Processing of antifouling paint particles by Mytilus edulis

Particles of spent antifouling paint collected from a marine boatyard were ground and subsequently administered to the filter-feeding bivalve, Mytilus edulis, maintained in static aquaria. Concentrations of Cu and Zn were measured in seawater throughout a 16 h feeding phase and a 24 h depuration phase, in rejected and egested particles collected during the respective phases, and in the organisms themselves at the end of the experiments. Concentrations and distributions of Cu and Zn in processed particles indicated that M. edulis was able to ingest paint particles, regardless of whether nutritionally viable silt was present, and no mechanism of particle discrimination was evident. Enrichment of Cu and Zn in the visceral mass of individuals and in the aqueous phase during depuration supported these assertions, although elevated concentrations in other compartments of the organism (e.g. shell, gill) suggested that biotic and abiotic uptake of aqueous metal was also important.     

根表铁膜对水稻吸收污灌土壤中的锌的影响

采用土-石英砂联合培养的盆栽试验,研究两个不同基因型的水稻根表铁膜的形成情况及其对水稻吸收污灌土中的锌的影响.结果表明,两基因型水稻在不同水分条件下根表铁膜的形成情况不同淹水条件下形成的铁膜数量最多,高于湿润和干-湿交替,后二者之间差异不明显.不同基因型水稻(金优22与90-68-2)根表铁膜的形成趋势一致,只是数量稍有差异;不同基因型秸秆及籽粒中锌的含量存在差异,不同铁处理的根表铁膜数量、地上部锌含量均不同.     

The transport of Cu and Zn from agricultural soils to surface water in a small catchment

Long-term manure-borne copper and zinc inputs (18-324 mg Cu m⁻² yr⁻¹ and 100-800 mg Zn m⁻² yr⁻¹) to grassland soils resulted in their catchment in water concentrations that often exceeded the surface water quality criteria (2 μg Cu l⁻¹ and 5 μg Zn l⁻¹). This paper compares retention and release of Cu and Zn by two types of soil, a mineral soil (MS) and a dark colored soil rich in organic matter (OS). On the basis of dry soil mass, the OS has a higher retention/affinity for Cu and Zn than the MS, but much less Zn accumulated in the MS when compared on an areal basis. This is largely because of the much smaller bulk OS density and larger dissolved metal concentrations in the OS drainage than that for the MS. However, because of the greater water retention capacity of the OS, elevated metal concentrations in the soil solution do not necessarily cause greater loss to water. It is concluded that artificially drained OS can contribute significantly to the observed elevated Cu and Zn concentrations of the river, especially during relatively dry weather conditions when the contribution of water seeping from OS to the total river water discharge becomes increasingly important.     

Soft and sour: The challenge of setting environmental quality standards for bioavailable metal concentration in Fennoscandinavian freshwaters

The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to ensure that all inland and coastal waters achieve ‘good’ water quality status. To this end, the WFD has set environmental quality standards (EQS) or Water quality criteria (WQC) for priority pollutants that include the four metals Cd, Ni, Pb and Hg. Many states have also chosen to set EQS for Cu and Zn. The use of bioavailability models to set EQS, paves the way for accepting higher local metal concentrations in waters where metal bioavailability is deemed low. The Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) concept has been proposed as a tool for estimating metal bioavailability and for calculating local EQS in the EU guidance document. The BLM estimates metal bioavailability based on the dissolved metal concentration and key ancillary water chemistry parameters (acidity, hardness and organic carbon content). The BLMs developed so far, have only been validated for water chemistry input parameters typical of Central Europe. However, the pH, alkalinity and dissolved organic carbon levels of a significant fraction of Fennoscandinavian (Finland, Norway and Sweden) freshwaters are outside the calibration range of currently available BLMs. The levels of Ca²⁺, alkalinity and pH in 75%, 29% and 22%, respectively, of the ca. 2500 Fennoscandinavian freshwater bodies investigated in this survey were outside the calibration range of tested BLMs. Moreover, a comparison of the ability of the tested BLMs to predict the acute and chronic copper toxicity to Daphnia magna and Rainbow trout indicated that the BLMs should be used with caution outside their current validation range. We conclude that more work is needed to extend the application of BLMs in the practical risk assessment to encompass a broader range of European freshwater bodies.     

关中西部某铅锌冶炼区周边土壤重金属污染特征与生态风险评价

以关中西部某铅锌冶炼区周边土壤为研究对象,采用潜在生态危害指数法对冶炼厂周边土壤的重金属污染特征和潜在生态风险进行了研究。结果表明:某铅锌冶炼区周边土壤中Pb、Zn、Cu、Cd、Cr、Hg、As、Ni的平均含量均高于陕西省土壤元素背景值。除Cr元素以外,其余7种重金属元素存在两两之间的极显著或显著的相关性。土壤中重金属污染物总的潜在生态风险指数为轻微生态风险。因此该铅锌冶炼区周边土壤存在不同程度复合污染组合类型,生态风险总体水平较低,但局部有中重度污染。     

Combined effects of adsorption and photocatalysis by hybrid TiO2/ZnO-calcium alginate beads for the removal of copper

The use of nanosized titanium dioxide(TiO_2) and zinc oxide(ZnO) in the suspension form during treatment makes the recovering and recycling of photocatalysts difficult.Hence,supported photocatalysts are preferred for practical water treatment applications.This study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of calcium alginate(CaAlg) beads that were immobilized with hybrid photocatalysts,TiO_2/ZnO to form TiO_2/ZnO-CaAlg.These immobilized beads,with three different mass ratios of TiO_2:ZnO(1:1,1:2,and 2:1) were used to remove Cu(Ⅱ) in aqueous solutions in the presence of ultraviolet light.These beads were subjected to three cycles of photocatalytic treatment with different initial Cu(Ⅱ) concentrations(10-80 ppm).EDX spectra have confirmed the inclusion of Ti and Zn on the surface of the CaAlg beads.Meanwhile,the surface morphology of the beads as determined using SEM,has indicated differences of before and after the photocatalytic treatment of Cu(Ⅱ).Among all three,the equivalent mass ratio TiO_2/ZnO-CaAlg beads have shown the best performance in removing Cu(Ⅱ) during all three recycling experiments.Those TiO_2/ZnO-CaAlg beads have also shown consistent removal of Cu,ranging from 7.14-52.0 ppm(first cycle) for initial concentrations of10-80 ppm.In comparison,bare CaAlg was only able to remove 6.9-48 ppm of similar initial Cu concentrations.Thus,the potential use of TiO_2/ZnO-CaAlg beads as environmentally friendly composite material can be further extended for heavy metal removal from contaminated water.     

基于响应面法的改性玉米芯吸附水中Zn~(2+)的工艺条件优化及机理研究

运用玉米芯作为生物吸附剂去除水溶液中Zn~(2+)。以单因素控制变量法考察了玉米芯用量、吸附时间、改性盐浓度和摇床转速对吸附性能的影响,并运用响应面法对吸附条件进行优化,通过吸附等温线、吸附动力学和热力学研究来探讨吸附机理。结果表明,当Zn~(2+)初始浓度为50 mg/L、改性盐浓度为0.26%、玉米芯用量为20 g/L、转速为203 r/min,于30℃的恒温振荡器中振荡吸附反应35 min后,吸附率可达80.40%。玉米芯对水溶液中Zn~(2+)的吸附是一个自发的吸附过程,其吸附行为符合二级反应速率方程和Langmuir吸附等温式,具有一定的应用前景。     

Biomonitoring of Lead, Zinc, and Cadmium in Streams Draining Lead-Mining and Non-Mining Areas, Southeast Missouri, USA

We evaluated exposure of aquatic biota to lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) in streams draining a Pb-mining district in southeast Missouri. Samples of plant biomass (detritus, periphyton, and filamentous algae), invertebrates (snails, crayfish, and riffle benthos), and two taxa of fish were collected from seven sites closest to mining areas (mining sites), four sites further downstream from mining (downstream sites), and eight reference sites in fall 2001. Samples of plant biomass from mining sites had highest metal concentrations, with means 10- to 60-times greater than those for reference sites. Mean metal concentrations in over 90% of samples of plant biomass from mining sites were significantly greater than those from reference sites. Mean concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in most invertebrate samples from mining sites, and mean Pb concentrations in most fish samples from mining sites, were also significantly greater than those from reference sites. Concentrations of all three metals were lower in samples from downstream sites, but several samples of plant biomass from downstream sites had metal concentrations significantly greater than those from reference sites. Analysis of supplemental samples collected in the fall of 2002, a year of above-average stream discharge, had lower Pb concentrations and higher Cd concentrations than samples collected in 2001, near the end of a multi-year drought. Concentrations of Pb measured in fish and invertebrates collected from mining sites during 2001 and 2002 were similar to those measured at nearby sites in the 1970s, during the early years of mining in the Viburnum Trend. Results of this study demonstrate that long-term Pb mining activity in southeast Missouri has resulted in significantly elevated concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn in biota of receiving streams, compared to biota of similar streams without direct influence of mining. Our results also demonstrate that metal exposure in the study area differed significantly among sample types, habitats, and years, and that these factors should be carefully considered in the design of biomonitoring studies.     

Sorption of cadmium and zinc from aqueous solutions by zeolite 4A, zeolite 13X and bentonite

The sorption and desorption of cadmium and zinc on zeolite 4A, zeolite 13X and bentonite has been studied using batch sorption studies. Parameters such as equilibrium time, effect of pH and sorbent dose were studied. The sorbents exhibited good sorption potential for cadmium and zinc with a peak value at pH 6.0 and 6.5, respectively. The sorption followed the Freundlich sorption model. More than 70% sorption occurred within 20 min and equilibrium was attained at around 90 min for the three sorbents. The metals sorption by zeolite 4A was higher than that by zeolite 13X and bentonite. The desorption studies were carried out using NaCl solution and the effect of NaCl concentration on desorption was also studied. Maximum desorption of 76% for cadmium and 80% for zinc occurred with 10% NaCl.     

Comparison of zinc complexation properties of dissolved natural organic matter from different surface waters

The zinc binding characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) from several representative surface waters were studied and compared. NOM samples were concentrated by reverse osmosis. The samples were treated in the laboratory to remove trace metals. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) was used to study zinc complexing properties of those NOM samples at fixed pH, ionic strength, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Experimental data were compared to the predictions from the Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM) Version VI. At the same pH, ionic strength, and temperature, the zinc titration curves for NOM samples from different surface water sources tested in our study almost overlapped each other, indicating similarity in zinc binding properties of the NOM. A discrete two-site model gave good fits to our experimental titration data. Non-linear fitting by FITEQL 4.0 shows that the conditional zinc binding constants at the same pH are similar for NOM from different sources, indicating that zinc complexation characteristics of the NOM used in our study do not depend on their origin and one set of binding parameters can be used to represent Zn-NOM complexation for NOM samples from those different surface water sources representing geographically diverse locations. In addition, the total ligand concentrations (L(1,T), L(2,T), and L(T)) of all NOM show no observable gradation with increasing pH (L(1,T)=2.06+/-0.80 mmol/g carbon; L(2,T)=0.12+/-0.04 mmol/g carbon; L(T)=2.18+/-0.78 mmol/g carbon), while the conditional binding constants of zinc by NOM (logK(ZnL)(c)) show a linear increase with increasing pH(logK(1)(c)(pH=6.0)=4.69+/-0.25; logK(1)(c)(pH=7.0)=4.94+/-0.10; logK(1)(c)(pH=8.0)=5.25+/-0.006; logK(2)(c)(pH=6.0)=6.29+/-0.13; logK(2)(c)(pH=7.0)=6.55+/-0.08; logK(2)(c)(pH=8.0)=6.86+/-0.023) with a slope of ca. 0.28, indicating the zinc-NOM complexes become more stable at higher pH. The WHAM VI predicted free zinc ion activities at high zinc concentrations agree with our experimental results at pH 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0. However, the zinc binding of these NOM samples is over estimated by WHAM VI at zinc concentrations below 10(-6) M at pH 8.0.