Seasonal, spatial and inter-annual variations of trace metals in mussels from the Adriatic sea: a regional gradient for arsenic and implications for monitoring the impact of off-shore activities

Mussels are widely used as bioindicator organisms for monitoring chemical pollutants including trace metals. These elements are natural constituents in the marine environment and their basal concentrations in the organisms can be influenced by several environmental and biological factors. The aim of this work was to extend our knowledge on the natural variability of trace metals in mussels tissues, focusing on seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations in a coastal reference site of the Adriatic coast (Portonovo); a total of 39 samplings were performed during 5 years, providing an extended data-set for tissue levels of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn. Concentrations of trace metals in mussels tissues revealed marked seasonal fluctuations with significant differences between various sampling years. Such fluctuations appeared mostly related to phytoplanctonic blooms and especially to reproductive cycle which exhibited a certain inter-annual shift of the gametogenesis period. Lower concentrations were measured in summer months for the majority of elements while a different seasonal cycle was observed for arsenic, not correlated with gonadic development, neither with other elements. Chemical speciation of arsenic was characterized to distinguish compounds of natural origin from those potentially reflecting an anthropogenic impact. Arsenobetaine and arsenocholine were always the predominant forms (up to 85% of total arsenic), while a significant increase of dimethylarsine and trimethylarsine oxide in spring (24% of total arsenic) might reflect the effect of phytoplanctonic bloom on both geochemistry and trophic transfer of this element. A significant inter-annual variability was observed for both the seasonal cycle and the range of values measured for all the elements, with particularly marked differences for arsenic, ranging from less than 10 to more than 40 microg/g in summer periods of different years. Data obtained on reference mussels were used to assess the impact of 41 off-shore platforms distributed along 5 nautical districts in the Northern and Central Adriatic Sea. Organisms sampled on these structures from 2001 to 2005 exhibited a certain enrichment of cadmium and zinc, probably associated to the use of anodic electrodes. Marked annual and geographical variations were measured for concentrations of arsenic in mussels of different platforms. However, the comparison with results of Portonovo, allowed to exclude the anthropogenic impact of exploitation activities and revealed a natural regional gradient of arsenic levels in mussels tissues associated to the changing influence of the Po river runoff on seawater salinity. In particular the higher concentrations measured in organisms sampled from platforms in the Central compared to Northern Adriatic confirmed a significant relationship between salinity and arsenic bioaccumulation, consistent with a role of arsenobetaine as an acquired osmolyte for mussels. The overall results confirmed the importance of natural variability when assessing the potential impact of anthropogenic activities.     

几种阴阳离子对磷钨酸光催化降解甲基橙的影响

以磷钨酸为光催化剂,在紫外灯照射下,对甲基橙溶液进行光催化降解,考察了几种阴阳离子对磷钨酸光催化降解甲基橙溶液的影响。结果表明：Mg²⁺、Ca²⁺、NO^-₃、SO^2-₄和CO^2-₃均对催化活性有促进作用,其中Mg²⁺和Ca²⁺仅有微弱的促进作用;NO^-₃和SO^2-₄随着浓度的增加促进作用也有所增加;CO^2-₃则随着浓度的增加促进作用呈下降趋势;Mn²⁺、Al³⁺和Cl^-对光解反应存在较强的抑制作用,且Al³⁺和Cl^-随着其浓度的增加,抑制作用增强。     

Thermodynamic analysis of the energy recovery from the aerobic bioconversion of solid urban waste organic fraction

Waste management is of the utmost importance for many countries and especially for highly developed ones due to its implications on society. In particular, proper treatment before disposal of the solid urban waste organic fraction is one of the main issues that is addressed in waste management. In fact, the organic fraction is particularly reactive and if disposed in sanitary landfills without previous adequate treatment, a large amount of dangerous and polluting gaseous, liquid and solid substances can be produced. Some waste treatment processes can also present an opportunity to produce other by-products like energy, recycled materials and other products with both economic and environmental benefits. In this paper, the aerobic treatment of the organic fraction of solid urban waste, performed in a biocell plant with the possibility of recovering heat for civil or industrial needs, was examined from the thermodynamic point of view. A theoretical model was proposed both for the biological process of the organic fraction, as well as for the heat recovery system. The most significant results are represented and discussed.     

Slurry phase bioremediation of PAHs in industrial landfill samples at laboratory scale

The effect of Tween 80 and selected bacteria additions on the bioremediation of PAH contaminated landfill soil (70.38mgkg(-1)) was evaluated in a slurry phase bioreactor. A phenanthrene-degrading consortium was selected by enrichment cultures and used as autochthonous inoculum. The Tween 80 addition increased the aqueous concentration of both high and low molecular weight PAHs. In the experiment with Tween 80 and inoculum addition, added microorganisms improved (>90%) the biodegradation of two- and three-ring PAHs as well as of the four-ring PAHs pyrene and fluoranthene. Biodegradation of the higher molecular weight PAHs was about 30% in experiments with Tween 80 addition, with and without inoculum addition.     

Long-term declining in carbon monoxide(CO) at a rural site of Beijing during 2006–2018 implies the improved combustion efficiency and effective emission control

Carbon monoxide(CO) is primarily the result of incomplete combustion, which has important impacts on the atmospheric chemical cycle and climate. Improved quantitative characterization of long-term CO trends is important for both atmospheric modeling and the design and implementation of policies to efficiently control multiple pollutants. Due to the limitations of high time-resolution and high-quality long-term observational data, studies on long-term trends in the CO concentration in China are q...     

2022年北京市城区PM2.5水溶性离子含量及其变化特征

为探究北京市大气细颗粒物（PM_2.5）水溶性离子含量及其变化特征,有针对性地提出污染防治方案,对2022年全年PM_2.5水溶性离子、气态前体物（SO₂、NO₂）和气象因素（温度、RH）进行分析测定.结果表明,北京市城区PM_2.5中占比最高的水溶性离子为NO₃^-、NH₄⁺和SO₄^2-,占PM_2.5的52.7%,ρ（PM_2.5）（33.2 μg·m^-3）和ρ（SNA）（18.9 μg·m^-3）低于历史研究结果,但SNA占比（52.7%）、SOR（0.45）和NOR（0.15）高于历史研究结果,体现出北京市细颗粒物污染得到明显改善,但仍具有较强的二次污染特征.NO₃^-/SO₄^2-为2.2,高于历史及附近省市研究结果,反映出移动源的影响不断扩大.从季节变化上看,PM_2.5呈现秋高夏低的变化特征,秋、春、冬这3个季节NO₃^-的占比最高,夏季SO₄^2-占比最高,而NH₄⁺在各季节占比变化不大.NOR与SOR的季节变化规律几乎相反,反映出二者的转化形成因素存在差异.北京城区SNA的主要存在形式为NH₄NO₃和（NH₄）₂SO₄,其中冬季阴阳离子中和度最高,夏季阳离子NH₄⁺稍显不足,而春秋两季NH₄⁺处于过量状态,北京城区为富氨环境.从污染级别看,水溶性离子质量浓度均随污染加重有不同程度的增长,增长最快的是SNA,其在PM_2.5中占比出现先上升后稳定的变化特征.从空间分布特征来看,中心城区和东南西北部郊区的SNA质量浓度大小均为：NO₃^->SO₄^2->NH₄⁺,体现了以NO₃^-为主导的污染特征;SNA对PM_2.5的贡献率最高的区域发生在东部、中心城区和传输点,表明在中心城区和东部地区二次反应相对活跃,同时区域传输也是二次离子的重要来源.     

正态信息扩散法在确定河冰抗压强度概率分布中的应用

将正态信息扩散法应用于小样本条件下河冰抗压强度概率密度函数的确定,建立了小样本条件下河冰抗压强度概率分布,并结合K-S检验法和河冰抗压强度试验数据,分析了该方法的合理性。结果表明,本文方法可以较好解决小样本情况下河冰抗压强度概率分布的确定问题,正态信息扩散分布更加接近河冰抗压强度的真实分布,并优于经典分布的拟合方法。     

网络传播中的环境保护宣传

随着电脑、互联网和多媒体在人们生活中的不断应用,网络传播成为了一种重要的信息传播方式,学会利用网络传播的优势,开展环境保护宣传,必将为未来的环保工作打开一个新的局面。     

Naphthalene biodegradation kinetics in an aerobic slurry-phase bioreactor

The research was focused on the slurry-phase biodegradation of naphthalene in soil. Among ex situ techniques, the slurry phase offers the advantage of increased availability of contaminants to bacteria. From naphthalene contaminated soil, a Pseudomonas putida M8 strain capable to degrade naphthalene was selected. Experiments were performed in a stirred and oxygenated reactor. In this study, the influence of air flow rate and agitation rate on volatilisation and biodegradation of naphthalene was investigated. The hydrocarbon disappearance, the carbon dioxide production, and the ratio of total heterotrophic and naphthalene-degrading bacteria was monitored. The results obtained confirm that the selected bioremediation technology is successful in the treatment of contaminated soils.     

Prenatal diagnosis of kyphomelic dysplasia

Kyphomelic dysplasia (KD) is a rare autosomal recessive entity characterized by disproportionate dwarfism with shortening and bowing of the limbs, narrow chest, 11 ribs and metaphyseal flaring. Mental development is generally normal. We report the in utero ultrasound appearances and post-mortem radiographic findings of a 22-week-old male fetus suggestive of KD. A review of 19 previously reported patients with KD is also presented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.