Interspecific variation in heavy metal body concentrations in Hong Kong marine invertebrates

Accumulated body concentrations of cadmium, copper and zinc were investigated in 19 species of intertidal invertebrates (the barnacles Tetraclita squamosa, Capitulum mitella, Balanus amphitrite, Megabalanus volcano, the bivalves Saccostrea cucullata, Septifer virgatus and Brachidontes atratus, the chiton Acanthopleura japonica and the gastropods Cellana grata, Cellana toreuma, Patelloida saccharina, Patelloida pygmaea, Siphonaria japonica, Tegula argyrostoma, Lunella coronata, Monodonta labio, Nerita albicilla, Thais clavigera and Thais luteostoma) collected from a relatively unpolluted area in Hong Kong, i.e. two shores within the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve. In general body metal concentrations could be explained by the accumulation strategy of the analysed organism and by physiological requirements for the essential metals, i.e. copper and zinc. Zinc concentrations were, therefore, greatest in the barnacles and the oyster S. cucullata. Copper concentrations were greatest in those gastropods containing the respiratory pigment haemocyanin and in S. cucullata. One species collected from the sheltered shore, i.e. T. luteostoma, had much higher copper body concentrations compared with exposed shore conspecifics and this may be attributed to a diet that was dominated by oysters, which have high copper body concentrations. In contrast to both copper and zinc, cadmium body concentrations showed little interspecific variation.     

Spatial variation of heavy metals in surface sediments of Hong Kong mangrove swamps

The degree of heavy metal contamination in the fine-grained (<63 microm) and sand-sized (2 mm-63 microm) fractions of surface sediments in 18 different mangrove swamps (144 random samples) in Hong Kong was examined. Higher concentrations of heavy metals were found in the fine-grained than the sand-sized fractions of the sediment; however, the differences between these two fractions became less significant when the swamp was more contaminated. The principal component analyses show that the 18 mangrove swamps, according to the median concentrations of total heavy metals, were clustered into four groups. The first group included three mangrove swamps in Deep Bay region which are seriously contaminated, with heavy metal concentrations in sediments around 80 microg g(-1) Cu, 240 microg g(-1) Zn, 40 microg g(-1) Cr, 30 microg g(-1) Ni, 3 microg g(-1) Cd and 80 microg g(-1) Pb. The second cluster, made up of another four swamps distributed in different geographical locations (two in Sai Kung district and two in Tolo region), also had elevated levels of Cu, Pb, Ni and Cr in the sediments. Field observation reveals that these seven stands received industrial, livestock and domestic sewage as well as pollution from mariculture activities, suggesting that anthropogenic input is the main source of heavy metal contamination in Hong Kong mangroves. The sediments from other mangrove swamps were relatively uncontaminated.     

Assessment of the environmental significance of heavy metal pollution in surficial sediments of the River Po

The magnitude and ecological relevance of metal pollution of the middle Po river deriving from the River Lambro tributary was investigated by applying different (complementary) sediment quality assessment approaches: (1) comparisons of concentrations with regional reference data, and (2) comparisons with consensus-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), as well as by investigations of the partitioning patterns of target heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn). Total metal concentrations in the surficial sediments revealed significant pollution inputs on the whole river stretch investigated, with a distinct peak at the inlet of the River Lambro. Based on the geoaccumulation index of target heavy metals, the middle reach of River Po has to be considered as moderately polluted with Cd (1相似文献   

耒水流域土壤重金属污染的时空变异对比

收集了研究区内2008年的历史数据和2018年采集的最新数据,共计278个样品,分析测试了土壤环境污染常提及的Cd、Hg、As、Pb、Cr、Cu、Ni、Zn共8类重金属元素,利用单因子指数评价法、内梅罗综合污染指数法以及土壤环境质量评估法评价研究区内西河和耒水2条河流周边的土壤环境质量类别,结合反距离空间插值法以及空间几何分析,直观地展示出研究区2008—2018年土壤重金属的时空变异特征。结果表明：采集的2期数据中除Cr外,Cd、Hg、As、Pb、Cu、Ni、Zn表层土壤重金属元素均存在点位超标的情况,说明该研究区中整体存在重金属污染;通过单因子指数评价可知,2期数据单因子指数平均值排前2位的均为Cd和Pb,Cr平均值最小,研究区内2期数据Cr超过98%点位均属于优先保护类点位,Cd、As、Pb均存在超过《土壤环境质量农用地土壤污染风险管控标准》(GB 15618-2018)管制值的点位;污染增强区主要分布于采矿及冶炼企业密度较大的西河中上游、耒水上游和耒水下游3个区。为防止今后土壤重金属污染进一步增强,建议对3个高值区采取恰当的管理措施。     

Mosses as biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metal deposition: Spatial patterns and temporal trends in Europe

In recent decades, mosses have been used successfully as biomonitors of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals. Since 1990, the European moss survey has been repeated at five-yearly intervals. Although spatial patterns were metal-specific, in 2005 the lowest concentrations of metals in mosses were generally found in Scandinavia, the Baltic States and northern parts of the UK; the highest concentrations were generally found in Belgium and south-eastern Europe. The recent decline in emission and subsequent deposition of heavy metals across Europe has resulted in a decrease in the heavy metal concentration in mosses for the majority of metals. Since 1990, the concentration in mosses has declined the most for arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead and vanadium (52-72%), followed by copper, nickel and zinc (20-30%), with no significant reduction being observed for mercury (12% since 1995) and chromium (2%). However, temporal trends were country-specific with sometimes increases being found.     

Management, disposal and recycling of waste industrial organic solvents in Hong Kong.

An attempt has been made to establish a mass balance of industrial organic solvents in Hong Kong. It is estimated that only a small portion, less than 4%, of all the organic solvents consumed in Hong Kong are collected as waste solvents and properly treated, while the remainder are used either in the formulation of solvent containing products, or are lost to the environment through vapour emissions, leaks and spills, or dumped illegally. It was found that solvent recycling has been a common practice in some industries but the existing level of solvent recycling in Hong Kong is difficult to estimate. About 87.4% of all the waste organic solvents disposed of at the licensed facilities are potentially recyclable although whether they can be recycled in practice depends on many factors. Examples of existing waste organic solvent management and recycling practices from selected industries in Hong Kong are presented. The economic feasibility of current and future potential recycling systems is evaluated for a few selected cases. An integrated waste organic solvent management strategy is proposed to minimize adverse impacts of organic solvents to the environment and human health.     

Spatial distribution of soil heavy metal pollution estimated by different interpolation methods: accuracy and uncertainty analysis

Mapping the spatial distribution of contaminants in soils is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Interpolation methods are extensively applied in the mapping processes to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled sites. The performances of interpolation methods (inverse distance weighting, local polynomial, ordinary kriging and radial basis functions) were assessed and compared using the root mean square error for cross validation. The results indicated that all interpolation methods provided a high prediction accuracy of the mean concentration of soil heavy metals. However, the classic method based on percentages of polluted samples, gave a pollution area 23.54-41.92% larger than that estimated by interpolation methods. The difference in contaminated area estimation among the four methods reached 6.14%. According to the interpolation results, the spatial uncertainty of polluted areas was mainly located in three types of region: (a) the local maxima concentration region surrounded by low concentration (clean) sites, (b) the local minima concentration region surrounded with highly polluted samples; and (c) the boundaries of the contaminated areas.     

Epiphytic lichens as sentinels for heavy metal pollution at forest ecosystems (central Italy)

The results of a study using epiphytic lichens (Parmelia caperata) as sentinels for heavy metal deposition at six selected forest ecosystems of central Italy are reported. The woods investigated are characterized by holm oak (Quercus ilex), turkey oak (Quercus cerris) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) and represent the typical forest ecosystems of central Italy at low, medium and high elevations, respectively. The results showed that levels of heavy metals in lichens were relatively low and consequently no risk of heavy metal air pollution is expected for the six forest ecosystems investigated. However, for two of them there are indications of a potential risk: the beech forest of Vallombrosa showed signs of contamination by Pb as a consequence of vehicle traffic due to the rather high touristic pressure in the area, and the holm oak forest of Cala Violina showed transboundary pollution by Mn, Cr and Ni originating from the steel industry in Piombino. Epiphytic lichens proved to be very effective as an early warning system to detect signs of a changing environment at forest ecosystems.     

Long-term study of heavy metal pollution in the northern Hangzhou Bay of China: temporal and spatial distribution,contamination evaluation,and potential ecological risk

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coastal ecosystem is vulnerable to heavy metal contamination. The northern Hangzhou Bay is under intensifying impact of anthropogenic activities. To...     

Assessment of trace metal distribution and contamination in surface soils of Hong Kong

An intensive investigation was conducted to study the distribution of trace metals in surface soils of Hong Kong and to assess the soil environmental quality. From results of cluster analysis, and comparisons among soil types and areas, it is clearly shown that increases in trace metal concentrations in the soils were generally extensive and obvious in urban and orchard soils, less so in vegetable soils, whilst rural and forest soils were subjected to the least impact of anthropogenic sources of trace metals. However, some of the forest soils also contained elevated levels of As, Cu, and Pb. Urban soils in Hong Kong were heavily polluted by Pb from gasoline combustion. Agricultural soils, both orchard and vegetable soils, usually accumulated As, Cd, Cu, and Zn originating from applications of pesticides, animal manures, and fertilizers. In general, trace metal pollution in soils of the industrial areas and Pb pollution in the soils of the commercial and residential areas were obvious.     

鄱阳湖流域重金属污染评价与分析

为分析评价鄱阳湖流域重金属积累污染情况,采集流域内沉积物及土壤样品,测定其Cu、Pb、Zn、Cr、Cd、As、Hg含量以及pH、氧化还原电位(Eh)、有机质(SOM)以及黏粒含量等理化参数,采用地累积指数法、潜在生态危害指数法评价流域内沉积物及土壤的重金属污染水平,利用相关性分析法及主成分分析法解析重金属污染的影响因素...     

The impact of heavy metal pollution gradients in sediments on benthic macrofauna at population and community levels

The effect of sediment pollution on benthos was investigated in the vicinity of a large sewage treatment outflow at Incheon North Harbor, Korea. Animal size, vertical distribution and standard community parameters were analyzed along a 3 km transect line (n = 7). Univariate parameters showed a general trend of increasing species diversity with increasing distance from the pollution source. Multi-dimensional scaling analysis led to the clear separation of 3 locational groups, supporting gradient-dependent faunal composition. The innermost location was dominated by small sub-surface dwellers while the outer locations by large mid to deep burrowers. Looking for the size-frequency distribution, most abundance species (Heteromastus filiformis) showed the presence of larger size animals with increasing proximity to the pollution source. Meanwhile, species-specific vertical distributions, regardless of the pollution gradient, indicated that such shifts were due to species replacement resulting from a higher tolerance to pollutants over some species.     

Trace organic and heavy metal pollutants in the Mississippi River

A study was conducted to characterize and measure organic and heavy metal pollutants in the Mississippi River. Water samples were collected along the entire length of the river, and were screened for semivolatile organics by capillary GC and for heavy metals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Four water samples were further examined for semivolatile organics by capillary GC/MS. Eight heavy metals and more than sixty distinct organic chemicals were identified including alkylbenzenes, various halogenated organics, five herbicides or derivatives, plasticizers, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), saturated hydrocarbons, and three miscellaneous organics. All organic compounds were detected at the parts-per-trillion (pptr) level. In spite of the limited nature of the sampling effort, the large number of data derived from this study suggests the need for a more rigorous monitoring of the river for a wide spectrum of chemical pollutants.     

Threat of heavy metal pollution in halophytic and mangrove plants of Tamil Nadu, India

Mangrove and halophytic plants occur along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, south India and these plants have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Heavy metals are known to pose a potential threat to terrestrial and aquatic biota. However, little is known on the toxic levels of heavy metals found in mangrove and halophytic plants that are used in traditional medicine in India. To understand heavy metal toxicity, we investigated the bioconcentration factors (BCF) of heavy metals in leaves collected from eight mangroves and five halophytes in the protected Pichavaram mangrove forest reserve in Tamil Nadu State, south India. Data presented in this paper describe the impact of essential (Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn) and non-essential/environmentally toxic trace metals (Hg, Pb and Sn) in mangrove and halophytic medicinal plants. The concentrations of Pb among 13 plant species were higher than the normal range of contamination reported for plants. The average concentration of Hg in the halophytic plants (0.43+/-0.37mug/g) was seven times higher than mangrove plants (0.06+/-0.03mug/g) and it indicated pollutants from industrial sources affecting halophytes more than mangroves.     

Indoor and outdoor air quality investigation at schools in Hong Kong

Five classrooms in Hong Kong (HK), air-conditioned or ceiling fans ventilated, were chosen for investigation of indoor and outdoor air quality. Parameters such as temperature, relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), respirable particulate matter (PM10), formaldehyde (HCHO), and total bacteria counts were monitored indoors and outdoors simultaneously. The average respirable particulate matter concentrations were higher than the HK Objective, and the maximum indoor PM10 level exceeded 1000 microg/m3. Indoor CO2 concentrations often exceeded 1000 microl/l in air-conditioning and ceiling fan classrooms, indicating inadequate ventilation. Maximum indoor CO2 level reached 5900 microl/l during class at the classroom with cooling tower ventilation. Increasing the rate of ventilation or implementation of breaks between classes is recommended to alleviate the high CO2 level. Other pollution parameters measured in this study complied with the standards. The two most important classroom air quality problems in Hong Kong were PM10 and CO2 levels.     

Decomposition of coniferous forest litter along a heavy metal pollution gradient, south-west Finland

The decomposition of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) fine root and needle litter was examined along a heavy metal pollution gradient in the vicinity of Harjavalta Metals Smelter complex at Harjavalta, south-west Finland. The study area was found to exhibit a defined gradient of copper and nickel soil contamination along a 8 km long transect starting at 0.5 km from the point emission source with the highest levels found at this site. The background site is located 200 km from the point source. The majority of the heavy metals are confined to the soil organic layer. Litter decomposition and litter quality were compared between litter types after 12, 18, and 30 months incubation at each of four sites. The analyses clearly showed differences in accumulated mass loss, C:N ratio, and nutrient composition that were related to the site of incubation. Needle and fine root litter that was incubated at 0.5 km had a lower accumulated mass loss, 28.1 and 40.9%, respectively, over time when compared to litter incubated at the background site (37.9 and 50.9%, respectively). Concentrations of exchangeable cations in the litter incubated at 0.5 km were considerably less. The heavy metal contamination may provide an explanation for the amount of mass lost and the litter quality through impacts on the soil microbiota.     

Temporal and spatial biomonitoring of heavy metals in Hong Kong coastal waters using Tetraclita squamosa

The barnacle Tetraclita squamosa (Crustacea: Cirripedia) was collected from 11 sites in the coastal waters of Hong Kong during three consecutive seasons, i.e. summer 1996, winter 1996-1997 and summer 1997. Barnacle soft tissues were analysed for cadmium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry. Analysis of covariance allowed inter-seasonal (temporal) and inter-site (spatial) comparisons of soft tissue metal concentrations to be made, from which bioavailabilities to T. squamosa have been inferred. Inter-seasonal variation was not greater than intra-seasonal and, therefore, seasonal variation in soft tissue metal concentrations can be considered relatively unimportant. Data were, however, characterised by high temporal variability. Spatial variation in metal bioavailabilities were consistent with earlier studies: cadmium soft tissue concentrations were elevated in barnacles collected from low salinity western waters, while copper and zinc concentrations were elevated in the urban-fringed central waters, in particular at one site, i.e. Aberdeen. In general, metal concentrations were much lower in barnacles collected from eastern water sites.     

燃煤电厂重金属排放与周边土壤重金属污染评价

为研究燃煤电厂重金属排放对周边土壤重金属污染的影响,测定了某燃煤电厂烟囱入口烟气中Cd、Cr、Hg、Ni、Pb、As含量,同时根据当地气象及地形条件,在燃煤电厂周边采集19个土壤样品,分析了土壤中重金属含量及分布情况,并对其污染程度进行评价.结果表明,燃煤电厂烟气中6种重金属元素的质量浓度为0.02～2.00μg/m3...     

Survey of heavy metal pollution and assessment of agricultural soil in Yangzhong district, Jiangsu Province, China

We investigated concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Ni, and Cr in samples of soil, cereal, and vegetables from Yangzhong district, China. Compared to subsoils, the sampled topsoils are enriched in Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As. High levels of Cd and Hg are observed in most agricultural soils. Concentrations of Cr and Ni show little spatial variation, and high Cu, Pb, and Zn contents correspond well to areas of urban development. High As contents are primarily recorded at the two ends of the sampled alluvion. The contents of Cd, Hg, and total organic carbon (TOC) increase gradually to maximum values in the upper parts of soil profiles, while Cr and Ni occur in low concentrations within sampled profiles. As, Pb, Cu, and Zn show patterns of slight enrichment within the surface layer. Compared to data obtained in 1990, Cd and Hg show increased concentrations in 2005; this is attributed to the long-term use of agrochemicals. Cr and Ni contents remained steady over this interval because they are derived from the weathering of parent material and subsequent pedogenesis. The measured As, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents show slight increases over time due to atmospheric deposition of material sourced from urban anthropogenic activity. Low concentrations of heavy metals are recorded in vegetables and cereals because the subalkaline environment of the soil limits their mobility. Although the heavy metal concentrations measured in this study do not pose a serious health risk, they do affect the quality of agricultural products.     

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in surface soils of urban parks in Beijing, China

Assessing the concentration of potentially harmful heavy metals in the soil of urban parks is imperative in order to evaluate the potential risks to residents and tourists. To date, little research on soil pollution in China's urban parks has been conducted. To identify the concentrations and sources of heavy metals, and to assess the soil environmental quality, samples were collected from 30 urban parks located in the city of Beijing. Subsequently, the concentrations of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the samples were analyzed. The investigation revealed that the accumulations of Cu and Pb were readily apparent in the soils. The integrated pollution index (IPI) of these four metals ranged from 0.97 to 9.21, with the highest IPI in the densely populated historic center district (HCD). Using multivariate statistic approaches (principal components analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis), two factors controlling the heavy metal variability were obtained, which accounted for nearly 80% of the total variance. Nickel and Zn levels were controlled by parent material in the soils, whereas Cu, Pb and, in part, Zn were accounted for mainly by anthropogenic activities. The findings presented here indicate that the location and the age of the park are important factors in determining the extent of heavy metal, particularly Cu and Pb, pollution. In addition, the accumulation of Zn did not appear to reach pollution levels, and no obvious pollution by Ni was observed in the soils of the parks in Beijing.