Five-wheel framework for system-based monitoring of heavy metal pollution in rivers

Sectorial approach for monitoring heavy metal pollution in rivers has failed to report realistic pollution status and associated ecological and human health risks. The increasing spread of heavy metals from different sources and emerging risks to human and environmental health call for reexamining heavy metal pollution monitoring frameworks. Also, the sources, spread, and load of heavy metals in the environment have changed significantly over time, requiring consequent modification in the monitoring frameworks. Therefore, studies on heavy metal monitoring in rivers conducted in the last decade were evaluated for experimental designs, research frameworks, and data presentations. Most studies (∼99%) (i) lacked inclusiveness of all environmental compartments; (ii) focused on “one pollutant – one/two compartment” or sometimes “one pollutant – one compartment – one effect” approach; and (iii) remained “data-rich but information poor.” An ecological approach with integrative system thinking is proposed to develop a holistic approach for monitoring river pollution. It is visualized that heavy metal monitoring, risk analyses, and water management must incorporate tracking pollutants in different environmental compartments of a river (water, sediment, and floodplain/bank soil) and consider correlating it with riverbank land use. The systems-based pollution monitoring and assessment studies will reveal the critical factors that drive heavy metals pollutant movement in ecosystems and associated potential risks to the environment, wildlife, and humans. Also, water quality and pollution indexing tools would help better communicate complex pollution data and associated risks among all stakeholders. Therefore, integrating systems approaches in scientific- and policy-based tools would help sustainably manage the health of rivers, wildlife, and humans.     

Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

CO2浓度升高对半干旱区春小麦光合作用及水分生理生态特性的影响

大气CO₂浓度升高已成为世界范围内重要环境问题。为了解大气CO₂浓度升高对春小麦光合作用及水分生理生态特性的影响,在典型半干旱区定西利用开顶式气室(OTC)试验平台,以春小麦“定西24号”为供试品种,开展了CO₂浓度增加模拟试验。试验设对照(390μmol·mol^?1)、480μmol·mol^?1和570μmol·mol^?1等3个CO₂浓度(摩尔分数)梯度。结果表明:在对照和增加CO₂浓度条件下,春小麦叶片净光合速率和蒸腾速率日变化均呈“双峰型”分布,出现明显的“午休”现象;胞间CO₂浓度的日变化表现为斜“V”字型曲线;叶水势日变化呈现反抛物线曲线走向,在中午后出现水势曲线拐点。在不同生育时期内,净光合速率、气孔导度和胞间CO₂浓度均表现为开花期最大,乳熟期最小。而蒸腾速率表现为开花期最大,拔节期最小,叶片水平水分利用效率表现为孕穗期最大,乳熟期最小。随着CO₂浓度升高,春小麦叶片净光合速率、胞间CO₂浓度、水分利用效率和水势提高,气孔导度和蒸腾速率降低。与对照大气CO₂浓度相比,在480μmol·mol^?1浓度和570μmol·mol^?1浓度下,整个生育期净光合速率平均分别提高了14.68%和28.20%,气孔导度平均降低了15.29%和24.83%,胞间CO₂浓度平均提高了10.38%和26.15%,蒸腾速率平均减小了6.63%和12.41%,WUE平均增加了22.9%和46.9%。随着CO₂浓度升高,蒸腾失水减少,叶片水势不断增加,从而增强了春小麦对干旱胁迫的抵御能力。研究结果为我国半干旱区春小麦对全球气候变化下的敏感性及适应性提供理论参考。     

Connecting the Dots: Public Engagement with Environmental Data

Air pollution and other environmental hazards are often imperceptible and need to be made publicly visible. The paper argues for the importance of visualizations in drawing public attention to imperceptible hazards and in providing the public with access to empirical data describing the risks. It also argues for critical inquiry into hazards’ selective visibility as it is produced by visualizations. The impact of visualizations and their selective visibility are considered through the example of a public art project called Particle Falls installed in 2014 in Pittsburgh, a city with a long history of both ignoring air pollution and working to ameliorate this problem. I examine the impact and selective visibility of Particle Falls by considering the underlying production of data, as well as context and support systems for this visualization, and by comparing it with other visualizations of local air quality.     

嘉善前体物与气象因子对臭氧生成的影响及臭氧潜在源区分析

利用2017年嘉善善西超级站臭氧（O₃）及其前体物（NO_x和VOCs）以及气象因子（温度、湿度、风速）逐小时数据，分析了2017年全年NO_x和O₃的变化特征以及春季（4—5月）、夏季（7—8月）NO_x和气象因子对O₃生成的影响，利用O₃生成潜势（OFP）评估了VOCs大气化学反应活性，并通过潜在源区贡献（PSCF）和浓度权重轨迹（CWT）方法分析了嘉善春、夏季O₃潜在源区贡献特征。研究发现：O₃日变化特征为单峰结构，NO_x为弱双峰结构。O₃浓度在3—9月较高，春、夏季O₃浓度峰值分别出现在15：00和14：00，春、夏季的NO_x、O₃日变化与2017年全年日变化趋势基本一致。NO_x对O₃存在滴定作用，且低湿高温有利于O₃浓度的升高。春、夏季O₃生成潜势贡献均表现为烯烃 > 芳香烃 > 烷烃，由于烯烃光化学活性较高，夏季烯烃浓度升高导致其贡献较春季增长约18.1个百分点，且夏季VOCs平均最大O₃增量反应活性高于春季。PSCF和CWT分析结果表明，嘉善春季的潜在源区主要为本地、西南方向和东南方向，夏季的潜在源区主要为本地、西北方向、西南方向以及东南方向。     

桂林市城区大气VOCs污染特征及对O3和SOA的生成潜势

对桂林市城区大气中挥发性有机物(VOCs)的污染特征,以及VOCs对臭氧(O3)和二次有机气溶胶(SOA)的生成潜势进行了研究。结果显示,研究期间,共检出VOCs物种78种,平均体积分数为21.32×10-9,表现为芳香烃(67.82%)烷烃(19.56%)卤代烃(7.50%)烯烃(2.86%)含氧挥发性有机物(1.41%)。VOCs体积分数空间分布呈现市中心和下风向郊区两个高值区。通过苯与甲苯的浓度比值发现,林科所VOCs主要来自交通源和生物源,师专甲山校区VOCs主要是来自交通源,其余测点VOCs主要来自交通源、工业源和外来传输源。分析乙苯和间/对二甲苯的浓度比值发现,电子科大尧山校区气团光化学年龄较大,光化学反应活性相对较强烈;旅游学院、华侨旅游经开区、大埠中心校气团光化学年龄较小,光化学反应活性相对较弱。VOCs对O3生成潜势最大的为芳香烃(93.81%),其次是烷烃(7.22%)和烯烃(4.75%);对SOA生成潜势最大的为芳香烃(97.45%),其次是烷烃(2.55%)。     

氧化还原体系低温引发丙烯酸酯乳液聚合安全风险研究

以甲基丙烯酸甲酯、丙烯酸酯乙酯、丙烯酸酯丁酯为反应单体,十二烷基苯磺酸钠为乳化剂,过硫酸铵为氧化剂,亚硫酸氢钠为还原剂,在低温下进行乳液聚合。主要研究了反应单体的热稳定性及反应过程中的相关热力学参数,最后按照规定对该聚合体系进行了安全风险研究。研究结果表明,丙烯酸酯混合单体无热分解放热风险,丙烯酸酯乳液体系的绝热温升(△Tad)为49.6℃,失控体系能达到的最高温度(MTSR)为91.9℃,该体系的最终反应工艺危险度评估为1级,聚合工艺热风险低。     

大连小窑湾海域表层沉积物重金属潜在生态风险评价

基于2009年在大连小窑湾海域表层沉积物中的重金属监测数据,采用Hakanson生态风险指数法对湾内沉积物中的重金属的潜在生态风险进行了分析和评价,并对结果进行了地理空间表达,结果表明:调查研究海域的潜在生态风险较低,该海域的沉积物重金属潜在的生态风险因子为Cd和Hg。     

中国主要水系沉积物中重金属分布特征及来源分析

本文简要综述了中国主要水系沉积物中重金属(Cd、As、Zn、Pb、Cu、Hg、Cr)的分布特征,系统讨论了区域城市化进程对水环境的影响,分析了重金属污染特征及其来源,并采用潜在生态风险指数法评价了中国主要水系沉积物中重金属的潜在生态危害系数和危害指数。结果显示,中国主要水系表层沉积物中重金属的复合污染状况评价结果是:Cd>Hg>Pb>As>Zn>Cr>Cu。其中,Cd元素的Eir值介于41.25～1755.00之间,属于轻微到极强生态危害,其中大部分样点属于强至极强生态危害。Hg元素的Eir值介于115.29～470.83之间,属于强到极强生态危害,其中大部分样点属于很强至极强生态危害。地区对比而言,综合污染状况以海河和珠江较为显著,长江污染最轻。就其来源来讲,海河流域和珠江流域污染来源主要为工业污染,长江和黄河主要是流域岩石风化和土壤侵蚀。     

湛江港表层沉积物重金属的分布及其潜在生态风险评价

测定了湛江港12个表层沉积物样品中重金属Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd和Hg的含量,并与有机质含量进行双变量相关分析,同时应用Hakanson潜在生态风险指数法评价了沉积物重金属综合污染效应。结果表明:湛江港海域沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd和Hg的含量范围分别为(9.5～27.2)×10-6、(24.4～68.1)×10-6、(15.7～115.2)×10-6、(未检出～0.202)×10-6和(0.026～0.167)×10-6,平均含量分别为17.6×10-6、36.9×10-6、67.0×10-6、0.065×10-6和0.091×10-6。除Pb与Hg之间,各种重金属元素之间均存在显著或极显著的相关关系。除Pb和Cd之外,各种重金属与有机质之间相关系数较高。Hakan-son潜在生态风险评价结果显示,湛江港表层沉积物重金属的潜在生态风险均较小,属轻微生态危害。5种重金属的潜在生态风险大小依次为:Hg>Pb>Cd>Cu>Zn。