Effect of natural organic matter on arsenic release from soils and sediments into groundwater

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater has received significant attention recently. Natural and anthropogenic sources contribute to the worldwide occurrence of As contamination. As speciation is an important factor related to its toxic and mobile behavior. The release of As from soils and sediments into groundwater is governed by several geophysicochemical processes, of which, As sorption behavior is of principle significance. This review paper summarizes existing information regarding the effects of natural organic matter (NOM) on the fate and mobility of As species in the environment. NOM may enhance the release of As from soils and sediments into the soil solution, thereby facilitating As leaching into the groundwater. The main influencing mechanisms include competition for available adsorption sites, formation of aqueous complexes, and/or changes in the redox potential of site surfaces and As redox speciation. NOM may also serve as binding agents, thereby reducing As mobility. However, comparably little research has been performed on this aspect. Since most investigations have been done on purified minerals under laboratory conditions, further research involving various geological materials under natural environmental conditions is required. Development of proper geochemical conceptual models may provide means of predicting the role of NOM in arsenic leaching and/or immobilization.     

Spatial and temporal variability of water repellency in a sandy soil contaminated with tar oil and heavy metals

Water repellency can induce preferential flow and thus affect water flow and contaminant transport at hazardous waste sites. Since the spatial patterns of water repellency are mostly unknown, it is problematic to use numerical transport models to predict leachate composition. In this study, the spatial variability of soil water repellency was studied at an industrial site contaminated with tar oil, chromium, copper and arsenic. The persistence of water repellency was assessed by the water drop penetration time (WDPT), and the degree of water repellency was quantified by the ethanol percentage (EP) test. Measurements were made at the soil surface along 3.5-12.1 m long transects at different times between March and October 2002. The spatial variability of WDPT, EP, water content, and organic matter content was quantified by variogram analyses. Both the persistence and the degree of water repellency varied seasonally, with the highest water repellency during the summer months. The correlation lengths of WDPT values ranged between 16 and 406 cm, whereas EP values showed no spatial correlation. For field-moist samples, a critical soil water threshold, below which water repellency prevails, was estimated to be 2.5-4%. For oven dry samples, the WDPT values were dependent on the water content prior to drying. The wide range of correlation lengths and the temporal dynamics of spatial repellency patterns suggest that simulations of solute leaching must consider the spatial and temporal variability of soil hydrophobic properties.     

放射性污染的危害及防护措施

环境巾的各种放射性污染都能影响人类健康。介绍了放射性污染性质、来源和特点,重点介绍了各种影响人类生活的放射性污染。和环境中的其他污染小同,它不易察觉,但容易在人体中积累,人们要关注放射性污染,对它有一个科学的认识,才能保护自身的健康。     

水环境模拟中多孔介质场空间变异性研究方法述评

阐述了研究多孔介质空间变异性的经典统计法、地质统计学方法以及新兴的分形方法.经典统计方法由于不考虑研究对象的空间相关性,已经不能对这种变异性做出客观的分析;地质统计学方法很好地克服了经典统计学的缺点,是目前应用最多的一种方法;分形的研究对象为无规则和具有自相似性的体系,这一特性决定了它研究这种变异性有着独特的优点.最后对多孔介质空间变异性研究的趋势进行了展望.     

不同物质对铬价态测定结果的影响

采用单波长法和双波长法,分别考察了KH2PO4、H3PO4、H2SO4、KNO3、牛肉膏和蛋白胨对Cr(III)和Cr(VI)质量浓度测定的影响。结果显示,Cr(III)和Cr(VI)在测量中是相互影响的,并且Cr(III)对Cr(VI)影响较显著。在单波长法测定中,牛肉膏、蛋白胨及2种酸对Cr(III)和Cr(VI)的影响较钾盐对其影响更为显著,H3PO4和H2SO4对Cr(III)和Cr(VI)的特征吸收峰值影响最大,降低幅度在20%～50%。这些物质对双波长法测定Cr(VI)几乎没有影响;但对Cr(III)测定中,H2SO4和H3PO4的影响较大,其相对误差分别为14.57%和8.87%,其余物质产生的相对误差均小于1.6%。因此,双波长法可用于生物样品中Cr(III)和Cr(VI)的测定,线性范围分别为0～160 mg/L和0～80mg/L。     

Exploring the role of local community perceptions in sustainability measurements

Measuring sustainability is an integral part of decision-making processes in order to promote sustainable development. The present paper focuses on sustainability indicators as these are measured on local level and explores two main issues: firstly, the subjective measurement of indicators focusing especially on social dimensions of sustainability, secondly, the incorporation of local perceptions in sustainability assessments. These two issues are explored in the Asopos River basin in Greece, an area where significant environmental degradation has been observed in the past decades and is also under financial pressure due to the ongoing national recession. A large-scale research study was conducted measuring environmental, economic and social indicators while, at a second stage, a model was developed, estimating new indicators that incorporate local communities’ perceptions on what they considered as important for their area. The results of the study reveal that the most important indicators for the sustainable development of the area, according to locals’ perceptions, are environmental quality as well as quality of life. By contrast, trust in local and central institutions and also local enterprises were not considered as important by locals. These results illustrate the importance of combining global and national scale assessment with locally focused social measurements of sustainability in order to better understand what is important for local communities prior to embarking on public policy planning.     

Reaction mechanism of arsenic capture by a calcium-based sorbent during the combustion of arsenic-contaminated biomass: A pilot-scale experience

Pilot-scale combustion is required to treat arsenic-enriched biomass in China. CaO addition to arsenic-enriched biomass reduces arsenic emission. CaO captures arsenic via chemical adsorption to form Ca₃(AsO₄)₂. Large quantities of contaminated biomass due to phytoremediation were disposed through combustion in low-income rural regions of China. This process provided a solution to reduce waste volume and disposal cost. Pilot-scale combustion trials were conducted for in site disposal at phytoremediation sites. The reaction mechanism of arsenic capture during pilot-scale combustion should be determined to control the arsenic emission in flue gas. This study investigated three Pteris vittata L. biomass with a disposal capacity of 600 kg/d and different arsenic concentrations from three sites in China. The arsenic concentration in flue gas was greater than that of the national standard in the trial with no emission control, and the arsenic concentration in biomass was 486 mg/kg. CaO addition notably reduced arsenic emission in flue gas, and absorption was efficient when CaO was mixed with biomass at 10% of the total weight. For the trial with 10% CaO addition, arsenic recovery from ash reached 76%, which is an ~8-fold increase compared with the control. Synchrotron radiation analysis confirmed that calcium arsenate is the dominant reaction product.     

黄河水系氮污染特征初探

对黄河水系1960年至2000年期间氮污染监测数据的分析表明，干流河水氮污染的程度自上游至下游有升高的趋势；不少支流氮污染的程度大大高于干流。在工业不发达的农业地区，河水总氮与氨氮的最高浓度大多出现在丰水期；在工业相对发达的地区，河水氨氮与总氮的最高浓度大多出现在枯水期；有一部分站点河水总氮与氨氮浓度的年内变化无明显规则，近40年来黄河水系氮污染程度不断上升，1990s年代以后的上升趋势更为显著。     

The Impact of the Hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake. Part I: Concentrations of Elements in Crops and Soil

In Asembagus (East Java, Indonesia) irrigation water is contaminated with effluent from the hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake resulting in a low pH and high levels of various elements. As a first step towards a risk assessment, locally produced food items (rice, maize, cassava leaf, cassava root, peanuts) were collected and concentrations of As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn were compared to samples from a reference area and with literature values. Further, concentrations in rice were compared to total soil concentrations in paddy fields. Compared to the reference area, food items produced in the contaminated area had increased levels of Cd, Co, Ni and Mn in particular, while levels of Mo were lower. In contrast, total soil concentrations of Cd and Mn in particular have decreased whereas especially Mo was increased. In combination with the observed soil acidification, it is likely that the bioavailable concentration of most elements in the contaminated soil is higher (except for Mo) due to an increased weathering rate and/or input via the contaminated irrigation water. In terms of human health, concentrations in foods were generally within normal literature values. However, it was observed that essential elements (in particular Fe) known for their inhibitory effects on e.g. Cd and Mn toxicity did not accumulate in crops whereas Cd and Mn did.     

镉污染土壤对潜在能源植物生长的影响

利用重金属污染土壤种植能源植物是一种同时解决环境问题和能源问题的新理念,但目前相关研究成果并不多。通过盆栽试验研究人工镉污染土壤中象草Pennisetumpurpureum和亚香茅Cymbopogonnardus两种植物植株的生长状况和两种植物对土壤镉的吸收和富集能力。结果表明,当外源可溶性镉加入到土壤后,其主要是以生物有效性较高的状态存在。土壤镉对象草和亚香茅生长的影响作用有很大的不同,亚香茅比象草具有更强的镉耐受力,其生物量受镉污染影响小。两种植物植株镉含量均随土壤镉添加量的增加而增加。除高镉处理象草外,植物地下部分含镉量比地上部分高很多。高镉处理象草地下部分含镉量比地上部分低的现象可能反映出根系已积累了太多的镉,因而加速了向地上部的转移,从而加剧了植物中毒的程度。赤泥添加剂具有降低土壤酸度,减少植物对镉的吸收和增加象草和亚香茅生物量的作用。