无机态氮素转化机制及水土体氮源识别方法

氮素在生物生命活动中起着至关重要的作用,是有机分子的基本组成元素,也是土壤的主要养分.对于氮污染的研究首先要明确各种氮形态转化机制,这是解决各种氮科学问题的基础,也是研究者容易忽略的重点.本文论述了氮素在生态系统中的转化过程及作用机制的基础,归纳总结了近年来国内外有关水土中氮源分析的研究方法及氮同位素分馏作用,重点综述了地表水及地下水体中氮源识别方法与应用,包括定性识别和模型识别方法.指出利用水化学方法与多种同位素方法相结合能够有效识别水土氮污染来源.针对传统亚硝化反应中氧原子来源识别中的问题,提出了反应过程的现代观点,解释了二次氧化反应过程中δ~(18)O-NO~-_3的富集原理.提出盆地含水层中原生铵态氮对地下水污染具有重要贡献,并给出了新的研究设想.     

我国大气降水中δ18O变化的多气象因子分析及分区研究

分析了我国29个GNIP站1961—2015年逐月降水中δ~(18)O与局地气象要素(近地面的气温、降水量和大气可降水量、外向长波辐射以及500 hPa高度的风速)和大尺度环流因子(Nino 4区海表温度距平及南方涛动指数)的关系,并基于层次聚类分析和逐步回归分析方法,讨论了我国降水中δ~(18)O的分区,计算了区内降水中δ~(18)O依各气象因子的回归方程.结果表明,秦岭-淮河一线南北两侧站点降水中δ~(18)O与气象因子之间的关系差异显著,是我国的一条重要的降水稳定同位素环境效应分界线.我国降水中δ~(18)O可以分为3个区域,即北部区(包括西北和东北地区)、中部过渡区(含华北及青藏地区)和南部区,其中北部区和中部过渡区的分界线大致与我国西北地区和北方地区的分界线吻合,中部过渡区与南部区大体与我国北方地区和南方地区的分界线相一致.不同地区控制降水中δ~(18)O的气象因子存在差异:北部区为温度,中部过渡区为温度、500 hPa高度风速以及外向长波辐射,南部区是500 hPa高度的风速.研究结果对于认识我国大气降水中稳定同位素空间分布的特征及其内在机制具有重要意义.     

降水稳定同位素比率时间变化的iAWBM模拟

进行降水中稳定同位素比率时间变化的i AWBM模拟和比较,有助于评估模式在不同区域的适用性,改善对水循环过程中水稳定同位素变化规律的认识.本文利用i AWBM的模拟数据,分析了GNIP代表站降水中δ18O的时间变化特征、降水中δ18O与温度和降水量之间的关系、区域大气水线,并将模拟结果与实测结果进行了比较.结果表明,9个GNIP代表站的降水同位素在不同季节的变化特点均能被模拟出;各代表站模拟与实测的降水同位素长时间序列之间的相关系数达到显著的信度(p0.001),均方根误差在一个合理的估计范围;i AWBM很好地再现了出现在维也纳、雅库茨克和渥太华站的显著温度效应,出现在香港、波哥大、昆明、哈拉雷和拉罗汤加岛站的降水量效应,以及出现在曼谷站的温度效应和降水量效应共存的特点;模拟的不同气候条件下的区域大气水线与实际大气水线相近.说明i AWBM具有模拟不同气候区降水中稳定同位素时间变化的能力.     

Watershed characteristics and climate factors effect on the temporal variability of mercury in the southern Baltic Sea rivers

Mercury(Hg) is a neurotoxic metal which can enter into the human organism mainly by fish consumption, skin and transpiration. In the coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea, rivers are the main source of Hg. The Polish region represents the largest proportion of the Baltic Sea catchment and this research included four rivers of the Baltic watershed: the Reda,Zagórska Struga, Kacza and Gizdepka. The samples were collected in the years 2011–2013.Total and particulate Hg concentration in these rivers were measured. Due to intensive rain,deposited mercury on the catchment area was washed out into the riverines water and introduced into the Baltic Sea. Consequently, the load of Hg increased three times.Additionally, the intensive dry atmospheric deposition during heating season caused the increase of the concentration of particulate Hg in the river water even by 85%. The research confirmed the role of the river flow magnitude in the load of mercury introduced into the sea by rivers. Moreover, a high variability of mercury concentration was connected to the additional sources such as the chemicals containing Hg and no municipal sewage system.The analysis of stable isotopes indicated that the SPM contained terrestrial organic matter;however, there was no clear correlation between Hgtot, Corgand Ntotconcentrations and δ~(13)C, δ~(15)N, C/N in particulate matter.     

Synthesis of isotopically modified ZnO nanoparticles and their potential as nanotoxicity tracers

Understanding the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment and within organisms is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the safe development of nanotechnologies. Reliable tracing is a particular issue for nanoparticles such as ZnO, because Zn is an essential element and a common pollutant thus present at elevated background concentrations. We synthesized isotopically enriched (89.6%) with a rare isotope of Zn (⁶⁷Zn) ZnO nanoparticles and measured the uptake of ⁶⁷Zn by L. stagnalis exposed to diatoms amended with the particles. Stable isotope technique is sufficiently sensitive to determine the uptake of Zn at an exposure equivalent to lower concentration range (<15 μg g⁻¹). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Zn is significant at Zn exposure concentration only above 5000 μg g⁻¹ which represents some of the most contaminated Zn conditions. Only by using a tracer we can study Zn uptake at a range of environmentally realistic exposure conditions.     

Anthropogenic NOx emissions alter the intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUEi) for Quercus cerris stands under Mediterranean climate conditions

We investigated the effect of N deposition (Ndep) on intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE_i), the ratio of photosynthesis (A) to stomatal conductance (g_s), for two Quercus cerris stands at different distances to an oil refinery in Southern Italy. We used δ¹³C in tree rings for assessing changes in WUE_i; while the influence of climate and NO_x emission was explored through δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁵N, respectively. Differences in WUE_i between the two sites were significant, with trees exposed to different degrees of NO_x emissions showing an abrupt increase with the onset of pollution. Assuming similar g_s at the two sites, as inferred through δ¹⁸O, the higher N availability at the polluted site caused the shift of the A/g_s ratio in favour of A. Overall, our result suggests that an increase of Ndep may enhance tree WUE under a scenario of reduction of precipitation predicted for Mediterranean area.     

Carbon isotope signature of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in precipitation and atmospheric CO2

This paper describes results of chemical and isotopic analysis of inorganic carbon species in the atmosphere and precipitation for the calendar year 2008 in Wroc?aw (SW Poland). Atmospheric air samples (collected weekly) and rainwater samples (collected after rain episodes) were analysed for CO₂ and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations and for δ¹³C composition. The values obtained varied in the ranges: atmospheric CO₂: 337-448 ppm; δ¹³C_CO2 from −14.4 to −8.4‰; DIC in precipitation: 0.6-5.5 mg dm⁻³; δ¹³C_DIC from −22.2 to +0.2‰. No statistical correlation was observed between the concentration and δ¹³C value of atmospheric CO₂ and DIC in precipitation. These observations contradict the commonly held assumption that atmospheric CO₂ controls the DIC in precipitation. We infer that DIC is generated in ambient air temperatures, but from other sources than the measured atmospheric CO₂. The calculated isotopic composition of a hypothetical CO₂ source for DIC forming ranges from −31.4 to −11.0‰, showing significant seasonal variations accordingly to changing anthropogenic impact and atmospheric mixing processes.     

Stable isotope signatures reflect competitiveness between trees under changed CO2/O3 regimes

Here we synthesize key findings from a series of experiments to gain new insight on inter-plant competition between juvenile beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies) under the influence of increased O₃ and CO₂ concentrations. Competitiveness of plants was quantified and mechanistically interpreted as space-related resource investments and gains. Stable isotopes were addressed as temporal integrators of plant performance, such as photosynthesis and its relation to water use and nitrogen uptake. In the weaker competitor, beech, efficiency in space-related aboveground resource investment was decreased in competition with spruce and positively related to Δ¹³C, as well as stomatal conductance, but negatively related to δ¹⁸O. Likewise, our synthesis revealed that strong belowground competition for water in spruce was paralleled in this species by high N assimilation capacity. We suggest combining the time-integrative potential of stable isotopes with space-related investigations of competitiveness to accomplish mechanistic understanding of plant competition for resources.     

Pb isotopes as tracers of mining-related Pb in lichens, seaweed and mussels near a former Pb-Zn mine in West Greenland

Identification of mining-related contaminants is important in order to assess the spreading of contaminants from mining as well as for site remediation purposes. This study focuses on lead (Pb) contamination in biota near the abandoned ‘Black Angel Mine’ in West Greenland in the period 1988-2008. Stable Pb isotope ratios and total Pb concentrations were determined in lichens, seaweed and mussels as well as in marine sediments. The results show that natural background Pb (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb: 0.704-0.767) and Pb originating from the mine ore (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb: 0.955) have distinct isotopic fingerprints. Total Pb in lichens, seaweed, and mussels was measured at values up to 633, 19 and 1536 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight, respectively, and is shown to be a mixture of natural Pb and ore-Pb. This enables quantification of mining-related Pb and shows that application of Pb isotope data is a valuable tool for monitoring mining pollution.     

Historical nitrogen content of bryophyte tissue as an indicator of increased nitrogen deposition in the Cape Metropolitan Area, South Africa

Information on changes in precipitation chemistry in the rapidly expanding Cape Metropolitan Area (CMA) of South Africa is scarce. To obtain a long-term record of N deposition we investigated changes in moss foliar N, C:N ratios and nitrogen isotope values that might reflect precipitation chemistry. Tissue from 9 species was obtained from herbarium specimens collected between 1875 and 2000 while field samples were collected in 2001/2002. There is a strong trend of increasing foliar N content in all mosses collected over the past century (1.32-1.69 %N). Differences exist between ectohydric mosses which have higher foliar N than the mixohydric group. C:N ratios declined while foliar δ¹⁵N values showed no distinct pattern. From relationships between moss tissue N and N deposition rates we estimated an increase of 6-13 kg N ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ since 1950. Enhanced N deposition rates of this magnitude could lead to biodiversity losses in native ecosystems.