A mathematical model to estimate nitrate release from ocher pellets applied to anaerobic benthic sediment

A mathematical model was developed to estimate nitrate release from ocher pellets in benthic sediment. Ocher pellets, called “limnomedicine,” consisting of ocher and calcium nitrate were used to suppress phosphorus release from contaminated sediment under anaerobic conditions. The proposed model represents the fate and transport of nitrate released from the pellets, in both the water column and the sediment. Most of the nitrate (83.6%) released from the pellets was consumed in the degradation of organic matter and FeS in the sediment over a period of 12 days. While an increase in pellet dosage helps to accelerate the sediment treatment rate, it also has the effect of increasing the mass of nitrate that diffuses into the water column. Quantitative analysis of these effects using the proposed mathematical model makes it possible to determine the proper pellet dosage based on sediment conditions such as organic matter content.     

Evaluating the coastal environment for marine birds

The marine environment is being increasingly exploited by fisheries and the oil and gas industry. Conservationists urgently need the ability to identify the processes that determine patterns of abundance of marine species. We describe a preliminary Geographic Information System (GIS) in which spatial data on environmental variables (seabird colony locations, sea depth and seabed sediments) are integrated with realistic energy constraints faced by marine birds during the breeding season. A simple foraging model predicts the spatial variation in the quality of given locations as potential feeding sites under different feeding conditions and stages of the breeding cycle. We show how the approach can be used to help managers identify key marine areas and assess the impacts of environmental change or damage.     

常州市河流重金属污染评价

通过分析2004年常州市河流沉积物重金属的含量,利用地积累指数法,定量评价了河流底泥中重金属污染程度。结果表明:常州市河流底泥已经受到重金属的污染,尤其是Hg污染最为严重。各重金属对常州市河流污染的程度为:Hg>Cd>Cu>Zn>Pb>Cr>As。     

Effects of channel incision on base flow stream habitats and fishes

Channel incision is a widespread phenomenon that results in stream and riparian habitat degradation. Fishes and physical habitat variables were sampled at base flow from three incised stream channels and one reference stream in northwest Mississippi, USA, to quantify incision effects on fish habitat and provide a basis for habitat rehabilitation planning and design. Incised channels were sampled in spring and autumn; the reference channel was sampled only in the autumn. Incised channel habitat quality was inferior to the reference channel despite the presence of structures designed to restore channel stability. Incised channels had physical habitat diversity levels similar to a nonincised reference channel, but contained fewer types of habitat. At base flow, incised channels were dominated by shallow, sandy habitats, moderate to high mean local Froude numbers, and had relatively little organic debris in their beds. In contrast, the reference stream had greater mean water depth, contained more woody debris, and provided more deep pool habitat. Fish assemblages in incised channels were composed of smaller fishes representing fewer species relative to the reference site. Fish species richness was directly proportional to the mean local Froude number, an indicator of the availability of pool habitat.     

‘Tolerable’ hillslope soil erosion rates in Australia: Linking science and policy

This paper reviews water-borne soil erosion in Australia in the context of current environmental policy needs. Sustainability has emerged as a central tenet of environmental policy in Australia and water-borne hillslope soil erosion rates are used as one of the indicators of agricultural sustainability in State of the Environment reporting. We review attempts to quantify hillslope erosion rates over Australia and we identify areas at risk of exceeding natural baseline rates. We also review historical definitions of sustainable, or ‘tolerable’ erosion rates, and how to set these rates. There are many ways to estimate hillslope erosion and these can create confusing results. Moreover their application for land management purposes requires nuanced interpretations that ultimately depend on the desired objective of decision-makers. Soil is the earth surficial material that serves as a medium for plant growth and the notion of tolerable soil erosion arose historically to assess the impact of soil loss on agricultural uses. However now that the impact of erosion on aquatic ecosystems been recognized as a major concern for Australia, the concept of tolerable erosion needs to be revised. Here we discuss three definitions of tolerable soil erosion, following recent literature. We derive estimates of long-term agricultural sustainability based on natural soil production rates and discuss this in relation to other defined land-management objectives such as aquatic ecosystem health. We conclude that the desired objectives of land managers must be clearly articulated before questions of ‘where to invest to control erosion’ and ‘how to assess return-on-investment’ can be answered.     

Prioritising catchment management projects to improve marine water quality

Runoff from human land-uses is one of the most significant threats to some coastal marine environments. Initiatives to reduce that runoff usually set runoff reduction targets but do not give guidance on how to prioritize the different options that exist to achieve them. This paper demonstrates an easy to interpret economic framework to prioritise investment for conservation projects that aim to reduce pollution of marine ecosystems caused by runoff from agricultural land-uses. We demonstrate how to apply this framework using data on project cost, benefit and feasibility with a subset of projects that have been funded to reduce runoff from subcatchments adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. Our analysis provides a graphical overview of the cost-effectiveness of the investment options, enables transparent planning for different budgets, assesses the existence of trends in the cost-effectiveness of different categories, and can test if the results are robust under uncertainty in one or more of the parameters. The framework provided solutions that were up to 4 times more efficient than when omitting information on cost or benefit. The presented framework can be used as a benchmark for evaluating results from a range of prioritisation processes against the best possible conservation outcomes.     

粤西三座重要供水水库沉积物营养盐负荷与重金属污染特征

为揭示粤西3座供水水库（高州水库、鹤地水库、大水桥水库）沉积物营养盐负荷及重金属污染特征,于2008年6月在各水库大坝前湖泊区采集柱状沉积物,运用SMT法、碱性过硫酸钾消解法、烧失法和ICP-MS法分别测定其柱状沉积物中氮磷营养盐、有机质和7种重金属（Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd、Ni、Cr与Hg）的含量,并采用潜在生态风险指数法对表层重金属污染的潜在生态风险进行评价,同时通过相关性分析重金属的可能来源。结果表明：3座水库沉积物总氮质量分数为1.13~3.37 mg·g-1,有机质为11.83~20.37 mg·g-1,其表层总氮、有机质的质量分数大小顺序为高州水库〉大水桥水库〉鹤地水库,总磷的质量浓度在0.22~0.77 mg·g-1之间,其表层总磷质量分数大小顺序为高州水库〉鹤地水库〉大水桥水库,在垂直剖面上,总氮、总磷与有机质的质量分数在16 cm至表层沉积物垂直断面显著高于其他断面,表明近些年来水库内源营养盐负荷逐渐加重。重金属质量分数平均值均高于广东省土壤环境背景值,总体呈现随深度增加而降低的趋势,但3座水库间重金属质量分数差异较大,其中鹤地和高州水库的Zn和Pb污染相对严重（质量分数分别为Zn：353.15、693.35 mg·kg-1;Pb：74.51、127.91 mg·kg-1）,大水桥水库的Cr和Ni污染相对严重（质量分数分别为Cr：238.69 mg·kg-1;Ni：251.06 mg·kg-1）。潜在生态风险评价表明,3座水库Cd和Hg具有高的生态危害,应引起重视,其他重金属则处于轻微的生态危害等级。同时沉积物高有机质的质量浓度经矿化分解可能加剧水体重金属生态危害。根据相关性分析和其他相关资料可知,粤西农业区大量化肥农药面源污染汇入造成水库初级生产力提高并最终沉降可能是沉积物营养盐、有机质与重金属的主要来源。     

Distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,polychlorinated dibenzofurans,dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediment of Temsah lake,Suez Canal,Egypt

Lake Temsah is one of the main wetlands in the Suez Canal region, and the main source for fish for the area. The lake is the end-point of several wastewater effluents. In the present study, residues of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were monitored in the sediment of the lake. Samples were collected from six different sampling stations around the lake using a box-corer sampler, then kept frozen. Samples were extracted and cleaned up before residue determination was conducted using an HRGC/HRMS. An HP 6890 plus gas chromatograph was coupled to a Micromass Autospec Ultima mass spectrometer operating in EI mode at 35 eV and with a resolution of 10.000 (5% valley). PCDDs and PCDFs were detected in all sediment samples collected from various sampling stations. Results showed some progressive increase in PCDDs concentrations relevant to increase in chlorination. In the PCDD group of congeners, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 octa-CDD had the highest detected concentrations in all samples, while 2, 3, 7, 8 tetra-CDD showed the lowest concentrations. The World Health Organization toxicity equivalents ranged from 0.387 to 11.20 ng kg^?1 d.w. For PCDD homologues, hexa-CDD was the most dominant homologue in all sediment samples analysed. Regarding dioxin-like PCBs, results showed that IUPAC No. 118 congener, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, pentachlorobiphenyl was the most concentrated of all detected congeners, with concentrations ranging between 0.039 and 43.201 µg kg^?1. For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzo(b+k+j)fluoranthene had the highest concentrations in almost all sampling stations. However, fluorene was the smallest detected concentration in almost all stations. This result would indicate that PAH contamination of the lake seems to be coming from one main source in all sampling stations. The present work is the first record of PCCDs, PCCFs, and dioxin-like PCBs in the Temsah lake. The concentrations of the contaminants monitored in this study, especially those of PAHs, are rather alarming. Efforts should be made to stop point sources that contaminate the lake.     

Influence of the mineralogical composition on microbial activities in marine sediments: an experimental approach

We investigated the influence of the mineralogical composition of marine sediments on bacterial activity in experimental microcosms. Calcite and quartz were added to natural marine sediments and microbial response in terms of total bacterial abundance and biomass, β-D-glucosidase exo-enzymatic activity and bacterial incorporation of a radio-labelled (³H-leucine) substrate were investigated for a period of one month. We report here that after 15 days the mineralogical composition of the sediment (calcite vs. quartz) had an impact on bacterial abundance and activity (reduced for ca 15% and 56%, respectively). However, such impact was mitigated or even disappeared in high organic nutrient conditions.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylphenols in sediments from the Odra River and its tributaries,Poland

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) were measured in sediments collected during June–August 1998 along the Odra River and its tributaries (Warta, Obrzyca, Barycz, Kaczawa and Bóbr Rivers) in Poland. In addition, raw and treated sewage sludge collected from Gdańsk, Poland, were analyzed for the target compounds. Concentrations of PCBs in sediments varied widely, ranging from 2.7 to 412?ng/g, on a dry weight basis (dry wt). PAHs were the predominant compounds in sediments with concentrations ranging from 150 to 19?000?ng/g, dry wt. The distribution of concentrations of PAHs was more homogenous than that of PCBs. NP concentrations in sediments ranged from <1 to 762?ng/g, while that of OP from <1 to 9.8?ng/g, dry wt. Measured concentrations of target analytes in sediments of the Odra River and its tributaries were comparable to or greater than those reported for riverine sediments in other eastern European countries. Concentrations of total PCBs, PAHs and NP in raw and treated sewage sludge collected from a sewage treatment plant in Gdańsk, Poland, were in the ranges of 203–284, 11?720–13?880 and 6760–99?600?ng/g, dry wt, respectively. Primary treatment of sewage did not appear to reduce PCB or PAH concentrations, although NP and OP concentrations were much less in treated sludge than in raw sludge. This is one of a few studies that document concentrations of PCBs, PAHs and NP in sediments of the Odra River and its tributaries in Poland.