than 1 for total TEQs and total PCBs when the 95th percentile data were used in the evaluation. This indicates that further investigation may be needed to examine more closely the potential impact of toxic contaminants in the habitat of the Humpback Dolphin.     

Safety I–II,resilience and antifragility engineering: a debate explained through an accident occurring on a mobile elevating work platform

Occupational health and safety (OHS) represents an important field of exploration for the research community: in spite of the growth of technological innovations, the increasing complexity of systems involves critical issues in terms of degradation of the safety levels. In such a situation, new safety management approaches are now mandatory in order to face the safety implications of the current technological evolutions. Along these lines, performing risk-based analysis alone seems not to be enough anymore. The evaluation of robustness, antifragility and resilience of a socio-technical system is now indispensable in order to face unforeseen events. This article will briefly introduce the topics of Safety I and Safety II, resilience engineering and antifragility engineering, explaining correlations, overlapping aspects and synergies. Secondly, the article will discuss the applications of those paradigms to a real accident, highlighting how they can challenge, stimulate and inspire research for improving OHS conditions.     

Sensory and environmental influences on display form in Anolis auratus,a grass anole from Panama

Summary It is hypothesized that the head movements which make up the introductory portion of the territorial assertion display of Anolis auratus function to draw the gaze of conspecifics. Earlier experiments showed that two features of a motion pattern were critical in making it effective at gaining the attention of an anole: (1) it should consist of high acceleration and velocity, and (2) a Fourier transform of the motion pattern should reveal sinusoidal frequency components distinct from those present in motion patterns commonly present in the environment. The most common source of motion in the environment is windblown vegetation. Motion of vegetation typical of the A. auratus habitat was quantified and analyzed by Fourier transform. Assertion displays of a number of individual lizards were filmed and quantified. It was found that the first 3.6 s of the displays consisted of high acceleration/high velocity movements which contained, at certain sinusoidal frequencies, amplitude several times greater than what was present in the vegetation movement. Thus, motion detection properties of the visual system and movement properties of windblown vegetation combine to influence the physical form of this visual display.     

Accumulation and tissue distribution of mercury and selenium in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) from the Mediterranean Sea (southern Italy).

Tissues and organs from Stenella coeruleoalba stranded along the Apulian coasts (southern Italy) during the period April-July 1991 were analyzed for their mercury and selenium content. Analysis showed considerable variations in the mercury concentration in the examined organs and tissues. The highest concentrations of mercury were found in the liver (from 2.27 to 374.50 microg g(-1) wet wt.). After the liver, lung, kidney, muscle and brain were the most contaminated, while the lowest mercury contamination was found in the melon. As mercury, the liver also showed the highest selenium levels. Liver samples were also analyzed for their methyl mercury contents. The role of selenium in detoxification process of methyl mercury has been discussed. Mercury concentrations related to geographic variations and pollution of the marine environment have been examined. The possible implications between mercury accumulation and dolphin death have also been discussed.     

沈阳地区水环境和生物样品中全氟化合物的污染分布特征

采用高效液相色谱/电喷雾负电离源串联质谱法对沈阳市各类水环境和生物样品中全氟化合物(PFCs)进行测定,研究了PFCs的河流分布及季节分布特征.同时,对通过饮用水及家禽和鱼摄入全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)和全氟辛酸(PFOA)的人体健康风险进行了评价.结果表明,沈阳市各类水环境样品中总PFCs浓度范围为nd～6.01ng·L-1,平均浓度为5.23ng·L-1.PFOS和PFOA是沈阳地区所有水环境样品中最主要的PFCs污染物,浓度范围分别为nd～2.83ng·L-1和nd～5.71ng·L-1,平均浓度分别为1.11和2.13ng·L-1.细河的PFOS含量最高,约为浑河PFOS含量的2倍,蒲河PFOS含量的3倍.一些PFCs化合物之间呈正相关关系,说明其可能具有相同的来源.PFOS与PFOA之间无相关关系,由此推断沈阳水体中二者具有不同来源.浑河流经沈阳市时,PFOS和PFOA浓度升高.流经沈阳市区后,PFOS和全氟己烷磺酸钾(PFHxS)浓度明显升高.细河中PFHxS也有检出,表明沈阳市是周边水体中PFOS及PFHxS的主要污染来源.丰水期地表水中PFOS和PFOA浓度与枯水期相比没有明显差异,但丰水期水中PFCs组成更为丰富,出现了大量全氟庚酸(PFHpA).沈阳地区自来水中PFOS和PFOA浓度平均值分别为0.39和0.85ng·L-1,最高浓度分别为1.16和2.55ng·L-1,均低于美国饮用水健康参考值.沈阳生物样品中PFOS和全氟十一酸(PFUnDA)是最普遍的化合物.总PFCs平均含量在鱼样品中为6.59ng.g-1(以干重计),鸡和鸭血清样品中分别为1.65和0.69ng·mL-1,鸡和鸭肝脏样品中分别为0.41和1.68ng.g-1(以干重计),与文献报道相比处于较低水平.     

Sorption of Perfluorooctane sulfonate（PFOS） including its isomers on hydrargillite as a function of pH,humic substances and Na2SO4

Perfluorooctane sulfonate（PFOS） is a persistent organic pollutant（POP） and emergent contaminant that are widespread in the environment. Understanding the mechanisms controlling the distribution of PFOS and its isomers between hydrargillite and the water phase is important in order to study their redistribution and mobility in the environment. This study investigated the effects of pH, humic acid, fulvic acid and Na₂SO₄ on sorption of PFOS isomers to hydrargillite. A mixture...