Environmental monitoring of historical change in arsenic deposition with tree bark pockets

ICP-MS analysis recorded historical change (c. 1846 to 2002) in the arsenic concentration of bark included within the trunks (tree bark pockets) of two Japanese oak trees (Quercus crispula), collected at an elevated location approximately 10 km from the Ashio copper mine and smelter, Japan. The arsenic concentration of the bark pockets was 0.016 +/- 0.003 microg cm(-2) c. 1846 (n = 5) and rose 50-fold from c. 1875 to c. 1925, from approximately 0.01 to 0.5 microg cm(-2). The rise coincided with increased copper production in Ashio from local sulfide ores, from 46 tons per year in 1877 to 16,500 tons per year in 1929. Following a decline in arsenic concentration and copper production, in particular during the Second World War, a second peak was observed c. 1970, corresponding to high levels of production from both local (6,000 tons per year) and imported (30,000 tons per year) ores, smelted from 1954. Compared to the local ores, the contribution of arsenic from imported ores appeared relatively low. Arsenic concentrations declined from c. 1970 to the present following the closure of the mine in 1974 and smelter in 1989, recording 0.058 +/- 0.040 microg cm(-2) arsenic (n = 5) in surface bark collected in 2002. The coincident trends in arsenic concentration and copper production indicated that the bark pockets provided an effective record of historical change in atmospheric arsenic deposition.     

Aerosol chemical characteristics of an island site in the Bay of Bengal (Bhola-Bangladesh)

Aerosol constituents (elemental carbon, organic carbon, soluble ions including organic acids, and selected trace metals) were investigated from samples of a field campaign taking place at Bhola Island in the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh). The campaign took place in the pre-monsoon season (May 2001) using low volume samplers. Carbonaceous material comprised the majority of the analysed components. The average concentrations of EC and OC were 2.8 and 4.6 microg m(-3), respectively. Oxalic acid was the most abundant dicarboxylic acid (average 268 ng m(-3)) followed by malonic and malic acid. The contribution of carboxylic acids-carbon to organic carbon was 2.0%. Average concentrations observed for sulfate and nitrate were 3.7 microg m(-3) and 1.5 microg m(-3). Two different types of aerosol were identified at the rural background site on Bhola Island during southerly synoptic flow by means of trajectory analysis: air masses were transported from the Bay of Bengal to the sampling site in all cases. However, during "Period 1" they experienced longer residence times over the Indian Ocean, while the "Period 2" trajectories came along the Indian coast or passed over the Indian continent. During Period 1 the concentration levels of soluble ions were a factor of 4-6 lower than during Period 2. The concentrations of EC, OC and K differed less than a factor of 1.5 between the two periods. The Period 1 aerosol showed similarities to the haze layers observed during winter-monsoon conditions south of India during the INDOEX experiment. Based on EC/TC and K/EC ratios we find that around 80% of the carbonaceous aerosol from Period 1 in Bhola is from fossil fuel and only around 50% from Period 2. Absolute concentrations of carbonaceous species, soluble ions and trace metals indicate that the background site on Bhola Island is affected by emissions from urbanized regions of Southeast Asia.     

Sequential extractions of selenium soils from Stewart Lake: total selenium and speciation measurements with ICP-MS detection

Different techniques have been employed in order to evaluate the most efficient procedure for the extraction of selenium from soil as required for speciation. Selenium contaminated sediments from Stewart Lake Wetland, California were used. A strong acid mineralization of the samples gives quantitative total selenium, which is then used to estimate recoveries for the milder extraction methods. The different extraction methodologies involve the sequential use of water, buffer (phosphate, pH 7) and either acid solution (e.g. HNO3 or HCl) or basic solutions (e.g. ammonium acetate, NaOH or TMAH). Pyrophosphate extraction was also evaluated and showed that selenium was not associated with humic acids. The extractants were subsequently analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV (254 and 400 nm) and on-line ICP-MS detection; anion exchange chromatography, and ion-pair reversed phase chromatography with ICP-MS detection. For sequential extractions the extraction efficiencies showed that the basic extractions were more efficient than the acidic. The difference between the acidic and the basic extraction efficiency is carried to the sulfite extraction, suggesting that whatever is not extracted by the acid is subsequently extracted by the sulfite. The species identified with the different chromatographies were selenate, selenite, elemental selenium and some organic selenium.     

A study of the distribution of lead, cadmium and copper between water and kaolin, bentonite and a river sediment

Experiments were carried out to monitor the equilibrium distribution of lead, cadmium and copper between an aqueous phase modelling natural water and a solid phase modelling natural sediment, under varying conditions. The aqueous phase was analysed using ETAAS and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), whereas XRD and FTIR were used to study the solid phase. Sorption isotherms at constant pH were measured. Conditional distribution constants were calculated as functions of the pH, the time of equilibration and the amount of solid material. The results obtained stress the need for standardization of the approaches to the study of water-sediment interactions in order to be able to evaluate and compare the extensive data from field measurements and to predict these interactions.     

Land User Participation in Developing a Computerised Decision Support System for Combating Desertification

Combating desertification in natural rangelands has recently become a priority in large parts of southern Africa. Rangeland managers, farmers, scientists, conservationists and land users have been applying a variety of restoration technologies to address this problem. Bush encroachment, as part of the desertification process, involves the natural replacement of the herbaceous plant cover by undesirable problem woody species. The active and passive restoration technologies that are applied, are mainly based on indigenous knowledge and include the chemical, mechanical or manual reclamation of unproductive rangelands, as well as the combating of woody and alien species encroachment. Indigenous practices and knowledge play a major role in the effectiveness and success rate of these technologies. This project faces the challenge of bringing together both local and scientific knowledge in a single user-friendly, computerised Decision Support System (DSS) which is directly accessible by land users to support them in the process of decision making, concerning the combating of desertification. Case studies from central and northern Namibia were used to combine qualitative and quantitative data to develop this Decision Support System. The DSS currently consists of two databases and an expert system, which evaluates the results of land users’ management practices, and provides easily accessible information and advice for participants in the system, based on the incorporated data. The DSS is also linked to national and international web sites and databases to offer a wider range of information on technologies concerning agricultural and conservation practices.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of diene modified analogs of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Matsucoccus</Emphasis> sex pheromones

The biological activity of the Matsucoccus spp. sex pheromones and diene modified analogs has been tested in forests of Israel and Portugal in order to explore the structure-activity relationship of the pine bast scale pheromone/kairomone system. The response of the adult predatory bugs, Elatophilus hebraicus and E. crassicornis and of the brown lacewing, Hemerobius stigma is more selective than that of the conspecific Matsucoccus males. The removal of the terminal methyl group from the diene terminus of both pheromones 1 and 2 eliminates all kairomonal activity but retains moderate pheromonal activity. Addition of a methyl group to the diene terminus of pheromones 1 and 2 sustains full pheromonal and kairomonal activities of the Elatophilus spp. but eliminates entirely the kairomonal activity of H. stigma. Subtle designed alterations in the structure of the diene group, typical of all Matsucoccus pheromones, change the mode of the kairomonal activity markedly.     

论第四纪埋藏古土壤

古土壤是过去景观中形成的土壤,它可能是被埋藏的或出露于地表的。埋藏古土壤是指被更年青的沉积物所复盖的古土壤,出露于地表的古土壤则称为残余的古土壤。古土壤的某些性质是由于过去的气候,地形和排水状况造成的。由于侵蚀重新出露于地表的古土壤称之为剥露的古土壤。     

大陆壳演化的动力学和地球化学机制(一)(二)

<正> (一)大陆壳演化的动力学地壳的氧同位素组成可以在一种模式的基础上加以理解。按照这一模式,大陆是在地球历史发展过程中通过沿裂谷带上升的大洋壳和沿俯冲带下插的洋壳之间的相互作用而形成的。然后,通过下插洋壳的部分熔融而形成沿俯冲带上升的岩浆。根据这个模式,可以通过下式描绘出大陆壳的演化:     

环境致癌作用的流行病学展望(节译)

<正> 一般认为,对癌症的病因,包括环境及其它方面的病因,目前所知甚少;但如从流行病学观点来看,对环境致癌作用还是有相当认识的。但首先要澄清“环境”一词的涵义。从流行病学方面看来,除个体从其亲代接受的遗传物质以外的其它任何影响,皆可称之为“环境”。因此,环境这一概念可以有条件地称之为“接触”(exposure),有时接触的是单一物质或因子,而较经常接触的则是复杂的混合物质。由于接触经常是混合性的,一般可包括职业性、居住条件、地理性或长时间的接触等。有人将各地癌症发生率作了比较,认为多达90％的癌症与环境有关。必须指出,这里包括的是     

地球审查——1972～1992年的世界环境

1.人口数量与人体健康在90年代,地球上不得不把原来供2人的有限资源用来供应3口人——相当于每年增加9700万人口。在人类历史上这10年人口增长最快。从1970～1990年间世界人口数量增加了40％多——相当于16亿人。在下两个10年中增长速度会更快,将达17亿,从而使地球总人数增达70亿。但从那以后,地球人口年增长率将会下降,到2110年人口数量将保持在105亿左右。其实这些巨大增长掩盖了人口增长率已经下降的事实。现在在发达国家人口增长率仅为0.5％,在发展中国家增长率