The effect of limiting nutrient on metal toxicity to selenastrum capricornutum

Metal toxicity on selenastrum capricornutum were examined by batch culture and chemostat culture system. EC₅₀ values under nutrient‐limited condition and saturated condition were compared. The two EC_5Os differed by a factor of 10.6 for Cd in batch test, and differed by a factor of 6.5 in continuous test. Both batch and continuous test results indicate that inhibition on algal growth is more severe under nutrient‐limited conditions compared to that under near saturation conditions.

Strong correlation, as characterized by the correlation coefficient ρ, were found between the activation level (nutrient requirement) and the tolerance of microorganisms to the toxicant. ρ is equal to 0.9 for the case of Cd in batch test and 0.6 in continuous test. The theory in this study provides generally good estimations to the dose‐response relationship at limiting nutrient conditions. The study indicate that nutrient conditions constitute an important factor in algal toxicity tests.     

Arsenic species in the well water and sediments of the blackfoot disease area in Taiwan

The blackfoot disease (BFD) observed in southwestern Taiwan is due to drinking high arsenic concentrations in well water. This paper presents some results concerning the distributions of arsenic species in water and sediments collected in the BFD (well, river and coastal) area and the background (lake and ocean) area for comparison. The results show that the concentrations of arsenate (870 ± 26 ug/L) and arsenite (70.2 ± 2.6 ug/ L) in well waters, and the contents of arsenic (1640 ug/g) with high percentage of easily reducible (Fe and Mn oxides, 91.7%) and exchangeable and carbonate (4.6%) phases in well sediments were much higher than those in river, lake and coastal samples. Low arsenic (3.46–31.8 ug/g) with high percentages (73.8–97.3%) of detritus and minerals phase with low percentages (0.4–9.8%) of total carbonate and exchangeable phases were found in the river and coastal samples in the BFD area as well as the lake and ocean samples in background area. It might suggest that the higher concentrations of toxic As(III) in well water and arsenic with higher values of easily reducible, carbonate and exchangeable phases in the well sediments, combined with the higher values of dissolved organic carbon, humic and fulvic acids and aromatic carbon as well as the higher fluorescence indensity in the well water are the key factors to cause the BFD in Taiwan.     

Fate of organo‐heavy metal complexes of sludges from domestic wastes in soils: A simplified modelization

Simplified models provided information on the binding ability of organic acids with trace elements, the distribution of the formed organo‐heavy metal complexes at different pH, and the biological stability (biodegradation ability) of these complexes.     

Pah characteristics in ambient air within a steel industrial complex

Ambient air samples at ten sites in an iron and steel industrial complex were collected from June to December for analyzing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sixteen species of PAH components in air samples were identified. The results indicate that both gaseous phase and particle‐bound PAHs at the top of the cokemaking plants are unusually high. The profiles of particle‐bound PAHs indicate that the predominant species at the top of, the coke oven batteries are those of high molecular weight components. The major components of particle‐bound PAHs at sampling sites near the fenceline, however, include the medium molecular weight components. The PAH profiles of air samples within the industrial complex show a strong similarity to those of cokemaking plant samples. The concentrations and the specific content of benzo(a)pyrene in the iron and steel industrial complex are higher than those values measured in urban area, petrochemical industry park, and open‐air burning area.     

HO ‐ initiated oxidation of acridine and aminacrine in aqueous media: Kinetic model

The photodecomposition of diluted aqueous solutions of acridine and aminacrine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide was studied. Irradiation was carried out with a low pressure mercury vapour lamp. The kinetic model describes the photodegradation rate of the organic compound with respect to the technological parameters of the reactor and provides the reaction rate constants of hydroxyl radicals towards these two molecules. This model was extented to high hydrogen peroxide concentrations ([H₂O₂] > 200 μmol/l) by considering the reactivity of hydroxyl radicals towards hydrogen peroxide. This assumption allows us to define an optimal hydrogen peroxide concentration.     

Diazinon leaching through a sandy soil amended with different humic materials

The water leaching of diazinon (O,O‐diethyl‐O‐2‐isopropyl‐6‐methylpyrirnidin‐4‐yl phosphoroth‐ioate) through soil columns, was studied after column amendments with two well characterized humic acids (HA), in both liquid and solid state, and with the original raw organic materials, an oxidized coal and a leonardite, from which the HA were extracted. The percolation curves and the pesticide distribution over the soil columns showed that the addition of the raw organic materials and the solid HAs reduced significantly the mobility of the pesticide along the soil column. The oxidized coal was more effective than the leonardite original material; the different origin of the two carbon‐rich materials had an influence on the diazinon movement along the soil columns and such difference was enhanced with increasing addition rates. Moreover, incubation at field capacity for two months of the soil columns treated with raw oxidized coal and leonardite, largely enhanced the described effects on pesticide behaviour. A complete adsorption of diazinon on columns and a practical absence of leaching was observed when the HA from both materials were added in dissolved form. These results were explained with the swelling of the humic micelles in water and the enhanced availability of inner hydrophobic surfaces for the strong adsorption of diazinon. The water diffusion into the solid humic materials after two months incubation, also explains their high pesticide retention capacity. This work indicates the usefulness of either solid o dissolved humic substances, with the proper hydrophobic character, in preventing the vertical leaching of non‐polar organic pesticides in soils.     

Evaluation of linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) biodegradability in sediment by solid‐phase extraction and HPLC analysis

The linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) sorption on environmental sediments has been known long ago. Their high concentrations reflect the massive input of these chemicals from household and industrial uses. However few attempts were made to identify biodegradation metabolites of LAS in sediment. In this report, a method for the determination of these compounds in sediment samples by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The first step of our work was performed by solid‐phase extraction with octadecyl‐bonded silica (C18) mini‐columns and provided a suitable recovery of LAS (90 ± 5%) and most metabolites. Furthermore, laboratory investigations led to study the behaviour of LAS in sediment. The environmental samples used for this purpose were collected from a pond (named étang de Bolmon) located in the French Mediterranean coast. Our results were in agreement with an aerobic biodegradation process of LAS that occurred only with high values of sediment redox potential and needed the samples to be vigorously shaken to ensure adequate mixing and suspension of particulate material. In a stagnant sediment or under anaerobic conditions, LAS is not degraded. p‐Sulfophenylacetic acid and p‐sulfocinnamic acid were evidenced as predominant metabolites and were found not to be persistent.     

Preliminary toxicity evaluation of water from rice fields using cost‐effective microbiotests

A study was performed in a Protected Area (Natural Reserve of Sado Estuary) in 1996, to evaluate the acute toxicity for aquatic life of surface water from rice fields treated with pesticides, particularly with molinate and quinclorac. As a preliminary assessment, the following rapid toxicity tests were used: “Rotoxkit F”;, “Thamnotoxkit F”; and the recently introduced “Daphtoxkit F magna”; and “Algaltoxkit F”;. Water samples were collected from: a water source for irrigating the rice fields, two rice plots, a drainage channel and from Sado river in which the water is discharged. The results showed that samples from the rice plot treated with molinate were more toxic than those obtained from rice plot treated with quinclorac. Water samples from the river were the most toxic, causing 100% of immobility in all organisms and a substantial inhibition in the algal growth. Water collected from the drainage channel in late July, was also found to be quite toxic. The results obtained until now indicate that some characteristics of these microbiotests, like their rapidity, simplicity and relatively low cost, make them a practical tool to evaluate acute effects of pesticides in freshwater ecosystems. They may also contribute to suggest some changes in pesticides use to promote agricultural practices with lower impact to aquatic life.     

Potentiometric studies of mixed complexes of cobalt(II) and copper(II) with l‐Asparagine and adenine

A potentiometric titration technique has been used to determine the stability constants for the various complexes of Co(II) and Cu(II) with L‐asparagine and from DNA base, e.g. adenine. Stability constants of ternary systems have been evaluated by the method suggested by Irwing‐Rossotti. In addition, the conditional constants were calculated as a function of pH. The maximum values of the conditional formation constants were found to be in accordance with the mixed‐ligand complex formation constants in a determined pH region. Furthermore, the molar fractions of different species from mixed complexes were calculated by means of formation constants. The values of stability constants of mixed‐ligand complexes at 25°C are as follows: log K= 5.25 for Co(II)‐L‐asparagine‐adenine; log K= 9.30 for Cu(II)‐L‐asparagine‐adenine. The ionic strength was kept constant at I = 0.20 with NaClO₄.     

杭州无车日大气细颗粒物化学组成形成机制及光学特性

在世界无车日期间对PM2.5化学组分、光学参数及气态污染物进行同步监测,评估机动车尾气排放对杭州市细颗粒物污染及能见度的影响.结果表明:管制期间NO2、NOx、CO和PM2.5浓度分别为45.0, 50.8, 1119, 85.8μg/m3,比平日分别下降了17.5%、23.3%、20.6%和32.6%.管制期间PM2.5中OC、EC和二次无机组分浓度为8.58, 4.29, 25.95μg/m3,比管制前下降了13.8%、12.6%和15.7%,管制后则达到20.24, 10.85, 27.39μg/m3,上升了136.0%、152.7%和5.5%.管制期间较高的NO3-/PM2.5和NOR(0.15)表明PM2.5的形成更多受二次无机转化影响,管制后PM2.5中上升的OC、EC比例和较低的NOR(0.07)则说明PM2.5主要来自机动车排放的碳质组分的贡献.硫酸盐、硝酸盐、有机气溶胶和EC是最主要的消光组分,共解释了总消光系数的74.0%~89.7%.管制后,机动车排放的有机物和EC消光比例达到26.6%和24.6%,大气消光系数则达到438.7Mm-1,比管制期间上升了60.5%,表明机动车污染排放已成为影响杭州大气细颗粒物污染和能见度下降的重要因素.