The potential risk assessment for different arsenic species in the aquatic environment

The different toxicity characteristics of arsenic species result in discrepant ecological risk. The predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) 43.65, 250.18, and 2.00 × 10³ μg/L were calculated for As(III), As(V), and dimethylarsinic acid in aqueous phase, respectively. With these PNECs, the ecological risk from arsenic species in Pearl River Delta in China and Kwabrafo stream in Ghana was evaluated. It was found that the risk from As(III) and As(V) in the samples from Pearl River Delta was low, while much high in Kwabrafo stream. This study implies that ecological risk of arsenic should be evaluated basing on its species.     

松花江水体沉积物汞污染的生态风险

为了发展一种方法以便重建河流沉积物中汞的初始背景浓度,并在此基础上评价松花江汞污染现状,于2005年采集了吉林市至哈尔滨市松花江河段沉积物样品,用混合酸消解后,使用原子荧光分析测定了沉积物中总汞含量,使用ICP-MS和ICP-AES分别测定了沉积物中钪和主要阳离子含量.以保守元素钪为基准元素,重建了松花江沉积物中汞的初始背景含量,然后计算了沉积物中汞的富集比率和潜在生态风险指数.结果表明,吉林市至松源河段沉积物汞仍然存在极强的生态污染风险,松源以下河段沉积物中Hg存在中等或轻微生态污染.与以前研究多采用全球工业化前沉积物中汞最高含量或上地壳中汞平均含量来评价沉积物中汞的生态风险相比,本方法比较客观地反映了研究河段沉积物中汞的污染现状和生态风险,建议在沉积物重金属污染评价研究中采用.     

Responses of soil ammonia oxidizers to a short-term severe mercury stress

The responses of soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea(AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria(AOB) to mercury(Hg) stress were investigated through a short-term incubation experiment.Treated with four different concentrations of Hg(CK,Hg25,Hg50,and Hg100,denoting 0,25,50,and 100 mg Hg/kg dry soil,respectively),samples were harvested after 3,7,and 28 day incubation.Results showed that the soil potential nitrification rate(PNR) was significantly inhibited by Hg stress during the incubation.However,lower abundances of AOA(the highest in CK: 9.20 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil; the lowest in Hg50: 2.68 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil) and AOB(the highest in CK: 2.68 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil; the lowest in Hg50:7.49 × 10~6 copies/g dry soil) were observed only at day 28 of incubation(P 0.05).Moreover,only the community structure of soil AOB obviously shifted under Hg stress as seen through DGGE profiles,which revealed that 2–3 distinct AOB bands emerged in the Hg treatments at day 28.In summary,soil PNR might be a very useful parameter to assess acute Hg stress on soil ecosystems,and the community structure of soil AOB might be a realistic biological indicator for the assessment of heavy metal stress on soil ecosystems in the future.     

典型城市河流表层沉积物中汞污染特征与生态风险

以北京市凉水河为研究对象,研究了典型城市河流表层沉积物中汞污染特征与生态风险.采用王水水浴消解法和BCR三步提取法分析沉积物中汞总量及其赋存形态特征,并利用潜在生态风险指数法和风险评估指数法评价汞的生态风险.结果表明,凉水河表层沉积物中总汞含量范围是0.018~3.48 mg·kg~(-1),平均值是0.974 mg·kg~(-1),多数样点高于北京市土壤背景值;表层沉积物中汞主要以残渣态(B4态)存在,平均含量为0.841 mg·kg~(-1),各形态汞所占比例顺序为:残渣态(B4态)可氧化态(B3态)可还原态(B2态)弱酸可溶解态(B1态),其中生物有效态汞占总汞的比例为23.21%.基于汞总量的潜在生态风险评价可知,凉水河各个河段表层沉积物中汞的潜在生态风险程度都处于很高水平(Ei平均值为565);但基于汞形态的生态风险评价可知,汞的生态风险都处于较低水平(B1所占比例平均值为4.80%).     

Mercury mass flow in iron and steel production process and its implications for mercury emission control

The iron and steel production process is one of the predominant anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury emissions worldwide. In this study, field tests were conducted to study mercury emission characteristics and mass flows at two iron and steel plants in China. It was found that low-sulfur flue gas from sintering machines could contribute up to41% of the total atmospheric mercury emissions, and desulfurization devices could remarkably help reduce the emissions. Coal gas burning accounted for 17%–49% of the total mercury emissions, and therefore the mercury control of coal gas burning, specifically for the power plant burning coal gas to generate electricity, was significantly important. The emissions from limestone and dolomite production and electric furnaces can contribute29.3% and 4.2% of the total mercury emissions from iron and steel production. More attention should be paid to mercury emissions from these two processes. Blast furnace dust accounted for 27%–36% of the total mercury output for the whole iron and steel production process. The recycling of blast furnace dust could greatly increase the atmospheric mercury emissions and should not be conducted. The mercury emission factors for the coke oven,sintering machine and blast furnace were 0.039–0.047 g Hg/ton steel, and for the electric furnace it was 0.021 g Hg/ton steel. The predominant emission species was oxidized mercury, accounting for 59%–73% of total mercury emissions to air.     

三门峡水库水体中不同形态汞的分布特征

为了解三门峡水库水体中不同形态汞的分布特征,在丰水期和枯水期对三门峡水库进行采样,分别采用冷原子荧光光谱法(CVAFS)和蒸馏-乙基化衍生-气相色谱-冷原子荧光法(GC-CVAFS)测定水样中总汞、总甲基汞、溶解态总汞和溶解态甲基汞的浓度.结果表明,三门峡水库水体中总汞、溶解态汞和颗粒态汞浓度范围分别为1.65~9.65、0.80~3.16和0.70~7.81 ng·L~(-1),符合国家地表水环境质量标准(GB 3838-2002)一类水汞浓度标准限值;总甲基汞、溶解态甲基汞和颗粒态甲基汞浓度分别为0.05~0.36、0.02~0.14和ND~0.26 ng·L~(-1).三门峡水库水体总汞和甲基汞在季节和空间分布上没有呈现出明显的变化规律.总汞和甲基汞与未受污染的天然水体差别不大,水库未受到明显的汞污染.丰、枯水期沉积物中总汞浓度分别为(92.96±10.65)ng·g~(-1)和(80.06±19.14)ng·g~(-1),甲基汞浓度分别为(0.33±0.14)ng·g~(-1)和(0.50±0.19)ng·g~(-1).较低的甲基汞浓度说明在三门峡水库汞的迁移转化过程中,甲基化作用可能并非主要的过程,这可能与水体底层溶解氧浓度较高以及沉积物中有机质浓度较低有关.     

沉积物中多环芳烃的生态风险评价法研究

评价沉积物中PAHs的生态风险对于保护整个生态系统具有重要意义,但迄今尚未建立统一的沉积物中PAHs的风险评价方法.因此,本研究以珠江广州段表层沉积物中PAHs含量为基础,综合运用相平衡分配法和物种敏感性分布法,并结合概率风险表征对沉积物中PAHs的生态风险进行评价.结果表明,沉积物中PAHs的生态风险大小主要取决于PAHs固液相分配过程.通过对不同评价结果的对比分析,总结出了一套沉积物中PAHs的生态风险评价方法.研究建议首先采用相平衡分配法将沉积相暴露浓度分布转化为孔隙水暴露浓度分布,再选择符合实际需求的水体污染物生态风险评价方法进行后续评价,其中毒性数据应优先选择慢性毒性数据.     

渤海中南部表层沉积物中汞的分布及风险评估

本文以渤海中南部表层沉积物为研究对象,采用DMA-80测汞仪测定表层沉积物中Hg的含量,并对其空间分布状况以及生态风险进行论述。结果表明,渤海中南部表层沉积物Hg含量范围为19.5×10-9~106.8×10-9,均值为41.5×10-9,除一个沉积物站位外,其余均高于渤海沉积物Hg的背景含量。Hg含量高值区主要分布在黄河口、渤海中部泥质区和辽东浅滩局部海域,低值区位于渤中浅滩和渤海海峡南部海域,这与河流输入、沉积物粒度以及区域矿物背景有关。应用潜在生态危害指数法对渤海中南部表层沉积物Hg的生态风险进行评价,发现72.7%的站位处于中等风险水平,13.6%的站位处于重度风险水平。     

基于土壤汞形态归趋的健康风险评估方法

土壤汞污染是一个全球性关注问题,矿产资源开采、化工生产和燃煤发电等均造成了不同程度的土壤汞污染,合理评估汞污染场地的健康风险是场地开发再利用的关键.对土壤中汞的形态归趋研究总结表明,由于汞的特殊物理化学性质,并受土壤等环境因素的影响,导致其在土壤中具有复杂的化学形态和变化过程.汞在土壤中的不同化学形态归趋对其毒性效应、生物有效性和暴露途径产生显著影响.基于土壤汞总量的风险评估方法忽略了土壤中不同化学形态汞对毒性、生物有效性和暴露途径的影响,导致高估土壤汞污染的健康风险.针对基于土壤汞总量的风险评估存在的问题,提出了基于土壤汞形态归趋的土壤汞污染健康风险评估理论,并构建基于土壤汞形态归趋-有效剂量-健康效应的土壤汞污染的精细化风险评估技术体系框架:①土壤不同形态汞的测定与表征方法;②汞形态归趋预测模型;③暴露分析与暴露量计算;④有效剂量（生物可给性或生物有效性）测定;⑤风险表征;⑥基于不同形态汞的场地土壤污染风险筛选值和修复目标制定.该方法体系从理论上解决了传统基于土壤汞总量的风险评估方法存在的问题,实际应用中面临的主要问题和今后重点发展方向:①研发可商业化的土壤汞化学物组分分析仪及土壤汞蒸气的原位测定方法;②结合中国场地土壤特点,开展土壤中汞的形态归趋模拟的模型研究,弥补现阶段土壤汞化合物形态分析方法的欠缺;③研发和建立土壤汞的生物可给性和有效性的标准测试方法技术;④本土化的土壤汞筛选值的确定.      

影响大气汞化学过程的敏感因子分析

为了分析汞在大气中的化学行为,在一个化学模式中加入汞的气相、气液平衡和液相反应,模拟大气汞及其化合物的演变规律,并分析了气象因子(云、光解率、温度)和化学因子(气态O3、H2O2、HO2、OH和气态零价汞Hg0(g))的初始体积分数对各形态汞及其化合物浓度和Hg0(g)转化率的影响.模拟结果表明,在中等大气污染条件下,Hg0(g)的每小时平均转化率为2.91%.敏感性试验结果表明,云量、光解率、温度、O3和Hg0(g)的初始体积分数对不同形态汞的影响较为显著.云量的增加、光解率的增加、臭氧初始体积分数的升高,各形态汞的平衡时间缩短,除气态氧化汞和一价汞离子外,其他形态汞的平衡浓度均会降低,Hg0(g)的转化率增加.温度增加将抑制Hg0(g)的转化.Hg0(g)的初始体积分数增加,各形态汞的浓度升高,但其平均转化率没有显著变化.不同因子对汞化学过程的相对作用对区域或全球大气汞的环境模拟具有指导意义.     

Effects of sulfate-reducing bacteria on methylmercury at the sediment–water interface

Sediment cores(containing sediment and overlying water) from Baihua Reservoir(SW China)were cultured under different redox conditions with different microbial activities, to understand the effects of sulfate-reducing bacteria(SRB) on mercury(Hg) methylation at sediment–water interfaces. Concentrations of dissolved methyl mercury(DMe Hg) in the overlying water of the control cores with bioactivity maintained(BAC) and cores with only sulfate-reducing bacteria inhibited(SRBI) and bacteria fully inhibited(BACI) were measured at the anaerobic stage followed by the aerobic stage. For the BAC and SRBI cores, DMe Hg concentrations in waters were much higher at the anaerobic stage than those at the aerobic stage, and they were negatively correlated to the dissolved oxygen concentrations(r =- 0.5311 and r =- 0.4977 for BAC and SRBI, respectively). The water DMe Hg concentrations of the SRBI cores were 50% lower than those of the BAC cores, indicating that the SRB is of great importance in Hg methylation in sediment–water systems, but there should be other microbes such as iron-reducing bacteria and those containing specific gene cluster(hgc AB), besides SRB,causing Hg methylation in the sediment–water system.     

Recent progress in detection of mercury using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy — A review

Concerns over exposure to mercury have motivated the exploration of cost-effective, rapid, and reliable method for monitoring Hg^2 + in the environment. Recently, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has become a promising alternative method for Hg^2 + analysis. SERS is a spectroscopic technique which combines modern laser spectroscopy with the optical properties of nano-sized noble metal structures, resulting in substantially increased Raman signals. When Hg^2 + is in a close contact with metallic nanostructures, the SERS effect provides unique structural information together with ultrasensitive detection limits. This review introduces the principles and contemporary approaches of SERS-based Hg^2 + detection. In addition, the perspective and challenges are briefly discussed.     

Distribution and assessment of heavy metals in the surface sediment of Yellow River, China

Large amounts of heavy metals discharged by industrial cities that are located along the middle reach of Yellow River, China have detrimental impacts on both the ecological environment and human health. In this study, fourteen surface sediment samples were taken in the middle reach of the Yellow River. Contents of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, As were measured, and the pollution status was assessed using three widely used pollution assessment methods, including the single factor index method, Nemerow pollution index method and potential ecological risk index. The concentrations of the studied heavy metals followed the order: Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > As > Cd. Nearly 50% of sites had Cu and Cr accumulation. The concentration of Cu at the Yiluo River exceeded the secondary standard value of the Environmental quality standard for soils. Comparison of heavy metal concentrations between this study and other selected rivers indicated that Cu and Cr may be the major pollutants in our case. The single factor index indicated that many samples were at high levels of pollution for Cu and Cd; the Nemerow pollution index indicated that the Yihe River, Luohe River, Yiluo River and Huayuankou were polluted. According to the results of potential ecological risk assessment, Cd in the tributaries of Luo River, Yihe River, and Yiluo River showed high risk toward the ecosystem and human health, Cd in Huanyuankou and Cu in Yiluo River showed a middle level of risk and other samples were at a low level of risk.     

污染场地地下水中汞污染反应运移模拟

汞（Hg）是人们持续关注的全球环境污染物之一,其对地下水的污染严重威胁着与地下水相关的生态环境系统.汞在地下水系统中的物理与地球化学反应过程的准确刻画是研究汞迁移转化规律的重点和难点.基于某工业场地汞污染数据,首先采用PHREEQC研究地下水中无机二价汞的存在形态,然后利用PHT3D程序建立汞污染物反应性溶质运移二维剖面模型.该模型考虑了汞污染物在地下水系统中的对流、弥散过程及地球化学反应过程（包括水相络合作用、表面络合吸附作用及受动力学控制的氧化还原作用）.结果表明,无机二价汞的存在形态以HgCl₂和Hg（OH）Cl占主导地位,氧化还原作用是影响地下水中汞污染反应性运移的主要控制因素;另一方面,水合氧化铁HFO对汞迁移的阻滞影响较小,而溶解性有机质对汞较强的络合作用不能忽视.本文研究成果可为预测与评估特定污染场地地下水汞污染的变化趋势及制定相应的修复策略提供科学依据.     

Volcanic mercury in Pinus canariensis

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element that is emitted to the atmosphere by both human activities and natural processes. Volcanic emissions are considered a natural source of mercury in the environment. In some cases, tree ring records taken close to volcanoes and their relation to volcanic activity over time are contradictory. In 1949, the Hoyo Negro volcano (La Palma-Canary Islands) produced significant pyroclastic flows that damaged the nearby stand of Pinus canariensis. Recently, 60 years after the eruption, we assessed mercury concentrations in the stem of a pine which survived volcano formation, located at a distance of 50 m from the crater. We show that Hg content in a wound caused by pyroclastic impacts (22.3 μg kg^?1) is an order of magnitude higher than the Hg concentrations measured in the xylem before and after the eruption (2.3 μg kg^?1). Thus, mercury emissions originating from the eruption remained only as a mark—in pyroclastic wounds—and can be considered a sporadic and very high mercury input that did not affect the overall Hg input in the xylem. In addition, mercury contents recorded in the phloem (9.5 μg kg^?1) and bark (6.0 μg kg^?1) suggest that mercury shifts towards non-living tissues of the pine, an aspect that can be related to detoxification in volcanism-adapted species.     

基于改进H?kanson法的水稻根系土壤重金属生态风险评价

H?kanson潜在生态风险评价法（简称“H?kanson法”）是综合考虑污染物种类、丰度效应、沉积效应和敏感效应的沉积物生态风险评价方法,将其应用在农田土壤生态风险评价中必须考虑土壤和沉积物环境中污染物种类、沉积效应和敏感效应的差异.该研究以安徽省某区域内水稻根系土壤为例,基于污染物种类改进H?kanson法（简称“修正法1”）和基于污染物种类-生物吸收系数改进H?kanson法（简称“修正法2”）,对水稻根系土壤重金属Pb、Hg、Cr、Cd和As进行生态风险评价.结果表明:修正法1和修正法2得到的Pb、Cr和As评价结果一致,但Hg和Cd的评价结果差异较大;基于稻米质量安全和保守原则,两种改进方法均能准确评价水稻根系土壤Pb、Cr和As生态风险,且修正法1对Cd生态风险评价较合理,修正法2对Hg污染风险评价较合理.研究显示,修正法1和修正法2均能合理地评价水稻根系土壤重金属尤其是Hg和Cd的生态风险.      

武汉城市湖泊表层底泥汞分布、风险评价及影响因素

底泥作为汞重要的"汇"及二次"源"，在湖泊系统汞生物地球化学循环中起到了重要作用。本文以武汉主要城市湖泊为研究对象，探究了表层底泥中总汞（THg）和甲基汞（MeHg）的分布特征、潜在生态风险及主要影响因素。结果表明，武汉15个城市湖泊表层底泥THg平均浓度为152±170 ng/g （24~611 ng/g），与国内其它湖泊系统相比处于较高水平；MeHg浓度为52.0±46.8 pg/g （ND~161.0 pg/g），低于其它湖泊系统。空间分布上，底泥THg浓度呈现由武汉市中心向外逐渐递减的趋势，MeHg含量并未呈现类似THg的分布趋势。潜在生态风险评价（PERI）结果显示，所有采样点位中汞潜在生态风险极高和高风险等级占比均为5.7%，且主要分布在市中心附近，说明武汉市中心附近湖泊底泥汞污染程度较重，而市中心外围湖泊底泥汞生态风险较低。相关性分析结果显示，有机质可能是影响武汉城市湖泊底泥THg分布的重要因素之一，而MeHg主要受控于无机汞的原位甲基化过程。底泥THg浓度-湖泊距市中心距离间显著的负相关关系、THg浓度-湖泊所在区GDP/人均GDP间的显著正相关关系均表明人为活动对武汉城市湖泊汞分布影响明显。     

三峡库区消落带沉积物对鱼体富集汞的影响

水体环境中的汞（Hg）容易被鱼体富集.为了研究三峡库区消落带沉积物对鱼体Hg含量的影响,采用不同Hg含量的消落带沉积物进行了为期90 d的模拟淹水实验.结果表明沉积物淹水后,水体总汞（THg）和甲基汞（MeHg）含量显著增加,鱼体肌肉中THg和MeHg含量不断增加,而内脏和头部中THg和MeHg含量前期不断增加,后期则有轻微减小的趋势.肌肉对Hg的富集量大于内脏和头部,后两者的富集量没有显著性差异.与对照组（无沉积物）相比沉积物的存在明显增加了鱼体富集Hg的量,而且当沉积物中Hg含量较高时,鱼体对Hg的富集量也显著增加.鱼体各部位THg和MeHg含量变化曲线高度相似,各部位对MeHg的富集系数（bioaccumulation factors,BCF）在1.93×10⁵~8.89×10⁵之间,对无机Hg的BCF在1.3×10³~12.8×10³之间,表明鱼体所富集的Hg形态上主要为MeHg.鱼体各部位MeHg和THg含量均为极显著相关,线性回归方程表明,在富集Hg的量中,MeHg占THg比例分别为：肌肉80.1%、内脏79.3%、头部66.7%.消落带沉积物再淹水后会发生一定程度的净甲基化现象产生MeHg,由于扩散作用使水体MeHg浓度在一段时间内升高,这导致了鱼体对Hg的富集量增加.因此对三峡库区大面积消落带可能存在的Hg污染风险不可忽视.     

Absorption characteristics of elemental mercury in mercury chloride solutions

Elemental mercury （Hg^0） in flue gases can be efficiently captured by mercury chloride （HgCl2） solution. However, the absorption behaviors and the influencing effects are still poorly understood. The mechanism of Hg^0 absorption by HgCl2 and the factors that control the removal were studied in this paper. It was found that when the mole ratio of Cl^- to HgCl2 is 10：1, the Hg^0 removal efficiency is the highest. Among the main mercury chloride species, HgCl3^- is the most efficient ion for Hg^0 removal in the HgCl2 absorption system when moderate concentrations of chloride ions exist. The Hg^0 absorption reactions in the aqueous phase were investigated computationaIIy using Moller-Plesset perturbation theory. The calculated Gibbs free energies and energy barriers are in excellent agreement with the results obtained from experiments. In the presence of SO3^2- and SO2, Hg^2＋ reduction occurred and Hg^0 removal efficiency decreased. The reduced Hg^0 removal can be controlled through increased chloride concentration to some degree. Low pH value in HgCla solution enhanced the Hg^0 removal efficiency, and the effect was more significant in dilute HgCl2 solutions. The presence of SO4^2- and NO3^- did not affect Hg^0 removal by HgCl2.     

Economic analysis of atmospheric mercury emission control for coal-fired power plants in China

Coal combustion and mercury pollution are closely linked, and this relationship is particularly relevant in China, the world's largest coal consumer. This paper begins with a summary of recent China-specific studies on mercury removal by air pollution control technologies and then provides an economic analysis of mercury abatement from these emission control technologies at coal-fired power plants in China. This includes a cost-effectiveness analysis at the enterprise and sector level in China using 2010 as a baseline and projecting out to 2020 and 2030. Of the control technologies evaluated, the most cost-effective is a fabric filter installed upstream of the wet flue gas desulfurization system (FF + WFGD). Halogen injection (HI) is also a cost-effective mercury-specific control strategy, although it has not yet reached commercial maturity. The sector-level analysis shows that 193 tons of mercury was removed in 2010 in China's coal-fired power sector, with annualized mercury emission control costs of 2.7 billion Chinese Yuan. Under a projected 2030 Emission Control (EC) scenario with stringent mercury limits compared to Business As Usual (BAU) scenario, the increase of selective catalytic reduction systems (SCR) and the use of HI could contribute to 39 tons of mercury removal at a cost of 3.8 billion CNY. The economic analysis presented in this paper offers insights on air pollution control technologies and practices for enhancing atmospheric mercury control that can aid decision-making in policy design and private-sector investments.