Assessing heavy metal pollution in the surface soils of a region that had undergone three decades of intense industrialization and urbanization

Heavy metals in the surface soils from lands of six different use types in one of the world’s most densely populated regions, which is also a major global manufacturing base, were analyzed to assess the impact of urbanization and industrialization on soil pollution. A total of 227 surface soil samples were collected and analyzed for major heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) by using microwave-assisted acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariate analysis combined with enrichment factors showed that surface soils from the region (>7.2?×?10⁴ km²) had mean Cd, Cu, Zn, and As concentrations that were over two times higher than the background values, with Cd, Cu, and Zn clearly contributed by anthropogenic sources. Soil pollution by Pb was more widespread than the other heavy metals, which was contributed mostly by anthropogenic sources. The results also indicate that Mn, Co, Fe, Cr, and Ni in the surface soils were primarily derived from lithogenic sources, while Hg and As contents in the surface soils were controlled by both natural and anthropogenic sources. The pollution level and potential ecological risk of the surface soils both decreased in the order of: urban areas?>?waste disposal/treatment sites?～?industrial areas?>?agricultural lands?～?forest lands?>?water source protection areas. These results indicate the significant need for the development of pollution prevention and reduction strategies to reduce heavy metal pollution for regions undergoing fast industrialization and urbanization.     

Anaerobic degradation of diethyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from river sediment in Taiwan

We investigated anaerobic degradation rates for three phthalate esters (PAEs), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), from river sediment in Taiwan. The respective anaerobic degradation rate constants for DEP, DBP, and DEHP were observed as 0.045, 0.074, and 0.027 1/day, with respective half-lives of 15.4, 9.4, and 25.7 days under optimal conditions of 30 °C and pH 7.0. Anaerobic degradation rates were enhanced by the addition of the surfactants brij 35 and triton N101 at a concentration of 1 critical micelle concentration (CMC), and by the addition of yeast extract. Degradation rates were inhibited by the addition of acetate, pyruvate, lactate, FeCl₃, MnO₂, NaCl, heavy metals, and nonylphenol. Our results indicate that methanogen, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and eubacteria are involved in the degradation of PAEs.     

Recovery of gas waste from the petroleum industry: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Globally, 150–170 billion cubic metres of gas are being flared annually from petroleum refineries, petrochemical industries and from landfills. In this...     

Accumulation of Cd,Cu and Zn in shoots of maize (<Emphasis Type=\"Italic\">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.) exposed to 0.8 or 20 nM Cd during vegetative growth and the relation with xylem sap composition

This work focuses on the exposure of maize plants to nanomolar concentrations of Cd, which is relevant for agricultural soils cropped with food and feed plants. Maize plants were cultivated in nutrient solution at 0.8 or 20 nM Cd during the vegetative growth stages. No significant hormesis or toxic effects of Cd were observed on maize growth, but a decrease in the allocation of Cd to shoots between the 0.8 and 20 nM Cd exposures revealed that the plants already responded to these low concentrations of Cd according to a shoot Cd excluder strategy. The Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations in shoots decreased with time as the result of an early decrease in the root/shoot ratio and of a decrease in the coefficient of allocation to aboveground for Zn and Cd at 20 nM. As a consequence, shoots of young plants were richer in micronutrients Cu and Zn but also in toxic Cd. The rate of delivery of Cd, Cu and Zn from xylem sap was successfully used to predict the time course of concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn in the shoot. However, it overestimated the actual concentrations of Cd in the shoot, presumably because the reallocation of this trace element from shoots back to roots was not taken into account.     

Effects of metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene on unschedule DNA synthesis in BALB/3T3 cell line

In order to explore the damage from metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene on DNA of mammalian cells, the effects of four metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene (anti-BPDE, syn-BPDE, 3-OH-BP and 9-OH-BP) on synthesis of DNA and unschedule DNA synthesis (UDS) in BALB/3T3 cells were assayed, by methods of single-labeling and double-labeling. The results showed that all of the four agents were able to increase the synthesis of DNA, but only three of them (apart from syn-BPDE) induced UDS in BALB/3T3 cells. The above indicates that the metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene are able to damage DNA in BALB/3T3 cells, and that this effect may be relative to the sterical structure of metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene.     

齐齐哈尔市PM2.5与PM10污染趋势及相关性分析

对2014—2016年齐齐哈尔市PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)质量浓度的时间变化特征进行简要分析,并探究PM_(2.5)/PM_(10)以及PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)的相关性。结果表明:2014—2016年齐齐哈尔的PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)的年均质量浓度分别为36.7、62.9μg/m~3,且呈逐渐下降趋势;冬季的PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)浓度最高,秋季次之,春季与夏季相对较低;2014—2016年PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)质量浓度月变化趋势基本相同,整体呈现2—6月逐渐下降,9—11月逐渐上升的规律;PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)质量浓度的日变化均呈双峰现象;对PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)进行线性拟合,相关系数为0.896 3。同时,残差分析也说明两者拟合情况良好,四季相关系数为r_(秋季)(0.982 2)r_(冬季)(0.964 4)r_(夏季)(0.943 9)r_(春季)(0.829 6);2014—2016年PM_(2.5)/PM_(10)平均值为55.27%,大气颗粒物PM_(2.5)的贡献率高达一半以上。     

Microwave plasma conversion of volatile organic compounds

A microwave-induced, steam/Ar/O2, plasma "torch" was operated at atmospheric pressure to determine the feasibility of destroying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of concern. The plasma process can be coupled with adsorbent technology by providing steam as the fluid carrier for desorbing the VOCs from an adsorbent. Hence, N2 can be excluded by using a relatively inexpensive carrier gas, and thermal formation of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) is avoided in the plasma. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the technical feasibility of destroying VOCs from gas streams by using a commercially available microwave plasma torch and to examine whether significant byproducts were produced. Trichloroethene (TCE) and toluene (TOL) were added as representative VOCs of interest to a flow that contained Ar as a carrier gas in addition to O2 and steam. The O2 was necessary to ensure that undesirable byproducts were not formed in the process. Microwave power applied at 500-600 W was found to be sufficient to achieve the destruction of the test compounds, down to the detection limits of the gas chromatograph that was used in the analysis. Samples of the postmicrowave gases were collected on sorbent tubes for the analysis of dioxins and other byproducts. No hazardous byproducts were detected when sufficient O2 was added to the flow. The destruction efficiency at a fixed microwave power improved with the addition of steam to the flow that passed through the torch.     

磁性氮掺石墨烯活化过硫酸钾降解水中亚甲基蓝

活化过硫酸盐产生硫酸根自由基的高级氧化技术在水环境污染物治理中引起了广泛的关注和研究.本研究采用水热法制备磁性氮掺石墨烯(M-N-G)作为催化剂.利用SEM、BET、XRD和VSM等手段表征材料,系统研究了该材料活化过硫酸盐降解亚甲基蓝的效能.结果表明:M-N-G的比表面积为94.35 m2·g-1,磁性Fe3O4分布在材料表面,能有效的活化过硫酸钾降解亚甲基蓝.当催化剂的用量为200 mg·L~(-1),过硫酸钾浓度为0.4~0.5 mmol·L~(-1)时,在p H=3~6时对10 mg·L~(-1)亚甲基蓝的降解率达90%以上.体系温度在15~32℃时,降解速率常数在0.0227~0.0488 min-1,反应活化能为33.7 k J·mol-1.EPR分析及自由基漼灭实验证明了体系中有羟基自由基和硫酸根自由基产生.TOC分析结果表明:TOC去除率可达50%.M-N-G经过简单的稀硫酸和水洗后,可高效重复利用4次.该技术方法简单、高效、无二次污染,能为有机污染物废水处理提供一种新的方法选择.