Heavy metals contamination in mudflat and mangrove sediments (Mumbai,India)

The focus of this study, carried out on mudflat and mangrove sediments of Ulhas Estuary and Thane Creek in Mumbai, India, documents how sediment analysis in different ecosystems can help in understanding metal behaviour and pollution status of the region. Based on the the geoaccumulation index (I _geo ), the study shows that the estuarine and creek regions, being recipients of industrial and domestic wastes, display moderate pollution. Ulhas Estuary with higher clay and organic matter contents, exhibits higher amounts of metals than Thane Creek. Furthermore, using correlation and cluster analyses, the creek projects stable subenvironments with similar types of metal associations, with Fe and total organic carbon as the dominant metal carriers. By contrast, in the estuarine subenvironments, the metal associations do not reveal any distinct trend, which may be attributed to the disturbance caused by dredging activities routinely carried out in the region. Factor analysis carried out on I _geo data in both regions further helped in identifying polluted metal groups.     

Evaluation of the use of bioaccumulation and biological effects tools in caged mussels,within the European Water Framework Directive

Bioaccumulation and biological effects of pollution were assessed in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) caged for one month at three sites in the Oiartzun estuary (south-eastern Bay of Biscay, Spain) with the aim of evaluating their usefulness within the investigative monitoring defined in the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD). The highest concentrations of organic contaminants determined in mussels' tissue were detected towards the inner part of the estuary but no gradient pattern was found for metal bioaccumulation. Population fitness responses measured as condition index, stress on stress and gonad index were similar in all caged mussels and did not follow the organic pollution gradient. However, biomarkers determined at tissue, cell and protein level (histopathology, micronuclei frequency, malondialdehyde levels and vitellogenin-like protein levels) revealed a higher stress syndrome at the inner part of the estuary showing signs of genotoxicity, oxidative stress and endocrine disruption. Overall, the integrated chemical–biological approach in connection with mussel caging technique proved to be a useful tool to assess environmental pollution, allowing a better understanding of the cause–effect relationship within the investigative monitoring defined in the WFD.     

珠江口水、沉积物及生物体As含量分布特征及生态风险评价

于2008年2、5、8及11月对珠江口进行了水、沉积物和生物体As含量的调查,分析其分布特征以及进行生态评价。结果表明：珠江口水体中As含量平均值为2.88μg·L-1,符合一类海水水质标准;其中,11月份显著高于其它3个月份(P <0.05)。全年珠江口水体八个河口在地域分布上As平均含量由高到低依次为：虎门、鸡啼门、磨刀门、崖门、洪沥门、蕉门、横门、虎跳门。表层沉积物As含量平均值为38.73 mg·kg-1,沉积物中As含量均超过海洋沉积物质量一类标准,但均未超三类标准。结果显示,表层沉积物横门含量最高,为(70.5±2.0) mg·kg-1,显著高于其它7个口门(P <0.05),而其它7个口门差异不显著。各口门含量从大到小依次为横门、洪沥门、鸡啼门、虎门、崖门、磨刀门、虎跳门、蕉门。表层沉积物地质累积指数评价结果与潜在生态风险系数评价结果一致,横门为中等污染水平,其余站点均为低污染水平。采集代表性生物样品,其中11种鱼类As平均含量为0.587 mg·kg-1,部分受检鱼类超出水产品中有毒有害物质限量要求,超标率为37.8%,肉食性鱼类平均含量要略低于杂食性鱼类,但不同食性和不同生活水层的鱼类As含量差异不显著(P >0.05)。受检生物样品虾的含量为0.314 mg·kg-1,符合水产品中有毒有害物质限量要求。与历年比较发现珠江口水、沉积物和生物体中As含量有上升的趋势,与其它河口相比较发现珠江口As污染在对比的河口和海湾中受污染程度较高。     

珠江八大入海口表层沉积物中DDTs和HCHs残留调查

于2010年8月-2011年5月4次采集珠江八大人海口表层沉积物,采用气相色谱-电子捕获（GC—ECD）法分析沉积物中DDTs（p,P’-DDE、P,P’-DDD、0,P’-DDT、P,P-DDT）和HCHs（α-HCH、β-HCH、γ-HCH、δ-HCH）的污染现状。结果显示,珠江8大人海口表层沉积物中DDTs总含量介于1．02—3．08μg·kg-1之间（以干质量计,下同）,平均值为1．91μg·kg-1;HCHs总含量介于0．21—0．41μg·kg-1之间,平均值为0．31μg·kg-1。DDTs平均含量大于HCHs,其中P,P。DDT对污染的贡献最大,含量范围为ND～7．66μg·kg-1,平均值为2．12μg·kg-1。大部分样点伽（α-HCH）／w（γ-HCH）比值小于3,说明研究区α-HCH大都被降解,或者林丹正取代工业HCHs成为珠江口水环境中HCHs输入的主要来源;甜（DDT）／w（DDD＋DDE）比值大于2,表明沉积物中除早期农药残留外,仍然有新的DDTs类农药输入。     

长江流域污染物输出对河口水质的影响

基于EFDC模型建立长江口及邻近海域三维水质模型,模拟2004—2007年不同水期的ρ(COD_Mn)、ρ(DIN)、ρ(PO₄3--P)状况,分析水质分布的变化特征,研究流域污染物输出对河口水质分布的影响. 根据GB 3097—1997《海水水质标准》,长江口门以上ρ(COD_Mn)为Ⅱ类水质,ρ(DIN)、ρ(PO₄3--P)为劣Ⅳ类,并且有明显的分层现象. 枯水期各指标等值线均向东北方向延伸,丰水期和平水期向东南延伸,丰水期流域污染物输出对河口水质的影响最大,不同类别水体的分布形态和水体面积年际变化不明显. 按不同时期ρ(COD_Mn)、ρ(DIN)、ρ(PO₄3--P)分布面积进行统计,长江口ρ(COD_Mn)、ρ(DIN)、ρ(PO₄3--P)分布与流域污染物输出之间有显著关系,河口水质分布面积与流域污染物输出之间存在定量的压力-响应关系.ρ(COD_Mn)、ρ(DIN)、ρ(PO₄3--P)达Ⅳ类以上水体面积(y)与流域污染物输出通量(x)的关系分别为:y_CODMn=2 061.4 ln x_CODMn-15 357.0,y_DIN=1 386.8 ln x_DIN-6 546.1,y_PO43--P=2 219.3 ln x_PO43--P-6 166.1.      

鸭绿江口及毗邻浅海沉积物重金属富集特征与潜在生态风险比较

为研究鸭绿江河口及毗邻浅海沉积物中重金属的污染状况,比较了鸭绿江口及毗邻浅海表层沉积物重金属的富集系数、多金属污染度的沿程变化,分析了重金属的分布富集规律;讨论了采用不同的背景值在潜在生态风险指数、地累积指数、生物效应浓度3种评价方法中的差异及其对生态风险评价结果的影响. 结果表明:鸭绿江口及毗邻浅海的潜在生态风险总体属于低风险等级,其中毗邻浅海和潮滩的重金属污染较轻,西汊道的污染相对较重. 重金属的高值分布区与混浊带具有一定的对应关系,但受人类活动的影响更大,对鸭绿江口及毗邻浅海表层沉积物重金属污染生态风险评价贡献率较高的重金属污染因子是Cu,Hg和Cd.      

曹妃甸老龙口现代沉积环境及重金属污染特征研究

利用测年、重金属测定、粒度测定等方法,对河北曹妃甸老龙口区域的7个柱状沉积物进行了粒度、沉积物的测年、重金属含量测定和分析,探讨潮滩重金属沉积的控制因素和迁移规律.结果显示,老龙口潮滩属于细沙和粉沙,根据同位素测年结果,L06沉积速率最大,为0.90cm/a;其余柱状样沉积速率均小于0.5cm/a,平均沉积速率为0.32cm/a,曹妃甸潮滩属于缓慢沉积;柱状样垂直方向波动剧烈,受人类活动影响明显.重金属的含量在柱样的30~40cm深度呈现向表层递增的趋势,Hg、Cr的污染比较严重、其他元素基本无污染.虽然多数重金属元素在背景值附近没有出现污染现象,生态危害性极低,但是,受Pb、Hg中度重金属生态危害的影响,该区域多种重金属生态危害指数(ERI)达158.41,表现为中等程度的生态危害性;存在一定的潜在生态风险.     

Rookery Bay and Naples Bay circulation simulations: Applications to tides and fresh water inflow regulation

A three-dimensional, baroclinic numerical circulation model is applied to the combined Rookery Bay and Naples Bay estuary complex. We focus on two aspects of the model simulations: the tidal circulation, for which we have observations of sea level and currents at several stations spanning Rookery Bay, and the salinity variations, for which we have observations at one station. After establishing model veracity through quantitative comparisons with observations, we use the model to address salinity changes that could arise due to regulatory fresh water flow rate modifications. Two different sets of experiments are performed. The first considers the salinity changes in Rookery Bay by increasing the fresh water flow rates into Henderson Creek through the addition of either 1.4 m³/s or 2.8 m³/s to the ambient flow rates. The second considers the salinity changes in Naples Bay by decreasing the fresh water flow rates through the subtraction of 9.9 m³/s from the Golden Gate Canals’ ambient flow rates. All of these scenarios result in significant, quantifiable salinity changes within the Rookery Bay and Naples Bay estuary complexes, demonstrating the environmental management utility of using high resolution, three-dimensional, numerical circulation models, as applied herein, for assessing the water properties of complex, multi-connected estuarine systems.     

Modeling estuarine-shelf exchanges in a deltaic estuary: Implications for coastal carbon budgets and hypoxia

The export of wetland-derived materials to the coastal ocean (i.e., the “Outwelling” hypothesis) has received considerable attention over the past several decades. While a number of studies have shown that estuaries export appreciable amounts of nutrients and carbon, few studies have attempted to estimate the importance of estuarine sources for the coastal carbon budgets in river-dominated coastal ecosystems. A novel tidal prism model was developed to examine estuarine-shelf exchanges in the Barataria estuary, a deltaic estuary located in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. This estuary has been the site of a massive wetland loss, and it has been hypothesized that carbon export from the eroding coastal wetlands supports the development of a large hypoxic zone in the coastal Gulf of Mexico. The model results show that the Barataria estuary receives nitrogen through the tidal passes and releases carbon to the coastal ocean. The mean calculated tidal water discharge of 6930 m³ s⁻¹ is equivalent to about 43% of the lower Mississippi River discharge. The annual total organic carbon (TOC) export is 109 million kg, or 57 gC m² yr⁻¹ when prorated to the total water area of the estuary. This carbon export is equivalent to a loss of 0.5 m of wetland soil horizon over an area of 8.4 km², and accounts for about 34% of the observed annual wetland loss in the estuary between 1978 and 2000. Compared to the lower Mississippi River, the Barataria estuary appears to be a very small source of TOC for the northern Gulf of Mexico (2.7% of riverine TOC), and is unlikely to have a significant influence on the development of the Gulf's hypoxia.