New best estimates for radionuclide solid–liquid distribution coefficients in soils. Part 3: miscellany of radionuclides (Cd,Co, Ni,Zn, I,Se, Sb,Pu, Am,and others)

New best estimates for the solid–liquid distribution coefficient (K_d) for a set of radionuclides are proposed, based on a selective data search and subsequent calculation of geometric means. The K_d best estimates are calculated for soils grouped according to the texture and organic matter content. For a limited number of radionuclides this is extended to consider soil cofactors affecting soil–radionuclide interaction, such as pH, organic matter content, and radionuclide chemical speciation. Correlations between main soil properties and radionuclide K_d are examined to complete the information derived from the best estimates with a rough prediction of K_d based on soil parameters. Although there are still gaps for many radionuclides, new data from recent studies improve the calculation of K_d best estimates for a number of radionuclides, such as selenium, antimony, and iodine.     

Characterization of distribution of pesticide residues in crop units

The characteristic features of distribution of pesticide residues in crop units and single sample increments were studied based on more than 19,000 residue concentrations measured in root vegetables, leafy vegetables, small-, medium- and large-size fruits representing 20 different crops and 46 pesticides. Log-normal, gamma and Weibull distributions were found to provide the best fit for the relative frequency distributions of individual residue data sets. The overall best fit was provided by lognormal distribution. The relative standard deviation of residues (CV) in various crops ranged from 15–170%. The 100–120 residue values being in one data set was too small to identify potential effects of various factors such as the chemical and physical properties of pesticides and the nature of crops. Therefore, the average of CV values, obtained from individual data sets, were calculated and considered to be the best estimate for the likely variability of unit crop residues for treated field (CV = 0.8) and market samples (CV = 1.1), respectively. The larger variation of residues in market samples was attributed to the potential mixing of lots and varying proportion of non-detects. The expectable average variability of residues in composited samples can be calculated from the typical values taking into account the sample size.     

南京市冬季大气颗粒态汞的分布特征

采集了南京市2012年冬季4个功能区的PM2．5、PM10、TSP样品，对不同粒径大气颗粒物中的颗粒态汞测试。结果表明，南京冬季大气颗粒物TSP中汞的质量浓度为49．26 pg/m3～257．14 pg/m3，平均质量浓度为161．27 pg/m3；PM10中汞的质量浓度为44．82 pg/m3～228．29 pg/m3，平均质量浓度为147．38 pg/m3；PM2．5中汞的质量浓度为35．98 pg/m3～178．58 pg/m3，平均质量浓度为104．10 pg/m3。不同功能区大气颗粒态汞质量浓度的分布趋势为：交通综合区＞旅游区＞住宿综合区＞商业区。大气颗粒态汞60％以上存在于可吸入肺的PM2．5中，细颗粒物富集汞的能力比粗颗粒物强。     

Distribution and bioavailability of ceria nanoparticles in an aquatic ecosystem model

Along with the increasing utilization of engineered nanoparticles, there is a growing concern for the potential environmental and health effects of exposure to these newly designed materials. Understanding the behavior of nanoparticles in the environment is a basic need. The present study aims to investigate the distribution and fate of ceria nanoparticles in an aquatic system model which consists of sediments, water, hornworts, fish and snails, using a radiotracer technique. Concentrations of ceria in the samples at regular time intervals were measured. Ceria nanoparticles were readily removed from the water column and partitioned between different organisms. Both snail and fish have fast absorption and clearance abilities. Hornwort has the highest bioaccumulation factors. At the end of the experiment, sediments accumulated most of the nanoparticles with a recovery of 75.7 ± 27.3% of total ceria nanoparticles, suggesting that sediments are major sinks of ceria nanoparticles.     

Heavy metal distribution and speciation in the Northern Adriatic Sea

In the present study the concentrations of cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, zinc were analysed and the speciation of copper and zinc performed, with a summer and winter sampling, for two areas in the Northern Adriatic Sea and crossing at the farthest zones of the Po river-sea water interface. Results show that when salinity increases the concentrations of all investigated metals (with the exception of cobalt) present some degree of biogeochemical cycling. Copper is the element whose dissolved phase has the highest importance in metal transport across the salinity gradient. Results of speciation analysis demonstrate that the presence of excess amounts (5-8 fold) of unbound ligands confers a buffering capacity for potential inputs of dissolved metals into the Northern Adriatic Sea. The speciation of both copper and zinc in the dissolved phase was dominated by organic complexation.     

An investigation of changes in water quality throughout the drinking water production/distribution chain using toxicological and fluorescence analyses

Changes in water quality from source water to finished water and tap water at two conventional drinking water treatment plants(DWTPs) were monitored.Beside the routine water quality testing,Caenorhabditis elegans-based toxicity assays and the fluorescence excitation–emission matrices technique were also applied.Both DWTPs supplied drinking water that met government standards.Under current test conditions,both the investigated finished water and tap water samples exhibited stronger lethal,genotoxic and reprotoxic potential than the relative source water sample,and the tap water sample was more lethal but tended to be less genotoxic than the corresponding finished water sample.Meanwhile,the nearly complete removal of tryptophan-like substances and newly generated tyrosine-like substances were observed after the treatment of drinking water,and humic-like substances were identified in the tap water.Based on these findings,toxic pollutants,including genotoxic/reproductive toxicants,are produced in the drinking water treatment and/or distribution processes.Moreover,further studies are needed to clarify the potentially important roles of tyrosine-like and humic-like substances in mediating drinking water toxicity and to identify the potential sources of these contaminants.Additionally,tryptophan-like fluorescence may be adopted as a useful parameter to monitor the treatment performance of DWTPs.Our observations provided insights into the importance of utilizing biotoxicity assays and fluorescence spectroscopy as tools to complement the routine evaluation of drinking water.     

小飞扬草(Euphorbia thymifolia L.)中镉的亚细胞分布及化学形态

采用差速离心法和逐步提取法,分析Cd超积累植物小飞扬草根、茎、叶中Cd的亚细胞分布和化学形态.培养液中Cd浓度5mg/L和10 mg/L条件下,在小飞扬草根、茎、叶中,细胞壁和细胞膜是Cd主要的结合场所,含量分别占总量的47.1％～49.0％、39.7％～41.4％、42.9％～56.2％,其次是胞液组分,含量分别占37.5％～41.4％、28.2％～40.7％、35.2％～46.8％,细胞器组分中Cd含量较少.Cd在小飞扬草根、茎、叶中均以氯化钠提取态为主,含量分别占70.5％～84.8％、72.4％～83.0％、50.0％～74.8％.根部各提取态含量依次为CNaCl＞CHAC＞CEtOH＞CHCl＞CW＞CR,茎、叶中各提取态含量依次为CNaCl＞CHCI＞CHAC＞CEtOH＞CW＞CR.在小飞扬草中,Cd与细胞壁和细胞膜中的果胶酸和蛋白质等物质结合固定,而进入细胞的Cd大部分与有机酸络合而隔离于液泡内,这可能是小飞扬草忍耐并超积累Cd的机制.     

五大连池药泉湖水质评价

采用主成分分析法在2010年平水期对五大连池药泉湖6个采样点的8个水质指标进行分析,同时研究药泉湖水体污染的空间分布特征。结果表明:高锰酸盐指数是影响药泉湖水质的首要因子,即有机污染对水体污染的贡献最大;瀑布出水口采样点污染最严重,该出水口为药泉湖观光景区入口,因此要密切关注药泉湖人为点源污染,加大景区环境管制力度。     

漓江沉积柱重金属垂向分布特征及污染评价

对桂林漓江3个采样点沉积柱状沉积物中主要重金属元素(Cd、Cr、Cu、Zn、Pb、As和Ni)的垂向分布进行了测定。结果表明:7种重金属元素具有相似的垂向变化特征;横向上表现为靠近市区的含量高远离,市区的含量低。地积累指数评价结果显示,远离市区的沉积柱7种金属污染程度较轻,仅有Cd和Ni属于无～中污染程度。临近市区的沉积柱形成污染的元素为Cd、Cu、Zn、Pb和As,主要集中在底层和次表层。     

Hexabromocyclododecane and tetrabromobisphenol A in sediments and paddy soils from Liaohe River Basin, China: Levels, distribution and mass inventory

Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A(TBBPA) are two kinds of brominated flame retardants and widely present in the environment and biota. The levels,spatial distributions and mass inventories of HBCD and TBBPA were investigated in sediments and paddy soils from the Liaohe River Basin in northeast China. The concentrations of ΣHBCD and TBBPA were in the range of not detected(nd) to 4.02 ng/g dry weight(dw) and 0.03 to 4.06 ng/g dw, respectively. γ-HBCD was dominated in sediments,while the abundance of α-HBCD was relatively high in paddy soils. The spatial distributions of HBCD and TBBPA in surface sediments and paddy soils indicated that the local point-input was their major source. The significant correlation between total organic carbon(TOC) contents and the HBCD levels suggested that TOC content also exerted an influence on the distribution of HBCD in sediments. Meanwhile, it was found that the irrigation with river water was not the major transportation pathway of HBCD and TBBPA in paddy soils. Based on the study, it was estimated that there were about 1.67 tons HBCD and 2.20 tons TBBPA deposited into sediments of the Liaohe River system every year. The total mass inventories of HBCD and TBBPA in sediments were far higher than that in paddy soils.