Trophic transfer of mercury and methylmercury in an aquatic ecosystem impacted by municipal sewage e uents in Beijing, China

Gaobeidian Lake, located in Beijing, China, serves as a recipient lake for e uents from a large municipal sewage treatment plant (MSTP). In order to evaluate the e ects of discharging MSTP e uent on the mercury contamination of the local aquatic ecosystem, sediment cores, water, plankton, fish, and turtle samples were collected from Gaobeidian Lake for mercury speciation analysis. High concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg) were detected in sediment cores (5.24–17.0 g/g dry weight (dw), average: 10.1 g/g). The ratio of methylmercury (MeHg) to T-Hg was less than 0.3% in sediments and ranged from 35% to 76% in biota samples. The highest level of T-Hg and MeHg were found in aquatic bryophyte and crucian carp (3673 and 437 ng/g dw, respectively). The relative contents of MeHg were significantly correlated with trophic levels (R2 = 0.5506, p < 0.001), which confirmed that MeHg can be bio-transferred and biomagnified via food chain in this aquatic ecosystem.     

Characterization and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in sediments of Haihe River, Tianjin, China

In this study sediment samples were collected from 13 sites of Haihe River in Tianjin City, China, sixteen of priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs） listed in USEPA were analyzed by means of GC-MS. The total concentrations of PAH ranged from 774.81 to 255371.91 ng/g dw, and two to four rings of PAHs were dominant in sediment samples. Molecular ratios, such as phenanthrene/anthracene, fluoranthene/pyrene and low-molecular-weight PAH/high-molecular-weight PAH, were used to study the possible sources of pollution. It indicated a mixed pattern of parolytic and petrogenic inputs of PAHs in sediments in Haihe River. The petrogenic PAHs may be mainly derived from the leakage of refined products, e.g., gasoline, diesel fuel and fuel oil vehicle traffics or gas stations from urban area. The pyrolytic PAHs might be from the discharge of industrial wastewater and the emission of atmospheric particles from petrochemical factories. In addition, the levels of PAHs in the urban and industrial areas are far beyond the values reported from other rivers and marine systems reported. This situation may be due to polluted discharging from some petrochemical industrial manufactories and worse traffic conditions in Tianjin.     

Distribution patterns of octylphenol and nonylphenol in the aquatic system at Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, a subtropical estuarine wetland in Hong Kong

Spatial and temporal distribution of octylphenol （OP） and nonylphenol （NP） in Mai Po Marshes, a subtropical estuarine wetland in Hong Kong, were investigated. Surface water samples were collected every month from 11 sites during the period of September- December 2004. Concentrations of OP and NP ranged from 11.3 to 348 ng/L and from 29 to 2591 ng/L, respectively. The high levels of NP and OP were found in November and December than in September and October. The levels of OP and NP have no significant spatial differences except September. Total organic matter in the sediments appeared to be an important factor in controlling the fate of these compounds in the aquatic environment.     

中国不同发展阶段地区环境可持续性状态与趋势研究

中国不同地区发展水平存在较大的差异．面临的环境问题和可持续发展的优先领域也不同。因此．可持续发展评价与政策制定需要与区域发晨实际相结合。选取上海、德州和固原三个地区作为中国发达、发展中和欠发达地区的代表．选择可操作和可比性强的指标．基子压力-状态-响应模型．构建了环境可持续性趋势系数．对比不同发展水平地区环境发展的状态、趋势和存在的主要问题。得出以下结论：近20年来．虽然中国总体环境保护能力有了一定的提高．但污染物排放压力持续增长．环境质量普遍恶化的趋势没有得到根本改变;上海、德州和固原环境可持续性趋势系数分别为0．82、0．55和0．45．发达地区环境可持续性最强．发展中地区一般．欠发达地区量差;目前我国环境政策领域往往注重经济发展的“两极”：高度发达地区和欠发达地区,本文的研究结果表明。面积占全国67％、人口占全国40％的发展中地区环境问题最为突出。     

导致上西里西亚工业区儿童血铅水平升高环境和社会经济因素研究

本文集中在横向分析近期波兰儿童铅暴露和铅暴露增加背后的社会经济因素。在上西里西亚工业区,铅是分布最广泛的有毒重金属之一。儿童血铅水平升高关系儿童幸福,不断引起严重关切。本研究涉及在1999 - 2013年间,上西里西亚地区3岁到18岁的4 882名儿童。记录了每一个孩子血液中铅的浓度。孩子的父母被要求回答关于儿童接触铅的环境和家庭社会经济条件的问卷调查。铅暴露增加的因素包括：父母受教育程度较低,父母失业、父母的职业铅暴,家庭的贫穷社会经济地位,在家吸烟,生活在建筑物底层,食用本地种植的蔬菜和水果,在污染环境中长期进行户外活动和男性性别。铅的环境暴露仍然是导致上西里西亚地区儿童慢性铅中毒的主要因素。与儿童血铅浓度关系最大的社会经济因素是儿童父母的低教育水平。
精选自Wojciech Pelc, Natalia Pawlas, Micha? Dobrakowski, S?awomir Kasperczyk. Environmental and socioeconomic factors contributing to elevated blood lead levels in children from industrial area of Upper Silesia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 35, Issue 10, pages 2597–2603, October 2016. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3429
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.3429/full
     

胶州湾北岸潮间带三-(2,3-二溴丙基)异氰脲酸酯和六溴环十二烷的分布水平

对胶州湾北岸潮间带底泥样品中三-(2,3-二溴丙基)异氰脲酸酯(tris-(2,3-dibromopropyl)isocyanurate,TBC)和六溴环十二烷(hexabromocyclododecanes,HBCDs)的3种同分异构体(α-HBCD、β-HBCD、γ-HBCD)的分布水平进行分析,结合索氏提取与Waters ACQUITY UPLC-MS-MS超高效液相色谱-质谱联用仪检测出TBC和HBCDs的3种同分异构体α-HBCD、β-HBCD、γ-HBCD,浓度范围分别为1.20~5.62 ng·g~(-1)(干重)、1.18~1.54 ng·g~(-1)(干重)、1.50~1.85 ng·g~(-1)(干重)、2.12~2.99 ng·g~(-1)(干重)。其中,TBC在河流入海口处的浓度较高,γ-HBCD占ΣHBCDs的比例(44.75%)最高,且相关性分析表明TBC和HBCDs可能有相似的污染来源。最近,斯德哥尔摩公约持久性有机污染物审查委员会(POPRC)将HBCDs列入POPs名单加以限制使用,这表明其具有一定的环境风险,未来可能对环境和人类健康造成的危害应该引起足够的重视。     

祁连山中部素珠链峰地区冰川斑块动态分析

冰川斑块对气候变化的响应不仅表现在冰川长度和面积的变化,而且其格局在斑块数量、形状、平均欧几里德距离、连通度和最大斑块指数等指标上都发生了显著的变化.运用RS和GIS技术对祁连山东段典型地区2001-2009年间冰川斑块动态的分析表明:研究区冰川斑块面积减少了15.39%,面积<1 hm²的小斑块数量消失了50%以上,斑块形状指数在总体和分级层次上都呈减少的趋势,最大斑块的优势降低.由于小斑块消融和大斑块收缩,使斑块间平均欧几里德距离增加了16.56 m.斑块连通度具有尺度依赖性,当在阈限值<7 000 m时,2009年的冰川斑块连通度大于2001年;当阈限值>7 000 m时,趋势相反.7 000~8 000 m之间是尺度特征的转折点.从斑块动态变化来看,冰川斑块动态以消融斑块为主,消融面积为744.30 hm²,占起始面积的16.53%;新生斑块也同时发生,仅增加起始面积的1.15%.但是,消融和新生斑块发生的数量较多,分别为762和367个,冰川单个斑块面积大小与消融面积呈正相关.     

我国大气背景点挥发性有机污染物的浓度水平与组成特征

2010—2011年间,在全国范围内选择具有代表性的10个大气背景点开展相关研究,对大气背景点中VOCs的浓度水平与组成特征进行了系统的分析.研究结果表明,我国大气背景点挥发性有机物浓度范围为(3.82±2.96)μg.m-3—(22.74±3.60)μg.m-3,与其它国家和地区背景点空气中VOCs浓度相比,我国背景点空气中VOCs浓度处于较低水平.在空间分布上,大气背景点空气中VOCs浓度呈现东部较高,西部较低的态势,在季节变化上,除河北承德外,山东长岛、重庆武隆、西藏曲水和青海湖4个背景点均呈现出夏季空气中VOCs浓度高于冬季的趋势,这主要是由于夏季气温高,有利于VOCs挥发的原因.初步来源分析结果表明,我国背景点大气中挥发性有机物可能主要来源于自然燃烧、大气传输和局地的污染影响.     

Low blood lead levels and hemoglobin concentrations in preschool children in China

It is well known that lead (Pb) produces reduced haemoglobin (Hb) levels and risk of anemia when blood lead levels (BPb) are greater than 20?µg?dL^?1. Two recent studies reported an increased risk of anemia in children with BPb between 10–20?µg?dL^?1, but few studies examined the association between Hb levels or risk of anemia and BPb under 10?µg?dL^?1. In the present study this association was examined using data of 140 preschool children from a larger prospective cohort study in China. Data showed that compared to children with BPb <5?µg?dL^?1, children with BPb between 7.5–10?µg?dL^?1 had significantly lower Hb levels, but there were no marked differences for other groups. A linear regression model showed a negative relationship between BPb and Hb levels after controlling for age, gender, height, weight, and iron (Fe) deficiency. This finding, although limited by a small sample size, suggests it may be important to examine Pb-induced hemosynthesis effect at concentrations less than 10?µg?dL^?1.     

Sustainability of Nations

SUMMARY

A method is presented to interrelate the development of economy, environment and social quality in communities. Economy and environment, in initial development stages, oppose each other. Social welfare and economy generally develop simultaneously. To assess overall progress in sustainable development, an integrated and quantifiable framework is presented which defines five levels of sustainability. Increasing sustainability is characterized by growing responsibility for the impacts of man's actions in space and time. Through increased eco-efficiency and changed awareness, nations and companies arrive at a synergistic relationship between environment and economy. It is indicated that social security benefits expenditure increases by a factor 3.5 and carbon dioxide emissions per capita decreases by a factor 3 at each higher level of sustainability. Quantified differences in sustainability levels of 24 nations are shown. Priorities for improving and safeguarding sustainability are indicated.