Arsenic poisoning in groundwater: health risk and geochemical sources in Bangladesh

Of the 2508 water samples analyzed in 10 districts of Bangladesh, 51%, on an average, contained arsenic levels of 0.05 to 2.50 mg/l. 95% of nail, 96% of hair, and 94% of urine samples contained arsenic above the normal level. Approximately 3.58 million people out of a total of 17.92 million who are drinking water containing arsenic levels >0.20 mg/l are potentially exposed to high risk of health hazard. Eight thousand and five hundred arsenic patients are identified; they are suffering from various skin lesions, gangrene in leg, skin, lung, bladder, liver, and renal cancer. A big portion of the total population is highly vulnerable to various internal cancers. Lowest arsenic concentration in drinking water producing dermatological disease is found to be 0.103 mg/l. However, the exposure time to develop arsenicosis varies from case to case reflecting its dependence on arsenic level in drinking water and food, nutritional status, genetic variant of human being, and compounding factors. This study has determined the high intensity of fluorescent humic substances in drinking water containing elevated concentrations of arsenic and very low concentrations of heavy metals. The synergistic/antagonistic effect of fluorescent compounds present in drinking water may aggravate the toxicity of arsenic. Geochemical study suggests that arsenic may be released from both reductive dissolution of Fe and Mn (oxy)hydroxide and microbial oxidation of organic matter.     

AFM probe based nano mechanical scribing of soda-lime glass

In recent years, demands for miniature components have increased due to their reduced size, weight and energy consumption. In particular, brittle materials such as glass can provide high stiffness, hardness, corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength for various biomedical and high-temperature applications. In this study, cutting properties and the effects of machining parameters on the ductile cutting of soda-lime glass are investigated through the nano-scale scratching process. In order to understand the fundamentals of the material removal mechanism at the atomic scale, such as machined surface quality, cutting forces and the apparent friction, theoretical investigation along with experimental study are needed. Scribing tests have been performed using a single crystal diamond atomic force microscope (AFM) probe as the scratching tool, in order to find the cutting mechanism of soda-lime glass in the nano-scale. The extended lateral force calibration method is proposed to acquire accurate lateral forces. The experimental thrust and cutting forces are obtained and apparent friction coefficients are deduced. The effects of feed rates and the ploughing to shearing transition of soda-lime glass have been investigated.     

Variability of water quality and metal pollution index in the Ganges River,Bangladesh

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The Ganges River is one of the biggest transboundary streams in the Indian sub-continent. The significant part of this waterway channel drains one of...     

思林水库荧光溶解性有机质的特征、来源及其转化动力学

利用三维荧光光谱(EEM)结合平行因子分析(PARAFAC),研究了思林水库冬季(1月)、春季(4月)、夏季(6月)和秋季(10月)上游入库水体、库区表层水(0 m)、库区深层水(20 m)、出库水体的荧光溶解性有机质(FDOM)不同组分的特征、来源及其转化动力学.结果表明,思林水库的溶解性有机质由3种荧光组分组成,分别是:陆源类腐殖质(C类,C1)、浮游植物源的微生物类腐殖质(M类,C2)和浮游植物源的类蛋白或类色氨酸或类酪氨酸(C3).其中陆源类腐殖质的荧光强度随着入库水、库区表层水、库区深层水和出库水逐渐减少,这表明由于光化学作用、微生物作用、大坝拦截效应等环境因素的影响,类腐殖质随着水体由入库向出库的流动而逐渐降解.相反,微生物类腐殖质(M类)的荧光强度结果表明,在入库-出库过程中,微生物类腐殖质处于产生及部分或完全降解的波动中,这表明微生物类腐殖质是浮游植物的原生产物,并且对于光化学作用、微生物作用和大坝拦截效应有很强的不稳定性.类蛋白或类色氨酸或类酪氨酸主要新产生于夏季和秋季的表层水体中,在冬季和春季表层和深层水体中也有产生;并在出库过程中逐渐减少.这表明类蛋白或类色氨酸或类酪氨酸是浮游植物的原生产物;并且它们受到光化学作用、微生物作用和大坝拦截效应的共同影响,在表层和深层水中生成和降解.因此,这些结果意味着通过平行因子分析确定的荧光溶解性有机质组分的方法,对于更好地理解溶解性有机质在水库水体的转化动力学机制至关重要.     

平寨水库荧光溶解性有机质的来源、特征及其动态转化

利用三维激发发射矩阵光谱(3-D EEM)和平行因子分析,研究了三岔河流域平寨水库溶解有机质的来源、组成和转化情况。在平寨水库的入库水、表层水(0～5 m)、深层水(10～60 m)和出库水中,检测到了几种荧光溶解有机质组分,分别为陆源类腐殖质、自源类腐殖质和浮游植物源的类蛋白质(或类色氨酸或类酪氨酸)。陆源类腐殖质的荧光强度在入库水中略高于出库水,表明陆源类腐殖质在水库系统中相对稳定,大坝截流对其影响不大。自源类腐殖质的荧光强度在库区明显高于入库水和出库水,表明自源类腐殖质既由自源有机物分解产生,又在光化学、微生物和大坝物理拦截过程的影响下发生分解;其他荧光组分中也检测到相似的结果。水温、pH、溶解氧和有色溶解有机质表现出相似的季节变化,光化学和微生物以及大坝拦截是引起水库入库水、库区表层水、库区深层水和出库水中荧光溶解有机质时空动态变化的主要原因。     

Sorption of 17β-estradiol to pig slurry separates and soil in the soil-slurry environment

Contamination of freshwater by estrogens from manure applied to agricultural land is of grave concern because of the potentially harmful effects on aquatic life and human health. Recent developments in liquid manure (slurry) management include partial removal of particulate slurry dry matter (PSDM) by separation technologies, which may also remove parts of the estrogens and enhance infiltration of the slurry on field application and hence the interaction between estrogens and the soil matrix. This study investigated how 17β-estradiol (E2), a natural estrogen commonly found in pig manure, sorbs to agricultural soils, to different size fractions of pig slurry separates, and to soils amended with each size fraction to simulate conditions in the soil-slurry environment. A crude fiber fraction (SS1) was prepared by sieving (<500 μm) the solids removed by an on-farm separation process. Three other size fractions (SS2 > SS3 > SS4) were prepared from the liquid fraction of the separated slurry by sedimentation and centrifugation. Sorption experiments were conducted in 0.01 mol L(-1) CaCl(2) and in natural pig urine matrix. Sorption in 0.01 mol L(-1) CaCl(2) was higher than that in pig urine for all solids used. Sorption of E2 to soil increased with its organic carbon content for both liquid phases. The solid-liquid partition coefficients of slurry separates were 10 to 30 times higher than those of soils, but the organoic carbon normalized partition coefficient values, reflecting sorption per unit organic carbon, were lower for slurry separates. Mixing slurry separates with soil increased the sorption of E2 to the solid phase significantly in the order: SS1 < SS3 < SS2 for both liquid phases. In contrast, SS4 reduced the sorption of E2 to the solid phase by increasing the sorption to suspended or dissolved organic matter. The study suggested that potentially 50 to 75% of E2 in slurry can be removed from the liquid fraction of slurry by physical separation.