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.     

国家濒危植物永瓣藤分布的土壤环境特征

永瓣藤(Monimopetalum chinense)是卫矛科(Celastraceae)的一个中国特有单型属植物,被列为国家二级稀有濒危保护物种。本文对永瓣藤分布区14个样地土壤样品的pH值、有机质、全氮、水解氮、硝态氮、全磷、速效磷和全钾进行了检测分析,以期弄清该物种分布与土壤环境因子的关系。结果表明,其pH值的变化幅度为4.55～5.57,主要处于强酸性范围,适应幅度较窄。有机质与氮素非常丰富,相互间具有明显的相关性,有利于永瓣藤的生长与繁衍,但土壤中磷、钾素较为缺乏。土壤酸碱度和有机质的质量分数在某种程度上对永瓣藤的分布范围具有制约作用。     

珍稀濒危植物金花茶地理分布与生境调查研究

为了对珍稀濒危植物金花茶(Camellia nitidissima)进行有效保护,通过实地调查和相关资料分析,对其地理分布与生境进行了系统的调查研究。调查结果表明:(1)金花茶主要分布在广西西南部的防城、南宁、隆安、扶绥等县(市)。位于北纬21°30′～22°55′,东经107°36′～108°33′区域内。金花茶的垂直分布高度在12～450m之间,以海拔200～300m之间的范围较为常见。(2)金花茶为喜暖热植物,对热量要求较高,属热带性树种。金花茶不能忍耐阳光直射,为喜荫耐荫植物,要求的光合有效辐射一般小于photons12.8μmol?m-2?s-1。(3)金花茶群落植物组成种类多样,且多属热带性树种。组成群落主要科有橄榄科(Burseraceae)、山榄科(Sapotaceae)、大戟科(Euphorbiaceae)、桑科(Moraceae)、藤黄科(Guttiferae)、无患子科(Sapindaceae)、番荔枝科(Annonaceae)、梧桐科(Sterculiaceae)的种类。研究结果摸清了金花茶的地理分布和主要生态特性,为金花茶的引种驯化和种质资源的保存提供科学依据。     

红壤丘陵区晚稻生长期间CO2的排放与固定规律

采用静态箱法对红壤丘陵区稻田生态系统CO2排放与固定进行定位观测.结果表明,晚稻生长期间稻田生态系统CO2通量的日变化随天气条件(晴天、雨天、阴天)的变化而变化,CO2日净固定量在晚稻生长期间波动性很大,最高达10.35 g·m-2·d-1,在晚稻成熟期表现为CO2负固定,为-0.92 g·m-2·d-1;整个晚稻生育期,稻田生态系统CO2累积排放量和土壤呼吸CO2排放量分别为20.4和6.3 t·hm-2,稻田生态系统CO2累积排放量与水稻生物量之间存在极显著幂函数关系.在整个晚稻生育期,稻田生态系统从大气中吸收碳量为3.85 ～4.00 t·hm-2.     

Application of adaptive cluster sampling to low-density populations of freshwater mussels

Freshwater mussels appear to be promising candidates for adaptive cluster sampling because they are benthic macroinvertebrates that cluster spatially and are frequently found at low densities. We applied adaptive cluster sampling to estimate density of freshwater mussels at 24 sites along the Cacapon River, WV, where a preliminary timed search indicated that mussels were present at low density. Adaptive cluster sampling increased yield of individual mussels and detection of uncommon species; however, it did not improve precision of density estimates. Because finding uncommon species, collecting individuals of those species, and estimating their densities are important conservation activities, additional research is warranted on application of adaptive cluster sampling to freshwater mussels. However, at this time we do not recommend routine application of adaptive cluster sampling to freshwater mussel populations. The ultimate, and currently unanswered, question is how to tell when adaptive cluster sampling should be used, i.e., when is a population sufficiently rare and clustered for adaptive cluster sampling to be efficient and practical? A cost-effective procedure needs to be developed to identify biological populations for which adaptive cluster sampling is appropriate.     

模拟酸雨对土柱中稀土元素迁移的影响

模拟研究酸雨对土柱中稀土元素迁移的影响.结果表明,在雨水、酸雨淋溶下,对照组红壤土柱中所含稀土元素有向下迁移的趋势,并且随淋溶液pH值的降低,稀土元素向下迁移的能力增加.外源稀土迁移量的大小顺序为;Ce>La>Nd>Pr,其顺序与各稀土元素在稀土微肥中含量大小的顺序相同.表明外源稀土的迁移性与外源稀土的总量密切相关.外源稀土在土柱中的含量随着红壤深度的增加而减少,稀土元素主要在土柱中第一、二层持留;随着淋溶液酸度的下降,稀土元素向下迁移的能力增加.     

人地协同论：可持续发展模型构建的基础

人地协同论是在陆地系统科学、非线性系统理论基础上建立起来的关于可持续发展的一个数理模型,它以社会与自然的交互作用、交界面性质及其演化规律为研究对象。本文根据系统生态学理论,提出了关于可持续生存的数学定义。     

初论元素富集成矿的地球化学机理—以岩浆热液矿床的形成为例

元素富集成矿的过程实质上是元素在地球不同圈层和不同相以及不同集合体之间分配的结果。元素的富集起始于地球形成的初期。对于大多数金属成矿元素 ,地壳特别是上地壳是大多数矿石和矿胎的储库 ,地壳丰度是元素富集成矿的物质基础。元素在地质体系演化共存相间的分配是元素富集成矿的关键过程。对于以侵入体为中心的热液矿床的形成 ,岩浆部分熔融、结晶分异、液态分离、挥发分分离以及气液相不混溶等过程能够导致金属元素最终达到矿石级的富集。挥发分则是元素富集成矿的重要制约因素     

炼铁上料系统除尘设计体会点滴

就炼铁高炉矿槽除尘系统的方式，提出了一些革新的措施，涉及到阀门、吸气罩、风幕及控制方法等     

新疆赛都糜棱岩型金矿的矿石矿物学特征

本文首次详细论述了赛都糜棱岩型金矿的矿石类型、矿石组构和金属矿物的特征，对金矿物特征和金的赋存状态作了详细描述，并在矿石矿物学分析基础上提出了该金矿的矿化阶段。