Contamination characteristics of trace metals in dust from different levels of roads of a heavily air-polluted city in north China

Concentrations of eight trace metals (TMs) in road dust (RD) (particles?<?25 μm) from urban areas of Xinxiang, China, were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The geometric mean concentrations of Zn, Mn, Pb, As, Cu, Cr, Ni and Cd were 489, 350, 114, 101, 60.0, 39.7, 31.6, and 5.1 mg kg^?1, respectively. When compared with TM levels in background soil, the samples generally display elevated TM concentrations, except for Cr and Mn, and for Cd the enrichment value was 69.6. Spatial variations indicated TMs in RD from park path would have similar sources with main roads, collector streets and bypasses. Average daily exposure doses of the studied TMs were about three orders of magnitude higher for hand-to-mouth ingestion than dermal contact, and the exposure doses for children were 9.33 times higher than that for adults. The decreasing trend of calculated hazard indexes (HI) for the eight elements was As?>?Pb?>?Cr?>?Mn?>?Cd?>?Zn?>?Ni?>?Cu for both children and adults.     

The greater roles of indigenous microorganisms in removing nitrobenzene from sediment compared with the exogenous <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> and strain JS45

The feasibility of using Phragmites australis-JS45 system in removing nitrobenzene from sediments was conducted. However, it was observed that nitrobenzene degraded rapidly and was removed completely within 20 days in native sediments, raising the possibility that indigenous microorganisms may play important roles in nitrobenzene degradation. Consequently, this study aimed to verify this possibility and investigate the potential nitrobenzene degraders among indigenous microorganisms in sediments. The abundance of inoculated strain JS45 and indigenous bacteria in sediments was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, community structure of the indigenous bacteria was analyzed through high throughput sequencing based on Illumina MiSeq platform. The results showed that indigenous bacteria in native sediments were abundant, approximately 10¹⁴ CFU/g dry weight, which is about six orders of magnitude higher than that in fertile soils. In addition, the levels of indigenous Proteobacteria (Acinetobacter, Comamonadaceae_ uncultured, Pseudomonas, and Thauera) and Firmicutes (Clostridium, Sporacetigenium, Fusibacter, Youngiibacter, and Trichococcus) increased significantly during nitrobenzene removal. Their quantities sharply decreased after nitrobenzene was removed completely, except for Pseudomonas and Thauera. Based on the results, it can be concluded that indigenous microorganisms including Proteobacteria and Firmicutes can have great potential for removing nitrobenzene from sediments. Although P. australis - JS45 system was set up in an attempt to eliminate nitrobenzene from sediments, and the system did not meet the expectation. The findings still provide valuable information on enhancing nitrobenzene removal by optimizing the sediment conditions for better growth of indigenous Proteobacteria and Firmicutes.

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An extraction-assay system: Evaluation on flavonols in plant resistance to Pb and Cd by supercritical extraction-gas chromatography

In this research, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE) showed better extraction effect when compared with Solid- liquid extraction (SLE), Soxhlet extraction (SE) and Ultrasonic extraction (UE), not only in the rate but also the time. The comparison among these three extraction modifiers, including acetone, ethanol and methanol demonstrated that ethanol was preferred to SFE due to its high extraction effect and low toxicology. In addition, parameter of SFE, influence of temperature and pressure were investigated, and the best extraction effect was achieved at the optima conditions, temperature of 40°C and the pressure of 35 MPa. Thus, SFE is a highly effective method for flavonols extraction, requiring minimum energy and producing non-toxic byproduct. SFE-GC system is applied for the evaluation on flavonols that plays a key role in plant resistance to heavy metal, with its content and synthetase gene expression significantly increasing in plant when threatened by heavy metal. Besides, results indicated that flavonols can improve plant resistance to oxidative stress by quenching the redundant ROS in matrix.

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Algal biomass derived biochar anode for efficient extracellular electron uptake from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shewanella oneidensis</Emphasis> MR-1

The development of cost-effective and highly efficient anode materials for extracellular electron uptake is important to improve the electricity generation of bioelectrochemical systems. An effective approach to mitigate harmful algal bloom (HAB) is mechanical harvesting of algal biomass, thus subsequent processing for the collected algal biomass is desired. In this study, a low-cost biochar derived from algal biomass via pyrolysis was utilized as an anode material for efficient electron uptake. Electrochemical properties of the algal biochar and graphite plate electrodes were characterized in a bioelectrochemical system (BES). Compared with graphite plate electrode, the algal biochar electrode could effectively utilize both indirect and direct electron transfer pathways for current production, and showed stronger electrochemical response and better adsorption of redox mediators. The maximum current density of algal biochar anode was about 4.1 times higher than graphite plate anode in BES. This work provides an application potential for collected HAB to develop a cost-effective anode material for efficient extracellular electron uptake in BES and to achieve waste resource utilization.

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基于着生硅藻指数的梧桐河水生态健康评价

在黑龙江省梧桐河,调查了13个点位的着生硅藻群落结构和水环境特征,应用8种硅藻指数对该河流水生生态系统进行健康评价,并在此基础上应用主成分分析、相关分析、冗余分析、箱型图分析等统计分析方法研究了影响梧桐河着生藻类群落的主要环境因子和8种硅藻指数在梧桐河的适用情况。结果显示:梧桐河存在一定程度的环境污染,优势种以小型异极藻(Gomphonema parvulum)等耐污种为主。8个硅藻指数中,硅藻属指数(Generic Index of Diatom,GI)、澳大利亚河流硅藻生物评价指数(Diatom Index for Australian Rivers,DIAR;Diatom Species Index for Bioassessment of Australian Rivers,DSIAR)评价结果偏差较大,在梧桐河不适用;相似度指数(Jaccard Index,JI)与富营养化硅藻指数(Trophic Diatom Index,TDI)评价结果较为严格,评分明显偏低;硅藻污染耐受指数(Pollution Tolerance Index,PTI)、硅藻生物评价指数(Diatom Bioassessment Index,DBI)和生物硅藻指数(Biological Diatom Index,BDI)在梧桐河流域适用性最好。根据冗余分析(RDA),将梧桐河流域点位分为3组,第一组点位为中-重度污染,主要影响因子为流速和总磷;第二组点位为轻-中度污染,主要影响因子为磷酸盐、氨氮和溶解氧;第三组点位为轻污染-清洁,主要影响因子为p H和电导率。     

生理毒代动力学模型及其在有机污染物水生生态毒理研究中的应用

人类生产和生活使用各种人工合成的化学品,种类和数量急剧增长,对生态系统和人体健康造成了极大威胁。因此,亟需采用高效的方法对数量巨大的化合物进行毒性评价。对生理毒代动力学(PBTK)模型的建立过程及其在污染物生态毒理研究中的应用进行了综述。PBTK模型,又称生理药代动力学(PBPK)模型,是利用生理学和解剖学等原理,将生物体简化为用血流连接的肝、肾和脂肪等各组织器官房室,模拟化合物在生物体内的吸收、分布、代谢和排泄过程。模型参数包括生理参数和生化参数2个部分,可用MATLAB等软件进行模拟。模型已应用于数百余种有机污染物在鱼体等水生生物体的毒代动力学模拟。已有模拟结果能够预测化合物在生物体内的有效剂量,对化合物毒性进行评估,并可用于不同物种、不同剂量和不同暴露途径间的外推,有力推进了污染物生态毒理研究工作的开展。     

同步辐射X射线荧光和吸收谱技术在环境汞污染研究中的应用进展

汞作为一种重要的全球性重金属污染物,被许多国际组织列为优先控制污染物。常规的汞分析手段,例如电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)、原子荧光光谱(AFS)等,对汞的分析精度较高,方法比较成熟,但对样品前处理要求也较高。同步辐射技术由于其高、精、准的优势,且对样品前处理要求比较简单、可实现原位无损分析,因此被广泛应用于环境样品的分析中。随着研究的发展,同步辐射X射线荧光光谱(SRXRF)和同步辐射X射线吸收光谱(SRXAS)技术在环境汞污染分析领域得到了越来越多的应用。主要介绍了我国环境汞污染现状及污染特征,同步辐射技术对于汞分布蓄积、含量和化学形态分析方面的独特优势,重点回顾了本项目组和其他一些研究组近几年关于SRXRF和SRXAS技术在环境介质如土壤、植物体内汞的分布蓄积、相对含量和化学形态转化研究领域的应用进展,对进一步发展并提高同步辐射技术在环境及生物体汞污染水平、毒性机理和生态毒理评价方面的应用进行了展望。     

环境DNA(eDNA)宏条形码技术对枝角类浮游动物物种鉴定及其生物量监测研究

环境DNA(eDNA)宏条形码(Metabarcoding)技术越来越多地被应用于环境中物种定性识别,但如何定量监测物种在环境中的丰度尚未得到解决。本研究以太湖流域常见的5种浮游动物拟同形溞、大型溞、蚤状溞、多刺裸腹溞、老年低额溞为研究对象,建立了一种基于eDNA宏条形码技术的物种定量方法,并与实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)相比较,研究了eDNA宏条形码技术多物种定量的准确性。结果表明,PCR引物对eDNA宏条形码的物种检测和定量影响显著。313 bp COI313引物对浮游动物物种覆盖度高,但是物种间DNA扩增的偏好性大,不适用于eDNA宏条形码定量检测。基于COI序列重新设计的短COI116引物能够同时检测出所有5个物种。荧光定量PCR(qPCR)物种拷贝数与物种相对占比呈正相关。eDNA宏条形码所检出每个物种的序列数与qPCR定量拷贝数高度一致。综上,eDNA宏条形码技术可实现对浮游动物物种的半定量检测,在生物多样性监测和生物完整性评价有显著的应用价值。     

微囊藻毒素-LR对雄性黑斑蛙精巢中CYP46A1,CYP2H2和CYP2G1 mRNA表达的影响

微囊藻毒素-LR(microcystin-LR,MC-LR)是分布最广泛和毒性最强的一种微囊藻毒素,对水生动物造成潜在的健康威胁。大量科学研究证实,动物体中的细胞色素P450酶(CYP)参与内源性物质及外源毒性物质的代谢过程。为探究两栖动物生殖器官中的CYP酶对低剂量MC-LR生殖毒效应的调节作用,选择雄性黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)为受试动物,采用静态置换法和体内暴露方法,分别暴露于0、0.1、1和10μg·L~(-1)MC-LR溶液0、7和14 d;用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测精巢中CYP46A1、CYP2H2和CYP2G1的mRNA表达水平。结果表明,暴露于0.1、1和10μg·L~(-1)MC-LR 14 d后,CYP46A1在mRNA水平分别上调了1.86、1.65和1.22倍,CYP2H2在mRNA水平分别上调了4.62、1.80和1.04倍,CYP2G1的mRNA水平分别上调了2.63、2.16和1.56倍。MC-LR在1μg·L~(-1)剂量下暴露7 d后,CYP46A1、CYP2H2和CYP2G1 mRNA水平均出现显著上调。上述研究表明,微囊藻毒素对黑斑蛙精巢3种CYP基因在mRNA水平上都存在低剂量刺激效应。低剂量MC-LR能诱导黑斑蛙精巢中CYP46A1转录水平变化,促进胆固醇转化为24S-羟化胆固醇,潜在破坏雄性黑斑蛙精巢中胆固醇水平的平衡; MC-LR也能够诱导精巢中CYP2H2和CYP2G1转录水平的变化,潜在调节CYP2H2和CYP2G1转录水平,进而影响MC-LR的代谢作用。     

滨海滩涂不同围垦年代垦区农作物重金属累积特征及其与氮、磷的关系

为探明滨海滩涂围垦区农作物重金属累积特征及其与围垦年代、作物氮磷含量及化学计量比的关系,采集盐城地区不同围垦年代(围垦20、30、40、60年)农田4种主要作物(大麦、小麦、油菜、蚕豆)样品63个,测定了其根、茎叶和籽粒中Cd、Cu、Zn、Pb、Hg、As及全氮(N)、全磷(P)和粗蛋白(CP)含量,分析了重金属累积特征及与围垦年代、N、P、CP及N/P比的关系,并采用单因子污染指数法和内梅罗综合污染指数法对重金属污染程度和安全水平进行了评价。结果表明,1)围垦农田作物整株各指标含量分别为Cd (0.52±0.94)、Cu (12.98±16.00)、Zn (34.93±27.91)、Pb (3.50±5.88)、Hg (0.0063±0.0063)、As (1.94±3.72) mg·kg~(-1)及N(13.69±8.27)、P (5.98±2.24)、CP (79.55±49.54) g·kg~(-1);籽粒中则分别为(0.0059±0.020)、(1.83±1.48)、(11.13±4.45)、(0.09±0.30)、(0.0023±0.0036)、(0.0021±0.0048) mg·kg~(-1)及(19.21±7.68)、(6.04±1.64)、(111.78±47.81) g·kg~(-1); 2)作物重金属均表现为根茎叶籽粒,N和CP与之相反,表现为根茎叶籽粒,而P则表现为根籽粒茎叶; 3)不同围垦年代之间作物重金属、N、P、CP含量、N/P比及综合污染指数(Pz)均没有显著差异(P0.05); 4)各作物籽粒6种重金属单因子污染指数均值均小于1,除个别样品Pb超标(超标率11%)外,其他重金属均未超标; 5)作物籽粒重金属Pz均值为0.38,表明该地区作物重金属总体处于安全级,但大麦、小麦、油菜籽粒均有样品Pb含量超过警戒线,个别样品甚至达到重度污染水平; 6)作物整株各重金属之间、重金属与P之间均存在显著正相关(P0.01),而重金属与N、CP、N/P存在显著负相关(P0.01),在籽粒中则相关性均不显著(P0.05)。以上结果显示,盐城滨海滩涂围垦区作物重金属累积与围垦时间关系不大,其含量目前尚处于可接受范围内,但Pb污染值得关注,作物重金属与P之间存在一定的相互促进作用,而与N存在一定的拮抗作用,高氮低磷的机体养分状况有助于降低重金属含量。