Carbonaceous species in fine particles at the background sites in Korea between 1994 and 1999

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in fine particles (PM_2.5) at two background sites, Kosan and Kangwha in Korea were measured during intensive field studies between 1994 and 1999. Fine particles were collected on pre-fired quartz filters in a low-volume sampler and analyzed using the selective thermal oxidation method with MnO₂ catalyst. The OC and EC concentrations at Kosan located at western tip of Cheju Island in southern Korea are lower than those at Kangwha located at western coastal area in mid-Korean peninsula. Still, the OC concentrations at Kosan are generally higher than those at other background areas in Japan and USA. The EC concentrations at Kosan are lower than or comparable to those at other background areas. The total carbon (TC, sum of OC and EC) to EC ratio values at both sites were higher than those at other background areas in Japan and USA. At Kosan, the OC and EC concentrations when air parcels were from southern China were higher than those when air parcels were coming from northern China. However, at Kangwha, the differences were statistically not clear since most air parcels were from northern China. Except when air parcels were from the North Pacific during summer, the OC and EC concentrations are well correlated indicating that both OC and EC share the same emission/transport characteristics. From the gaseous hydrocarbon data and the OC and EC relationship, it was found that during summer local biogenic emissions of OC might be significant at Kosan.     

Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009 and upcoming challenges for exposure assessment of plant protection products--Harmonisation or national modelling approaches?

In the new European Pesticide Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009, the harmonisation of approaches for estimation of the environmental exposure of pesticides is considered a major goal. Several member states currently require their own models for the calculation of predicted environmental concentrations (PEC) in surface water. The variety of methods makes risk evaluations rather time-consuming for both notifiers and evaluating authorities. In the present study we compare surface water concentrations of 19 compounds using EU and country-specific models and risk assessment approaches to evaluate to which extent the resulting estimated exposure concentrations differ. Our results show that EU and country specific approaches and the resulting surface water concentrations differ considerably regarding basic model assumptions and assessment methods. The results indicate that the aimed harmonisation of risk assessment approaches within the EU will be difficult based on current models. New scenarios may help to achieve a harmonisation taking country-specific features into account.     

A new direct thermal desorption-GC/MS method: Organic speciation of ambient particulate matter collected in Golden, BC

Particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is thought to be implicated in a number of medical conditions, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack, and aging. However, very little chemical speciation data is available for the organic fraction of ambient aerosols. A new direct thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) method was developed for the analysis of the organic fraction of PM2.5. Samples were collected in Golden, British Columbia, over a 15-month period. n-Alkanes constituted 33–98% by mass of the organic compounds identified. PAHs accounted for 1–65% and biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) 1–8% of the organic mass. Annual mean concentrations were: n-alkanes (0.07–1.55 ng m⁻³), 16 PAHs (0.02–1.83 ng m⁻³), and biomarkers (0.02–0.18 ng m⁻³). Daily levels of these organics were 4.89–74.38 ng m⁻³, 0.27–100.24 ng m⁻³, 0.14–4.39 ng m⁻³, respectively. Ratios of organic carbon to elemental carbon (OC/EC) and trends over time were similar to those observed for PM2.5. There was no clear seasonal variation in the distribution of petroleum biomarkers, but elevated levels of other organic species were observed during the winter. Strong correlations between PAHs and EC, and between petroleum biomarkers and EC, suggest a common emission source – most likely motor vehicles and space heating.     

室内空气中颗粒物污染特征研究

为获得室内空气颗粒物污染特征,2009年8月18～24日在某单位工作及生活区选取4个室内点和1个室外点进行颗粒物采样和成分分析.结果表明,室内粗颗粒(PM10)符合<室内空气质量标准>(GB/T 18883-2002),而细粒子(PM2.5)的浓度水平较高,表明室内PM2.5的污染较重;室内与室外PM2.5比值显示,P...     

Toxicological characterization of the landfill leachate prior/after chemical and electrochemical treatment: A study on human and plant cells

In this research, toxicological safety of two newly developed methods for the treatment of landfill leachate from the Piškornica (Croatia) sanitary landfill was investigated. Chemical treatment procedure combined chemical precipitation with CaO followed by coagulation with ferric chloride and final adsorption by clinoptilolite. Electrochemical treatment approach included pretreatment with ozone followed by electrooxidation/electrocoagulation and final polishing by microwave irradiation. Cell viability of untreated/treated landfill leachate was examined using fluorescence microscopy. Cytotoxic effect of the original leachate was obtained for both exposure periods (4 and 24 h) while treated samples showed no cytotoxic effect even after prolonged exposure time. The potential DNA damage of the untreated/treated landfill leachate was evaluated by the comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay using either human or plant cells. The original leachate exhibited significantly higher comet assay parameters compared to negative control after 24 h exposure. On the contrary, there was no significant difference between negative control and chemically/electrochemically treated leachate for any of the parameters tested. There was also no significant increase in either CBMN assay parameter compared to the negative control following the exposure of the lymphocytes to the chemically or electrochemically treated landfill leachate for both exposure periods while the original sample showed significantly higher number of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds for both exposure times. Results suggest that both methods are suitable for the treatment of such complex waste effluent due to high removal efficiency of all measured parameters and toxicological safety of the treated effluent.     

预测有机化合物对水蚤EC50值的片段常数法

根据217种化合物建立了估算有机化合物对水蚤EC50值（48h半数影响浓度）的片段常数模型,分析了模型的误差及稳健性。研究结果表明,有机化合物的片段常数和结构因子与水蚤的EC50值倒数的对数（lg1/EC50)显著相关,可以根据片段常数法估算有机化合物对水蚤的EC50。模型的可决系数为0.9687,平均绝对误差0.40个对数单位,其中68.7%化合物的误差小于0.5个对数单位。     

2,2′,4,4′-四溴联苯醚（BDE-47）对4种海洋微藻的急性毒性

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)是一类具有生态风险性的新型持久性有机污染物,其中BDE-47是对生物和人体毒性最强的PBDEs同系物之一.选择4种海洋微藻(海水小球藻、牟氏角毛藻、中肋骨条藻和赤潮异弯藻),采用概率单位-浓度对数法研究了BDE-47对海洋微藻的急性毒性效应(BDE-47浓度梯度设置为0、0.1、1、5、10、50μg·L-1).结果显示,BDE-47对海水小球藻、牟氏角毛藻、中肋骨条藻和赤潮异弯藻的96h半效应浓度(96hEC50)分别为0.79、1.52、1.99和2.25μg·L-1,表明BDE-47对海洋微藻属于极高毒性物质.     

辽河口“退塘还湿”修复区生态系统CO2交换及其环境调控

滨海湿地因其碳汇功能强大,在减缓全球气候变化中发挥着重要作用,“退塘还湿”作为近几年我国滨海湿地生态修复开展的主要形式之一,对其碳源/汇功能的研究较为匮乏.基于涡度相关技术,观测了2021年辽河口“退塘还湿”修复区CO₂通量,研究了修复区内盐沼湿地生态系统CO₂交换特征及其环境调控.结果表明,修复区净生态系统CO₂交换（NEE）平均日变化曲线在春季和秋季呈“U”型,在夏季呈“V”型,在冬季呈“一”型,其春、夏、秋和冬季的效率（以C计）分别为-40.06、-63.62、2.33和34.43 g·m^-2.修复区NEE日累积年内变化整体呈“V”型,NEE、生态系统呼吸（R_eco）和总的初级生产力（GPP）月累积差异明显.2021年修复区内光合有效辐射（PAR）是白天NEE的重要调控因子,二者呈直角双曲线关系,PAR可以解释白天NEE变化的53％;空气温度（T_a）是夜晚生态系统呼吸（R_eco,night）的主控因子,二者呈指数关系,T_a < 5.5℃时生态系统呼吸的温度敏感性（Q₁₀）为2.19,T_a可以解释R_eco,night变化的42％,T_a ≥ 5.5℃时Q₁₀为1.81,T_a可以解释R_eco,night变化的51％.另外,2021年生长季辽河口湿地修复区NEE与土壤含水量（SWC）和饱和水汽压差（VPD）均呈显著的线性负相关,而NEE与土壤温度（T_s）和相对湿度（RH）无显著相关.2021年辽河口“退塘还湿”修复区盐沼湿地表现为碳汇,总净固碳量（以C计）为-66.89 g·m^-2,其具有长期的碳增汇潜力.     

Variability of soil-water quality due to Tsunami-2004 in the coastal belt of Nagapattinam district, Tamilnadu

In this study, the Tsunami-caused deterioration of soil and groundwater quality in the agricultural fields of coastal Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu state in India is presented by analyzing their salinity and sodicity parameters. To accomplish this, three sets of soil samples up to a depth of 30cm from the land surface were collected for the first six months of the year 2005 from 28 locations and the ground water samples were monitored from seven existing dug wells and hand pumps covering the study region at intervals of 3 months. The EC and pH values of both the soil and ground water samples were estimated and the spatial and temporal variability mappings of these parameters were performed using the geostatistical analysis module of ArcGIS((R)). It was observed that the spherical semivariogram fitted well with the data set of both EC and pH and the generated kriged maps explained the spatial and temporal variability under different ranges of EC and pH values. Further, the recorded EC and pH data of soil and ground water during pre-Tsunami periods were compared with the collected data and generated variability soil maps of EC and pH of the post-Tsunami period. It was revealed from this analysis that the soil quality six months after the Tsunami was nearing the pre-Tsunami scenario (EC< 1.5dSm(-1); pH<8), whereas the quality of ground water remained highly saline and unfit for irrigation and drinking. These observations were compared with the ground scenarios of the study region and possible causes for such changes and the remedial measures for taking up regular agricultural practices are also discussed.