Organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in fish from lakes of the Tibetan Plateau and the implications

High mountains may play significant roles in the global transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This work aims to investigate the levels, patterns and distribution of semi-volatile organoclorine pollutants and to improve the understanding of the long-range atmospheric transport and fate of contaminants on the Tibetan Plateau. A total of 60 fish samples were collected from eight lakes located between 2813 and 4718 m above sea level across the Plateau. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in fish muscle. The results showed that concentrations of DDT, HCH and HCB were comparable to or lower than those found in remote mountains of Europe, Canada and US, while PCB concentrations in fish were, on average, about 4-150 times lower on Tibet than at other mountain areas. The transport and fate of contaminants in the Plateau are significantly influenced by the unique climatological and meteorological conditions, particularly by the summer Indian monsoon and winter westerly jet stream.     

赣江流域土地利用方式对无机氮的影响

赣江无机氮是鄱阳湖氮素输入的主要来源,查明流域土地利用方式对赣江无机氮的影响对鄱阳湖的富营养化防治具有重要意义.基于2013年1月和6月对赣江干流和主要支流NO-3-N和NH+4-N的浓度测定,通过不同空间尺度和土地类型等级划分,利用相关分析和冗余分析研究土地利用方式对赣江无机氮浓度的影响.结果表明,不同空间尺度的子流域划分方式对赣江流域土地利用类型与无机氮浓度的相关性有较大影响.与NO-3-N相比,选择更小的子流域划分尺度有助于分析土地利用方式对NH+4-N浓度的影响;在温度较高、微生物活动强烈的季节,也应选择更小的子流域划分尺度研究土地利用方式对无机氮浓度的影响.一级土地利用分类下,赣江流域水田、水域对NO-3-N起"源"作用,林地、草地起"汇"作用;居民建设用地对NH+4-N起"源"作用,林地起"汇"作用.二级土地利用分类下,水田中丘陵水田是赣江NO-3-N浓度的主要来源,其次为平原水田,山区水田最小.居民建设用地中的城镇用地和其它工矿建设用地是赣江NH+4-N的主要污染来源,农村用地是NO-3-N的主要污染来源.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and mercury in fish from lakes of the Tibetan Plateau

High mountains may act as cold traps for globally transported persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg). In the present study, 60 fish samples were collected from eight alpine lakes across the Tibetan Plateau. Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), total mercury (HgT) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were quantified in the fish muscle tissues to improve the understanding of pollution status and factors regulating the transport and fate of these contaminants on the Plateau. The results showed that lake-averaged ∑₁₄PBDEs concentration was between 0.09 ng g⁻¹ dw and 4.32 ng g⁻¹ dw, which was lower than those reported for European mountains. The total mercury concentration in individual fish ranged from 243 to 2384 ng g⁻¹ dw, and that of MeHg from 131 to 1610 ng g⁻¹ dw, which is much higher than those reported in other mountain fish. The spatial variation of PBDEs and mercury in the Plateau is largely controlled by the specific meteorological patterns.     

Effects of molecular weight and concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose on morphology of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as prepared with one-step wet chemical method

Nano-sized apatite particles (nAP) synthesized with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) have shown great application potentials in in situ heavy metal remediation. However, differences in CMC’s properties effects on the size of nAP produced are not well understood. In this paper, two types of CMC, with respective molecular weights (MW) of ～120000 and ～240000 Dalton or respective polymerization degrees of 500 (CMC-500) and 1050 (CMC-1050), were studied in a concentration range of 0.05%–0.5% (w/w) for nAP synthesis. Morphology of the particles was characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results showed that 0.05% CMC-500 solution gave an average particle size of 148.7±134.9 nm, 0.25% CMC-500 solution produced particles of 21.8±20.4 nm, and, 0.5% CMC-500 solution contained particles of 15.8±7.7 nm. In comparison, 0.05% CMC-1050 solution produced nanoparticles of 6.8±3.2 nm, 0.25% CMC-1050 produced smaller nAP of 4.3±3.2 nm, and 0.5% CMC-1050 synthesized the smallest nanoparticles in this study, with an average diameter of 3.0±2.1 nm. Chemical composition of the products was identified with X-ray diffraction (XRD) as pure hydroxyapatite. Interactions between nAP and CMC were discussed with help of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATRFTIR) spectroscopic data. This study showed that CMC at higher concentration as well as higher MW facilitated to produce finer nanoparticles, showing that nAP size could be manipulated by selecting appropriate CMC MW and/or applying appropriate CMC concentration.     

Historical trends of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) recorded in sediments across the Tibetan Plateau

Sediment cores from four lakes across the Tibetan Plateau were used as natural archives to study the time trends of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The total concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (ΣDDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (ΣHCH) were in the range of 0.04–1.61 and 0.08–1.88 ng/g based on dry weight (dw), while the input fluxes were in the range of 0.3–236 and 0.7–295 pg/cm²/y in the core sediments, respectively. The input fluxes of ΣDDT and ΣHCH generally peaked in sediment layers corresponding to the 1970s–1990s and peaked in top sediment layers. The ratio of α/γ-HCH decreased in the top layer sediments, implying that the contribution of lindane (pure γ-HCH) has been increasing in recent years. In addition, the ratio of o,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDT increased significantly over the last 15–20 years, suggesting that dicofol (characterized by high ratio of o,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDT about 7.0) has recently become a relatively more important source of DDT compared to technical DDT itself. The time trends of OCPs recorded in lake sediments examined the impact on such remote alpine regions by human activities.     

Distribution and temporal trends of butyltins monitored by molluscs along the Chinese Bohai coast from 2002 to 2005

Thirteen areas around the Chinese Bohai coast, individuals including ten kinds of bivalves and two kinds of snails were collected during the period of 2002-2005 for the investigation of spatial distribution and temporal variations of butyltin compounds (BTs). BTs including tributyltin (TBT) and its derivates, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) were quantified by gas chromatography/flame photometric detection after extraction and Grignard derivatization. BTs compounds were widely existed in the samples and TBT was the dominant composition, indicating recent TBT input along Bohai coast. As a whole, BTs concentration remained high during the sampling years except a slightly decreased in samples from several sites in 2005. The contamination characteristics of BTs in different sampling sites were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) method, and the species specific bioaccumulation of BTs was also identified using cluster analysis.     

鄱阳湖入湖河口沉积物真菌群落结构

本次研究基于高通量测序技术分析了鄱阳湖入湖河口14处沉积物的真菌群落结构特征.测序得到的314条真菌OTU分属于9个门,25个纲,49个目,62个科,62个属和117个种.在OTU分类水平上,鄱阳湖主要支流入湖河口中除饶河、赣江南支和修水具有相近的真菌群落结构外,其它河口之间群落结构差异较大;真菌群落丰度、多样性与沉积物p H、有机碳、有机氮和C/N等环境因子没有显著相关性.在门分类水平上,丰度(序列数比例)最高的是子囊菌门(Ascomycota,49.4%),其次为壶菌门(Chytridiomycota,20.4%)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota,17.8%).与其它河口相比,赣江河口沉积物的水生环境真菌Chytridiomycota丰度显著较高,抚河河口沉积物的陆生环境真菌Basidiomycota丰度显著较高.有机碳是影响鄱阳湖入湖河口沉积物真菌群落门分类组成的主要环境因子,与Basidiomycota相对丰度正相关,与Chytridiomycota负相关,与Ascomycota相关性较弱.     

Organotin pollution in China: an overview of the current state and potential health risk

In recent years, considerable amounts of organotin compounds have entered the environment due to the wide industrial applications in China. Organotins were found in various environmental media. An overview of organotin contamination and distribution in China from various environmental samples, including waters and sediments, is presented to better understand the current state of organotin pollution in China and to improve environmental monitoring and management of organotin contamination. Exposure to organotin contaminated water and sediments induces accumulation of organotins in molluscs and biological effects such as imposex. Potential harmful effects on human health may also result from consumption of contaminated seafoods. Detailed information on distribution, impacts and assessment of risk to human health and marine ecosystems is discussed and monitoring of TBT using biomarkers is described. This review highlights the serious organotin contamination of coastal cities in China and emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring and the development of an effective regulatory program.     

全氟异丁烯的毒性和检测防护技术

本文介绍了全氟异丁烯(PFIB)物化性质及产生;总结了其毒性;分析了气相色谱法分析PFIB方法:讨论了人员和环境防护技术.     

In situ immobilization of Cu(II) in soils using a new class of iron phosphate nanoparticles

This study tested the feasibility of using a new class of iron phosphate (vivianite) nanoparticles synthesized using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) as a stabilizer for in situ immobilization of Cu(II) in soils. Transmission electron microscopy measurements demonstrated that the particle size was about 8.4+/-2.9 nm. Batch tests showed that nano-sized vivianite particles can effectively reduce the leachability and in vitro bioaccessibility of Cu(II) in three representative soils (calcareous, neutral, and acidic) at the low doses of 0.61 and 3.01 mg PO(4) g(-1) soil. The Cu leachability was evaluated by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure and in vitro bioaccessibility was evaluated by the physiological based extraction test. In the case of soil amendment with nanoparticles in 3.01 mg PO(4) g(-1) soil, Cu leachability reduced 63-87% and Cu concentrations in TCLP extract decreased from 1.74-13.33 mg l(-1) to 0.23-2.55 mg l(-1) after those soils were amended for 56 d. Meanwhile, the bioaccessibility of Cu was reduced by 54-69%. Sequential extraction procedures showed the significant decrease of water soluble/exchangeable Cu(II) and carbonate bound fractions and concomitant increase of Cu residual fraction after the soils were amended with the nanoparticles, suggesting that the formation of copper phosphate minerals through precipitation and adsorption was probably responsible for the decrease of Cu availability in soils. Visual MINTEQ modeling further revealed that Cu(3)(PO(4))(2) and Cu(5)(PO(4))(3)OH were formed in the vivianite-solid Cu(II) system, resulting in the decreased solubility of the Cu(II) in the acidic pH range.