Arsenic species and leachability in the fronds of the hyperaccumulator Chinese brake (Pteris vittata L.)

Arsenic speciation is important not only for understanding the mechanisms of arsenic accumulation and detoxification by hyperaccumulators, but also for designing disposal options of arsenic-rich biomass. The primary objective of this research was to understand the speciation and leachability of arsenic in the fronds of Chinese brake (Pteris vittata L.), an arsenic hyperaccumulator, with an emphasis on the implications for arsenic-rich biomass disposal. Chinese brake was grown for 18 weeks in a soil spiked with 50 mg As kg(-1) as arsenate (AsO4(3-)), arsenite (AsO3(3-)), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), or methylarsonic acid (MMA). Plant samples were extracted with methanol/water (1:1) and arsenic speciation was performed using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The impacts of air-drying on arsenic species and leachability in the fronds were examined in the laboratory. After 18 weeks, water-soluble arsenic in soil was mainly present as arsenate with little detectable organic species or arsenite regardless of arsenic species added to the soil. However, arsenic in the fronds was primarily present as inorganic arsenite with an average of 94%. Arsenite re-oxidation occurred in the old fronds and the excised dried tissues. Arsenic species in the fronds were slightly influenced by arsenic forms added to the soil. Air-drying of the fronds resulted in leaching of substantial amounts of arsenic. These findings can be of significance when looking at disposal options of arsenic-rich biomass from the point of view of secondary contamination.     

Using stochastic risk assessment in setting information priorities for managing dioxin impact from a municipal waste incinerator

The objectives of this study were to assess site-specific carcinogenic risk of incinerator-emitted dioxins in a manner reflecting pollutant transfer across multimedia and multi-pathways. The study used site-specific environmental and exposure information and combined the Monte Carlo method with multimedia modeling to produce probability distributions of risk estimates. The risk estimates were further categorized by contaminated environmental media and exposure pathways that are experienced by human receptors in order to pinpoint significant sources of risk. Rank correlation coefficients were also calculated along with the Monte Carlo sampling to identify key factors that influenced estimation of risk. The results showed that ingestion accounted for more than 90% of the total risk and that risk control on ingestion of eggs, aboveground vegetables, and poultry should receive priority. It was also found that variation of parameters with variability accounted for around 35% of the total risk variance, while uncertainty contributed to the remaining 65%. Intake rates of aboveground vegetables, eggs, and poultry were the key parameters with the largest contribution to variance. In addition, sufficient sampling and analysis of dioxin contents in eggs, aboveground vegetables, poultry, soil, and fruit should be performed to improve risk estimation because the variation in concentrations in these media accounted for the largest overall risk variance. Finally, focus should be placed on reduction of uncertainty associated with the risk estimation through ingestion of aboveground vegetables, eggs, poultry, fruit, and soil because the risk estimates associated with these exposure pathways had the largest variance.     

Carbonyls in the metropolitan area of Mexico City: calculation of the total photolytic rate constants Kp(s(-1)) and photolytic lifetime (tau) of ambient formaldehyde and acetaldehyde

A great number of studies on the ambient levels of formaldehyde and other carbonyls in the urban rural and maritime atmospheres have been published because of their chemical and toxicological characteristics, and adverse health effects. Due to their toxicological effects, it was considered necessary to measure these compounds at different sites in the metropolitan area of Mexico City, and to calculate the total rate of photolytic constants and the photolytic lifetime of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Four sites were chosen. Sampling was carried out at different seasons and atmospheric conditions. The results indicated that formaldehyde was the most abundant carbonyl, followed by acetone and acetaldehyde. Data sets obtained from the 4 sites were chosen to calculate the total rate of photolysis and the photolytic lifetime for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Maximum photolytic rate values were obtained at the maximum actinic fluxes, as was to be expected.     

人工快速渗滤系统对污染物的去除机制

人工快速渗滤系统(CRI)是在传统的污水快速渗滤处理系统(RI)的基础上发展起来的一种新型的污水土地处理技术.通过对CRI的模拟,揭示了非生物机制与生物机制对有机物、营养元素的降解机制.结果表明,CRI对污水中污染物的去除是在非生物机制与生物机制协同作用下完成的.对污水中的有机物和氮的降解以生物机制为主、非生物机制为辅;对磷的降解则以非生物机制为主、生物机制为辅.生物机制对有机物、氮的去除占70%以上,非生物机制对磷的去除占61.9%.系统中氮转化以硝化效果为主,反硝化效果较弱.     

Subsoil TPH and other petroleum fractions-contamination levels in an oil storage and distribution station in north-central Mexico

Many oil industry related sites have become contaminated due to the activities characteristic of this industry, such as oil exploration and production, refining, and petro-chemistry. In Mexico, reported hydrocarbon spills for the year 2000 amounted to 185 203, equivalent to 6252 tons (PEMEX, 2000). The first step for the remediation of these polluted sites is to assess the size and intensity of the oil contamination affecting the subsoil and groundwater, followed by a health risk assessment to establish clean up levels. The aim of this work was to characterize the soil and water in a north-central Mexico Oil Storage and Distribution Station (ODSS), in terms of TPHs, gasoline and diesel fractions, BTEX, PAHs, MTBE, and some metals. Besides, measurements of the explosivity index along the ODSS were made and we describe and discuss the risk health assessment analysis performed at the ODSS, as well as the recommendations arising from it. Considering soils with TPH concentrations higher than 2000 mg kg⁻¹, the contaminated areas corresponding to the railway zone is about 12 776.5 m², to the south of the storage tanks is about 6558 m², and to the south of the filling tanks is about 783 m². Total area to be treated is about 20 107 m² (volume of 20 107 m³), considering 1 m depth.     

Response to organic enrichment of infaunal macrobenthic communities under salmonid seacages

The response of infaunal macrobenthic communities beneath salmonid seacages to solid organic wastes (food pellets and fish excreta) was tested by means of the ABC-method (abundance, biomass comparison method: Warwick 1986) on samples collected from the SAFCOL seafarm at Badger Cove, southeast Tasmania, from February to July 1988. The intermittent nature of the addition of organic waste allowed us to monitor decline and recovery of the macrofauna, i.e., harvesting of a cage permitted a period of recovery whilst restocking precipitated a decline. The ABC-method proved to be a sensitive indicator of community health. Under a normal feeding regime the macrofaunal community structure indicated a moderately disturbed condition. Only 7 wk after the cage was harvested, species richness had increased markedly and the community adopted an undisturbed condition. Further improvement was apparent 14 wk post-harvest. Similarly, a decline to a moderately disturbed condition was apparent 7 wk after restocking and species richness had declined. No such changes occurred under a cage which contained fish continuously over the same period.     

水环境中痕量重金属生物活性形态的分析

水环境中痕量重金属的生物活性形态,包括生物可吸收态和生物毒性形态,这种形态的分析是重金属形态分析研究的一个重要发展方向。对于水环境中重金属对生物的毒害现状评价、潜在危害预测以及水环境容量的确定、排放标准和污染治理方案的制定,具有重要意义。本文总结了各种物理化学法重金属形态分析的结果与生物测试重金属形态测定结果之间的相关性,进而探讨了应用物理化学方法进行金属生物活性形态分析的可行性和特点。     

个旧锡矿成矿热液活动的微量元素地球化学指示

通过对不同地质体中微量元素含量对比及因子分析 ,明确成矿热液活动元素 ,区分不同地球化学类型的元素集群。研究表明 ,成矿热液活动源于花岗岩岩浆侵位 ,花岗岩浆期后热液及地下水在岩体热力驱动下构成了一个系统的矿化热液活动体系 ,对区内地层产生广泛的蚀变影响 ,形成矿体、热液活动脉体及矿化热液活动元素对围岩地层的改造。成矿热液活动体系为开放系统 ,运动方式以构造断裂导流为主 ,孔隙渗透为次。     

城市生活垃圾场垂直防渗技术应用与认识

为防止生活垃圾场渗滤液扩散 ,造成二次污染 ,本文着重论述了采用帷幕注浆进行垂直防渗的可行性 ,并结合工程实践 ,对生活垃圾场场址选择、帷幕注浆材料使用以及防渗工程布置作了分析和探讨。     

荧光光谱法鉴别海面溢油源的研究进展

本文以大量的研究成果介绍了荧光光谱技术在鉴别海面溢油源中的应用和进展。根据普通荧光光谱、同步扫描光谱、可变角同步扫描光谱和总荧光光谱等不同荧光光谱信息特等，论述了荧光光谱的三维特性及维特性及其在溢油鉴别中的应用。同时，结合低温荧光法、磷光光谱法、导数荧光光谱法等辅助方法和技术，介绍了国内外荧光光谱法鉴别海面溢油的新进展和新成果。