Mercury photoreduction and photooxidation in lakes: Effects of filtration and dissolved organic carbon concentration

Mercury is a globally distributed, environmental contaminant. Quantifying the retention and loss of mercury is integral for predicting mercury-sensitive ecosystems. There is little information on how dissolved organic carbon(DOC) concentrations and particulates affect mercury photoreaction kinetics in freshwater lakes. To address this knowledge gap,samples were collected from ten lakes in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia(DOC: 2.6–15.4 mg/L). Filtered(0.2 μm) and unfiltered samples were analysed for gross photoreduction, gross photooxidation, and net reduction rates of mercury using pseudo first-order curves. Unfiltered samples had higher concentrations(p = 0.04) of photoreducible divalent mercury(Hg(II)RED)(mean of 754 ± 253 pg/L) than filtered samples(mean of 482 ± 206 pg/L);however, gross photoreduction and photooxidation rate constants were not significantly different in filtered or unfiltered samples in early summer. DOC was not significantly related to gross photoreduction rate constants in filtered(R~2= 0.43; p = 0.08) and unfiltered(R~2= 0.02; p = 0.71) samples; DOC was also not significantly related to gross photooxidation rate constants in filtered or unfiltered samples. However, DOC was significantly negatively related with Hg(Ⅱ)_(RED) in unfiltered(R2= 0.53; p = 0.04), but not in filtered samples(R~2= 0.04;p = 0.60). These trends indicate that DOC is a factor in determining dissolved mercury photoreduction rates and particles partially control available Hg(Ⅱ)_(RED) in lake water. This research also demonstrates that within these lakes gross photoreduction and photooxidation processes are close to being in balance. Changes to catchment inputs of particulate matter and DOC may alter mercury retention in these lakes and could partially explain observed increases of mercury accumulation in biota.     

Chemical characteristics of haze particles in Xi'an during Chinese Spring Festival: Impact of fireworks burning

Fireworks burning releases massive fine particles and gaseous pollutants, significantly deteriorating air quality during Chinese Lunar New Year(LNY) period. To investigate the impact of the fireworks burning on the atmospheric aerosol chemistry, 1-hr time resolution of PM_(2.5) samples in Xi'an during the winter of 2016 including the LNY were collected and detected for inorganic ions, acidity and liquid water content(LWC) of the fine aerosols. PM_(2.5) during the LNY was 167 ± 87 μg/m~3, two times higher than the China National Ambient Air Quality Standard(75 μg/m~3). K~+(28 wt.% of the total ion mass) was the most abundant ion in the LNY period, followed by SO_4~(2-)(25 wt.%) and Cl-(18 wt.%). In contrast, NO_3~-(34 wt.%) was the most abundant species in the haze periods(hourly PM32-2.5 75 μg/m), followed by SO_4(29.2 wt.%) and NH_4~+(16.3 wt.%), while SO_4~(2-)(35 wt.%) was the most abundant species in the clean periods(hourly PM_(2.5) 75 μg/m~3), followed by NO_3~-(23.1 wt.%) and NH_4~+(11 wt.%). Being different from the acidic nature in the non-LNY periods, aerosol in the LNY period presented an alkaline nature with a pH value of 7.8 ± 1.3. LWC during the LNY period showed a robust linear correlation with K_2SO_4 and KCl, suggesting that aerosol hygroscopicity was dominated by inorganic salts derived from fireworks burning. Analysis of correlations between the ratios of NO--3/SO_4~(2-) and NH_4~+/SO_4~(2-) indicated that heterogeneous reaction of HNO_3 with NH_3 was an important formation pathway of particulate nitrate and ammonium during the LNY period.     

水浴消解法测定土壤中的汞

采用比色管水浴消解法消解土壤样品,以原子荧光光度法测定土壤中的汞。结果表明,该方法具有快速方便、准确性好、灵敏度高等优点,是较好的测定方法。     

冷原子荧光测定痕量汞影响空白值的因素

阐述了冷原子荧光法测定痕量汞影响空白值的诸因数，提出了消除方法。     

Impact of Post-Methanation Distillery Effluent Irrigation on Groundwater Quality

Molasses-based distilleries generate large quantities of effluent, which is used for irrigation in many countries including India. The effluent is rich in organic and inorganic ions, which may leach down and pollute the groundwater. An on-farm experiment was conducted to assess the impact of long-term irrigation with post-methanation distillery effluent (PMDE) on nitrate, sulphate, chloride, sodium, potassium, and magnesium contents in the groundwater of two sites in northwest India. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and colour were also determined to assess the chemical load in the groundwater. Nitrate content in the groundwater samples ranged from 16.95 mg L⁻¹ in the unamended fields to 59.81 mg L⁻¹ in the PMDE-amended fields during the 2-year study (2001–2002). Concentrations of TDS in water samples from tubewell of the amended field was higher by 40.4% over the tubewell water of the unamended field. Colour of the water samples of the amended fields was also darker than that of the unamended fields. The study indicated that the organic and inorganic ions added through the effluent could pose a serious threat to the groundwater quality if applied without proper monitoring.     

电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定尘土样品中贵金属元素的研究

建立了用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)测定尘土样品中贵金属元素Au、Pt、Pd、Ir、Ru、Rh的方法.样品用王水微波消解后,试液直接用ICP-MS同时测定上述6种贵金属元素.以Sc、Y、In作为内标物质,补偿了基体效应;选择适当的待测元素同位素克服了质谱干扰;确定了最佳测定条件.结果表明,6种贵金属元素的检出限为0.004～0.006 μg/L,线性关系良好,相关系数r≥0.999 2,回收率为83%～97%,RSD＜3.6%.该法准确、快速、简便,已成功地应用于尘土样品中微量贵金属元素的测定.     

对YYG—2型冷原子荧光测汞仪的改进研究

我们通过对YYG-2型冷原子测汞仪荧光室和相应气路系统的改进,克服了原仪器在操作过程中汞蒸汽直接排于工作台面的现象,提高了仪器的稳定性能和灵敏度,减少了操作步骤和节省了载气,在不同程度上还减化了原仪器结构。通过实践证明改进后的仪器基本上满足了环境监测或其它测试分析的要求。     

Sorption of mercury (II) in Amazon soils from column studies

The sorption of Hg (II) onto four different types of Amazon soils from the A-horizon was investigated by means of column experiments under saturation conditions and controlled metal load. Higher organic matter contents in the soil resulted in higher Hg (II) adsorptions, reaching values as high as 3.8 mg Hg g⁻¹ soil. The amount of mercury adsorbed on a soil column (Q) shows a very poor correlation with soil clay content (r² = 0.2527), indicating that Hg sorption in these topsoil samples is chiefly governed by the organic matter content. Desorption experiments using Negro River (Amazon) waters were conducted using soil saturated with Hg (II) in order to better understand the metal leaching mechanism. The amount of Hg (II) released from soils was around 30% of the total sorbed mercury upon saturation, suggesting that mercury sorption in the soils present in the catchment area of the Negro River basin is not a reversible process.     

Distribution of mercury in adult penaeid shrimps from Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón lagoon (SE Gulf of California)

The Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón lagoon system is located in the central part of Sinaloa state, NW Mexico. The major sources of pollution are represented by the waste effluents from the intensive agriculture and the urban sewage from the cities of Culiacán (population of 750 000) and Navolato (population of 50 000). In this lagoon system diverse penaeid shrimps occur; the crystal shrimp Farfantepenaeus brevirostris, the brown shrimp F. californiensis, the blue shrimp Litopenaeus stylirostris, the white shrimp L. vannamei and the Pacific seabob Xiphopenaeus kroyeri. With the purpose of knowing distribution and relative concentrations of Hg in the main tissues of penaeid shrimps, levels of Hg in five species from Altata-Enesenada del Pabellón lagoon on the SE Gulf of California were determined. Analysis were carried out by reducing mercury compounds after acid digestion reduction with SnCl₂ and detection by cold vapour atomic absorption. In general, hepatopancreas was the tissue where Hg was mostly accumulated, followed by muscle and exoskeleton. The sequence of Hg concentrations in the five species studied here for every tissue was: hepatopancreas L. vannamei > F. californiensis > L. stylirostris > F. brevirostris > X. kroyeri; muscle L. stylirostris > F. brevirostris > L. vannamei > F. CALIFORNIENSIS=X. kroyeri and exoskeleton F. brevirostris > F. californiensis > L. vannamei > L. stylirostris > X. kroyeri.     

Strengthening artisanal mining research and policy through baseline census activities

Over the past 10–15 years, several governments have implemented an array of technology, support‐related, sustainable livelihoods (SL) and poverty‐reduction projects for artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). In the majority of cases, however, these interventions have failed to facilitate improvements in the industry's productivity and raise the living standards of the sector's subsistence operators. This article argues that a poor understanding of the demographics of target populations has precipitated these outcomes. In order to strengthen policy and assistance in the sector, governments must determine, with greater precision, the number of people operating in ASM regions, their origins and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and educational levels. This can be achieved by carrying out basic and localized census work before promoting ambitious sector‐specific projects aimed at improving working conditions in the industry.