The nature and significance of public exposure to arsenic: a review of its relevance to South West England

In South West England, more than two hundred years of intensive exploitation of metalliferous ore deposits, combined with the natural processes of pedogenesis from mineral-rich parent rocks, has resulted in the creation of a aignificant area of arsenic-contaminated wastes and soils. The scale of arsenic dispersion by natural and anthropogenic processes is such that 722 km² of land contains concentrations of arsenic in excess of 110 g g^–1, more than twice the maximum that might be expected in a normal soil.The general rationale for the clean-up of derelict and contaminated mining sites often includes aesthetic factors and the desirability of preventing the dispersion of contaminants beyond the site boundaries. Only in extreme cases is public health directly invoked as justification for remediation. In South West England, if arsenic constitutes a genuine threat to the public, an increased rate of site remediation would be justified. The primary purpose of this review is to establish whether or not widespread arsenic contamination (principally of soils) has any measurable effects on public health in South West England, and how this might affect current contaminated site remediation policy. The review is based on data from previous research in the region, and other relevant international studies of mining and smelting communities, and other populations exposed to elevated arsenic concentrations. The literature reviewed also includes the determination of the extent and sources of contamination, and pathways between source and man.While the contamination of potable waters in some countries has led to measurable health effects, this scenario has not yet been identified in South West England, and there is little reason to believe that significantly contaminated potable water supplies would escape detection for extended periods of time under the current monitoring regime.In relative terms (based on both globaland local data), one of the most significant links between contaminated soils and humans appears to be contaminated food stuffs. In absolute terms, such exposure is low due to the natural constraints on arsenic uptake by herbage, cereal crops and vegetables, and the food chain does not appear to have been significantly compromised in South West England. Chronic health effects are unlikely as excessive arsenic concentrations in locally grown food crops remain rare.With the problems of confounding medical and social factors, it is not surprising that studies in South West England have failed to identify chronic exposure to arsenic at very low concentrations as a significant health risk. Those studies that indicate otherwise do not stand up to close scrutiny. It appears that the number of additional deaths arising from the widespread arsenic contamination in South West England is small. The relative benefits of a costly statistical study to actually determine the number of additional deaths might be considered minimal, but one major area could benefit from further studies: the sensitivity of certain population sub-groups to environmental arsenic exposure. Of particular interest are children, for whom significant exposure to arsenic via soil ingestion may be occurring.Based on available information, there appears to be no justification for a large programme of site remediation. Resources should, however, be expended on enlightening the general public, and private and governmental organisations as regards the gap between the perceived and actual significance of arsenic contamination in South West England.To whom correspondence should be addressed.     

有机膦萃取分离制革污泥淋滤液中Cr和Fe

采用磷酸二(2-乙基己基)酯(D2EHPA)和磷酸三丁酯(TBP)为萃取剂,萃取分离制革污泥淋滤液中的Cr3 与Fe3 .结果表明,在pH 2.2时,采用5?EHPA-正己烷萃取体系,Fe3 的萃取率达到99%,有效地分离了制革污泥淋滤液中的Fe3 和Cr3 .以5 mol·l-1的盐酸作为反萃剂反萃负载有机相,20min时的反萃率可以达到90%左右.以TBP和 D2EHPA为萃取剂萃取分离Cr3 与Fe3 时,降低了污泥淋滤液中Fe3 的萃取率,这是由于TBP的加入降低了D2EHPA的有效浓度.同时TBP的加入阻碍了萃取物分子和反萃剂的接触,降低了Fe3 的反萃率.     

Dissolved Organic Matter in Forest Soils: Sources, Complexing Properties and Action On Herbaceous Plants

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component of plant-soil systems. Its essential role in soil solution chemistry, soil-forming processes and its effects on biota, including soil fauna, bacteria, fungi and plants, is extensively documented in literature. in this contribution several forest leaf litter types are compared as sources of DOM and the released organics are subjected to gel permeation chromatography to reveal their molecular-size distribution. Moreover, complexing properties, as an indication for the podzolization potential of the litter leachates, were established. the occurrence and properties of DOM in different soil horizons were monitored beneath a stand of Scots pine. the effects of the different groups of soluble organics including phenolic, fulvic and humic acids, and of water-extractable humic substances on the performance of herbaceous plants of the forest floor are briefly reviewed.     

有机氯农药六六六污染土壤的植物修复研究

我国20世纪六七十年代大量施用的有机氯农药,由于其性质极其稳定,在土壤至今仍有残留。植物修复有机农药污染土壤并不多见,但具有广阔的应用前景。此项研究对提高土壤环境质量、保证农产品的安全、实现农业可持续发展等有着重要的理论和现实意义。文章以多花黑麦草(Lolium multiforum Lan.)、紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa L.)和籽粒苋(Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)作为供试植物,在有机氯农药六六六(HCH)质量分数为1.09 mg.kg-1的污染土壤中种植3个月,研究了种植不同植物条件下土壤中HCH的消解情况。研究结果表明,与对照相比,种植植物大大提高了土壤中微生物数量和酶的活性,并且微生物的数量和酶的活性与土壤中HCH的消解密切相关。试验结束后,不同处理中HCH及其4种异构体的总含量降低幅度为43.87%~65.79%,其中种植紫花苜蓿和多花黑麦草的处理中HCH消解较快,对HCH污染土壤修复的效果较好。可见,植物修复技术是一种可行的环境友好的修复六六六污染土壤的技术。     

稻田土壤对铵的矿物固定对土壤保氮作用的贡献

为了定量评价土壤对铵的矿物固定作用在土壤对肥料氮的保持作用中的相对贡献,通过室内培养试验和分析测定,研究了湖南省几种主要母质发育的水稻土对添加铵的矿物固定作用及其对土壤保氮作用的贡献。结果表明:土壤对外源铵的矿物固定是土壤重要的保氮机制之一,但不同土壤对保氮作用的相对贡献大小不一,以河沙泥的固铵作用对土壤保氮作用的贡献最大,固铵量占总保氮量的51.5%,红黄泥最低,固铵量仅占总保氮量的17.1%,其余五种土壤的固铵作用对土壤保氮作用的贡献大小顺序依次是黄泥田(43.7%)、湖潮泥(35.5%)、紫泥田(35.4%)、灰泥田(25.0%)、麻沙泥(20.8%)。     

模拟酸雨对红壤铝形态的影响

用动态淋洗试验，研究了不同pH的模拟酸雨对红壤中铝形态和性质的影响．结果表明，酸雨淋洗引起红壤中盐基离子的淋失和土壤铝的溶出．随着酸雨溶液pH的降低，盐基淋矢量和铝溶出量增加．酸雨淋洗影响土壤铝形态的转化，使红壤中交换态铝上升，吸附态羟基铝有所下降．这说明在酸雨长期作用下，羟基铝溶解，并转化为交换态铝和引起铝的溶出，使铝进入环境，危害生态系统．     

Geochemical evidence of pollutants from coalfired generating stations in late Pleistocene palaeosols in the Dalijia Shan,northwestern China

Surface palaeosols in two tills and a diamicton from an area in northwestern China were analysed for geochemical pollutants. Elevated levels of Br, As and Sb indicate that pollution from coal-burning and/or coal-fired electricity generating stations is delivered by aeolian transport into palaeosols dating from the last glaciation. Because the climate in the field area is sub-humid (precipitation <760 mm) the relative movement of soluble elements in palaeosols dating from early and late stades of the last glaciation is not expected to be high. The glacial and aeolian parent materials of the palaeosols indicate differences that are probably related to their source areas and to the incorporation of geochemical pollutants.     

模拟酸雨条件下降尘中Cu,Pb,Zn,Cr各形态的溶出和转化研究

本文用Ｔｅｓｓｌｅｒ方法，研究了模拟酸雨条件下，降尘中Ｃｕ，Ｐｂ，Ｚｎ，Ｃｒ各形态的溶出和相互转化。试验表明：（１）降尘中Ｃｕ，Ｃｒ的溶出量随酸雨酸度的增大而增加；Ｐｂ，Ｚｎ没分别在ＰＨ＝３．５和ＰＨ＝４．５时溶出量最大，溶出的金属多源于可交换态和碳酸盐结合态，说明这两种形态的稳定性较差。（２）在模拟酸雨条件下，Ｃｕ，Ｐｂ，Ｚｎ，Ｃｒ各形态的含量发生了较大变化；Ｃｕ从其优势形态有机结合态向可交换态     

酵母融合菌对铬离子的吸附特性研究

酵母融合菌的完整细胞、细胞壁、细胞内含物富集水体中的铬,比较了各组分对铬离子的吸附能力差异,并进行了模型拟合.结果表明:细胞壁的去除率和吸附量都明显高于完整细胞;完整细胞及细胞壁对铬的吸附均符合Freundlich和Langmuir热力学方程,且细胞壁对Cr6 的最大吸附量和吸附亲和力都大于完整细胞,说明细胞壁是该吸附剂吸附重金属离子的主要部位.同时利用多种分析手段研究了各组分对铬的吸附行为:酵母细胞壁的特殊结构以及AFM图显示细胞壁可以为活性基团吸附、络合或螯合金属离子提供更为广阔的空间;X-射线衍射和FTIR分析检测表明吸附剂对铬的吸附并未破坏其本身的结构.     

铜陵矿区土壤中镉存在形态及生物有效性

采取Tessier连续提取法，研究铜陵矿区不同功能区表层土壤中镉的化学形态分布和生物有效性。结果表明，各种土壤中的镉含量全部高于地区背景值，主要来源与矿业活动有关，部分样品还有矿体的风化富集叠加，土壤镉污染指数PCd为1．15～79。镉含量依次为矿体风化土壤→废矿堆下垫土→市郊菜地土→矿区铜草土、路边土和稻田土→其它土壤。其形态分布，酸性土壤中以Fe-Mn氧化态和可交换态为主，其余三态相对较低；碱性土壤中有机态和残渣态比例较高，碳酸盐态和可交换态所占的比例低。土壤中生物可利用态镉的含量较高，占土壤总镉的60．20%-98．3％，生物不可利用态仅占1．7％-39．2％。