Mercury contamination and health risk to crops around the zinc smelting plant in Huludao City,northeastern China

The Huludao zinc plant in Liaoning province, northeast China was the largest in Asia, and its smelting activities had seriously contaminated soil, water and atmosphere in the surrounding area. For the first time, we investigated the total mercury (THg) content in maize, soybean, broomcorn, 22 vegetables, and the soil around their roots from eight sampling plots near the Huludao zinc plant. THg contents of the seeds of maize, soybean, and broomcorn are 0.008, 0.006, and 0.057 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, with the broomcorn being the highest, exceeding the maximum level of contaminant in food (GB2762-2005) by 4.7 times. The edible parts of vegetables are also contaminated with a range of mercury contents of 0.001–0.147 mg kg⁻¹ (dry weight). THg contents in plant tissue decrease in the order of leaves > root > stalk > grain. Using correlation analysis, we show that mercury in the roots of these plants is mainly derived from soil, and the uptake of gaseous mercury is the predominant path by which the mercury accumulated in the foliage. The average and maximum mercury daily intake (DI) of adult around the Huludao zinc plant via consuming vegetables are 0.015 and 0.051 μg/kg/d, respectively, and those of children are 0.02 and 0.07 μg/kg/d, respectively. The average and maximum weekly intakes of total mercury for adult are 2.1 and 7.1%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and 2.8 and 9.7%, respectively, of the PTWI for children.     

Environmental Se-Mo-B deficiency and its possible effects on crops and Keshan-Beck disease (KBD) in the Chousang area,Yao County,Shaanxi Province,China

Causes of Keshan–Beck disease (KBD) are still being probed and monitored in China. Relationships between trace elements from eco-environmental systems and KBD are poorly understood although relationships between environmental Se and human health have received extensive attention. In order to investigate relationships between eco-environmental geochemistry and KBD, we selected the Chousang KBD area in Yao County, Shaanxi Province, China, as an example of a prevailing KBD area applying I–Se-rich salts instead of utilizing Se-rich fertilisers on food crops to prevent local residents from developing KBD before 1995. Environmentally geochemical samples (rocks, soils, plants and children's hair) were collected from the Chousang KBD area. Soils in the study area contain 0.11±0.02 µg Se g^–1, 0.75±0.11 µg Mo g^–1, and 34.5±1.5 µg B g^–1 on average, indicating that the study area is a deficient-Se–Mo–B area. Se (0.07±0.007 µg g^–1), Mo (0.35±0.09 µg g^–1) and B (3±0 µg g^–1) contents are low in wheat and corn used as a daily main food staple of local inhabitants. It is indicated that the study area is deficient in environmental Se–Mo–B for the local residents. Se contents of children's hair from the Yangyuan Elementary School in the study area range from 0.09 to 0.26 µg Se g^–1 with an average of 0.165±0.05 µg Se g^–1 (n=10) in this KBD endemic area. Due to the low levels of Se, Mo and B available in soils and rocks, crops including wheat and corn are deficient in these elements, accordingly, the deficiency of Se, Mo and B in this area may be linked to the daily consumption of wheat and corn deficient in Se, Mo and B. Therefore, local inhabitants should be encouraged to fertilise mixtures of Se, Mo and B on crop plants in order to avoid development of KBD and guarantee a good harvest of crops.     

川西植被恢复过程中的土壤微生物评价及与土壤因子的关系

较系统地评价了川西植被恢复过程中的土壤微生物以及土壤因子对土壤微生物恢复的制约作用。结果表明:在自然恢复的前50 a,40 a群落的微生物数量恢复最佳,40~50 a会逐渐减少,其中微生物的生理类群数量在30 a到达最好,而微生物数量(细菌、真菌和放线菌)在40 a达到最好;采用桦木、刺楸和杉木对微生物及其生理类群群落的恢复效果差,建议恢复川西中亚热带森林生态系统重新选用合适的豆科植物;人工抚育可显著地促进微生物生理类群数量;土壤中的速效K和阳离子交换量是促进土壤微生物和3种生理类群恢复的主要决定因子,而pH、有机质、全K必须通过速效K或阳离子交换量才能对土壤微生物和生理类群起到较大的作用,速效N对微生物及其生理类群没有明显的作用。     

Modeling water and soil quality environmental impacts associated with bioenergy crop production and biomass removal in the Midwest USA

The removal of corn stover or production of herbaceous crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) or big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) as feedstocks for bioenergy purposes has been shown to have significant benefits from an energy and climate change perspective. There is potential, however, to adversely impact water and soil quality, especially in the United States Corn Belt where stover removal predominantly occurs and possibly in other areas with herbaceous energy crops depending upon a number of geo-climatic and economic factors. The overall goal of this research was to provide a thorough and mechanistic understanding of the relationship between stover and herbaceous crop production management practices and resulting range of impacts on soil and water quality, with a focus on eastern Iowa, USA. Comparisons of the production of herbaceous bioenergy crops to continuous corn (Zea mays L.) and corn-soybean (Glycine max L.) rotations on five different soils representative of the region were performed. Indices for total nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) loss to surface water and groundwater, total soil loss due to water and wind erosion, and cumulative soil carbon loss were derived to assess long-term sustainability. The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) agroecosystem model was used to quantify the sustainability indices and to generate sufficient data to provide a greater understanding of variables that affect water and soil quality than previously possible. The results clearly show the superiority of herbaceous crop production from a soil and water quality perspective. They also show, however, that compared to traditional cropping systems (e.g., corn-soybean rotations with conventional tillage), soil and water quality degradation can be reduced under certain conditions at the same time stover is removed.     

高强度连作下露天菜地土壤次生盐渍化及其影响因素研究

采集佛山市南海区露天菜地表层土壤,测定其硝酸盐含量和全盐量,分析珠江三角洲典型区域蔬菜地土壤次生盐渍化的发生现状和原因,为制定合理的施肥和管理措施提供科学依据。结果表明,1)136个土壤样本硝态氮质量分数在1.070～854.4mg/kg,平均值为194.3mg/kg,有19.9%的土壤样本硝态氮质量分数超过300mg/kg,已达到极高水平;全盐质量分数在0.02～2.7g/kg,平均值为1.2g/kg,有12.5%的土壤样本全盐质量分数已超过2.0g/kg的轻度盐化标准。2)土壤硝态氮质量分数与全盐质量分数之间具有一定的相关性,经统计检验相关系数达极显著水准(r=0.5665,n=131,P<0.01)。3)高强度连作露天菜地土壤的硝态氮质量分数和可溶性盐分浓度已经接近多年塑料大棚水平。4)综合而言,导致土壤次生盐渍化的原因有气候条件、土壤质地、地下水位、灌溉方式、不合理施肥等,而过量施肥及高强度连作可能是引起南海区露天菜地土壤次生盐渍化的主要因素。