Occurence and Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ankara Precipitation

Urban atmospheric environment contains many trace organic pollutants that are related to the incomplete fuel combustion in domestic heating, industrial plants and automobile traffic. Removal of these pollutants from the atmosphere takes place through wet and dry deposition as well as chemical transformations. In this study, concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wet deposition samples were determined at an urban site of Turkey. Wet and dry deposition samples were collected using Andersen Rain Sampler. The sampler was modified accordingly for the collection of organic pollutants. Collected samples were preconcentrated by using solid phase extraction (SPE) disks and consecutively analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Among the 13 compounds quantified in this study, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were found more frequently and at elevated concentrations (202, 271 and 260 ng L^-1 mean concentrations, respectively).Concentrations of PAHs were found to be high in winter period.     

Microbial cycling of iron and sulfur in acidic coal mining lake sediments

Lakes caused by coal mining processes are characterized by low pH, low nutrient status, and high concentrations of Fe(II) and sulfate due to the oxidation of pyrite in the surrounding mine tailings. Fe(III) produced during Fe(II) oxidation precipitates to the anoxic acidic sediment, where the microbial reduction of Fe(III) is the dominant electron-accepting process for the oxidation of organic matter, apparently mediated by acidophilic Acidiphilium species. Those bacteria can reduce a great variety of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides and reduce Fe(III) and oxygen simultaneously which might be due to the small differences in the redox potentials under low pH conditions. Due to the absence of sulfide, Fe(II) formed in the upper 6 cm of the sediment diffuses to oxic zones in the water layer where itcan be reoxidized by Acidithiobacillus species. Thus, acidic conditions are stabilized by the cycling of iron which inhibits fermentative and sulfate-reducing activities. With increasing sediment depth, the amount of reactive iron decrease, the pH increases above 5, and fermentative and as yet unknown Fe(III)-reducing bacteria are also involved in the reduction of Fe(III). Sulfate is reduced apparently by the activity of spore-forming sulfate reducers including new species of Desulfosporosinus that have their pH optimum similar to in situconditions and are not capable of growth at pH 7. However, generation of alkalinity via sulfate reduction is reduced by the anaerobic reoxidation of sulfide back to sulfate. Thus, the microbial cycling of iron at the oxic-anoxic interface and the anaerobic cycling of sulfur maintains environmental conditions appropriate for acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing and acid-tolerant sulfate-reducing microbial communities.     

SEDIMENT OXYGEN DEMAND IN THE ARROYO COLORADO RIVER1

ABSTRACT: The lower reaches of the Arroyo Colorado have historically failed to meet their use under subsection 303(b) of the U.S. Clean Water Act due to fecal coliform bacteria and low dissolved oxygen (DO). Fish kills, especially at the tidal confluence at the Port of Harlingen, Texas, have been reported. Oxygen demand from sediment (SOD) for a river typically has two states‐diffusion limited SOD (SOD) and potential SOD (pSOD), expressed when sediment is resuspended through increased flow or other disturbances. The objective of this research was to measure SOD in the Arroyo Colorado River in situ, estimate pSOD ex situ, and evaluate the relationship between SOD and the depositional environment. We measured SOD and pSOD in the Arroyo Colorado River at up to eight sites over three sampling events. We identified the sample sites based on a modified Rosgen geomorphic index for streambed stabilization. Sites with high sediment deposition potential had high SOD. The average values of SOD between sites were 0.62 g/m²/day (standard deviation 0.38 g/m²/day) and ranged from 0.13 to 1.2 g/m²/day. Potential SOD values ranged from as low as 19.2 to as high as 2,779 g/m³ sediment/ day. Potential SOD can serve as an indicator of the possible impact of SOD from resuspended sediment in stream systems.     

Modelling nitrogen fluxes at the landscape scale

The distribution and impacts of different nitrogen pollutants are inextricably linked. To understand the problem fully, the interactions between the different pollutants need to be taken into account. This is particularly important when it comes to abatement techniques, since measures to reduce emissions of one nitrogen pollutant can often lead to an increase in another. This project represents a step towards greater understanding of these issues by linking together new and existing nitrogen flux models into a larger framework. The modelling framework has been constructed and some of the nitrogen flows between fields, farms and the atmosphere have been modelled for a UK study area for typical farm management scenarios.     

Applying metabolic fingerprinting to ecology: The use of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for the rapid screening of plant responses to N deposition

The potential for metabolic fingerprinting via Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to provide a novel approach for the detection of plant biochemical responses to N deposition is examined. An example of spectral analysis using shoot samples taken from an open top chamber (OTC) experiment simulating wet ammonium deposition is given. Sample preparation involved oven drying and homogenisation via mill grinding. Slurries of a consistent dilution were then prepared prior to FT-IR analysis. Spectra from control, 8 and 16 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 treatments were then subjected to cross-validated discriminant function analysis. Ordination diagrams showed clear separation between the three N treatments examined. The potential for using Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull as a bioindicator of N deposition is further evident from these results. The results also clearly demonstrate the power of FT-IR in discriminating between subtle phenotypic alterations in overall plant biochemistry as affected by ammonium pollution.     

酸性矿井水中和沉淀法除铁优化

针对山西某煤矿高矿化度、高铁酸性矿井水除铁效果差、出水容易返色等问题,采用NaOH中和调pH、曝气及化学氧化等处理工艺进行酸性矿井水中和沉淀法除铁优化实验研究。结果表明,采用NaOH中和沉淀法除铁时,投加中和剂使出水pH达6.7以上时,出水中铁含量低于10 mg/L,满足排放要求。对于本实验废水NaOH所需投加量为2.8 g/L,铁的去除率可达到99.75%;以H2O2对原水进行氧化处理,可迅速将Fe(Ⅱ)氧化成Fe(Ⅲ),其用量与原水中Fe(Ⅱ)的含量成正比。当其用量为1.6 mL/L时,可将原水中的Fe(Ⅱ)完全转化为Fe(Ⅲ),投加中和剂使出水pH达到4.5以上时,能使出水中铁含量满足排放要求。对于实验废水所需的NaOH投加量为2.0 g/L,比直接中和沉淀所需的NaOH用量要节省28.6%。曝气处理对原水中Fe(Ⅱ)的氧化效果不明显。     

香港典型地质遗迹资源与地质公园建设

香港素以金融、商业贸易中心闻名于世界,但香港境内所发育的曲折有致的岩石海岸、幽远宁静的海滩、巍峨多姿的群山、造型奇异的岛礁,弥足珍贵的自然生态和地质遗迹资源却鲜为人知。本文在对香港地质概况进行简单介绍的基础上,对香港地质遗迹资源进行系统分类和对比分析,指出西贡万宜水库至果洲群岛方圆近150 km2范围内发育的十分典型、极具规模的六方柱状节理构造景观是世界上同类岩石中罕见的地质现象,其分布面积大,露头完整,具有稀缺性、独特性和典型性,最后对香港国家地质公园一个公园,两个园区,八个景区的空间结构及每个园区的主要地质遗迹资源进行了系统归纳总结。香港国家地质公园的建立很好的起到了保育地质多样性的首要目标,同时很好地推动了香港的地质教育和科普发展。     

三峡库区腹地大气微量金属干湿沉降特征

为研究三峡库区腹地大气微量金属沉降特征,在万州城区采样点收集了2014年1月~6月的干湿沉降样品,在云阳晒经村(工厂区)、云阳高阳(场镇郊区)、开县白家溪(自然保护区)、开县野塘溪(县郊区)、开县大德(乡村区)收集了2014年4月的干湿沉降样品;分别测定了样品的p H值、电导率和微量金属元素(Al、As、B、Ba、Bi、Cd、Co、Cr、Cu、Fe、Li、Mn、Pb、Ni、Sb、Sr、Sn、Ti、Zn、V).结果表明:1万州城区酸雨频率为48.44%,酸雨主要集中在1~4月.不同功能区酸雨频率高低顺序为:工厂区万州城区县郊区场镇郊区自然保护区乡村区.2湿沉降中20种微量金属质量浓度均低于国家地表水环境质量标准Ⅲ级标准限值,而Cd、Cu、Pb和Zn不同程度超Ⅰ级标准限值,其中工厂区相对严重.3万州城区干沉降提取液p H值在4.91~6.74之间,平均为5.79.各功能区干沉降酸度高低顺序为:工厂区县郊区万州城区乡村区场镇郊区自然保护区,这与湿沉降酸度顺序完全一致,说明干湿沉降中主要酸性物质具有同源性.4万州城区Ba、Co、Cu、Cr、Li、Mn、Ni、Sr、Zn干沉降超过湿沉降,而Al、As、B、Bi、Cd、Fe、Pb、Sb、Sn、Ti、V湿沉降大于干沉降.富集因子分析表明,万州城区Al为中等富集,Bi和Cd显著富集.     

Assessment of the maximum allowed acid deposition load at current stage in China

Soil acidification caused by acid deposition has been significant in some forests in southern China. We present an approach for assessing the current stage maximum allowed load (SML) of acid deposition for terrestrial system in the country. The main idea was that soil base cation exchange as a finite buffer to acidity was included in the soil acidity mass balance calculation at current acidification stage. We calculated the SML for five forests in southern China. The usual critical loads for the same forests were also calculated by the steady state mass balance model for comparison. The results showed that the SML is a more tolerant limit than the critical load for the forests with soils not acidified seriously at current stage. However, the SML become a more stringent limit to acid deposition when the forest soils have acidified seriously to very low base cation saturation. In this case the SML assessment is beneficial for the soils recovering from a serious acidified state. Based on a national scale database, the SML mapping for non-agricultural soil system in China was carried out.     

阜新城区降尘重金属污染及其健康风险评价

为研究阜新市大气降尘重金属分布情况及可能存在的健康风险,于2015年3月—2016年3月对阜新城区(32个采样点)及周边地区(13个对照采样点)进行大气降尘湿法采集,并利用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)对降尘中的7种重金属元素(Cr、Ni、Zn、Cd、Pb、As、Cu)含量进行测定.结果表明:① 阜新市大气降尘中重金属含量存在明显差异,表现为w(Zn)＞w(Pb)＞w(Cr)＞w(Cu)＞w(Ni)＞w(As)＞w(Cd). w(Zn)平均值最高,为756.9 mg/kg; w(Cd)平均值最低,为4.8 mg/kg,其他几种重金属含量范围为10~120 mg/kg. ② 城区大气降尘中Cd的背景比值(H)最高,为44.89,其次为Zn(H=11.92),城区大气降尘重金属污染受人为活动影响显著. ③ 地累积指数评价结果显示,Cd为严重-极度污染,Zn为中度-严重污染,Pb、Cu为中度污染,Cr、Ni为轻度污染,As为无污染. ④ 研究区健康风险评价表明,儿童通过3种暴露途径接触Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Ni的非致癌健康风险水平均高于成人,Cr、As的非致癌健康风险水平低于成人. ⑤ Cr经呼吸途径对成人的非致癌风险(HQ_inh)达2.53,非致癌风险总值(HI)达3.41,均大于限值(1),表明Cr经呼吸途径对于成人存在非致癌风险,其余6种重金属元素经呼吸途径对于成人的非致癌风险相对较低. ⑥ Cd、Cr、As、Ni经呼吸途径的致癌风险值(10-9~10-7)均低于可接受水平(10-6),表明致癌元素Cd、Cr、As、Ni经呼吸途径对人体可能不具有致癌风险.鉴于研究区大气降尘重金属元素经3种途径对成人、儿童均构成一定非致癌风险,阜新市应当及时加强对海州露天矿、经济开发区及皮革工业园等主要大气颗粒物污染源的排放及监测管控.