环境中短链和中链氯化石蜡的来源、污染特征及环境行为研究进展

短链氯化石蜡(SCCPs)是持久性有机污染物,已于2017年5月被正式列入《关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约》附件A的受控名单.中链氯化石蜡(MCCPs)具有相似的性质.由于氯化石蜡(CPs)大量生产以及广泛应用,其在环境介质中的含量处于较高水平.本文综述了 SCCPs和MCCPs的生产和排放,以及2016年以后文...     

Concentration,sources, influencing factors and hazards of heavy metals in indoor and outdoor dust: A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Heavy metals are a common class of toxic contaminants in soil, water and air, yet their occurrence in indoor environments is less known. Heavy metals enter...     

Microplastic sources,formation, toxicity and remediation: a review

Microplastic pollution is becoming a major issue for human health due to the recent discovery of microplastics in most ecosystems. Here, we review the sources, formation, occurrence, toxicity and remediation methods of microplastics. We distinguish ocean-based and land-based sources of microplastics. Microplastics have been found in biological samples such as faeces, sputum, saliva, blood and placenta. Cancer, intestinal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, infectious and inflammatory diseases are induced or mediated by microplastics. Microplastic exposure during pregnancy and maternal period is also discussed. Remediation methods include coagulation, membrane bioreactors, sand filtration, adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, electrocoagulation and magnetic separation. Control strategies comprise reducing plastic usage, behavioural change, and using biodegradable plastics. Global plastic production has risen dramatically over the past 70 years to reach 359 million tonnes. China is the world's top producer, contributing 17.5% to global production, while Turkey generates the most plastic waste in the Mediterranean region, at 144 tonnes per day. Microplastics comprise 75% of marine waste, with land-based sources responsible for 80–90% of pollution, while ocean-based sources account for only 10–20%. Microplastics induce toxic effects on humans and animals, such as cytotoxicity, immune response, oxidative stress, barrier attributes, and genotoxicity, even at minimal dosages of 10 μg/mL. Ingestion of microplastics by marine animals results in alterations in gastrointestinal tract physiology, immune system depression, oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, differential gene expression, and growth inhibition. Furthermore, bioaccumulation of microplastics in the tissues of aquatic organisms can have adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem, with potential transmission of microplastics to humans and birds. Changing individual behaviours and governmental actions, such as implementing bans, taxes, or pricing on plastic carrier bags, has significantly reduced plastic consumption to 8–85% in various countries worldwide. The microplastic minimisation approach follows an upside-down pyramid, starting with prevention, followed by reducing, reusing, recycling, recovering, and ending with disposal as the least preferable option.

     

Vanadium properties,toxicity, mineral sources and extraction methods: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Vanadium chemicals, known as the “vitamins of the modern industry,” are major resources widely used in the petroleum, steel, batteries and catalyst...     

Effects of sand deposition on scleractinian and alcyonacean corals

The ability of corals to withstand experimental sand deposition was investigated for two experimental periods (17 h and 6 wk) in eight scleractinia (Favia favus, Favites pentagona, Platygyra daedalea, Gyrosmilia interrupta, Galaxea fascicularis, Cyphastrea chalcidicum, Favites abdita, Goniopora dijboutensis) and five alcyonacea (Lobophytum depressum, L. venustum, Sinularia dura, S. leptoclados, Sarcophyton glaucum) collected in 1992 from Natal, South Africa. Scleractinia were active sediment shedders, alcyonacea passive, relying on water motion and gravity. Short-term sand clearing efficiency was primarily dependent on corallum shape. Sand application led to hydrostatic inflation of polyps in scleractinia and the entire colony in alcyonacea as well as to increased tentacular action in the scleractinian Gyrosmilia interrupta. Under continuous sand application, inflation remained while other activities, such as tentacular motion, ceased completely. In scleractinia and alcyonacea, tissue necroses appeared after the first week of continuous sand application. Death of entire colonies and partial bleaching of continually sandcovered areas were observed in alcyonacea only. Different grain sizes of sand had no influence on clearing reaction or efficiencies.     

Tetracycline antibiotics in the environment: a review

Tetracycline antibiotics are one of the primarily antibiotics groups used for veterinary purposes, for human therapy and for agricultural purposes. Amongst the different antibiotics used, more attention is paid to tetracycline’s as it exhibits serious environmental problems including ecological risks and human health damages. Due to their extensive usage, most of the actual evidence suggests that tetracycline antibiotics are omnipresent compounds found in different ecological compartments. After medication, more than 70 % of tetracycline antibiotics are excreted and released in active form into the environment via urine and feces from humans and animals. Their highly hydrophilic character and low volatility have resulted in significant persistence in the aquatic environment. Very few studies describe the fate and toxicity of tetracycline antibiotics in the environment. Here, we review several important issues with regard to: (1) the toxicity of these compounds on aquatic and terrestrial organisms; (2) their estrogenic effects; (3) their behavior in different ecological systems and; (4) the by-products generated during water treatment. These antibiotics residues promote the development of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, which can induce adverse effect to human health by increasing the risk of certain infections. Based on recent research results, the occurrence of tetracycline antibiotics in the environment inhibits the growth of some terrestrial and aquatic species. Besides, the residual concentrations of such drugs could affect steroidogenic pathway and consequently may cause endocrine disruption of aquatic species. Most of the wastewater treatment plants are not capable of removing effectively the tetracycline antibiotics. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative processes to remove them from waters. Advanced oxidation processes have been proposed as alternative methods to ensure higher degradation and mineralization of tetracycline antibiotics are present in waters.     

Origin,occurrence, and biodegradation of long-side-chain alkyl compounds in the environment: a review

Long-side-chain alkyl compounds, such as those present in oil and oil products, either of natural or of anthropogenic origin or released by industrial activities, are a ubiquitous group of chemicals in the environment. Among them, long-side-chain alkylmonocycloalkanes, alkylbenzenes, and alkyl organic sulfur compounds are largely found in fossil fuels while long-side-chain alkylbenzene sulfonates and alkylphenols are released into the environment primarily due to domestic activities. The present article briefly summarizes the advances that have occurred in this field in terms of the identity, abundance, possible origin and significance of these long-side-chain alkyl compounds found in the environment. In addition, the susceptibility to biodegradation and the fate of these chemicals in the environment are discussed.     

Occurrence,transport, and toxicity of nanomaterials in soil ecosystems: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The recent and widespread use of engineered nanomaterials in many industrial sectors is a rising health issue for living organisms and ecosystems, yet there is...     

A review of the effects of gas flaring on the Niger Delta environment

SUMMARY

This paper is a review of studies on the impact of gas flaring on the Niger Delta environment. The Niger Delta region of Nigeria has suffered all forms of pollution and degradation arising from oil and natural gas exploitation. These include a decrease in agricultural yield, depression in flowering and fruiting in Okro and palm trees, deformities in children, liver damage and skin problems, increasing concentrations of airborne pollutants, acidification of soils and rainwater, corrosion of metal roofs and significant increases in concentrations of sulphates, nitrates and dissolved solids, with associated socio-economic problems.

In spite of decree 99, which bans unauthorized flaring, over 75% of the gas produced is still being flared. The paper observes that empirical studies on the impact of gas flaring on the physical, chemical, soil, biological, atmospheric and social environment have not been adequately documented. It concludes that there is urgent need for scientific study and analysis of the effect of gas flaring on the different environmental compartments in the Niger Delta, as this is a necessary ingredient for achieving the dream of sustainable mineral exploitation in the region.     

Simulation of flow and shear stress distribution on the Oceano Dunes,implications for saltation and dust emissions

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Wind-driven shear stresses drive saltation and dust emissions over sand dunes. However, the complex topography of coastal dunes and practical difficulties in...     

Cost,environmental impact,and resilience of renewable energy under a changing climate: a review

Energy derived from fossil fuels contributes significantly to global climate change, accounting for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and approximately 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Alternative energy from renewable sources must be utilized to decarbonize the energy sector. However, the adverse effects of climate change, such as increasing temperatures, extreme winds, rising sea levels, and decreased precipitation, may impact renewable energies. Here we review renewable energies with a focus on costs, the impact of climate on renewable energies, the impact of renewable energies on the environment, economy, and on decarbonization in different countries. We focus on solar, wind, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal energy. We observe that the price of solar photovoltaic energy has declined from $0.417 in 2010 to $0.048/kilowatt-hour in 2021. Similarly, prices have declined by 68% for onshore wind, 60% for offshore wind, 68% for concentrated solar power, and 14% for biomass energy. Wind energy and hydropower production could decrease by as much as 40% in some regions due to climate change, whereas solar energy appears the least impacted energy source. Climate change can also modify biomass productivity, growth, chemical composition, and soil microbial communities. Hydroelectric power plants are the most damaging to the environment; and solar photovoltaics must be carefully installed to reduce their impact. Wind turbines and biomass power plants have a minimal environmental impact; therefore, they should be implemented extensively. Renewable energy sources could decarbonize 90% of the electricity industry by 2050, drastically reducing carbon emissions, and contributing to climate change mitigation. By establishing the zero carbon emission decarbonization concept, the future of renewable energy is promising, with the potential to replace fossil fuel-derived energy and limit global temperature rise to 1.5 °C by 2050.

     

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the Pearl River Delta and coastal environment: sources,transfer, and implications

A study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and behavior of six endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in sewage, river water, and seawater from the Pearl River Delta (PRD). The six EDCs under study were 4-nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), estrone (E2), 17β-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). These EDCs, predominated by BPA, were found in high levels in the influents and the effluents of sewage treatment plants in the area. The relatively high concentrations (0.23–625 ng/L) of the EDCs detected in the receiving river water suggested that the untreated sewage discharge was a major contributor. The EDCs detected in eight outlets of the Pear River and the Pear River Estuary were in the ranges of 1.2–234 and 0.2–178 ng/L, respectively. The estrogen equivalents in the aquatic environments under study ranged from 0.08 to 4.5 ng/L, with E1 and EE2 being the two predominant contributors. As the fluxes of the EDCs from the PRD region to the nearby ocean are over 500 tons each year, the results of this study point to the potential that Pearl River is a significant source of the EDCs to the local environment there.     

Impact of waste of COVID-19 protective equipment on the environment,animals and human health: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and shields, has become mandatory to prevent person-to-person...     

Modeling primary and secondary fractionation effects and atmospheric transport of polychlorinated biphenyls through single-source emissions

The Chinese Gridded Industrial Pollutants Emission and Residue Model (ChnGIPERM) was used to investigate potential fractionation effects and atmospheric transport of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) derived from single-source emissions in China. Modeling the indicative PCBs (CB28, CB101, CB153, and CB180) revealed spatiotemporal trends in atmospheric transport, gas/particle partitioning, and primary and secondary fractionation effects. These included the inference that the Westerlies and East Asian monsoons affect atmospheric transport patterns of PCBs by influencing the atmospheric transport time (ATT). In this study, dispersion pathways with long ATTs in winter tended to have short ones in summer and vice versa. The modeled partitioning of PCB congeners between gas and particles was mainly controlled by temperature, which can further influence the ATT. The potential for primary and secondary fractionation was explored by means of numerical simulations with single-source emissions. Within ChnGIPERM, these phenomena were mainly controlled by the temperature and soil organic carbon content. The secondary fractionation of PCBs is a slow process, with model results suggesting a timescale of several decades.

     

Oral bioaccessibility of trace metals in household dust: a review

Because household dust is a heterogeneous assortment of particles derived from a multitude of diverse sources, concentrations of toxicants, like trace metals, vary widely among sample populations. For risk assessment purposes, the bioaccessibility of a trace metal, or its degree of solubilization in the human lung or digestive environment, provides a better metric of its potential health impact than its total concentration. In this paper, the relatively little direct information that exists on the in vitro oral bioaccessibilities of metals in household dust is reviewed. Data and mechanisms from studies involving better characterized geosolids, like soil and street dust, or metal-rich components thereof, such as paints, are also extrapolated to the household setting, although use of these solids as surrogates of household dust is not recommended. The bioaccessibility of a given metal is highly variable in the household setting; for instance, reported accessibilities of Pb in fluids that mimic the human stomach range from 25 to 80%, and accessibility is usually, but not always, reduced when conditions are altered to mimic the intestine. While part of this variation reflects the inherent heterogeneity of samples arising from local to regional differences in geology, industrial emissions, and domestic (and cultural) practices, considerable variation results from the precise means by which bioaccessibility is determined in vitro. It is recommended, therefore, that the effects of physicochemical variables, and in particular, the solid to fluid ratio and the pH of the stomach phase, are studied systematically such that appropriate algorithms or corrections may be factored into measures of bioaccessibility obtained under operationally defined default conditions.     

Analytical methods for microplastics in the environment: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Microplastic pollution is a recently discovered threat to ecosystems requiring the development of new analytical methods. Here, we review classical and advanced...     

Uncommon heavy metals,metalloids and their plant toxicity: a review

Heavy metals still represent a group of dangerous pollutants, to which close attention is paid. Many heavy metals are essential as important constituents of pigments and enzymes, mainly zinc, nickel and copper. However, all metals, especially cadmium, lead, mercury and copper, are toxic at high concentration because of disrupting enzyme functions, replacing essential metals in pigments or producing reactive oxygen species. The toxicity of less common heavy metals and metalloids, such as thallium, arsenic, chromium, antimony, selenium and bismuth, has been investigated. Here, we review the phytotoxicity of thallium, chromium, antimony, selenium, bismuth, and other rare heavy metals and metalloids such as tellurium, germanium, gallium, scandium, gold, platinum group metals (palladium, platinum and rhodium), technetium, tungsten, uranium, thorium, and rare earth elements yttrium and lanthanum, and the 14 lanthanides cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lutetium, neodymium, promethium, praseodymium, samarium, terbium, thulium and ytterbium.