Assessing the environmental fate of chemicals of emerging concern: a case study of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers

It is suggested that assessments of chemicals of emerging concern can be rationally structured around a multistage process in which fate and risk are evaluated with increasing accuracy as new data become available. An initial tentative and approximate assessment of fate and risk can identify key data gaps and justify and direct further investigations, which progressively improve the reliability of the assessment. This approach is demonstrated for a class of chemicals, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which is of increasing concern, but about which there is presently a lack of comprehensive data on properties, sources, fate and effects. Specifically, 20 PBDE congeners are investigated using the suggested approach and research needs are identified.     

On ground truth in cross-border ozone transport

Cross-border transport of ozone is one of the most contentious issues of air pollution management in the U.S. Yet, both the modeling and observational studies are lacking. Models are normally validated by comparing predicted and observed ozone concentrations. However, proper validation of cross-border transport model requires a comparison of predictions against observation-based benchmarks of cross-border ozone transport. Such benchmarks are unavailable, as published observation-based studies always deal only with a combination of local production and cross-border transport, not a cross-border transport itself. We show how to extract necessary benchmarks from observations of rural monitoring sites near state borders. On example of the western border of New York, we find that in about two-thirds of the most polluted days all the ozone came in a steady cross-border inflow after previously passing over one or more large urban areas to the west. In all the enumerated days with direct cross-border inflow, daily maximum 8-hr concentrations of ozone just upwind of the border were over 60 ppb, with an average value of 68 ppb, just short of the 70 ppb ozone regulatory threshold, information also useful to state air pollution authorities.

Implications: The purpose of the cross-border ozone pollution models is to predict cross-border transport of ozone, so the ability of the model to accurately represent observed ozone concentrations is necessary but not sufficient for model validation. The accuracy of predicted ozone concentrations is not necessarily the same as the accuracy of the predictions of ozone transport. Proper model validation requires comparisons against observation-based benchmarks of cross-border transport. Such observations, so far absent, can be obtained from rural monitoring sites near state borders, as illustrated by the example of western New York.     

Metal Contamination of Sediments and Soils of Bayou Saint John: A Potential Health Impact to Local Fishermen?

This research examines the pattern of sediment contamination of an urban bayou of New Orleans (formerly a natural waterway) and the potential for human exposure from consumption of fish caught in the bayou. Sediments and soils of Bayou Saint John were evaluated for lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd). Sediment cores were collected at bridges (n = 130) and sites between the bridges (n = 303) of the bayou. In addition, soil samples (n = 66) were collected along the banks of the bayou. Sediments below the bridges contain significantly more (p-value approximately 10(-7)) Pb and Zn (medians of 241 and 230 mg kg(-1), respectively) than bayou sediments located between bridges (medians of 64 and 77 mg kg(-1), respectively). Sediments below bridges of the upper reaches of the bayou contain significantly larger amounts of metals (p < 10(-14) for Pb and Zn and p approximately 10(-8) for Cd) (medians of 329, 383 and 1.5, respectively) than sediments below bridges in the lower reaches of the bayou (medians of 43, 31 and 0.5 for Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively). Likewise, medians for sediments located between bridges contain significantly (p < 10(-14)) higher quantities of Pb, Zn and Cd (170, 203 and 1.8 mg kg(-1), respectively) in the upper bayou than Pb, Zn, and Cd (48, 32, and 0.8 mg kg(-1), respectively) in the lower reaches of the bayou. The potential risk for human exposure may be magnified by the fact that fishing generally occurs from the numerous bridges that cross the bayou. Poor and minority people do most of the fishing. Most people (87%) indicated they ate fish they caught from the Bayou.     

Evolution of plant volatile production in insect-plant relationships

Summary The production of volatile secondary plant substances during the evolution of terrestrial plants is reviewed in regard to the defensive systems of plants to microorganisms and herbivores. Plant volatiles can be produced by both anabolic and catabolic processes. Although attraction of pollinators is a well-studied phenomenon, functions of volatiles range from excretion of waste products to the production of compounds attracting natural enemies of herbivores. During the evolution of the angiosperms a diversity of volatiles were selected to defend generative parts against microorganisms. Many of these allomones were related to or even identical with sex pheromones of insects. As a result flowers of angiosperms became utilized as a mating site. Consequently insects visiting flowers became involved in pollination, facilitating the steps from anemophily to entomophily. The efficiency of entomophily was increased because of nutritional rewards.An evolutionary scenario for the impact of plant volatiles on insects is presented and the role of volatile allomones in the establishment of plant-insect relationships is emphasized by (1) their strong antimicrobial properties, (2) strategies to protect symbiotic microorganisms, (3) their function as repellents and deterrents, (4) the use of volatile allomones as kairomones. These facts speak for an adaptation of insects to plant physiology and a limited importance of phytophagous insects in selection pressure upon plants. Herbivorous insects have realized specific adaptations to be able to discriminate between complex odour blends, but the utilization of chemical groups among insect taxa is different.The main theories on plant chemical defence do not discuss the impact of volatiles on host plant selection and may be apt to revision when pheromones, allomones, kairomones and synomones are not taken into account.     

VOCs 组分监测数据在改进香港PATH 模型中的作用

 利用香港2 个监测站的VOCs 组分监测数据对香港PATH 模型进行了验证分析.结果明,PATH 模型在模拟VOCs 组分浓度上存在较大的误差.实际观测的VOCs 组分AOD、OLE、TOL 和XYL 浓度是模型模拟的2~3 倍;而模型模拟的PAR 和ETH 浓度是实际观测的 2~4倍.这些误差可能是由于当前使用的VOCs 排放清单低估了实际的VOCs 排放量,以及在估算来自不同排放源的排放量及组分分布上有较大的不确定性.使用高质量的VOCs 组分监测数据验证PATH 模型有助于指导改进VOCs 排放清单和理解复杂的光化学烟雾污染问题,从而改进和提高PATH 模型.     

HPLC-DRC-ICP-MS检测四种尿砷化合物

拟建立检测尿液中As(Ⅲ)、DMA(Ⅴ)、MMA(Ⅴ)和As(Ⅴ)4种砷化合物形态的HPLC-DRC-ICP-MS的方法。采用DRCTM(反应气为O2)与HPLC联用作为检测器,Phenomenex ODS-3作为分离柱,5 mmol/L四丁基羟胺,3 mmol/L丙二酸,5%(体积分数)甲醇为流动相(pH=5.0~6.0),建立了同时分析尿液中As(Ⅲ)、DMA(Ⅴ)、MMA(Ⅴ)和As(Ⅴ)的方法。实验结果显示:该分析方法对上述4种砷化合物的检测限均在0.1μg/L以下,在1~20μg/L范围内线性关系良好,准确度和精密度良好,回收率为89%~106%,样品中的Cl-1对测定没有影响。所建立的HPLC-DRC-ICP-MS分析方法稳定、可靠,适用于快速、批量测定尿砷形态。     

Microbial methylation of mercury in the water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

正Methylmercury(MeHg)is an organic form of the global pollutant mercury(Hg)which readily accumulates in fish tissue.A majority of Hg methylation is a result of microbial activity and the abundance of inorganic Hg within the water reservoirs(Eckley et al.,2017).Compared to natural lakes and rivers,reservoirs have elevated Hg levels from the decomposition of recently flooded organic material which promote Hg     

Anthropogenic Correlates of Species Richness in Southeastern Ontario Wetlands

We examined the relationship between the richness of four different wetland taxa (birds, mammals, herptiles, and plants) in 30 southeastern Ontario, Canada wetlands and two anthropogenic factors: road construction and forest removal/conversion on adjacent lands. Data were obtained from two sources: road densities and forest cover from 1:50,000 Government of Canada topographic maps and species lists and wetland areas from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources wetland evaluation reports. Multiple regression analysis was used to model the relationships between species richness and wetland area, road density, and forest cover. Our results show a strong positive relationship between wetland area and species richness for all taxa. The species richness of all taxa except mammals was negatively correlated with the density of paved roads on lands up to 2 km from the wetland. Furthermore, both herptile and mammal species richness showed a strong positive correlation with the proportion of forest cover on lands within 2 km. These results provide evidence that at the landscape level, road construction and forest removal on adjacent lands pose significant risks to wetland biodiversity. Furthermore, they suggest that most existing wetland policies, which focus almost exclusively on activities within the wetland itself and/or a narrow buffer zone around the wetland perimeter, are unlikely to provide adequate protection for wetland biodiversity.