Speciation of arsenic using solid phase extraction cartridges

Various solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were investigated for speciation of arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(v)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Cartridges containing different types of sorbent materials were tested for arsenic retention and elution characteristics. Alumina cartridges were found to completely retain all the four target arsenic species, and are suitable for removal and preconcentration purposes. For speciation analysis, different arsenic species were separated on the basis of their selective retention on and elution from specific cartridges. DMA was retained on a resin-based strong cation exchange cartridge and eluted with 1.0 M HCl. MMA and As(v) were both retained on a silica-based strong anion exchange cartridge and sequentially eluted with 60 mM acetic acid (for MMA) and 1.0 M HCl [for As(v)]. As(III) was not retained on either cartridge and remained in solution. Arsenic species in solution and those eluted from the cartridges were subsequently quantified by using flow injection with hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (FI-HGAFS) and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HGAAS). A detection limit of 0.05 microg L(-1) arsenic in water sample was achieved using HGAFS. An application of the method was demonstrated at a drinking water treatment facility. As(III) and As(v) species were determined in water at various stages of treatment. The method is suitable for routine determination of trace levels of arsenic in drinking water to comply with more stringent environmental regulations.     

Development of an ombrotrophic peat bog (low ash) reference material for the determination of elemental concentrations

Given the increasing interest in using peat bogs as archives of atmospheric metal deposition, the lack of validated sample preparation methods and suitable certified reference materials has hindered not only the quality assurance of the generated analytical data but also the interpretation and comparison of peat core metal profiles from different laboratories in the international community. Reference materials play an important role in the evaluation of the accuracy of analytical results and are essential parts of good laboratory practice. An ombrotrophic peat bog reference material has been developed by 14 laboratories from nine countries in an inter-laboratory comparison between February and October 2002. The material has been characterised for both acid-extractable and total concentrations of a range of elements, including Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Ti, V and Zn. The steps involved in the production of the reference material (i.e. collection and preparation, homogeneity and stability studies, and certification) are described in detail.     

Using improved neural network model to analyze RSP,NOx and NO2 levels in urban air in Mong Kok,Hong Kong

As the health impact of air pollutants existing in ambient addresses much attention in recent years, forecasting of airpollutant parameters becomes an important and popular topic inenvironmental science. Airborne pollution is a serious, and willbe a major problem in Hong Kong within the next few years. InHong Kong, Respirable Suspended Particulate (RSP) and NitrogenOxides NO_x and NO₂ are major air pollutants due to thedominant diesel fuel usage by public transportation and heavyvehicles. Hence, the investigation and prediction of the influence and the tendency of these pollutants are ofsignificance to public and the city image. The multi-layerperceptron (MLP) neural network is regarded as a reliable andcost-effective method to achieve such tasks. The works presentedhere involve developing an improved neural network model, whichcombines the principal component analysis (PCA) technique and theradial basis function (RBF) network, and forecasting thepollutant levels and tendencies based in the recorded data. Inthe study, the PCA is firstly used to reduce and orthogonalizethe original input variables (data), these treated variables arethen used as new input vectors in RBF neural network modelestablished for forecasting the pollutant tendencies. Comparingwith the general neural network models, the proposed modelpossesses simpler network architecture, faster training speed,and more satisfactory predicting performance. This improvedmodel is evaluated by using hourly time series of RSP, NO_x and NO₂ concentrations collected at Mong Kok Roadside Gaseous Monitory Station in Hong Kong during the year 2000. By comparing the predicted RSP, NO_x and NO₂ concentrationswith the actual data of these pollutants recorded at the monitorystation, the effectiveness of the proposed model has been proven.Therefore, in authors' opinion, the model presented in the paper is a potential tool in forecasting air quality parameters and hasadvantages over the traditional neural network methods.     

Conservation and management applications of the REEF volunteer fish monitoring program

The REEF Fish Survey Project is a volunteer fish monitoring program developed by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF). REEF volunteers collect fish distribution and abundance data using a standardized visual method during regular diving and snorkeling activities. Survey data are recorded on preprinted data sheets that are returned to REEF and optically digitized. Data are housed in a publicly accessible database on REEF's Web site (http: //www.reef.org). Since the project's inception in 1993, over 40,000 surveys have been conducted in the coastal waters of North America, tropical western Atlantic, Gulf of California and Hawaii. The Fish Survey Project has been incorporated into existing monitoring programs through partnerships with government agencies, scientists, conservation organizations, and private institutions. REEF's partners benefit from the educational value and increased stewardship resulting from volunteer data collection. Applications of the data include an evaluation of fish/habitat interactions in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the development of a multi-species trend analysis method to identify sites of management concern, assessment of the current distribution of species, status reports on fish assemblages of marine parks, and the evaluation of no-take zones in the Florida Keys. REEF's collaboration with a variety of partners, combined with the Fish Survey Project's standardized census method and database management system, has resulted in a successful citizen science monitoring program.     

Measurements of fractionated gaseous mercury concentrations over northwestern and central Europe, 1995-99

Although it makes up only a few per cent. of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in the atmosphere, the fraction of oxidised (divalent) mercury plays a major role in the biogeochemical cycle of mercury due to its high affinity for water and surfaces. Quantitative knowledge of this fraction present in mixing ratios in the parts-per-10(15) (ppq) range is currently very scarce. This work is based on approximately 220 data for divalent gaseous mercury (DGM) collected during 1995-99 in ambient air. Over the course of the measurements, the sampling and analytical methods were modified and improved. This is described here in detail and includes transition from wet leaching and reduction procedures to thermo-reductive desorption, the use of annular as well as tubular denuders and adoption of an automated sampling system. The concentration of DGM exhibited a strong seasonal behaviour in contrast to atomic gaseous mercury, with low values in winter and maximum values in summer. The DGM/TGM ratios were frequently found to be below the detection limit (< or = 1%) and in the range 1-5%. A trend of diurnal DGM patterns was observed and implies photolytically induced sources. Scavenging of DGM during rain events was also noticed.     

SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND EUTROPHICATION ASSESSMENT FOR CHLOROPHYLL a IN TAIHU LAKE

Spatial structure analysis and kriging analysis have been identified to be useful tools in illustrating the spatial patterns of variables. Taihu Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in China, and has suffered serious eutrophication in recent years due to the rapid economic development and growing environmental pollution in the Taihu Catchment. In this paper, spatial structural analysis, kriging interpolation and eutrophication assessment were carried out for chlorophyll a in the lake. Studies show that spherical model could be applied to fit all experimental variograms. Positive nuggets were observed for three directions except NE–SW direction. The variograms show some anisotropy with anisotropic ratio falling within 1.76. The spatial structural patterns of chlorophyll a in the lake were affected by factors such as distribution of pollution sources, water flow and wind. Two-dimensional ordinary block kriging was applied for interpolation process. An eutrophication assessment map was also made based on a water-quality evaluation standard. Results show that the content of chlorophyll a in Taihu Lake was quite high. The whole lake has suffered serious eutrophication. However, the eutrophic situation varied in space. Higher contents of chlorophyll a appeared mainly in the northern part of the lake.     

环境中萘和甲基萘的气相色谱测定

针对发生的甲基萘油车泄漏事故进行了水样和空气样品中萘和甲基萘的测定，水样中直接进样，对空气样品则以甲醇为吸收液吸收，富集，氢火焰毛细管色谱法测定。     

斯德哥尔摩,人类环保之船从这里启航

1969年。经由瑞典政府提议．联合国大会决定1972年在瑞典首都斯德哥尔摩召开联合国人类环境会议。这是联合国历史上首次以环保为主题的会议．是人类环境意识觉醒的标志．在人类社会发展史上具有里程碑式的意义。1972年6月5日，会议在斯德哥尔摩隆重开幕。133个国家的1300多名代表出席了这次会议。会议通过了《联合国人类环境会议宣言》和《行动计划》。宣告了人类环境新观念的诞生，达成了“只有一个地球”．人类与环境是不可分割的“共同体”的共识。1972年6月5日。全球环境保护的航船从斯德哥尔摩启航。33年过去了，让我们重回斯德哥尔摩，去寻找历史的轨迹．去了解这座环保之都的未来航向。[编者按]     

喀喇昆仑山-昆仑山植物区系的一般特征及植物资源的保护与开发利用

本文根据1987—1988年两年考察的结果,初步讨论了喀喇昆仑—昆仑山地区植物区系的一般特征:1.植物种类比较贫乏高等植物仅243属约700种;2.北温带分布型属占绝对优势;3.以桑株河谷为界,昆仑山西段与东段的植物区系有很大差异;4.无严格的特有属,但种的分化强烈,种群数量大。本区由于极端干旱,自然生态系统十分脆弱,而森林和各类天然植被在维护本区自然生态系统平衡方面,起着十分重大的作用。在严格保护使森林和各类自然植被不致破坏的前提下,提出本区最有可能开发利用的植物资源是药用植物资源,除许多著名的中药外,应着重开发利用红景天属(Rhodiola)、风毛菊属(Saussurea)、葱属(Allium)的药用植物,并对当地的民族药物矮膜苞芹(Hymnolaena nana)等,进行深入研究。     

溶解氧对水质变化和沉积物吸磷过程的影响

通过室内模拟实验,研究有光和黑暗条件下,富氧和缺氧环境对东太湖沉积物吸收磷酸盐过程的影响.研究结果表明沉积物能够吸收上覆水中高质量浓度的磷酸盐,但吸收量和吸收速度随环境条件的不同而不同;缺氧环境上覆水中的pH高于或略高于相同光照条件下的富氧环境;实验开始的前20d,富氧环境有利于沉积物吸附上覆水中的磷酸盐,并快速达到吸附平衡,缺氧环境则相反;实验开始20d后,有光缺氧组上覆水中磷酸盐质量浓度开始迅速下降,且明显低于其他实验条件;富氧环境沉积物中总磷的增加量高于缺氧环境,其含量顺序为无光富氧＞有光富氧＞有光缺氧＞无光缺氧;溶解氧对沉积物中铁结合态磷和钙结合态磷含量的影响较大,对有机磷含量的影响不大.