The effect of pH, ion strength and reactant content on the complexation of Cu2+ by various natural organic ligands from water and soil in Hong Kong

The complexation constants for copper associated with different natural organic ligands, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) extracted from water, water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) from soil, were determined and then compared based on discrete single site model. Both ion-selective electrode (ISE) and anodic stripping voltammetry were used to determine the content of free copper ions, while the relative number of complexation sites was estimated using a fluorescence quenching (FQ) at the same time. ISE proved to be the most applicable technique when the concentration of copper was above 10(-7) moll(-1). The logk values for two WSOC sample sites (Song Ziyuan and Xin Niangtan) were 4.64 and 4.66; higher than both the DOC and HA values yet lower than the FA values, which were unusually high due to unavoidable pollution from the cation exchange resin used during the purification process. Binding affinities between the copper ions and the organic ligands obtained from streams in Yong Wei (DOC) and Song Ziyuan (WSOC) were influenced by pH, ion strength, and reactant concentration. Values for logk increased with increases in pH (ion strength of 0.1 N). At pH 4, the logk values decreased with increases in the supporting electrolyte concentration and total copper ion additions.     

Characterization of ambient volatile organic compounds at a landfill site in Guangzhou,South China

Ambient air monitoring was conducted at Datianshan landfill, Guangzhou, South China in 1998 to investigate the seasonal and horizontal variations of trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Twelve sampling points over the Datianshan landfill were selected and samples were collected simultaneously using Carbontrap(TM) adsorption tubes. Thirty eight VOCs were detected in the winter, whereas 60 were detected in the summer. The VOC levels measured in summer were alkanes, 0.5-6.5 microg/m(3); aromatics, 2.3-1667 microg/m(3); chlorinated species, 0.2-31 microg/m(3); terpines, 0.1-34 microg/m(3); carbonyl species, 0.3-5.6 microg/m(3) and naphthalene and its derivatives, 0.4-27 microg/m(3). Compared to the summer samples the VOC levels in winter were much lower (mostly 1-2 orders of magnitude lower). The aromatics are dominant VOCs in landfill air both in winter and summer. High levels of alkylbenzene and terpines such as methyl-isopropylbenzene (max 1667 microg/m(3)) and limonene (max 162 microg/m(3)) cause undesirable odor. The similar correlation coefficients of BTEX in summer and winter suggest VOCs emissions were from landfill site sources. The variation of BTEX ratio at landfill site is different from that in the urban area of Guangzhou. It shows that the ambient VOCs at landfill site were different from the urban areas.     

Contamination of rivers in Tianjin, China by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Tianjin urban/industrial complex is highly polluted by some persistent organic pollutants. In this study, the levels of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were tested in sediment, water, and suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples in 10 rivers in Tianjin. The total concentration of 16 PAHs varied from 0.787 to 1943 microg/g dry weight in sediment, from 45.81 to 1272 ng/L in water, and from 0.938 to 64.2 microg/g dry weight in SPM. The levels of PAHs in these media are high in comparison with values reported from other river and marine systems. Variability of total concentrations of PAHs in sediment, water, and SPM from nine different rivers is consistent with each other. No obvious trends of total PAHs concentration variations were found between upstream and downstream sediment, water, and SPM samples for most rivers, which indicate local inputs and disturbances along these rivers. The spatial distributions of three-phase PAHs are very similar to each other, and they are also similar to those found in topsoil. However, their chemical profiles are significantly different from that of topsoil. The change of profiles is consistent with the different aqueous transport capability of 16 PAHs. Low molecular weight PAHs predomination suggests a relatively recent local source and coal combustion source of PAHs in the study area.     

Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the Pearl River Delta,South China

There is a growing public concern over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils in China owing to rapid urban and industrial development and increasing reliance on agrochemicals in the last several decades. Excessive accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils may not only result in environmental contamination, but elevated heavy metal uptake by crops may also affect food quality and safety. The present study is aimed at studying heavy metal concentrations of crop, paddy and natural soils in the Pearl River Delta, one of the most developed regions in China. In addition, some selected soil samples were analyzed for chemical partitioning of Co, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Pb isotopic composition of the extracted solutions was also determined. The analytical results indicated that the crop, paddy and natural soils in many sampling sites were enriched with Cd and Pb. Furthermore, heavy metal enrichment was most significant in the crop soils, which might be attributed to the use of agrochemicals. Flooding of the paddy soils and subsequent dissolution of Mn oxides may cause the loss of Cd and Co through leaching and percolation, resulting in low Cd and Co concentrations of the paddy soils. The chemical partitioning patterns of Pb, Zn and Cu indicated that Pb was largely associated with the Fe-Mn oxide and residual fractions, while Zn was predominantly found in the residual phase. A significant percent fraction of Cu was bound in the organic/sulphide and residual phases. Based on the 206Pb/207Pb ratios of the five fractions, it was evident that some of the soils were enriched with anthropogenic Pb, such as industrial and automobile Pb. The strong associations between anthropogenic Pb and the Fe-Mn oxide and organic/sulphide phases suggested that anthropogenic Pb was relatively stable after deposition in soils.     

水处理中含铁废料综合利用的研究进展

回顾了２０余年来我国在水处理中综合利用含铁废料的研究进展，分别评述了副产品硫酸亚铁制备絮凝剂ＰＦＳ的各种方法，废铁屑运用于内电解法水处理和其他含铁泥渣，废酸在水处理中的研究和应用现状，指出含铁废料综合利用中有待于进一步研究的若干问题。     

Sorption and cosorption of organic contaminant on surfactant-modified soils

Three kinds of soils were modified with the cationic surfactants, hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) bromide and tetramethylammonium (TMA) bromide to increase their sorptive capabilities. Sorption of chlorobenzene in simulated groundwater by these soils was investigated. HDTMA-modified soil has a higher ability to sorb chlorobenzene from simulated groundwater than unmodified soil. TMA-modified soil did not show the superiority. HDTMA thus can be used to modify soil to improve its sorption capability. Cosorption of chlorobenzene in simulated groundwater in the absence or presence of nitrobenzene and dichloromethane on HDTMA-modified soil was also investigated. Nitrobenzene facilitated sorption of chlorobenzene on all HDTMA-modified soil. Dichloromethane did not influence the sorption of chlorobenzene by HDTMA-modified soil. The results suggest that HDTMA-modified soil is a highly effective sorbent for chlorobenzene and multiple organic compounds did not impede the uptake of chlorobenzene.     

A modified glass bead compartment cultivation system for studies on nutrient and trace metal uptake by arbuscular mycorrhiza

A modified glass bead compartment cultivation system is described in which glass beads continue to be used in the hyphal compartment but are replaced by coarse river sand in the compartments for host plant roots and mycorrhizal hyphae. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) associations were established using two host plant species, maize (Zea mays L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and two AM fungi, Glomus mosseae and G. versiforme. When the standard and modified cultivation systems were compared, the new method yielded much more fungal tissue in the hyphal compartment. Using G. versiforme as the fungal symbiont, up to 30 mg of fungal dry matter (DM) was recovered from the hyphal compartment of mycorrhizal maize and about 6 mg from red clover. Multi-element analysis was conducted on samples of host plant roots and shoots and on harvested fungal biomass. Concentrations of P, Cu and Zn were much higher in the fungal biomass than in the roots or shoots of the host plants but fungal concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn were similar to or lower than those in the plants. There were also significant differences in nutrient concentrations between the two AM fungi and these may be related to differences in their proportions of extraradical mycelium to spores. The high affinity of the fungal mycelium for Zn was very striking and is discussed in relation to the potential use of arbuscular mycorrhiza in the phytoremediation of Zn-polluted soils.     

Speciation of rare earth elements in soil and accumulation by wheat with rare earth fertilizer application

A greenhouse study was conducted to investigate the accumulation of rare earth elements (REEs), La, Ce, Pr and Nd, in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and the speciation of these elements in soil following the application of REE-based fertilizers. Improved crop yield was confirmed by the experiment. The accumulation behavior of La, Ce, Pr and Nd in wheat varied depending on the concentration of REE fertilizer application, i.e. increased with increasing REE concentration at low fertilization application, constant over the medium REE range, and decreased with increasing REE concentration at high fertilizer application. Significant negative correlation was obtained between REE contents in roots and soil pH (r = -0.5787 to -0.8442 for La). REEs in both the fertilized and unfertilized soils were fractionated by a three-stage sequential extraction procedure into three chemically distinct fractions: water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate bound (B1), Fe-Mn oxide bound (B2), and organic and sulfide bound (B3). REEs in fertilized soils were found mainly in the B2 and B3 fractions, with only a small amount in the B1 fraction. REEs in B1 and B2 fractions were negatively correlated with soil pH (r = -0.6892 to -0.8927 and -0.7462 to -0.9482). Significant correlation was obtained between REEs in B1 fraction and REE contents in root. The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.6159 to 0.7410 when fertilizer application was lower than 20.0 mg/kg soil. No acceptable relationship was observed between REE contents in shoot and any of the extractable fractions in soils.     

Rare earth elements in naturally grown fern Dicranopteris linearis in relation to their variation in soils in south-Jiangxi region (southern China)

Ferns (Dicranopteris linearis) and soils, sampled from four rare earth mining areas and one non-mining area locating in South-Jiangxi region, were chosen for analysis of 15 rare earth elements (REEs) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The fern samples were divided into 4 parts: root, stem, petiole, and lamina. The soils of the same sites were also sampled, and 4 soil layers were observed at the profile: A (0-20 cm depth), B (20-150 cm depth), C (150-400 cm depth), and D (rock). The distribution patterns and transportation characteristics of REEs of different soil layers and of different parts of D. linearis were studied. The results showed that in the soil layers, the sigma REE (the sum of the concentrations of 15 REEs) of A layer, as well as B layer were lower than that of C layer, but Ce was relatively concentrated in A layer. The sigma REE of different parts of D. linearis were lamina, root > stem > petiole. The REE distribution patterns of D. linearis root were similar to the total REE distribution patterns of the A layer of their host soils, especially to the soluble REE distribution patterns of the A layer of their host soils. The REEs were fractionated in their transportation in D. linearis. The abundances of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs, Gd to Lu and Y) in the stem, petiole, lamina are lower than those in the root.