The Chemistry of Soils, Rocks and Plant Bioindicators in Three Ecosystems of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

In June of 2000, biogeochemical study was carried out in three ecosystems of the Holy Cross Mountains (south-central Poland). This paper presents element concentrations and stable sulfur (and in one site lead) isotope ratios in rocks, detailed soil profiles, and plant bioindicators including epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl., mosses (Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. S. Str., Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), common birch (Betula pendula Roth.), aspen (Populus tremula L.) and English oak (Quercus robur L.). Chemical analyses were performed with ICP-AES and AAS methods in the accredited laboratory (Central Chemical Laboratory of the Polish Geological Institute in Warsaw). The principal objective of this study was to compare the chemical composition of rocks, soils and selected plant bioindicators between investigation sites using the same methods of sample collection, preparation and analyses. The results of this study have shown that there is a high variability in concentrations of elements in plant bioindicators from the same sites that can not be explained only by soil properties or anthropogenic influence. This conclusion indicates that for biomonitoring purposes (especially with vascular plants) we cannot neglect individual features of the species examined.     

Isotopic composition (C & N) of the suspended particles and N uptake by phytoplankton in a shallow tropical coastal lagoon

The spatial distribution of the C/N ratios and variations in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of suspended particulate matter were used to characterise their source in Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika, India. In addition, the significance of re-mineralised nutrients in the primary productivity of the shallow lagoon was also determined through quantification of the subsurface nitrogen uptake conditions at two relatively stable locations in the lagoon. The results indicated that the influence of terrestrial organic matter was the maximum in the northern sector and was relatively limited at the central and southern part of the lagoon. In situ ¹⁵N uptake experiments (daytime) under biogeochemically stable conditions revealed that the N uptake by phytoplankton ranged between 0.24 and 1.01?mM?m^?3?h^?1 during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. New production and regenerated production in the shallow lagoon was also estimated by calculating f-ratios (ratio of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton to total nitrogenous nutrient assimilation, have been estimated), which varied from 0.52 in the post-monsoon to 0.38 in the pre-monsoon. Lowering of the f-ratio from post- to pre-monsoon indicated a dominance of mineralisation over the new production.     

集雨种植下不同沟垄比对土壤呼吸的影响及其对水热因子的响应

为探明不同宽度沟垄集雨种植下土壤呼吸对土壤水热因子的响应机制,对比研究了沟垄比分别为20 cm∶40 cm(P40)、30 cm∶30 cm(P30)、40 cm∶20 cm(P20)的沟垄集雨种植和平作种植(CP)下冬小麦的土壤呼吸动态变化,及其与土壤温度和水分的关系.结果表明,4个处理的土壤呼吸速率在越冬期最低,返青期开始升高,扬花期前后达到峰值,之后逐渐降低.沟垄集雨处理土壤呼吸速率表现为P40P30P20,垄宽增加使呼吸速率提高1.2%~18.4%;苗期和越冬期,沟垄集雨种植提高了土壤呼吸速率,表现为P40P30P20CP,其中苗期3个沟垄集雨处理均显著高于CP(P0.05),越冬期P40处理显著高于CP;苗期和越冬期沟垄集雨种植提高了土壤温度,拔节期至成熟期CP土壤温度高于沟垄集雨处理;沟垄集雨种植能有效蓄水保墒,随着垄宽的增加集雨效果越好,苗期至拔节期降雨稀少,7.6 cm和12 cm土层土壤含水量均表现为P40P30P20CP.相关分析表明,土壤呼吸与温度的相关系数达极显著水平(P0.01),P40和P30的土壤呼吸与水分的相关系数小于P20和CP;水热双因子二次方程模型能解释呼吸变化的61.7%~74.1%,温度指数模型能解释50.3%~68.2%.本研究结果为沟垄集雨种植的生态效益评估提供理论依据.     

南京冬季市区和郊区气溶胶中PAHs浓度的昼夜特征及粒径分布

为了研究南京市区与郊区气溶胶中多环芳烃(PAHs)污染状况和分布特征,利用气-质联用仪(GC-MS)分析了2010年1月1～10日日间和夜间分别在南京大学和南京信息工程大学采集的气溶胶样品,得到南京市区与郊区17种PAHs浓度,总浓度分别为41.36～220.35 ng.m-3和45.10～200.86 ng.m-3,其中约66%～67%分布于细粒子(Dp≤2.1μm)中.研究发现,南京市区和郊区气溶胶中PAH总浓度均处于较高的水平;但两者昼夜变化趋势不同,即市区PAH总浓度日间高于夜间,郊区PAH总浓度日间低于夜间.主导风向的改变和高压天气系统对PAH浓度变化影响较大;在市区其影响主要表现在细粒子部分,而郊区主要表现在粗粒子部分.市区和郊区不同环数的PAHs粒径分布不同;2～3环PAHs,郊区含量高于市区;而4～6环PAHs,市区含量高于郊区.高环数(4～6环)PAHs在粗模态出现较大浓度峰可能是由于南京地区粗模态气溶胶中碳含量较高.市区和郊区相似的特征比值说明两者的PAHs具有相同污染来源,主要为生物质及煤的燃烧和汽车尾气,表明南京市区PAHs受到郊区工业源排放影响较大.     

青藏高原淡水湖泊水化学组成特征及其演化

青藏高原淡水湖具有高生态价值和高脆弱性并存的特点.以海拔5 080 m±10 m的打加芒错湖水为研究对象,测试及分析了湖水化学组分,探讨了其主要离子来源、控制因子和湖泊水化学演化趋势.结果表明,湖水阳离子以Ca2+和Na+为主,阴离子以HCO3-为主,为HCO3-Ca型水;TDS为71.2～199.8 mg·L-1,矿化度低;受地表径流的稀释作用和富铝贫钙的地质背景约束湖区东南部水体的EC、Ca2+和HCO3-浓度均较低.湖水的Na+/(Na++Ca2+)为0.08～0.75,Cl-/(Cl-+HCO3-)为0.11～0.35,Ca/Na值为0.58,Mg/Ca值为0.12,HCO3/Na值为1.46,据Gibbs模型和元素化学计量分析表明,其化学组成主要受硅酸盐岩风化控制.湖区流域参与风化的矿物岩石包括斜长石(钙长石、钠长石)、钾长石、云母、石膏、盐岩等,但以斜长石风化为主,湖水的K/Na值平均为0.059,表明流域钾长石风化程度较低.湖水中方解石、白云石、石英、石膏等矿物饱和指数(SI)大于0,石盐的SI则小于0,揭示了青藏高原上淡水湖泊演变成咸水湖的变化趋势.     

潮白河周丛生物群落元素组成与水质变化的生态计量学关系研究

研究了潮白河流域中污染水体对周丛生物群落的碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)元素含量以及生态计量组成的影响.结果表明,下游潮白河NH4+-N、NOx--N分别占TN的52%和28%;上游白河则分别占1.6%和38%.潮白河TP含量(0.104 mg.L-1)为白河TP含量(0.005 mg.L-1)的21倍.白河和潮白河周丛生物C、N、P元素的变异系数分别为0.55、0.41、0.62和0.24、0.13、0.18,表明生长于白河周丛生物的元素结构变化更大.无周丛生物的水体NH4+-N和TP的浓度分别为有周丛生物的21倍和11倍.通过对TOC、TN、NOx--N、NH4+-N、TP、pH、氧化还原电位(ORP)和电导率(conductivity)等水质指标进行二元Logistic回归分析得知,水体TP为影响潮白河周丛生物生存的主要因素,其预测正确率为87.3%.周丛生物C、N、P元素间有强相关性,其中N起了"桥梁"作用.生态计量学分析进一步显示周丛生物的N∶P的比值追随水体TN∶TP的变化;并且该比值主要受水体TP浓度影响.周丛生物N∶P可用于水体TN∶TP变化的生态计量学的指示因子.本研究为进一步探究周丛生物群落结构变化,以及对高一级营养级生物群落结构和元素循环的影响奠定了基础.     

Tissue S/N ratios and stable isotopes (δS and δN) of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum) for showing air pollution in urban cities in Southern China

In urban cities in Southern China, the tissue S/N ratios of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum), varied widely from 0.11 to 0.19, are strongly related to some atmospheric chemical parameters (e.g. rainwater SO₄²⁻/NH₄⁺ ratios, each people SO₂ emission). If tissue S/N ratios in the healthy moss species tend to maintain a constant ratio of 0.15 in unpolluted area, our study cities can be divided into two classes: class I (S/N > 0.15, S excess) and class II (S/N < 0.15, N excess), possibly indicative of stronger industrial activity and higher density of population, respectively. Mosses in all these cities obtained S and N from rainwater at a similar ratio. Sulphur and N isotope ratios in mosses are found significantly linearly correlated with local coal δ³⁴S and NH₄⁺-N wet deposition, respectively, indicating that local coal and animal NH₃ are the major atmospheric S and N sources.     

Association of plutonium with sediments from the Ob and Yenisey Rivers and Estuaries

The present study applied sequential extraction techniques to investigate the binding and mobility of plutonium (Pu) in sediments from the rivers and estuaries of the Ob and Yenisey. As a study site, the Ob and Yenisey are particularly interesting as both rivers have weapons-grade Pu sources in their catchment areas, including the Russian Pu production and reprocessing plants at Mayak, Tomsk-7 and Krashnoyarsk, and the Semipalantinsk nuclear weapons testing site in Kazakhstan. Plutonium activity and ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratios were determined using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Sequential extractions showed that between 47 and 80% of the Pu in Yenisey River sediments and 35–53% of the Pu in soils around the Techa River are mobilized with weak oxidising agents, which can indicate that Pu is bound to organic material. In contrast, Pu in Ob and Yenisey Estuarine sediments was more strongly bound, with 60–100% being found in the HNO₃-extractable fraction. This change in speciation could reflect either that Pu bound to organic material in the Techa and Yenisey River sediments becomes more fixed to the sediments with time, or that organic-bound Pu is mobilized and released to the water when the sediments encounter the more saline water of the Ob and Yenisey estuaries. In general, ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratios were relatively consistent between different extraction fractions, although, in whole sediments, an increase in ratio was observed with distance from the source. This reflects the increased influence of weapon fallout from catchment runoff within the river systems, as compared to the weapons-grade sources close to the production and reprocessing plants. Knowledge of Pu speciation in the Ob and Yenisey Rivers, and the processes controlling its behaviour in estuarine systems, can improve predictions of its transfer and subsequent environmental impact to Arctic Seas.     

Parental phenols exposure and spontaneous abortion in Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Widespread use of phenols has led to ubiquitous exposure to phenols. In experimental animals, phenols increased resorptions, reduced live litter size and fetal body weights. However, there are limited epidemiological evidences of the relationships between exposure to phenols and pregnancy outcomes. We evaluated the associations between parental urinary levels of various phenols and spontaneous abortion in a Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A case-control study was conducted that included 70 case couples with medically unexplained spontaneous abortion and 180 control couples who did not have a history of spontaneous abortion and had at least one living child. Both parental urinary phenols were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry including bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP). Compared with the low exposure group, there was an increased risk of spontaneous abortion with high paternal urinary PCP concentration [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.05–4.14], and maternal exposure to 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) also significantly increased the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.02–4.80; OR = 2.81, 95% CI, 1.39–5.65, respectively). Our study firstly provides the evidence that paternal PCP exposure, maternal 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) exposure are associated with spontaneous abortion in humans.     

Ambient nitrogen oxides exposure and early childhood respiratory illnesses

Acute respiratory infections are common in children below 5 years and recent studies suggest a possible link with air pollution. In this study, we investigated the association between ambient nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and bronchitis or upper airway inflammation.This longitudinal study was conducted in Teplice and Prachatice districts, Czech Republic. Children were followed from birth to 4.5 years of age. Data were compiled from medical records at delivery and at follow up, and from self-administered questionnaires from the same two time points. Air pollution monitoring data were used to estimate exposure over five different averaging periods ranging from three to 45 days prior to an episode. To quantify the association between exposure and outcome, while accounting for repeated measure correlation we conducted logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equations.During the first 2 years of life, the adjusted rate ratio for bronchitis associated with interquartile increase in the 30-day average NO_x was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.61] and for two to 4.5 year olds, it was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.49). The 14-day exposure also had stable association across both age groups: below 2 years it was 1.25 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.47) and for two to 4.5 years it was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.39). The association between bronchitis and NO_x increased with child's age in the under 2 years group, which is a relatively novel finding.The results demonstrate an association between NO_x and respiratory infections that are sufficiently severe to come to medical attention. The evidence, if causal, can be of public health concern because acute respiratory illnesses are common in preschool children.