Summary of 25 Years of Xylem Tracheids and Sewage/Sludge in the Sea

The Rapid Sewage/Sludge Indicator Technique (RSIT), developed during the early 1970's, responded to critical needs within the Bureau of Water Pollution Control. It enabled quick detection of contamination in ocean water and bottom sediments during sewage-related emergencies and routine monitoring. RSIT became an invaluable tool for resource management, in determining where and to what extent marine environments are impacted, and when immediate information is necessary for public health decisions.

The RSIT utilizes microscopic examination for terrestrial plant vascular tissue, especially the xylem tracheid elements, as identifiers of sewage/sludge. Not normally found in ocean waters, this material, in toilet paper and the roughage of the human diet which passes through the digestive system intact, is an indicator of human faecal contamination. Minimal training and common laboratory materials allow gross screening in five minutes. New studies by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), United States Geologic Survey (USGS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), most recently at the 106-mile dump site off the New York Bight, revalidated the technique as a rapid, inexpensive, easy to use, semiquantitative indicator both for water column and sediment samples.     

Chemical contamination of soils in the New York City area following Hurricane Sandy

This paper presents a unique data set of lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in soil samples collected from the metropolitan New York City area in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Initial samples were collected by citizen scientists recruited via social media, a relatively unusual approach for a sample collection project. Participants in the affected areas collected 63 usable samples from basements, gardens, roads, and beaches. Results indicate high levels of arsenic, lead, PCBs, and PAHs in an area approximately 800 feet south of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Superfund site at Newtown Creek. A location adjacent to the Gowanus Canal, another Superfund site, was found to have high PCB concentrations. Areas of high PAH contamination tended to be near high traffic areas or next to sites of known contamination. While contamination as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy cannot be demonstrated conclusively, the presence of high levels of contamination close to known contamination sites, evidence for co-contamination, and decrease in number of samples containing measureable amounts of semi-volatile compounds from samples collected at similar locations 9 months after the storm suggest that contaminated particles may have migrated to residential areas as a result of flooding.     

The delineation of two plankton communities from one sampling site (Fire Island Inlet,Long Island,N.Y.)

Zooplankton and phytoplankton communities were observed and recorded at Fire Island Inlet from 1971–1974. Species typical of a temperate, neritic environment were found. Sampling by net and bottle at several stations in the area revealed two populations, one representative of the bay water and the other representative of the ocean water. It was further found, by comparing frequency of occurrence relative abundance, rank order and indicator species, that these two populations could be monitored at one sampling station (Oak Beach) by sampling at the appropriate tidal intervals, i.e., midtide after slack current, on both the ebb and flow tides. Observations from one site of plankton communities representative of bay water and of ocean water, as they move into and out of the Inlet, could be of significance in monitoring the effects of proposed man-made changes in the environment. It is possible that other coastal areas could benefit by such a combined approach.Based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, New York University, New York, N.Y.     

Aktuelle Entwicklungen bei Umweltindikatorensystemen

The current monitoring of the status of the environment and natural resources is a substantial basis for the implementation of a sustainable development as a model of the environmental policy in the terms of Agenda 21. For the 90s, in particular by the mandate of Rio 1992, both the international institutions (international level), e.g. the OECD, the United Nation Commission of Sustainable Development and the European Environmental Agency, and the environmental protection authorities of the different countries (national level) e.g. Germany, and of the federal states of Germany (regional level) are developing environmental indicator systems. In the context of the Local Agenda 21, indicators for the ecological, economic, social and institutional categories are set up on a communal level. In the environmental indicator systems different issues, e.g. climate change, ozone layer depletion, water quality and water resources, waste, toxic contamination, biodiversity, landscape protection, soil resources, forest resources, etc., are described. Concepts with driving forces, pressure, state, impact and/or response indicators are applied. The German Council of Environmental Advisors (SRU) requires that the selection and aggregation of indicators must be transparent and comprehensibly documented and that the chosen indicators must be oriented at political targets. The following article gives an overview of relevant actual environmental indicator systems, their concepts and structuring, and points to the further research and developmental requirements within this area.     

Arsenic-induced skin conditions identified in southwest dermatology practices: an epidemiologic tool?

Populations living in the Southwest United States are more likely to be exposed to elevated drinking water arsenic levels compared to other areas of the country. Skin changes, including hyperpigmentation and generalized hyperkeratosis, are the most common signs of chronic arsenic ingestion from drinking water. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using dermatology practices in New Mexico, Arizona, and western Texas as a surveillance system for arsenical skin disorders related to drinking water. Postcard questionnaires were mailed to practicing dermatologists. The number of cases of arsenical hyperpigmentation/keratoses seen by these dermatologists during the past 10 years and the past year were estimated. Of 240 dermatologists who were mailed questionnaires, 37 reported seeing 237 patients with arsenical hyperpigmentation/keratoses in the past 10 years and 35 patients in the past year. Since approximately one-eighth of dermatologists practicing in the Southwest saw at least one patient with arsenical hyperpigmentation/keratoses during one year, it appears feasible to complete a population-based study of these conditions.     

An integrated methodology for assessment of estuarine trophic status

This paper describes an integrated methodology for the Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status (ASSETS), which may be applied comparatively to rank the eutrophication status of estuaries and coastal areas, and to address management options. It includes quantitative and semi-quantitative components, and uses field data, models and expert knowledge to provide Pressure-State-Response (PSR) indicators.A substantial part of the concepts underlying the approach were developed as the United States National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment (NEEA), which was applied to 138 estuaries in the continental United States. The core methodology relies on three diagnostic tools: a heuristic index of pressure (Overall Human Influence), a symptoms-based evaluation of state (Overall Eutrophic Conditions), and an indicator of management response (Definition of Future Outlook).Recently, the methodology has been extended and refined in its application to European estuaries, and a more quantitative approach to some of the metrics has been implemented. In particular, the assessment of pressure is carried out by means of simple modeling techniques, comparing anthropogenic nutrient loading with natural background concentrations, and the quantitative criteria for classification of system state based on different symptoms have been refined to improve comparability.The present approach has been intercalibrated with the original NEEA work, for five widely different U.S. estuaries (Long Island Sound, Neuse River, Savannah River, Florida Bay and West Mississippi Sound) with good results. ASSETS additionally aims to contribute to the EU Water Framework Directive classification system, as regards a subset of water quality and ecological parameters in transitional and coastal waters.     

Dynamic behavior of stormwater quality parameters in South Texas

To control water impairment in urban stormwater, it is important to evaluate changing patterns of water quality parameters in stormwater runoff. Thus, the authors performed a series of experiments to investigate the dynamics of common water parameters during storm events in semi-arid areas, with multiple samples collected and analyzed in field stormwater applications. At this field monitoring site within McAuliffe Park, McAllen, Texas, in the United States, a storm event increased the concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli), but this event represented a decreasing trend over the entire event period. Besides, peak intensity of different pollutants in the stormwater runoff occurred at different times other than at any peak flows, representing a complexity of the temporal and spatial measurements. Multi-sample perevent approaches recommended based on the complexity of the hydrograph and different peak intensity times of pollutants. In addition, high bacteria and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in the initial stage of the storm event should be considered when designing Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Low Impact Developments (LIDs). New strategies and solutions for addressing ecohydrological challenges should be proposed to avoid collateral damages to their both common wealth in ecosystems and human well-beings.     

太湖胥口湾表层水和沉积物中多环芳烃的浓度水平及生态风险

多环芳烃(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs)是环境中普遍存在的稠环类化合物,由于其对人体健康和生态环境产生较大危害,美国环保局将16种PAHs列为优先控制的污染物。PAHs也是太湖流域的主要污染物之一。作为华东地区的重要水系和水源地,研究太湖环境质量的变化对改善太湖流域水生生态系统和提高沿岸居民身体健康具有重要意义。论文研究了太湖胥口湾水域表层水和沉积物的PAHs。结果显示,表层水和沉积物的PAHs总浓度分别为7.2~83 ng·L~(-1)和66~620ng·g~(-1)干重;年均值为29 ng·L~(-1)和218 ng·g~(-1)干重;年均毒性当量浓度为2.4 ng·L~(-1)和28 ng·g~(-1)干重。沉积物中的主要污染物为荧蒽、芘和,影响毒性当量浓度的主要是苯并(a)芘和二苯并(a,h)蒽。4环PAHs在沉积物中占主要,其浓度百分比为44%~48%,而5环PAHs则占毒性当量总浓度的90%以上,说明其危害主要来自5环PAHs。PAHs特征化合物比值分析表明,胥口湾沉积物中PAHs主要来源于煤和木材燃烧,表层水大部分为燃烧和石油的混合来源。污染水平的时空变化特点为丰水期(8月)表层水PAHs浓度偏高,沉积物偏低。湖区和湖岸的PAHs浓度只在丰水期有显著差异,表层水PAHs浓度湖区高于湖岸,沉积物相反;其他时期湖区和湖岸PAHs浓度无显著差异。根据加拿大沉积物环境质量标准,胥口湾整体生态风险水平较低。从时空分布特征来看,个别生态风险较高的点主要分布在湖岸,5月平水期可能是沉积物中PAHs生态风险较高的频发期。     

Water quality of Lugu Lake: Changes,causes and measurements

Lugu lake is an alpine lake in Yunnan Province in western China. It is famous for its beautiful scenery and the special culture of Mosuo people in this area. The lake is becoming contaminated and eutrophicated because of the huge number of visitors and improvements in agriculture during the last decade. This paper uses the water quality index (WQI) as an indicator to describe trends in contamination of Lugu Lake from 1995 to 2004 and analyses several parameters to determine the causes and consequences of contamination. We found that the dominant cause was pollution from tourism and suggest some feasible measures to prevent further deterioration of the lake water quality.     

The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts

Anthropogenic features such as urbanization, roads, and power lines, are increasing in western United States landscapes in response to rapidly growing human populations. However, their spatial effects have not been evaluated. Our goal was to model the human footprint across the western United States. We first delineated the actual area occupied by anthropogenic features, the physical effect area. Next, we developed the human footprint model based on the ecological effect area, the zone influenced by features beyond their physical presence, by combining seven input models: three models quantified top-down anthropogenic influences of synanthropic predators (avian predators, domestic dog and cat presence risk), and four models quantified bottom-up anthropogenic influences on habitat (invasion of exotic plants, human-caused fires, energy extraction, and anthropogenic wildland fragmentation). Using independent bird population data, we found bird abundance of four synanthropic species to correlate positively with human footprint intensity and negatively for three of the six species influenced by habitat fragmentation. We then evaluated the extent of the human footprint in relation to terrestrial (ecoregions) and aquatic systems (major rivers and lakes), regional management and conservation status, physical environment, and temporal changes in human actions. The physical effect area of anthropogenic features covered 13% of the western United States with agricultural land (9.8%) being most dominant. High-intensity human footprint areas (class 8-10) overlapped highly productive low-elevation private landholdings and covered 7% of the western United States compared to 48% for low-intensity areas (class 1-3), which were confined to low-productivity high-elevation federal landholdings. Areas within 1 km of rivers were more affected by the human footprint compared to lakes. Percentage human population growth was higher in low-intensity human footprint areas. The disproportional regional effects of the human footprint on landscapes in the western United States create a challenge to management of ecosystems and wildlife populations. Using footprint models, managers can plan land use actions, develop restoration scenarios, and identify areas of high conservation value at local landscapes within a regional context. Moreover, human footprint models serve as a tool to stratify landscapes for studies investigating floral and faunal response to human disturbance intensity gradients.     

放射性核素水环境质量标准研究进展

地球环境中广泛存在的放射性核素对人类和其他物种产生辐射安全风险,成为水环境质量的重要指标之一。随着人类生活水平和环境保护意识的提升,以及核与辐射安全复杂的国际形势,放射性核素水环境质量标准的关注度越来越高。饮用水水质标准中的放射性核素限值基于个人辐射剂量标准,评估方法已经建立,并在世界卫生组织、美国、加拿大和日本等国际组织和国家的饮用水水质标准中得到广泛应用。水环境质量标准中的放射性核素限值基于辐射环境、参考生物、个体单位时间内的辐射剂量限值,对此各国际组织和国家相继开展了放射性核素的生态风险评价研究,并逐步制定相关标准。与国际水平相比,我国水环境质量标准存在放射性核素指标数量少、修订频率滞后、科学适用性有待提升等问题。在我国核能发展与生态文明建设的新形势下,加强放射性核素的健康风险和生态风险评价研究,建立健全水环境质量标准中放射性核素指标体系成为我国水环境研究的紧迫任务。     

The ocean quahog<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Arctica islandica</Emphasis> L.: a bioindicator for contaminated sediments

The use of benthic organisms as bioindicators in the aquatic environment is a suitable method for assessing the effects of contaminants in coastal waters. The accumulation of heavy metals in body tissues due to lifestyle and feeding mechanisms makes it possible to reveal contamination rates and recovery trends within polluted areas. Comparing a polluted historical dumping site in the inner Mecklenburg Bight (western Baltic Sea) with a less-contaminated reference site at the edge of the Mecklenburg Bight, representing the background contamination of the western Baltic Sea, the present study discusses the population structure and heavy metal exposure of the ocean quahog Arctica islandica L. (Mollusca, Bivalvia) and evaluates this organism as a bioindicator for contaminated sediments. The organism density was higher at the reference site in comparison to the dumping site. The absence of juvenile and adult individuals at the dumping site seems to be a sign that this ecological environment has not completely regenerated since the dumping event in the late 1950s to early 1960s. Heavy metal concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc in the soft body tissue of A. islandica were analysed using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Shell measurements were carried out using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. Particularly the concentrations of copper and lead were significantly higher in the soft body tissue as well as in the shell from the dumping site than from the reference site. For pollutant biomonitoring research, the shells of the ocean quahog can be used as an indicator for heavy metal accumulation. They are more suitable for reflecting historical contamination events than the soft body tissue.Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe     

Assessment of the degree of mercury contamination of marine fish around Bonaire

Many reports indicate that the levels of mercury (Hg) contamination of marine fish in other regions are above the United States Food and Drug Administration safe limit (0.5μg/g). No such studies were conducted on fish in the Dutch Caribbean region. Local fish are significant in the diet of the people of Bonaire. Mercury accumulates through the food web and would be expected to be greatest in the top predators. Four species of fish (wahoo, mahi mahi, black fin tuna and barracuda) that are caught for human consumption and occupy top predator positions within the food web were sampled and analyzed for their degree of contamination with Hg. Mercury concentrations were analyzed using semi-quantitative kits and the results verified by a private analytical lab in South Africa. There were no significant differences between the species. Black fin tuna showed the highest Hg concentrations, wahoo and mahi mahi showed lower levels and barracuda the lowest. These levels compare favorably with data published elsewhere. Uncontrolled illegal gold mining in Brazil and Venezuela contaminates ground and river water with Hg. This ultimately reaches the Atlantic where prevailing currents bring it past the Bonaire region. Bonairean fish's Hg levels are not a concern at present, but this may change with time.     

Haloacetic acids in swimming pool and spa water in the United States and China

The objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence of haloacetic acids （HAAs）, a group of disinfection byproducts, in swimming pool and spa water. The samples were collected from six indoor pools, six outdoor pools and three spas in Pennsylvania, the United States, and from five outdoor pools and nine indoor pools in Beijing, China. Five HAAs （HAA5）, including monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetic acid were analyzed. Total chlorine, pH and total organic carbon concentration were analyzed as well. Results indicated that the levels of HAA5 in swimming pools and spas in the United States ranged from 70 to 3980μg·L^-1, with an arithmetic average at 1440μg·L^-1 and a median level at 1150μg·L^-1. These levels are much higher than the levels reported in chlorinated drinking water and are likely due to organic matters released from swimmers＇ bodies. The levels of HAA5 in swimming pools in China ranged from 13 to 332μg·L^-1, with an arithmetic average at 117μg·L^-1 and a median level at 114μg·L^-1. The lower HAA levels in swimming pools in China were due to the lower chlorine residuals. Results from this study can help water professionals to better understand the formation and stability of HAAs in chlorinated water and assess risks associated with exposures to HAAs in swimming pools and spas.     

水体和沉积物中毒害污染物的生态风险评价方法体系研究进展

人类活动导致大量毒害污染物进入水体和沉积物,从而对水生生物产生诸多不利影响.开展毒害污染物的生态风险评价,筛选高风险毒害污染物,是毒害污染物风险管控和生态系统保护的基础.对美国和欧盟等发达国家和地区毒害污染物的生态风险评价方法进行了综述.水体和沉积物中毒害污染物风险评价的基本方法首先是采用预测或测定环境浓度(PEC或M...     

Forecasting the Expansion of Zebra Mussels in the United States

Abstract:  Because zebra mussels spread rapidly throughout the eastern United States in the late 1980s and early 1990s, their spread to the western United States has been expected. Overland dispersal into inland lakes and reservoirs, however, has occurred at a much slower rate than earlier spread via connected, navigable waterways. We forecasted the potential western spread of zebra mussels by predicting the overland movement of recreational boaters with a production-constrained gravity model. We also predicted the potential abundance of zebra mussels in two western reservoirs by comparing their water chemistry characteristics with those of water bodies with known abundances of zebra mussels. Most boats coming from waters infested with zebra mussels were taken to areas that already had zebra mussels, but a small proportion of such boats did travel west of the 100th meridian. If zebra mussels do establish in western U.S. water bodies, we predict that population densities could achieve similar levels to those in the Midwestern United States, where zebra mussels have caused considerable economic and ecological impacts. Our analyses suggest that the dispersal of zebra mussels to the western United States is an event of low probability but potentially high impact on native biodiversity and human infrastructure. Combining these results with economic analyses could help determine appropriate investment levels in prevention and control strategies .     

Influence of groundwater recharge and well characteristics on dissolved arsenic concentrations in southeastern Michigan groundwater

Arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/l, the United States maximum contaminant level and the World Health Organization guideline value, are frequently reported in groundwater from bedrock and unconsolidated aquifers of southeastern Michigan. Although arsenic-bearing minerals (including arsenian pyrite and oxide/hydroxide phases) have been identified in Marshall Sandstone bedrock of the Mississippian aquifer system and in tills of the unconsolidated aquifer system, mechanisms responsible for arsenic mobilization and subsequent transport in groundwater are equivocal. Recent evidence has begun to suggest that groundwater recharge and characteristics of well construction may affect arsenic mobilization and transport. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between dissolved arsenic concentrations, reported groundwater recharge rates, well construction characteristics, and geology in unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers. Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicate that arsenic contamination is more prevalent in bedrock wells that are cased in proximity to the bedrock-unconsolidated interface; no other factors were associated with arsenic contamination in water drawn from bedrock or unconsolidated aquifers. Conditions appropriate for arsenic mobilization may be found along the bedrock-unconsolidated interface, including changes in reduction/oxidation potential and enhanced biogeochemical activity because of differences between geologic strata. These results are valuable for understanding arsenic mobilization and guiding well construction practices in southeastern Michigan, and may also provide insights for other regions faced with groundwater arsenic contamination.     

Origin and assessment of groundwater pollution and associated health risk: a case study in an industrial park,northwest China

Groundwater quality which relates closely to human health has become as important as its quantity due to the demand for safe water. In the present study, an entropy-weighted fuzzy water quality index (WQI) has been proposed for performing groundwater quality assessment in and around an industrial park, northwest China, where domestic water requirements are solely met by groundwater. The human health risk was assessed with the model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the sources of major ions and main contaminants were also analyzed. The study shows that groundwater in the study area has been contaminated conjunctively by natural processes and industrial and agricultural activities. Nitrate, manganese (Mn), fluoride, total dissolved solids, total hardness and sulfate are major contaminants influencing groundwater quality. Nitrate and heavy metals such as Mn are mainly affected by human agricultural activities and industrial production, while other contaminants are mainly originated from mineral weathering and water–rock interactions. The results of water quality assessment suggest that half of the groundwater samples collected are of medium quality thus require pretreatment before human consumption. The mean health risk caused by the consumption of contaminated groundwater in the area is 8.42 × 10^?5 per year which surpasses the maximum acceptable level (5 × 10^?5 per year) recommended by the International Commission on Radiologic Protection. The entropy-weighted fuzzy WQI proposed in this study can not only assign proper weights to parameters but also treat uncertainties associated with water quality classification. This study will be of interest to international environmentalists and hydrogeologists. It will also be useful in regional groundwater management and protection.     

Abstracts to forthcoming papers

Soil and sediments collected at a former chlor‐alkali plant in coastal Georgia (United States), revealed the presence of PCDF concentrations as great as 82.3 ng/g, dry wt. PCDF congener profile in soil was typical of “chlorine pattern”; with elevated proportions of OCDF and HpCDF. Concentrations of PCDFs declined gradually by 44‐fold at a distance of about 500 m along the contamination gradient. Of PCDDs/DFs, 2,3,7,8‐substituted PCDFs accounted for 94–98% of the TCDD‐like activity, which declined by 25‐fold, corresponding with the reduction of total PCDF concentrations. Concentrations of PCDDs in sediments were as great as 17 ng/g, with an elevated contribution from OCDD. The magnitude of decline in PCDD concentrations with distance from the source was less pronounced than that for PCDFs. PBDDs and PBDFs were not detected. Polybrominated biphenyl ether (PBBE) and monobromo‐heptachloro dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans (PXDDs/DFs) were found, though, at low concentrations. Their spatial distribution was similar to those of PCDDs.     

Species Imperilment and Spatial Patterns of Development in the United States

Abstract:  Conservation biologists and others hypothesize that humankind's "ecological footprint" is affected not only by the sheer intensity of human activity but also by its spatial arrangement. We used a multivariate statistical model and state-level data to evaluate correlations between species imperilment and the level and spatial distribution of human settlement and infrastructure development in the United States. The level of human activity—measured by the number of people and households, incidence of roads, and intensity of nighttime lights—was significantly correlated with the ecological imperilment of species. Our regression models consistently showed that a 1% increase in the level of human activity across the United States was associated with about a 0.25% increase in the proportion of plant and animal species considered at risk of extinction by The Nature Conservancy. The distribution of human activity did not affect species imperilment. Our results point to rising levels of human activity—and not some particular (e.g., sprawling) distribution of human activity—as the most relevant anthropogenic factor explaining biodiversity loss in the United States.