Trace Element Concentrations and Bioindicator Responses in Tree Swallows from Northwestern Minnesota

Extremely high concentrations of cadmium (3.5 μg/g dry wgt.) and elevated concentrations of chromium (>10 μg/g dry wgt.) and mercury (1.6 μg/g dry wgt.) were reported in waterbird tissues at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota in 1994. Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were studied during 1998–2001 at three drainages into the Refuge, two pools on the Refuge, and at a nearby reference location to document whether high levels of contaminants were still present, and if so to quantify the source and severity of the contamination. Trace elements were measured in tree swallow eggs, livers, and diet. Reproductive success and bioindicator responses were monitored. In 2000, water was drawn down on Agassiz Pool, one of the main pools on the Refuge. This presented an opportunity to evaluate the response of trace element concentrations in the diet and tissues of tree swallows after reflooding. High concentrations of trace elements were not detected in swallow tissues, nor were there differences among locations. Less than 20% of swallow samples had detectable concentrations of cadmium or chromium. Mercury concentrations were low and averaged <0.25 μg/g dry wgt. in swallow tissues. Trace elements, including mercury, did not increase in tree swallows following the 2000 drawdown at Agassiz Pool. Hatching success and survival of nestlings to 12 days-of-age for tree swallows on the Refuge were similar to the national average and consistent with background trace element concentrations. Bioindicator measurements were within the normal ranges as well.     

Forest Stand Dynamics and Livestock Grazing in Historical Context

Abstract:  Livestock grazing has been implicated as a cause of the unhealthy condition of ponderosa pine forest stands in the western United States. An evaluation of livestock grazing impacts on natural resources requires an understanding of the context in which grazing occurred. Context should include timing of grazing, duration of grazing, intensity of grazing, and species of grazing animal. Historical context, when and under what circumstances grazing occurred, is also an important consideration. Many of the dense ponderosa pine forests and less-than-desirable forest health conditions of today originated in the early 1900s. Contributing to that condition was a convergence of fire, climate, and grazing factors that were unique to that time. During that time period, substantially fewer low-intensity ground fires (those that thinned dense stands of younger trees) were the result of reduced fine fuels (grazing), a substantial reduction in fires initiated by Native Americans, and effective fire-suppression programs. Especially favorable climate years for tree reproduction occurred during the early 1900s. Exceptionally heavy, unregulated, unmanaged grazing by very large numbers of horses, cattle, and sheep during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries occurred in most of the U.S. West and beginning earlier in portions of the Southwest. Today, livestock numbers on public lands are substantially lower than they were during this time and grazing is generally managed. Grazing then and grazing now are not the same.     

Distribution of heavy metals in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China: Implications for sources and historical changes

The distribution of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd and As) in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary was investigated. The spatial distribution of heavy metals displayed a decreasing pattern from the turbidity maxima to both upstream and downstream of the estuary, which suggested that suspended sediments played an important role in the trace metal distribution in the Pearl River Estuary. In addition, metal concentrations were higher in the west part of the estuary which received most of the pollutants from the Pearl River. In the sediment cores, fluxes of heavy metals were consistent with a predominant anthropogenic input in the period 1970-1990. From the mid-1990s to the 2000s, there was a significant decline in heavy metal pollution. The observed decline has shown the result of pollution control in the Pearl River Delta. However, it is noteworthy that the metal concentrations in the most recent sediment still remained considerably high. Taken together, the enrichment of heavy metals in sediments was largely controlled by anthropogenic pollution.     

碧水岩地下河中微量金属元素对降雨的响应特征及来源分析

在降雨条件下,利用自动采样器对广西碧水岩地下河出口进行高频采样,分析了碧水岩地下河出口水体中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd等微量金属元素的水化学动态变化特征,探讨了地下河水中微量金属来源及其对降雨的响应机制.结果表明,地下河水化学组分表现出了较明显的规律,其中主要元素Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)、HCO-3等在降雨过程中稀释作用明显,而Al、Mn、TFe、Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd等金属元素对降雨响应敏感,其质量浓度在降雨过程中有所升高,相应质量浓度曲线均表现出多峰值特点,且在最大降雨发生后第9 h达到最大峰值.推断水岩作用、河底沉积物再释放和水土流失是导致河水金属元素浓度增高的原因,金属元素不同来源及地下河双入口的结构特征是形成金属元素质量浓度曲线多峰值的原因,其中水岩作用引起的水化学变化较河底沉积物再释放和水土流失更敏感,而后者是导致河水重金属元素增加的主要原因.监测期间,溶质在地下河中的平均迁移速度约为0.47 km·h~(-1),污染物运移速度较快,因此,通过对岩溶地下河水化学动态的监测,掌握微量金属组分来源及迁移特性,对于地下河水环境污染治理具有重要意义.     

山西省武乡县城大气PM2.5痕量重金属的生态和健康风险分析

为了解山西省武乡县城大气PM_(2.5)污染特征及PM_(2.5)中痕量重金属的生态和健康风险,在分析县城环境空气质量状况的基础上,分别于秋季(2014-10-22~2014-11-19)和冬季(2015-01-12~2015-02-13)在武乡县环境保护局楼顶用中流量采样器采集大气PM_(2.5)样品,每天换膜一次,利用称重法计算PM_(2.5)浓度,运用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱仪(ICP-AES)测定样品中As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Ni、Pb、Zn 7种元素含量,运用地累积指数法、生态风险指数法、相关性分析和主成分分析、美国环保署暴露模型等表征痕量重金属的污染程度、来源、潜在的生态和健康风险等.结果表明,冬季大气PM_(2.5)浓度是秋季的3倍左右,有65%的天数超过国家环境空气质量二级标准(GB 3095-2012);PM_(2.5)中痕量重金属来源主要包括燃煤和交通等人为源,贡献率分别为58.38%和18.73%,所测重金属浓度顺序为CuZnPbCrAsNiCd,其中Cd、Cu的生态风险指数、Cr的非致癌和致癌暴露风险大于其它金属.冬季燃煤增加和大气扩散条件差是武乡县城大气PM_(2.5)浓度超标以及造成痕量重金属生态和健康风险增大的主要原因.     

洋河流域不同土地利用类型土壤硒(Se)分布及影响因素

基于洋河流域土地利用方式、海拔高度、土壤、植被类型等采集流域上下游171个代表性表层土壤(0~10 cm),系统地分析了土壤总硒(Se)含量、分布及影响因素.结果表明,洋河流域土壤总Se含量(以干重(dw)计,下同)在0.02~3.24mg·kg-1之间,几何平均值为0.30 mg·kg-1,高于北京平原(0.20 mg·kg-1)、河北平原(0.19 mg·kg-1)和全国平均值(0.29mg·kg-1).洋河流域少Se(0.13~0.18 mg·kg-1)土壤主要分布在怀安县、宣化县以及怀来县,多数地区土壤处于足Se水平(0.18~0.45 mg·kg-1),除此之外,在万全县、兴和县、天镇县及阳高县分布有富Se(0.45~2.0 mg·kg-1)土壤.不同土地利用类型中Se含量有所差异,Se平均含量由高到低分别为:林地城镇工矿用地草地农业用地,其中农业用地平均含量为0.28 mg·kg-1.成土母质、土壤类型对洋河流域Se含量影响较小.黏粒含量与洋河流域表层土壤中Se相关性最好.Se含量随海拔增高显著增加,随p H增加显著减小.TOC、Fe和Al含量也是影响土壤Se含量的重要因素.     

历史时期长江中游水灾与厄尔尼诺事件的遥相关

长江中游历来是长江流域水灾最严重的地区，研究历史时期这一地区水灾发生的变化波动并找出其与厄尔尼诺事件的遥相关，将有助于对长江中游水灾发生的预测。对这二个时间序列自1525年以来的数据进行了统计学分析。结果表明，水灾发生的主要周期比厄尔尼诺事件发生的周期要长：后者主要表现为2年和3~4年的振动，而前者的主要周期为2年、8年和40年，其显著性也没有后者明显（但都超过了0.03的置信度）。通过进一步分析历史时期长江中游水灾与厄尔尼诺事件的耦合振动，发现它们之间存在显著的遥相关。结果表明，长江中游水灾对厄尔尼诺现象的响应不仅存在着如许多中国学者相信的短期滞后（如：1年），而且还存在着比较长时间的滞后（最长可达8年）。研究结果同时表明，如果厄尔尼诺事件发生的相距时间愈短，这一时期长江中游水灾响应的滞后时间也愈短，反之亦然。     

Comparison of Nitrate Levels in Raw Water and Finished Water from Historical Monitoring Data on Iowa Municipal Drinking Water Supplies

Nitrate contamination of water sources is a concern where large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers are regularly applied to soils. Ingested nitrate from dietary sources and drinking water can be converted to nitrite and ultimately to N-nitroso compounds, many of which are known carcinogens. Epidemiologic studies of drinking water nitrate and cancer report mixed findings; a criticism is the use of nitrate concentrations from retrospective drinking water data to assign exposure levels. Residential point-of-use nitrate data are scarce; gaps in historical data for municipal supply finished water hamper exposure classification efforts. We used generalized linear regression models to estimate and compare historical raw water and finished water nitrate levels (1960s--1990s) in single source Iowa municipal supplies to determine whether raw water monitoring data could supplement finished water data to improve exposure assessment. Comparison of raw water and finished water samples (same sampling date) showed a significant difference in nitrate levels in municipalities using rivers; municipalities using other surface water or alluvial groundwater had no difference in nitrate levels. A regional aggregation of alluvial groundwater municipalities was constructed based on results from a previous study showing regional differences in nitrate contamination of private wells; results from this analysis were mixed, dependent upon region and decade. These analyses demonstrate using historical raw water nitrate monitoring data to supplement finished water data for exposure assessment is appropriate for individual Iowa municipal supplies using alluvial groundwater, lakes or reservoirs. Using alluvial raw water data on a regional basis is dependent on region and decade.     

Dissolved Ions of Trace and Major Elements and in Suspended Sediments in the Nile, Egypt

Dissolved ions and suspended participates from twelve water samples from Sohag (different localities) and Aswan (behind and below the High Dam) areas were collected along the River Nile, upper Egypt, which is at present affected seriously by pressure of population, intense industrial and agricultural activities, and atmospheric fallout. Eighteen trace and nine major ions in solution and fourteen metals in suspension were analyzed to establish whether elements are of anthropogenic or natural origin. Results of this study show that the Nile water was contaminated with high concentrations of dissolved lead, and with copper, nickel and mercury to a lesser extent, suggesting that these contaminants are generated from anthropogenic activities. the other dissolved ions in the Nile are of natural origin because their metal concentrations fall within the range of the normal background and average world dissolved values for inland waters. Results show that the usual constituents of suspended particulates in the Nile seem to be some metals (Cu and Zn) adsorbed on iron and manganese oxide/hydroxide. the results also reveal that most trace and major metal particulates increase from south to north due to activities associated with the dense population living along the Nile banks. No significant differences were observed between the chemical composition of trace and major elements taken on the east and west river Nile banks.     

A case study of spatial variation and enrichment of selected elements in ambient particulate matter around a large coal-fired power station in Central India

The dominant use of coal in power sectors has been associated with adverse environmental impacts. Ambient air monitoring for the two size fractions of particulate matter, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and non-respirable suspended particulate matter (NRSPM) in the downwind and upwind directions of a large coal-fired power station in central India, was carried out. Collected samples of ambient particulate matter were analysed atomic absorption spectrophotometrically for 15 elements. Spatial variability in elemental composition of RSPM and NRSPM and the degree of enrichment of these toxic metals in RSPM were investigated. A significant spatial variability for the elements in RSPM and NRSPM and higher degrees of enrichment of the elements were observed.